The One (The Selection #3)

 The One (The Selection #3) by Kiera Cass.  Published June 5, 2014 by HarperCollins Children’s Books. CDN $13.99 Kindle edition.

THE SELECTION changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. Now, only one will claim Prince Maxon’s heart… It’s swoon meets the Hunger Games in the final instalment of THE SELECTION trilogy! For the four girls who remain at the palace, the friendships they’ve formed, rivalries they’ve struggled with and dangers they’ve faced have bound them to each other for the rest of their lives. Now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen. America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown – or to Prince Maxon’s heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realises just how much she stands to lose – and how hard she’ll have to fight for the future she wants. (Goodreads excerpt)

Well what to say about this roller coaster of emotions that calls itself The Selection? I have to admit that I really loved this story. It wasn’t a diehard serious deep in-your-face dystopia. It was fun and romantic and less political than most dystopian books. You swoon over Maxon and love the cat fights and the hilarity of the antics of the contest. You grab onto America and secretly hope that she gets her happily ever after with the prince. You want to smack her a few times for being stupid but…sigh Maxon is there.

And then there is The One (Selection #3). This book makes a dramatic change in tactics and focuses more on the politics and rebels and all of the angst that most dystopian novels have. Not to say it doesn’t deal with the romance…it does, but it is grittier and hard. The roller coaster continues and at one point I was very sad and angry and then….sigh…tear…OMG I love Maxon…I won’t say anymore.

The ending is a bit of a shock but it is satisfying and a great end to the trilogy.

5 stars for me.