The Selection, by Kiera Cass: When The Bachelor does Dystopia, we ALL win

The Selection

by Kiera Cass

HarperTeen, 2012 (available 4/24/12)

In this highly anticipated vision of the future, the United States is no longer a democracy.  Monarchy has returned and a caste system is now in place with social groups rated one (highest) to eight (lowest).  Straight shooting and musically talented America Singer and her large family are fives, artisan class.  When The Selection is announced, a reality show to find teenage Prince Maxon a wife and a future Queen, America feels obligated to enter.  Entrants are well compensated for their participation, and her family can use the money.  But America is madly in love with her secret boyfriend, Aspen, a six, servant class, and for the obvious reasons is hesitant to enter.  Aspen clears the way when he breaks up with her instead of proposing; his pride can’t bear to drag her down a caste level.  Soon America is flying off to the palace with 34 other contestants, one from each province, to compete to win the heart and hand of Prince Maxon.  But things in the palace are not as they seem to be on a TV screen; there are frequent attacks by rebels, not to mention learning to navigate the new royal caste expectations, trying to make friends in a tinderbox, and trying to fall in love with a broken heart.  This book has high pop appeal (a TV pilot has already been filmed), and should find its way into all YA collections with high demand anticipated from girls (11-16) and adults when the pilot airs.

Guys – I think we can all cop to the obvious.  A summary of the basics of this plot is like a recipe for Paperblog kryptonite.   It’s basically The Bachelor meets The Prince and Me meets a beauty pageant meets a girly version of dystopia meets the CW meets fantasies of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding, shaken, and served in a glass labeled: Strong Potential for Highly Addictive Case of the Terribles.  HOW COULD I SAY NO?  Now, before I go much further, I’ll make a disclaimer:  I have not actually finished this book (my copy is not a complete one), and the origins of my copy, while legit and legal, are slightly not directly from the publisher.  Let’s just say the bidding war paid off for all of our curiosity about this buzzed about book (and don’t worry, HarperTeen legal department, I’m not passing it on...unless of course you want to send me a real ARC, which I’d be delighted to pass on to my many, always eager to read fun things teenage students…). 

Now that we’ve cleared that up and all the boys have stopped reading, let’s debrief. 

Tidbits: Let's read to our hipster babies, squee over upcoming books, furrow our brows, and jump in our Deloreans to visit a museum

It's been a while!  I'd say I'm sorry, but it stopped raining and the sun came out, and suddenly my computer screen held less allure than say, the great outdoors.  And/or my super crazy month o'fun finally slowed down to a speed allowing this (weddings, graduation parties, friends in town, visiting places, the wilds of finding new roomies on craigslist, road races, end of school, etc. You get the idea; everyone is busy in May!).  But as the great outdoors gave me both a sunburn and more mosquito bites than I can count this glorious and action packed Memorial Day weekend, I'm back to being an indoor kid for a few hours.  Thusly, I give you some tidbits I've been hoarding and will solemnly swear that I am up to only good and will post at least three new Le Creuset Challenge recipes this week.  Enjoy the following tidbits I've been hoarding away with your morning coffee!

• Hey Indiana Jones: Let's jump in our Delorean and go on a hot date to the OG (original) museum in Babylonia! But if I catch you makin' eyes at Princess Ennigaldi, we're done and I'm moving onto Han Solo, capice?
  
•  I found a tumblr I'm not sure how to feel about.  The name says it all: Hot Guys Reading Books.  Obvi, initially I was all "Heck yes! Bring it!" But then when I actually clicked and realized some subjects are not, say, willing or even knowing subjects, it made me feel a little squicky.  Because it's totally uncomfortable to realize someone is trying to secretly take your photo, and it's something a lot of ordinary women (not celebrities, they sign on for it in my opinion) deal with all the time.  Creepy guys on trains, I'm looking at you.  Does this then make it okay and level the playing field, even if the creepy factor is removed by the general good of guys reading books and enjoying it publicly?  Am I reverse feministing this?  I just don't know how to feel!
  
• Two books I am very excited for:
• I can't for the life of me remember the gem of a friend who told me about this.  Break out your hipster babies who won't go to sleep!  I've found the perfect book for them, a classic Case of the Terribles:

I know right?
I want to give this to someone sleep deprived but still able to appreciate it.
And/or have someone read it to me as a badtime book. 
That typo is so perfect it's staying. 

• I've always enjoyed the comic and shopping stylings of Mindy Kaling.  Fun fact: she went to the high school where I work.  After reading her first spot-on essay about why it's okay to not be a high school cool-kid in her upcoming sweet yet sassy book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, made available via publisher preview, I have a new goal/project for the 2011-2012 school year: Get Mindy Kaling To Visit My High School Library.  Say yes, Mindy!  Make your high school library (and librarians) cool by association!  (No worries about cupcakes; food is still not allowed in the library, DUH.)

• Finally, please read the following casting call specifications for the Hunger Games movie that came up in my twitter feed.  BS alert?  I certainly rolled my eyes.  "'The Beautiful People' Adults?" "Extreme characters of all shapes and sizes?"  What does this even mean?  Just say what you want, casting people. 

Candlewick Fall-Winter 2011 Preview!

Last week I was invited to and attended the Candlewick Press Fall-Winter 2011 Preview.  Candlewick's team members were, as always, the most gracious and welcoming hosts book-lovers could hope to encounter at 8:30am on a rainy Friday morning!  As you can see in the photo below, the swag was great; I am particularly excited by the grown up sized hot pink Judy Mood sunglasses.  I'm going to rock those in public at all possible opportunities! 

 


Forthcoming items that I am particularly excited to see come out include: