Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

If you combined the dystopian setting of Hunger Games books with the backbiting and forced melodrama of ‘Mean Girls’ and The Bachelor TV series you’d have ‘The Selection.’ While I thoroughly enjoyed the Hunger Games books, I find The Bachelor insipid and boring. Unfortunately, The Selection is much more “Bachelor” than it is Hunger Games and because of that I am not inspired or motivated to continue the series even though book one leaves the reader hanging. Below are some observations I noted as I read: - Selection process reminiscent of Hunger Games series, but with less emotional engagement or risk - The “Princes” selection process is The Bachelor model for selecting fiancés complete with ‘dates.’ - The heroine whines about everything that is different in her life resulting from her choice to participate in the selection. She made the choice to participate to benefit her family so suck it up, buttercup. - The dialogue often reads like ‘Mean Girls’ in a girls’ locker room a month before prom: gossip, speculation, backbiting, wishful thinking, will he/won’t he ask me out; wild jealousy when girls talk about their respective dates with the Prince. - Silly names for the new countries: Swendway, Honduragua; feels like the author couldn’t be troubled with more detailed world building. Bottom line: this is a pale imitation of some of the other YA dystopian novels out there. If you want your young people to read about strong characters in difficult circumstances, look elsewhere.