One star for the cover. Period. 
 The rest of the book deserves nothing. 
 1. Plot 
 I found it quite unbelievable that a monarchy government would pick random, peasant girls to marry off to a Prince. What the heck, really? In history, most monarchical people frowns upon peasants: to them, royalty is the status that needs to be protected and maintained. If the author decided to write about a contest where ALL girls competing each other and the nation decided to choose a best queen (too democratic for this place, but) that is believable. Yet Cass just allow the selection of thirty five random girls, you know, even though these 35 people can be 35 pieces of shit! 
 Anyway, everything is highly predictable and cliche. America Singer, our hero , was selected, of course. And the public loved her instantly. She stopped by and talked with everyone and be very loving, after all. Let me puke 
 2. Characterization 
 America Singer - who names their child America Singer, really? But the name is not what I'm complaining about - if the characterization is good enough. All I know from America is that she is stubborn, and very offensive. She judged people right away and enforced her opinions upon everything. Remember the night where Prince Maxon opened the garden door for her? She just has to be a bitch about him, because apparently, she didn't like him from the beginning. What had he done to her? Nothing. Just because he came across as regal and formal, she instantly thought - Ugh, who can be happy with this dude? 
 I found this to be rude and unlikable. There was a scene where he asked her to do something for him, and before he could even finish a sentence, she kicked him in the thigh. What the heck!!! Woman, you are in a palace with guards and you are talking to the prince - at least hear him out and contemplate about his request before starting to demonstrate your man-hated feminism. This is totally childish and unrealistic. 
 As a side note, I found it disturbing that the girls are not allowed to refuse the prince's request. This is totalitarianism and completely repulsive. Maybe this novel presents Maxon as a nice, Disney type of prince, but in real life, this gives a man all control over young girls, and who knew what would really happen? For some peculiar reasons, I felt that these thirty five people are being sold into slavery and being forced to seduce men, which is not a prospect to be excited about. Well, anyway, our man conveniently is Prince Maxon, a very romantic, nice, handsome guy, so don't worry ladies, you all will be happy to serve him. 
 Extra disturbing side note : there was this scene where the messenger showed up with a rule that said - contestants cannot disobey the prince. America feel disgusted about this and I totally empathized, but her mother was looking all sort of excited and replied - "This is good for you, anyway!" What the hell? If I was being forced to seduce a dude and answer all his requests, my mom would freak out and resigned immediately. But America's mom was, of course, excited to let her daughter wasted and being taken advantage of. Creepy! 
 All other characters in the novel function more as a plot device rather than as human Prince Maxon happens to be so nice and friendly and warm and handsome and in love with America Singer, yay! Aspen, on the other hand, has to be a complete pussy and detaches himself from America - a point which I understand - but later he returned to America and said let's reconcile and break the rules and maybe they can even get kill because America is not allowed to date any other person due to her being selected. WHAT THE MOTHERF...? So before, he detached himself from her because he worried that she will be poor because of him. Okay, cool. Now, shouldn't he detach himself from her because she might get killed - a circumstance which is definitely worse than being poor? But oh no, he must compete for her heart. I totally don't buy this. 
 It's feeling like Kiera Cass was shoving the love triangle down readers' throats - Behold, here's a crisis that will make you guys buy book 2 to find out! 
 3. World building 
 Oh, please, don't even make me start on this. The Hunger Games was good because Suzanne focuses more on the politics/action/competition than on the romance, while Kiera Cass seemed to sidetrack by the romance and ignored the politics/history stuff. 
 In The Hunger Games , Collins demonstrated how people watch the games and drown in superficial entertainment because they wanted to sweep the issues of rebellion under the rug. It is opposite in Kiera Cass's world, where I noticed that there seem to be rebels hitting the palace and everything, and a lot of people are hungry, food running out, wars with neighbors...etc, but apparently the government still have time to do the Selection and waste hours interviewing girls and do makeover and take photographs? WTF? Shouldn't everyone resolved war first? Hello, there. 
 I just think this novel has an unfit background. If you had a background troubled with unresolved political issues and wars and rebellions, try to use those elements to enhance the novel [Noted how Suzanne Collins cooperated the "Fire" symbol and the mockingjay and Katniss' defiance]. America Singer, on the other hand, did nothing. Period. Except being such a self-centered dickhead who worried more for her own agonizing pain with Aspen and her own romance story with Prince Charming than about her family, political problems... etc. 
 I also found it utterly unbelievable that Prince Maxon didn't know anything much about the world outside and had to rely on America's explanation. Dude, doesn't he work on political issues everyday? How can a prince knew nothing of his country? What the fuck did he do in daytime? Staring blankly at the wall of his room? This is so dumb that I doubt this monarchical can survive. Yeah, and the book totally proved this when the king decided to stop the rebels by buying metal binders for the window instead of, you know, hire a fucking army to defend yourselves. Even people in the Middle Ages are better than The Selection's kingdom. Huh, no wonder, the rebels successfully break into the palace. I do hope that in the process they kill American Singer and her dreamy prince so we can end this balderdash. 
 Sorry for the long ranting. Recommend this book for those who want to look at the beautiful cover sparkles on your bookshelf. Period.