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“Oh!” Aspen said, surprised to see me, too. “I think it makes me the worst guard ever that I assumed you were in your room this whole time.”
yeah this is quite concerning considering there’s frequent attacks on the palace. go for him america!! maybe he’ll let you die on accident
“Well, I won’t have bridesmaids,”
“I’d want to incorporate some of my culture’s traditions into my wedding,” Elise added quietly. “Girls back in New Asia use a lot of red in their ceremonies, and the groom has to bring gifts to the bride’s friends to reward them for letting her marry him.”
wow !!! she’s so ethnic!
was born into a family of Fives—artists and musicians who were generally poorly paid—and though I hated the caste system in general, I liked what I did for a living.
general twice in the same sentence did no one edit this book
“I’ll simply have to do it myself. The whole lot of you are worthless. I’m getting new maids tomorrow. This time I mean it.”
“Calluses. They’re from pressing down on violin strings four hours a day.” “I’ve never noticed them before.” “Do they bother you?” I was the lowest caste of the six girls left, and I doubted any of them had hands like mine.
lifted one of the books carefully, terrified that I might accidentally destroy a one-of-a-kind treasure. I flipped through the pages but ended up setting it back down almost immediately. I was simply too awestruck.
i think she can’t read
If the date’s any indication, this was right after the American State of China started fighting back, just before the Fourth World War.
sure ok
Little did I know that when she’d asked for piano lessons, my ears would be in for such painful—but hilarious—torture.
you’re a shit teacher if she can’t play a scale after one week of daily lessons
“Promise me that even if I get married to a nobody Eight in an alley somewhere, you’ll be there.”
It was impossible. I had to choose. Aspen or Maxon.
The war in New Asia has been going on for years. I think one or two rounds of inflated drafts would give us the numbers we need to end it.”
“Twos can afford to pay their way out of the draft, so I’m sure Lady Celeste has never seen what it does when families lose their only sons. Taking more would be devastating, particularly for the lowest castes, who tend to have larger families and need every member to work in order to survive.”
why can you pay your way out of a draft . the way this is worded makes it seem like you can legally pay your way out of a draft
I’m sure there would need to be certain requirements, but perhaps we’d get more out of an army of men who wanted to be soldiers as opposed to boys who were only doing what it took to stay alive and get back to the life they left behind.”
she’s so brave and revolutionary
We’ll have the best candies made and imported. You, my dear, will be stuffed by the end of the night. We’ll have to roll you off the floor.”
roll her off a cliff
Without any warning, he kissed me.
so awesome!
“If you’re preparing to tell me that I need to stop fighting for you, that’s not a conversation I want to have.” In truth, I hadn’t even thought about Aspen in the last week or so.
she’s so kind
“We are, too, kitten,” Dad said.
disgusting
He went off to Elise’s family, who were easily the most refined of the group.
ohhhh because they’re asian!!! i get it!
“So he enjoys a girl who stands up to him,” Dad said once we all calmed down. “I like him more already.”
guys i can’t do this
The United States was invaded at the beginning of the Third World War after they couldn’t repay their crippling debt to China. Instead of getting money, which the United States didn’t have, the Chinese set up a government here, creating the American State of China and using the Americans as labor. Eventually the United States rebelled—not only against China, but also against the Russians, who were trying to steal the labor force set up by the Chinese—joining with Canada, Mexico, and several other Latin countries to form one country. That was the Fourth World War, and—while we survived it,
...more
He wasn’t wrong—the castes weren’t fair—but this was a happy visit, and I didn’t want to waste it talking about things we couldn’t change.
ok america great sentiment
“What’s it like to be in love?” May asked. Part of me ached. Why hadn’t she ever asked me? Then I remembered, as far as May knew, I’d never been in love.
so why do i have to
I had hoped Kota might be getting over his caste climbing and learn to be content with the success he had.
She was shorter and curvier than the queen, but she was every bit as regal in her dress.
why is she constantly commenting on her moms body
Elise’s Asian heritage was being taken full advantage of. Her silken dress was an exaggeration of the demure ones she tended to favor. The draping sleeves were incredibly dramatic, and I was in awe of her ability to walk with the ornate headdress she was wearing. Elise didn’t typically stand out, but tonight she looked lovely, almost regal.
????????
one guard so bold as to put on a lady’s dress.
King Clarkson, Queen Amberly, and Prince Maxon Schreave!”
these names are absolutely insane
To add to the effect, he hadn’t shaved in a day or two, and a shadow of dark blond fuzz covered the bottom half of his face like a smile.
?
Though the whole thing should be archaic and wrong, it worked.
“I’m glad you’re as funny as everyone says you are.
she’s NOT
“Sounds like you get along well with most everyone. Someone even said that during the last attack you took your maids with you to the hiding place for the royal family. Is that true?” He sounded amazed. At the time, it seemed like a completely normal thing to protect the girls I loved, but to everyone else it came across as daring or strange. “I couldn’t leave them behind,” I explained. He shook his head in awe. “You’re a true lady, miss.” I blushed. “Thank you.”
caste saviorism
Fern was a Six, and sometimes we got help from her when Aspen’s mom was too busy to fit us in. Her sixteenth birthday party came about seven months after Aspen and I had started dating. We were both invited, and it wasn’t much of a party. A cake and water, the radio turned on because she didn’t own any music discs, and the lights dimmed in her unfinished basement.
she’s so mean spirited
“Yes, darling?” I smiled at the name.
die
Marlee was forced to kneel in front of the large wooden block as a man ripped the coat from her back. Her wrists were bound down to the loops on either side, palms up.
“This is a crime punishable by death! But, in his mercy, Prince Maxon is going to spare these two traitors their lives. Long live Prince Maxon!”
??!!!??????!!?
In that moment, all I could think of was how beautiful she looked. Her golden hair was messy and her dress a disaster, and she’d lost her shoes at some point; but, my God, she looked radiant.
she’s in a fucking guillotine america get your priorities straight
“Marlee Tames and Carter Woodwork, you are both hereby stripped of your castes. You are the lowest of the low. You are Eights!”
The crowd cheered, which seemed wrong. Weren’t there any Eights standing here who hated being referred to that way?
why would eights be here are you stupid or something
How much must she have loved him to be so careless, to risk so much?
you are pissing me off
I didn’t know what Carter was before the draft made him a Two, though my guess was he was a Seven. Seven was low, but it was better than Eight by a long shot. I couldn’t believe she was an Eight. This could not be real.
well i can’t believe you’re such a dumbass but we can’t win everything
Would Marlee ever be able to use her hands again?
?
“America?” Maxon said quietly. I didn’t answer. He shut the door and walked across the room to stand by my bed. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“America, I know you’re upset, but please? I told you; you’re the only one. Please don’t do this.” “Maxon,” I said slowly, “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do this. I could never stand by and watch someone get hurt like that, knowing it was my judgment that sent them there. I can’t be a princess.”
“Then don’t,” he urged. “Don’t let this make a decision for the both of us when you’re so upset.”
oh my goodness what
What an idiot I’d been. I’d almost given up the one person in the world who really knew me, really loved me. Aspen and I had been building a life together, and the Selection nearly destroyed it. Aspen was home. Aspen was safe.
HEY KITTEN,
i really like that this is in all caps
It was exactly what I needed: motherly affection.
you have a mom for that but you hate her for no reason
The hospital wing was a long, pristine corridor with beds against the walls.
ohhh ok thank you i’m too stupid to figure this out myself
“One girl came in with her feet bleeding after someone slipped glass in her shoes in the night. We can’t prove it was Celeste, but who else would do something so mean?”
