Thursday, May 19, 2016

The Elite (The Selection #2)

                Hello happy readers!  So as you may know from last week’s review of The Selection by Kiera Cass I am moving through the series, somewhat slowly as I am listening to them and only have about a 5-7 minute commute to and from work so not a ton of listening to be had currently but I have another trip coming up on the 24th so cheers there.  I hope to at least finish up the original three books in the series before moving on to the novellas and the two spin-off/after books.  So today, go figure, I’m going to share my thoughts and feels for book two, The Elite, which will contain spoilers from the first book if you haven’t read the series yet.

Rating:  4.5 Stars

                So when we left off we had just went from a large group of girls down to the Elite, and only six to boot as Maxon didn’t want to keep anyone around and in danger unnecessarily.  Things heat up in the competition for Maxon’s heart as he girls are now expected to learn and do more of what a princess would.  America has to figure out where her heart is, with her first love Aspen who broke her heart but came back for her.  Or Prince Maxon, whom she has real feelings for but isn’t sure of everything that comes with him, like the crown.  She wants time to try and make her decision but as things progress time may be against her and she may lose her ability to choose.

                In book one I was not very fond of her interactions with Aspen once he came to the palace.  I was happy that he got out of where he was and it turned out well for him and I even understand in some part his reasons for breaking her heart.  I was even happy that it might give her closure but instead it opened up a new can of worms.  While she was developing real feelings for Maxon she now had her first love waiting in the wings which wasn’t fair to either to either guy even if Aspen was aware and Maxon was technically dating many girls at once.  Morality aside it was risky and stupid to keep talking with him like that and sneaking moments.  As we move forward though and things happen outside of the control and understanding of America she is forced to see the not so pleasant side of ruling and she isn’t pleased.  Upset and pulling away from Maxon and the crown leads him to waver in his certainty of her and look more seriously at the other girls.  Which adds even more flames to the fire that is the mess of emotions.   

                Character wise I still really liked Maxon though he had some moments where I was with America in being uncertain.  His reasons make sense and paired with his inexperience they are almost sweet but he expects her to understand his faults and missteps in that area but doesn’t always offer the same with her in regards to the other girls and politics.  Still I was firmly Team Maxon.  Aspen on the other hand I enjoyed as a character and I loved his support and loyalty to his country and America but I didn’t approve of what he was doing in trying to win her while she was in the selection.  It is against the rules and the risks are much too high.  America was still nervous and unsure and relatable if not a bit indecisive which got to me a bit more on reflection than it did in the moment.

                With the girls being so few now we really got to dive more into them and who they are, along with what they were there for.  Some suspicions were confirmed others enlightened.  Also can I say how much I still love Marley!  The bond forged between her and America was on point for me and something I think that was needed in the otherwise cattiness that occurs in the situation.  Special note also to  America's maid, Ann, Mary, and Lucy were also so much fun.  The way America interacts with them and they are with her, true confidents who would do anything for her and she for them seeing them as people.  It kind of helps keep her grounded in the opulence of the palace.          

                I really liked the aspect of including the rebels and learning more about the country as a whole.  I always suspected something was off but this did kind of catch me by surprise.  Maybe because of how insane it was and how honestly I think it could have played out.  How this way of life really happened.  We also get to know more about other countries as well from the dignitaries coming over to visit and interact, each group unique with their different customs and preferences on being handled.  Also seeing the girls step up and have more responsibility was good to see who shined and who failed. 

                Still really enjoying the series and I'm excited to continue on in the series, I have them all (accept the newest one) waiting for me on my shelf.  I'm excited to have finally started this series.  While I wish I had been up on the series before hand so I could have enjoyed all the talk of them I also like not having to wait so there is that!  I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments down below.  Did you enjoy the picks for the elite?  Were you rooting for Maxon or Aspen?  Let's discuss!

                Until next time…


No comments:

Post a Comment