The Elite (The Selection #2)

When I first started reading this book I had really high hopes for it ,it had an interesting plot and wasn't like most dystopians and sort of refreshing ,(I really liked the cover that's what actually sold me on it ) .Anyway,I liked America and the other characters except Aspen (I really hate him he is soo stupid and a really dislike able character not only that but manipulative) then the story progresses and its like wait I think that I hate both America and Aspen, I like the supporting characters, like her sister and Maxon I mean he is just so amazing, fairy tale material. I continued reading hoping that it would get better, but it didn't. I know that not everyone is perfect and characters can have flaws and make mistakes (except Maxon because anyone else would of said Goodbye America when they first met) , but, America is really annoying but she is so stupid and rash and selfish and overall one of the most dislike-able characters that I've ever read in my life and I know that I'm not the only one who feels this way. I really thought that this would be a lot better but instead it feel like Kiera Cass watched the Bachelorette and read Divergent and try to combine it .This has soo much potential but overall this could of been better this not good this could of been better if only America was more like able.

I liked the first book of this series. The whole Bachelorette thing was new and interesting. A normal girl has to compete with 24 other girls to marry the prince, never seen that before in a book. The book had a good pace and I liked the relationship of prince Maxon and America. The whole dystopian theme in the book was not really there, but just as YA romance book it was pretty good. So I was excited to read the second book: The Elite. The cover looked amazing, so I had my hopes up.

But when I started reading the Elite, I soon discovered it was not merely as good as the Selection.
The whole Bachelorette/competition thing was reduced to a minimum. There were a few challenges for the remaining girls, but the concept that made book 1 good was gone.
Another thing that made me not like the book was America constantly getting mad at Maxon for spending time with other girls. She just could get her mind around it that he did that because he had to in the competition. She was constantly doubting herself and being jealous of the other girls. Her character therefore came accross as weak and insecure.
Also the 'violent' rebels that were described in the summary were non-existent. Sure there were a few 'attacks', but nothing really happened with that and they sure were not violent.
The worst was that the whole plot of the book only revolved around the love triangle of America, Aspen and Maxon. America and Maxon in the first book were cute together, but adding Aspen, her boyfriend before the Selection, in the second book did certainly not make the book better. A love triangle as such is not bad, but America became really irritating because of it. She was constantly changing her mind who she wants to be with and this most of the time without apparent reason. This becomes very annoying after the third change, make up your mind already! The character of Aspen also was not developed, to me he just remained this annoying boy who kept getting between America and Maxon.
With this book I got the feeling that if I skipped half of it I would still understand everything perfectly. The ending was pretty boring, no cliffhanger or anything and I am not sure I will read the next one. So, the first book was not good as a dystopian book and this one is not even good as a romantic one.

I would not recommend this book, the love triangle is just too annoying and all-consuming and the protagonist is unlikeable.

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