22 May 2015

Review: The One

The One - The Selection #3
by Kiera Cass





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What they say: 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 third instalment of THE SELECTION series!
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. The breathtaking third title in THE SELECTION series will make you swoon!

Don’t miss out on the chance to read the third in The Selection series, ahead of The Heir  (Buy here)!
ISBN: 9780008106089

Buy Links:

Amazon US * Amazon UK

See my review of The Selection & The Elite.


I received a copy from Harper Collins Children's UK (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review!


What I say: After really enjoying The Selection and then being disappointed by The Elite, I wasn't sure what to expect from The One (I should probably point out that I read it as soon as I finished The Elite because I wanted to give America and Maxon the chance to win me over). Although the drama and angst was still there, I felt the characters were MUCH more mature and balanced in this instalment. 

I had real problems with America's indecision and Maxon's multiple dating in The Elite but I felt Kiera Cass had a much better handle on explaining this. Even though there were still moments where I wanted to shake some sense into the pair of them, I didn't find myself getting too angry over the angst and could buy into the action and the romance.

Without giving too much away, it was nice to see a more decisive America. She worked hard to move past her insecurities and doubts. She knows what she wants now and is willing to listen and is far less rash than before. I felt that by the end of The One America had matured the most and would actually make a good royal.

I was hoping we wouldn't see the Aspen situation drag on, and there were a couple of times where I found myself shouting "just tell Maxon!" But in general I appreciated the direction her relationship with Aspen went (they reminded me of Wendy and Finn from the Trylle trilogy).
 

I was flipping peeved at Maxon after The Elite (yes I was probably being a bit unfair considering the point of the selection itself is for him to date multiple girls to find a wife) but I understand his reasoning regarding Kriss a bit more now. I read a review somewhere where the reviewer commented on how Maxon choosing Kriss would have been like Bella choosing Jacob in Twilight. She went on to add that although this would have been a viable option as Bella does love Jacob, it just wasn't as much or in the right way as she loves Edward. You can make up you're own minds about the Twilight comparison, but after I finally accepted Kriss really was another option for Maxon, I can see where this reviewer was coming from. But I still didn't really like how things developed with them in The Elite and some of The One.

Maxon has also matured a lot but he faces a vast amount of responsibility which can be extremely stressful. I liked how he tried to look after all the girls and worked hard to see America's viewpoint this time, rather than always getting angry with her (not instantly declaring her love). There were of course still moments where old insecurities reared their ugly heads (with both of them) and I really just wanted America to finally tell him about Aspen but that she loves Maxon.

Cass also managed to make me not hate Celeste, which was quite a turnabout! I loved how supportive Queen Amberley was with the final girls and it was nice to see the process through her eyes.


There were a few sad moments (and some not so sad) but I was happy with how the story ended. I read the unlocked extra epilogue online (here), which really made me smile. I'm really looking forward to reading The Heir and catching up with some of our fav characters whilst meeting Eadlyn.


4 Stars in my Sky!



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