The Elite by Kiera Cass
Release Date: April 23rd, 2013
HarperTeen, 336 Pages
Sub-genre: Dystopian
Source: Bought the Book
Age Group: Young Adult
Series: The Selection #1
Follow up to: The Selection
Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.
America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.
Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.
The Elite turned out to be a redeeming sequel for The Selection series. I was happy to see America taking some initiative, making some waves, making friends and enemies, at the same time.
In my previous review of The Selection, I totally forgot to mention anything about the other girls competing for Prince Maxon’s affection. My easy favorite was Marlee! Sweet, kind, strong, and it was nice to see America find a friend in the palace. I will admit that Celeste grinds my nerves so badly, but I know there has to be more to her than the shallow brat I’ve seen so far.
Some other characters that left a positive impression: Lucy, Anne, and Mary (America’s maids), Queen Amberly, and May (America’s sister). There are some other favorable characters that you’ll have to wait to meet, but the worst, by far, is the King. You’ll get to know him a little better as America has quite a few run-ins with him…
The plot thickens as I learned more about the Northern & Southern rebels, their causes, Maxon’s relationships with the other girls, and some character development. The story has more depth now as I move on to The One and I can only hope it ends in a way that shows the growth and depth of America’s journey.
I would definitely rate this a bit higher than the first book, but I have high hopes that the last book will fulfill a lot of what, I think, has been lacking in this series. It is definitely an interesting read and I flew through it! Watching The Bachelorette makes it even better because I’ve been comparing the dynamics in the house with Andi’s guys and the girls in the palace with Maxon! Check out this series if you’re looking for a fun, quick, summer read.
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