Title: The Elite
Author: Kiera Cass
Published:HarperTeen, April 2013
Genre: Young adult dystopia
How I got the book: I bought it
Summary:
The Selection began with thirty-five girls.
Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon’s heart is fiercer than everβand America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?
America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they wantβand America’s chance to choose is about to slip away.
My Review:
I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book as soon as I finished the first one, The Selection. I went out right away and bought this one and the third book.
The characters disappointed me in this book, I have to admit. As much as I love Maxon, America, and Aspen, they all seemed to get on my nerves, America especially. America flip-flopped between Aspen, her first love, and Maxon, her current love. While I understand those feelings, they recurred throughout most of the novel and it got really old really fast. She egged both Aspen and Maxon on secretively, which wasn’t fair to either one of them. Aspen didn’t care about America’s situation and only cared about getting her back for himself which seemed selfish to me. Poor Maxon just has no idea what was going on behind his back the entire time. He only knew something was up because America was always moody towards him.
That’s another thing: America was a jerk to Maxon for most of the novel. She got jealous every time he hung out with the other girls from the selection as though he was cheating on her. However, she never told him she loved him and Maxon needs to do what’s best for him and what he feels is right. He wanted America, but she kept pushing him away. When she got jealous, she went crawling back to Aspen and would end up fighting with Maxon.
It was a vicious love triangle, one I didn’t care to follow.
Maxon has narrowed 35 girls down to six. He has to keep eliminating them until he gets down to one, the one he wants to marry and become queen. Except, as I mentioned before, most of the book surrounded itself around the love triangle between Maxon, Aspen, and America. That, to me, seemed to be the main plot and it didn’t do anything for me. I’m all for love triangles, but I felt as though this was carried on for far too long.
Kiera Cass has a wonderful writing style. The novel is told in first person through America. She really brings out America’s personality and you see the world through her eyes. The world Cass created is awesome and while I would never want to live there, it certainly is an interesting place to imagine. With that said, Cass has made such an interesting tale through a fictional world and beautiful writing.
Between some of the characters and the writing, this was definitely a good book. I thought the first one was much better, but this book didn’t stop me from reading it in one sitting and then picking up the third book right away.
The Elite by Kiera Cass gets…
4 out of 5 stars
Favorite Quote:
“You’ve changed me forever. And I’ll never forget you.” –Kiera Cass, The Elite
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I couldn’t stop reading your review, so the book must be quite good.
The whole series is great! π
If I were younger……ha ha!
I’m sure it’d be interesting!
Great review
Thank you!
One sitting?
It was good, lol.
Haha, I can’t remember the last time I read a book in one sitting. You must be fast too.
I’m not really a fast reader. Though I think I’ve been getting faster since I’ve been reading so much more lately.
That’s what they all say. π
Reblogged this on Don Massenzio's Blog and commented:
Check out this review of the book, The Elite by Kiera Cass from Rachel Poli’s blog
It’s on my shelf when I have an evening free, I will read it. but blah. I feel so meaaaaah about the whole thing.
I know what you mean. You said you weren’t too thrilled with the first book, right?
Yeah, I read it fast because it’s compulsive but it was a bit… mediocre I guess.
See, I absolutely loved it. I don’t know what it was because I don’t read romance or dystopia really, but I fell in love with it.
So did a lot of people! I have no idea why I seemed to miss what they all saw. Ah well. I liked it enough to read on π
At least you liked it enough. π
America got on my nerves too! Haha π
My review: https://bettybookreviews.wordpress.com/2017/02/06/the-elite-review/
Have you read The One? She gets better, but is still a pain, lol.
I’ve read this series! I have to agree with you on the fact that the love triangle thing was pretty overdone, though the author does have talent. The next two books, weren’t anywhere as good as the first three, though.
Oh, really? I haven’t read The Heir or The Crown yet. I’m looking forward to it, though I think I will miss Maxon’s and America’s “story.”
Same. That is one of the reasons for why I couldn’t enjoy the last two as much
I understand that.
I read this series to keep up with what my daughter wants to read. I totally agree with your review and unfortunately, with each book, I liked the series less and less. Not sure if it was because I’m a mom and the romance stuff just gets old or if it was the constant back and forth. I just wanted her to be a kind young woman who could stand up, make a decision and move on. All of that said, I continued reading each book… for some reason I had to find out how everything ended. HA!
You know, I think that’s how I feel. The romance is old, but I think it got old because of the back and forth. But I absolutely love the writing and read the first three books each in one sitting, for the most part. I still enjoyed them. π