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“It’s just the way it is. The sky is blue, the sun is bright, and Aspen endlessly loves America.
i’m throwing up why is everyone obsessed with her
“My lady,” Anne said when I walked through the doorway. “I thought you’d be downstairs until lunch for sure.” “Could you leave, please?” “I’m sorry?” I huffed, trying not to lose my patience. “I need to be alone. Please?”
she’s actually such a bitch
REALLY, IT’S NO WONDER CHINA CAME IN SO EASILY, AND IT’S NO WONDER IT TOOK SO LONG FOR US TO GET IN A POSITION TO FIGHT BACK. WE’VE LOST THAT SPIRIT THAT DROVE PEOPLE ACROSS OCEANS AND THROUGH DEVASTATING WINTERS AND CIVIL WAR. WE GOT LAZY. AND WHILE WE WERE SITTING BACK, CHINA TOOK THE REINS.
I WANT TO LEAD. I HAVE IDEAS, AND PERHAPS SINCE I’VE DONATED SO GENEROUSLY, NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER THEM UP. WHAT WE NEED IS CHANGE. I CAN’T HELP BUT WONDER IF I MIGHT BE THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN PROVIDE IT.
are we supposed to be seeing this as a good person
What if it was you, and all you knew how to do was play the piano?
He tapped on the glass jar by my bed, the one that used to hold hundreds of pennies that he’d given me for singing to him in the tree house back home, payment that he thought I deserved.
half of this book is recap of the last one
SURREPTITIOUSLY
big word!
“Absolutely. I like mine, but if I become princess, I’m stealing yours!” She laughed, maybe meaning her words as a joke, maybe not. Either way, something about my maids hemming her clothes bothered me. I forced a smile though.
so america what should bother you here is that this is forced labor not that this woman wants to steal your maids
MY MAIDS WERE GIFTS
die
“You’re so smart, America. It’s no wonder Maxon liked you so much.”
Maxon had told me once that there were two kinds of rebels: Northern and Southern. The Northern ones were pesky, but the Southern ones were deadly.
thanks for the recap america
She nodded her head to herself, trying to slow her breathing. Of the five of us, she was easily the most delicate.
ohhh because she’s asian i see
I spied a group of maids working to scrub away giant letters on a far wall. WE’RE COMING The line was repeated down the hall, sometimes written in mud, other times in paint; and one appeared to be done in blood. Chills ran through me, and I wondered what that meant.
these rebels are repeatedly getting into the castle and you’re going to host multiple european countries next week ?
“Rebels! Inside the palace! They’re coming!”
this security is awful how does this keep happening!!
“Stand down!” Maxon shrieked. “You’ll hit her! Cease fire!”
kill her . please 🙏. also shrieking is nottttt very attractive he should work on that
He looked a bit shocked. “None of the other girls could have outrun them, I don’t think.” I smiled, finally at ease. “None of the other girls is a Five.”
i despise you
chuckled,
everyone is constantly chuckling it’s maddening
“I understand now. If you’re that concerned with our safety, you couldn’t have wanted to do that to Marlee. I’m sure you would have stopped it if you could.” He sighed. “In a heartbeat.”
why couldn’t he stop it you are bending over backwards defending dictator junior for no gain
It was intimidating, trying so hard to communicate with the women from the German Federation—who spoke very broken English—particularly when I had so much Italian in my brain.
????? why would they not speak english ???? is it the 1600s?
“A bit too much like it,” Celeste added. “You’re going to give people a headache.” Leave it to her to find fault with something beautiful.
i’m on her side
The best way to describe the Italian ladies was statuesque. They were tall, golden skinned, and absolutely beautiful.
man this is so fucking weird
They were so loud when they talked.
microaggression
The poor maids scuttled around to clean the shattered pieces as the band started up again and the whole room began to dance.
this is awful
“Yes, it does. This isn’t just some prize. This is a husband, a crown, a future. And you probably have the most to gain or lose by it.”
wake up america
“Pardon me. Can I have the hostess, please?” she asked in her lovely accent.
what’s her accent??????????? asian??????
“We are very much interested in forming a bond with a powerful nation, if that nation can change. Unofficially, if there is anything we can do to help you acquire the crown, let us know. You have our full support.”
what
IF YOU WANT THE CROWN, AMERICA, TAKE IT. TAKE IT. BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE YOURS. AND YET … IF YOU DON’T WANT THAT BURDEN, I COULD NEVER BLAME YOU. I WOULD WELCOME YOU HOME WITH OPEN ARMS. I LOVE YOU.
this is like leto atreides talking to paul but unimaginably worse
“After the caning, he was afraid we would be hurt if we were left on our own, so he kept us here. Two other servants, a brother and sister who had family in Panama, were sent instead.
i’m sorry they sent two other people who did nothing wrong to go be homeless as eights?????????? what the fuck is this
“Honestly? A little uncomfortable at first. The second time was better.” “Oh.” I didn’t know what else to say.
then why did you ask america i’m going to kill you im not joking
Nimbly, she went over to the armoire and found the latch. For some reason, I thought the caning would break her, but she was stronger now. She even carried herself differently. Marlee turned to blow me a kiss and disappeared.
yeah i’m glad she was caned because now she is stronger and two other people were taken from their homes while she got to be a maid in the castle it’s really worked out for her
What really stung was Celeste pressing her lips together to hide her smile, Natalie’s raised eyebrows as she pretended to read her borrowed magazine, and the hopeful glance between Kriss and Elise.
she has been insulting these women every chance she gets and now she has the nerve to be upset they’re glad that she might be kicked out???????????
