Review by Booklist Review
Will she or won't she outlast the other girls and become Prince Maxon's future queen of Illea? Book three in the highly popular Selection series settles the question for Lady America, and not without high doses of drama and surprise. Expect protracted seesawing on America's part as she tries to sort out her feelings for the prince and her first love, Aspen, but don't expect a lot of passive inactivity America and her rivals don't just wait out the Selection. The political suspense ramps up the action considerably, turning the story into a real page-turner and peppering it with a violence that slides a little closer to Hunger Games territory, as two sets of rebels have laid siege to the kingdom, targeting the caste system. While readers may wonder how America can survive palace machinations (and why she wants to), her gutsy moves will delight fans. Romance, royalty, and revolution in a reality-show format serve Cass' boldly rendered heroine well in her quest for justice and love. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Almost scientifically engineered to hit the publishing sweet spot, this awaited series continuation ought to shoot right up the best-seller charts.--O'Malley, Anne Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Fans of Cass's Selection trilogy won't be disappointed with this satisfying final installment. Lower caste and originally a long shot in the competition, America Singer returns as one of four Elite girls vying for Prince Maxon's heart and the title of princess of Illea. America is as willful and defiant as ever, making her both a target of King Clarkson's wrath and the darling of the people of Illea. She and Maxon continue to butt heads even as the chemistry between them remains palpable. The challenges facing the couple are unrelenting: brutal attacks by rebels, new political allies with a clear preference in who is chosen as princess, and ever-tangled relationships with America's fellow Selected girls. America has the right mix of sass and heart, and her over-the-top royal treatment is enough to make any reader who has ever played dress-up envious. Cass wisely keeps the Selection decision uncertain until the very end, keeping readers on the edge of their seats to find out who Maxon will finally choose as his bride. Ages 13-up. Agent: Elana Roth, Red Tree Literary. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-Who will become the future queen of Illea and Prince Maxon's wife? The final book in Cass's "Selection" series begins in the midst of a rebel attack on the palace. The heroine, America, is one of four remaining ladies competing in the selection process in this dystopian saga. Through bravery and a strong character, America has won the people's hearts. However, the king continues doing everything in his power to undermine her opportunities to succeed. While the contestants are competing for Maxon's heart, many other events from the outside world transpire: America's father dies and leaves her a letter, she is shot visiting rebels outside the city, the relationship between Aspen and America shifts, and the Southern rebels begin attacking people in the castles. All the while, the protagonist continues to fall deeply in love with Maxon even though he is involved with her competition. Fans of this series will not be disappointed by the ending. Major plotlines are tied up, and questions left unanswered in the previous installment are resolved here. The star-crossed duo's relationship has its many ups and downs, but their love for each other remains. For general purchase in libraries where the earlier books remain popular and for devotees of beauty pageants, dystopians, and drama-filled romances.-Jesten Ray, Seattle Public Library, WA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Tension drives this exciting final installment (The Selection; The Elite): Prince Maxon must finally choose a wife, and America and the other three remaining competitors are all vying for his heart. While America's complex relationship with Maxon continues, the political subplot's larger role in their lives refreshingly raises the stakes. Cass keeps readers guessing about the Selection's outcome until the dramatic conclusion. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
