AWNE's October Pick: The Selection (Discussion)

[Devin]

Well, The poll has ended and The Selection was an clear decisive winner. Britt, my misery for the month is all on you ma'am. ;)

I've started it and got a few chapters in. It feels like it's going to be a pretty quick read, so that's good right?? The Selection

I imagine some of you probably already read it, also maybe some of you are not going to heh So, Use this as a discussion thread where we can just talk about the story. Throughout the month.

The sentiment of this group is to read outside of your comfort zone and maybe learn something new, or find something interesting in what would not be a normal book you would read.

(view spoiler)[ Please use the spoiler tag ( < spoiler > & < / spoiler > )for Spoiler conversations, just in case, when appropriate. (hide spoiler)]

I'll put up some thoughts tomorrow. since I intend to get this out of the way as early as I can ;) heh.
Cheers,

[Devin]

We're halfway through the month, how's everyone doing with it?
Anyone DNF it yet? Love it?
I got a bit sidelined by the trip to PEI, but I'll have it done this week.
How y'all finding it?

[Lena_makridina]

I've finished it. I think I can see why some people love it and others hate it:)

[Britt]

I'm still waiting for it to come back to the library haha. But hopefully I'll have it soon :)

[Devin]

Ackkkkk, Okay, I'm finished. Good god.
*sigh* I'm about to talk about the ending here.

(view spoiler)[This isn't a book, this is like Act one of a story. I get it, I understand cliffhangers can be great tools but this ending doesn't even have a cliff, it's just a stop sign. A Cliffhanger is supposed to still involve resolving a story arch, but leaving an aspect of it in the air in order to get the reader invested in seeing the rest...

This book Tolkien's itself.. it doesn't have a cliff hanger the story just abruptly stops with no rhyme or reason other than "if you want to see more, get book two!" This isn't a cliffhanger, this is the equivalent of when you use a payphone and after a while that voice cuts you off with "if you would like to continue your call, please deposit another quarter"..
So frustrating.. lol (hide spoiler)]

I got other thoughts, but this is the main thing I feel at the moment. Lol
What ya'll thinking?

[Lena_makridina]

(view spoiler)[
Yes, I see what you mean. It pains me a little to mention Tolkien and The Selection in one sentence but I have the same idea that it’s a wrong spot to end a book. I wanted to read the second book and to see if the first one would benefit from adding maybe a half of it but I was too lazy. It’s not a cliffhanger partly because it’s not even a decent love triangle story. I think for this triangle thing to work you need to spend more time building both relationships up. It’s not enough to say – He was her first love and it was the truest, the sweetest and the saddest love ever. Did you get it? Let’s move on to the prince part then. – I haven’t bought it. So for me it’s just a line and a dot, not a triangle.
It’s my greatest frustration with this book that I can’t place this story. It’s not a love-triangle story it’s not a fighting for freedom story (to eliminate the Castes), it’s not a mystery, it’s not a stay alive story, it’s just a beauty contest story. You are right it’s just an act one; it’s more like a prologue.
I’ll probably have to read some more. Maybe all my peeves will disappear by the end of the whole story. I’ve been waiting for some sort of betrayal from America’s friend Marlee. The way Kiera Cass describes their friendship is very misleading. You know it’s all sugary all sunshine and roses too good to be true. From the very start when Marlee embraces America (and they’ve just met and they supposed to be rivals) I’ve been saying to myself – OK. This girl will gain her trust and will set her up. - And it has never happened.
(hide spoiler)]
Should we read the whole thing?:) It was half and half for me. I was enjoying the story half of the time but I was annoyed with it as well.

[Devin]

Lena_makridina wrote: "
Yes, I see what you mean. It pains me a little to mention Tolkien and The Selection in one sentence but I have the same idea that it’s a wrong spot to end a book. I wanted to read the second book ..."

I don't know if I can read the whole thing Lol. I didn't mind the story, it was pretty adequate. Fairly easy to consume. With pretty predictable beats that go through a bit of a cliched plot. I suspect if it was one large tomb (Since the second book is called "the Elite" and the third is "The One" - I'm assuming this whole process isn't finished until the third book) that it may be a competent story, but I don't know if I wanna take that ride.

(view spoiler)[ You're right about the triangle. Aspen should've been introduced at LEAST two or three chapters earlier and developed a lot more if that's the road they wanted to take with this. Also, he really isn't written to be a very likable character, I know I'm not the target demographic, but I feel very little desire to see her end up with him.

Reading the first few chapters from book two sounds like a good idea, but I don't know if I'll get around to it Lol.

I also found there really isn't ever a whole lot of tension whatsoever in this book. Maybe that's why this Act One fell short for me. There isn't a moment when I felt as though America was in any danger of going home, making an enemy, getting caught, etc etc, other than a few minor stumbles she's on top of her game for the entire book. If this is indeed just act one it makes sense, so book two SHOULD have a ratcheting up of the tension.. but it circles back to the primary problem... this is sold as a complete first book.

I respect Cass had the whole story mapped out in her mind, but in my view, even in a series a story needs it's beginning middle and end. There needs to be a resolution, and there really wasn't any in this. I can't imagine reading this when published, enjoying the hell out of it, and then getting to this ending without the second book being available. - This is the kind of thing that not only turns me off from a series, but from an author in general. (hide spoiler)]

[Lena_makridina]

(view spoiler)[Indie wrote: "I also found there really isn't ever a whole lot of tension whatsoever in this book."
Do you think it’s because Cass is trying to develop her main character mostly through her feelings and thoughts? I have felt more than once that America stands in my way preventing me from experiencing the story for myself. She describes something usually in words that kind of convey her opinion on it then she tells what she thinks about it and how it makes her feel (which happens to be obvious things).
There are several scenes where Cass starts to build up some tension but then makes America tell how she feels and what she thinks, and the tension is gone.
I think in meeting-greeting-spending-time-with-the-prince part these deeds thoughts and feelings are better balanced, maybe that’s why I like this part. It’s relaxing and sometimes even funny though I can’t wrap my mind around her telling her first love story to him.

(hide spoiler)]