The Elite (The Selection, #2)

by Kiera Cass

[Nessa Luna]

Read this review and others on my blog October Tune!

When I finished The Selection, I found the kind of open ending a bit annoying, so I immediately started The Elite. I was hoping this book would focus more on the rebel attacks, and on Maxon trying to eliminate more people and that we'd finally find out who was going to be the One at the end of this book, unfortunately I was yet again a bit disappointed.

This book was just as exciting as the last one, meaning that it wasn't really that exciting at all. There were two (or actually three) more rebel attacks in this book, but like with The Selection, we spend it in shelters. There was only one scene where we found out more about the rebels, when America fled into the (apparently massive) forest inside the castle walls. Seriously, this forest must have been huge, because she actually got lost. She ran so far into it that she couldn't find her way back to the castle anymore. For that entire scene, I just kept asking myself how big the forest must have been. Anyway, she encounters two of the rebels who are carrying a lot of stolen goods from the castle... Books. They stole books. That does not sound that exciting at all?! I imagined them stealing jewels, money, and all kinds of other valuables; but books? (Okay, books can be valuable but still).

Then the other exciting part was a whipping. Because on of the Selection girls was a bit naughty. I will not tell you which character it was, of course, but let's just say I was really surprised! This was also the scene where I started to like America a bit more, because of her reaction to this whipping. But I think the book revolved too much around the love triangle, which is something I hate. I was hoping for more frequent (or at least, more violent) rebel attacks and we got only one more than the previous one (and those first two attacks were by the same group of rebels, so it kind still was only one rebel attack).

The rest of the book was a bit, well, disappointing. It was a lot of America crying (seriously this girl cries A LOT) and going back and forth between Maxon and Aspen. Because then one moment she'd be like 'Maxon is perfect for me', and then Aspen would appear and say something and she'd be like 'Aspen is even more perfect'. Even after the whipping scene she fools around with Aspen, like - did you learn NOTHING from that? I bet next time the King/Maxon won't be that friendly and you could be killed! But what does America do? She meets Aspen in hidden places all over the castle. Stupid stupid stupid. And she just kept doing stupid stuff throughout the book and I was kind of surprised that she wasn't kicked out (yes I already know how the last book is going to end, but still). In fact, I don't think any of the girls was eliminated in this book, or did I just miss something? (okay, the girl who was whipped was send away obviously but other than her).

Even better, when she sees Maxon hanging around and going on dates with the other girls of the Selection, she gets mad! Because Maxon confessed his love to her, and that means he can't do stuff with the other girls. Yeah, you're still in the Selection girl, he hasn't chosen you yet. And besides, with you being so stupid to him, he'll have to go through his other options right? This girl is really... UGH!

There were some nice parts about this story though. I still liked Marlee and Maxon (apart from some minor parts, but yeah every character has flaws). And the fact that this book was just very simply written and very easy to read; I finished it really quickly and I felt like I just flew right through. Unfortunately, that didn't really make up for the rest of the book, but it also wasn't so bad I wanted to give it two stars. I will read The One, and I might try out the two available novella's, but this won't be one of my favourite book series.

If you enjoy The Bachelor, you should definitely check out The Selection series; if you're not too big on love triangles, you should avoid this series. Avoid it big time.

My opinion on this book in one gif: 


(me talking to America every time she thinks about being with Aspen).