“I’m afraid we’ve had a development with the war in New Asia,” Maxon said firmly. “The situation is so dire that Father and I are leaving this very moment to see if we can do any good.”
leave and die
“Call ahead and tell them to go easy on us,” he said to Elise. I’d almost forgotten that the main reason she was still here was that she had family ties to leaders in New Asia. I wondered if this war going downhill would cost her her spot.
dude what
The other girls’ eyes were glued to the king and Maxon as they left, but I was watching the queen. Her entire body seemed weak. How many times would her husband and only child be put in danger before she cracked?
i don’t know or care i hope you all die in the next rebel attack
I knew she was strong. She’d grown up in a poor neighborhood in a poor province, working in a factory until she was chosen for the Selection. Then, once she was queen, she suffered miscarriage after miscarriage before she finally had a child. She would make it to her room looking like a lady, as her position demanded. But she would cry once she was alone.
shut the fuck up
Aspen was quiet for a moment, and his voice sounded pained when he asked, “Do your feelings about me change a lot?” “No!” I said, pushing myself closer to him. “If anything, you’re the one constant. I know that if everything turns upside down, you’ll still be here, in the exact same place. Everything gets so crazy that my love for you gets pushed to the background, but I know it’s always there. Does that make sense?”
she’s such a liar
“Sometimes I feel like Maxon and I are in our own version of the Selection. It’s just him and me, and one of us will get you in the end; and I can’t decide who’s worse off. Maxon doesn’t exactly know we’re competing, so he might not be able to try as hard. But then, I have to hide, so it’s not like I can give you everything he can. It’s not really a fair fight either way.”
yeah ok sure
And the injections, too,”
???? WHAT INJECTIONS WHY ARE SOLDIERS BEING INJECTED??????? AND WHAT IS THAT MYSTERY PILL SHES BEEN TKAING EVERYDAY WHY HASNT IT BEEN MENTIONED ONCE
“And maybe this is silly, but it’s my country. I get that it’s broken, but that doesn’t mean these anarchists can just come and take it. It’s still mine. Does that sound crazy?”
yes
In my family, we sort of have this tradition where we don’t kiss until we’re engaged.
that’s so unique and beautiful
Another rebel attack this morning, this time in Paloma. Current count is over three hundred dead, at least one hundred more wounded. Again, the main demand appears to be terminating the Selection, calling for an end to the royal line.
how were all of these people killed why is it so vague
“What if their plane went down?” Celeste said quietly. She looked up, and I was surprised to see genuine fear on her face.
she’s not a psychopath like you
“Thank you, Silvia,” the queen said patiently. Really, who cared? “Forgive me, ladies, but I have some work to do.
???? what do you mean really who cared???? what are you talking about????
“Is it so bad that I want more than this?”
more than forced labor? yeah
The only way for Anne to get out of this job was to marry her way out. And it wasn’t like a slew of Threes or Fours were going to parade down the palace halls looking for a maid to take as a wife. She really was stuck.
dude america is such an asshole
WALLIS IS SO HATED NOW, HE’S ALL BUT HANDED THE PRESIDENCY OVER TO ME, AND NOT A SOUL IS COMPLAINING. I SAY NOTHING, DO NOTHING, AND WEAR A PLEASANT SMILE AS EVERYONE
this is from the founder’s diary , do they just throw the constitution out ?
THIS COUNTRY IS MINE. I FEEL LIKE A BOY WITH A CHESS SET PLAYING A GAME HE KNOWS HE WILL WIN. I’M SMARTER, RICHER, AND FAR MORE QUALIFIED IN THE EYES OF A COUNTRY THAT ADORES ME FOR REASONS NO ONE CAN SEEM TO NAME.
this is like if you asked a five year old to write a villain
I rushed over to open it and was greeted by the lens of his camera. It clicked a still of my shocked smile.
“We ended up going to the rural part of New Asia. Father said it was some local dispute; but by the time we got there, everything was fine.”
the rural part of New Asia 👍
We spent a few days walking through old cities and trying to speak to the natives. Father is quite disappointed with my grasp of the language and is insisting I study more. As if I’m not doing enough these days,” he said with a sigh.
what else are you doing ??? dating 5 girls at the same time??? you had your entire life to learn the “native” new asian language because there’s only one language in asia now and you couldn’t do it?
