Books 226-227: The Queen and The One
Book 226: The Queen (The Selection #0.4) .
Author: Kiera Cass, 2014.
Genre: Young Adult. Dystopian Future. Romance.
Other Details: ebook. 120 pages.
Before America Singer's story began, another girl came to the palace to compete for the hand of a different prince…. This prequel story takes place before the events of The Selection and is told from the point of view of Prince Maxon's mother, Amberly. Discover a whole new Selection with this inside look at how Maxon's parents met-and how an ordinary girl named Amberly became a beloved queen. - synopsis from UK publisher's website.
This novella gave some insight into the background of the current Queen when she was a contestant in the Selection. Still given that Maxon's dad is quite an unsympathetic character in the main series it was hard to get too enthusiastic about the love affair between him and the future Queen Amberly though helped me to understand why she was more sympathetic to America's position though I would have appreciated a little more exposition.
Book 227: The One (The Selection #3) .
Author: Kiera Cass, 2014.
Genre: Young Adult. Dystopian Future. Romance.
Other Details: Paperback. 323 pages.
For the four girls who remain at the palace, the friendships they’ve formed, rivalries they’ve struggled with and dangers they’ve faced have bound them to each other for the rest of their lives. Now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen. America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown - or to Prince Maxon’s heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realises just how much she stands to lose - and how hard she’ll have to fight for the future she wants. - synopsis from UK publisher's website.
This proved to be a satisfying if predictable conclusion to this trilogy. It was fluff but distracting fluff and looking and it seems that Kiera Cass will be writing more in the series, so hope she will do further world-building.
Cross-posted to 50bookchallenge.