I feel a little disappointing by this installment in The Selection series. The first book totally surpassed all my expectations and I could fully understand the hype, but this book? Not so much! I found myself getting bored with the repetitive will they/won't they nature of the book and noticing so many dislikable qualities in all the main characters that led to an inevitable loss of empathy with the story and their plights. 
 America, the female protagonist and through whose eyes we view this fantastical world, seemed like a self-obsessed individual with an impetuous and often immature nature. Her reactions to the events in the palace she is housed in are often rash and seriously misjudged. Her previous low placement in the caste system hierarchy governing this world made me presume her to become an advocate for her people and a strong leader for future change. Instead, she spent much of her time lamenting her individual woes and forgetting that there were larger pressing issues. I can only hope she matures as the series continues. 
 Prince Maxon also acted rather sketchily in some places and the explanations he gave for his sleazy actions were unjustified, in my opinion. It was in his actions that I felt most disappointed. America behaved poorly, but she never actually betrayed who she was. As a reader, she allowed me to hope for her future redemption, but in Maxon's case, I felt like he became just another stereotypical 'guy' with his brains placed somewhere other than his head. 
 The first portion of the book provided little forward motion in the plot other than a continuation of the intricacies of the love triangle plot concerning America, Prince Maxon and childhood sweetheart, Aspen and held little interest for me. From about the midway point the story really improved and there were many unforeseen moments I enjoyed reading of. I preferred the more action-driven parts of the story rather than the parts concerning court intrigue that I found a little monotonous in areas. 
 The ending was a strong one and has really heightened my interest in the series and I am looking forward into continuing with this, despite everything, guilty little pleasure of mine.