Review: The Elite

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: April 23rd 2013
Pages: 336
Source: Gift
Genre: Romance, Dystopian
Goodreads

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.

Though I hate to have to say it, this is going to have to be a mostly negative review. I really enjoyed The Selection, so when I got a copy of The Elite I was extremely excited to dive back it. I suppose now, after reading The Elite, I think I really could have seen this coming. Everything that bugged me really started to show up at the end of the first book, and I was hoping that wouldn't continue. But it did.

If you read The Selection, you know that at the end of the book a love triangle starts to form. In the Elite, the love triangle is not only present, but it's almost one of the only prominent things that happens in the entire story. The main character, America, doesn't even seem to realize it's not okay to have serious relationships with two people and not say anything. She goes between the guys like it's perfectly normal and there isn't risk in doing so. She is so indecisive in this book, and I can't handle it. I just don't get it!

Obviously, I was often angry at America due to her lack of common sense, and her indecisiveness. I was also very upset with how the other characters acted in this story. Every time Aspen came into the story, I just wanted to tell him to go away. I never have liked Aspen, and he just kept showing up. Maxon.... I just don't know anymore. He doesn't seem like he cares about anyone, and I really think he's lying most of the time.

I think the reason why this book just didn't work for me is it felt like the entire story was based around lies. I think that every single one of the main characters were working off lies, and none of them saw the trouble that came with those lies, unless of course someone caught them in the lie. I really hate that about this book, it's so annoying!

The only thing I can really say that I liked about this book is that there was some world building... not a lot but there was some. I still don't really know why everything is the way it is. I don't understand the rebels very much, nor do I understand the whole relations with other countries thing... but it's a little clearer.