The Selection

OK, here's another dystopian book for you! This book is called The Selection by Kiera Cass and it takes place in the far future when Canada and the United States have combined after WWIV or WWV to make a new country called Illea. America Singer's caste is 5. Wondering what a caste is? Well it's sorta like your spot on the Social Pyramid. People who are caste as one's are members or relatives of the royal family. The higher your number, the more money you have. The castes go all the way down to eight, so America isn't that far from the bottom. Ever since she was a child America's large family has struggled to fill their stomachs every night. But that doesn't stop America from saving a little bit of her food every Saturday night. What does she do with the food? Well she sneaks out to the tree house in her back yard and gives it to Aspen Ledger her secret boyfriend. Aspen is a six, so his money and food problems are even worse than America's. One night in the tree houses Aspen convinces America to sign up for The Selection- a once in a lifetime competition where 35 girls from all over Illea between the ages of sixteen to 20 are "randomly" chosen to go to the palace and fight for the heart of Prince Maxon, the future king of Illea. But America doesn't want to be with Maxon, she wants to be with Aspen. But Aspen does have a point, if you get chosen to be in The Selection, then your family gets a large amount of money. Eventually, America agrees just to make Aspen happy, but when she signed up she thought that there was no chance of her being picked out of thousands of girls! But the drawing isn't so random after all. America does end up getting picked. So what's the big deal right? Can't she just flunk out of it so she can be with the man she really loves? Well it's not that simple. Something happens between America and Aspen... and the money really would be good for America's family too. Wanna know what happens? Read The Selection by Kiera Cass to find out. -Victoria