The One

Title: The One

Series: The Selection Series - book 1

Author: Kiera Cass

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia

Number of Pages: 323

Publication Date: 2014

Publisher: Harper Collins

Summary: When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown - or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, 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.

This book is definitely my favourite of the series. In the first book, America whinged too much, and in the second book between America and Maxon's lack of communication and lack of information about the rebels, I am kind of surprised I kept going with this series. 

There was some serious character development in The One. America in this book finally learnt to let go of the past, to stop living life with a safety net. America does a lot of growing up in this book, she learns to stand and fight for her beliefs and even when intimidated and powerless to not lose who she is. This was a refreshing take on the girl she was in The Selection and The Elite. 

I would like to have seen a bit of America's strength in Maxon, especially when it came to his overbearing father. I think that if Maxon had a bit more strength and fight for what he believed in, then his and America's relationship would have had been stronger and would have had something that they had in common. While their ideas for the future of Illea are something that they share, these ideas are restricted to freeing the caste system and helping the poor but never looked at in great enough to detail to unify these two as good couple. Sometimes I felt that these two simply loved each other because they were written to do so.

The thing I loved most about the final book of Maxon and America's story was that we got answers on who the rebels were and what they wanted. FINALLY! The first two book have hinted greatly at the importance of the rebels and yet it is only in this final book that we get answers and then it's all over. For the first time we get to see how the two rebel groups really differ and the two things that are fighting for. 

I don't think that I will continue on with the rest of the books in this series, I'll just stick with reading the original three books. I don't think I could go and read about new angst filled characters. Cass' just creates a little too much angst for my tastes.