The Selection is a very captivating book from start to finish. It is a well recommended teen romance book that will take you on a journey with the protagonist America Singer. I started this book not thinking it would be good, but it gets you on a surprising hook that you cannot get out of. So for my Room to Breathe project I read the selection, wrote about the characters and painted pictures of the supporting characters and main character (what I thought they would look like).
Characters
America Singer
America Singer is a knock on wood kind of girl. She is the protagonist of the story, which is a very important job. She has taught me a lot throughout the book and if you are a reader she will surprise you. America has red hair, green eyes and she’s a caste 5. She is a girl with a fiery attitude and is a rebellious teen who isn’t afraid to speak her mind or the truth. She isn’t anything like any of the other selected girls. America was homeschooled so she didn’t get to meet other kids as a young child, which she realizes later. She has a different attitude about things because she is a lower class (which is good to see from other perspectives of their world). The one most important thing that she has taught me is to “never back down from any challenge.” She showed me this by “Joining the selection” and that other girls can’t impact you, no matter their caste. I personally couldn’t imagine this book without a recalcitrant young women like America.
Marlee Tames
Marlee Tames is a new friend of America’s, whom she had met through the course of the selection. She has blonde hair and brown eyes and is described as pretty and really nice. She’s a caste 4 and is a bright and cheery character. Marlee and America grew close right as they met, so close they started to share secrets. If you are a reader of the book you will start to adore her because unlike the rest of the cold competition she is warm and friendly. Marlee is 17 years old just like America and faces a problem during the selection. Marlee feels that she doesn't “love” Maxon, and from the way she describes it I don’t think they connect. The one thing Marlee taught me was to “always stay kind and strong at heart.”
Prince Maxon
Prince Maxon is the man everyone is fighting for. He has honey blonde hair and a dreamy smile. He obviously is a caste 1 because he is a prince who is soon taking over for his father, the King. Prince Maxon is 19 years old and is an only child. America hated him at first, but as time went on she started to fall in love with him. The selection had 35 girls for Prince Maxon to choose from, but because of threats toward the palace he narrowed it down to the Elite and ended up with 6 girls. He kept the following girls: Kriss, Celeste, Marlee, Natalie, Elise and of course America. He had different reasons for keeping them, some for the economy, some for the happiness of people (and parents) and from as far as I know true love for America. At the end of the book he told America how he felt, and she had fallen in love. I am rooting for him and not Aspen, so what I have learned from him is “Not letting others decide for you”.
Aspen Leger
Aspen Leger was America’s former secret boyfriend for 2 years. He has Black curly hair and green eyes. Aspen was a former caste 6 but moved up to a 2 after he was drafted for the army. Aspen is my least favorite character. Before he tricked America into joining the selection, he broke up with her because he didn't want to take her down to a caste 6. America was heart broken and when she moved on to the selection, as hard as it was she tried to forget about him. After America realized that she had fallen in love with Maxon, Aspen came to fight for her love disguised as a guard. After making America upset she still forgives him, leaving her to decide which life she wanted. Aspen put America in a hard place. She had to choose to live with a handsome Prince with wealth, or with a man who left her and is trying to reclaim his love for her. The one lesson that I learned from him was “fight for someone you love.”
Project Goals- 2,3,9 & 10