The One: Review

Synopsis:

The Selection changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. And 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 realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

From the very first page of The Selection, this #1 New York Times bestselling series has captured readers' hearts and swept them away on a captivating journey... Now, in The One, Kiera Cass delivers a satisfying and unforgettable conclusion that will keep readers sighing over this electrifying fairy-tale long after the final page is turned.

***

(Contain spoilers of The Elite)

I wasn't sure I wanted to pick this book up after the epic showdown of girl fights, pointless argument and jealousy. I thought it would end with me so annoyed that I would bang my head to the door. It's better than that, to my relief. But I also have to say my feelings are really bipolar with The One. 

I am pretty happy to learn more about the rebels, especially the Northern rebels because they seem to be non-violent and quite interesting. In fact this is one of the parts that I actually look forward to in this book. I'm totally satisfied with this. I'm also very relieved that America finally clear things out with Aspen because the uncertainty is so annoying.

Now, forgive me for complaining a lot.

The main characters, aka America, Maxon and Aspen give me a hard time in this book. I want to slap each of them at least once, particularly with Maxon (which is why I want to slap him multiple times). Yes, Maxon, you heard me right. It actually kind of surprises me, but this guy is way more annoying than Aspen this time, and I don't even know that's actually possible. What's the deal with him? His uncertainty kills me. Be confident and grow a pair be a man, jeez. And as for America... I don't understand the hesitation of telling the truth. All the melodramatic scenes exhausts me. Aspen is actually the least slap-worthy out of the three of them, which is very surprising, because Aspen is my least favorite character in The Elite. I don't mind him being less annoying, though.

The rebel part also falls short in the book. Other than learning slightly more about the Northern rebels, nothing. I get this is not a straight-out dystopian novel. But I want a great taste of just how violent the Southern Rebels are and the deal with the Italian princess. They can be great storylines. And yet... there's almost nothing about them in The One, which is utterly disappointing. I'm so angry about this, because I'd love to see some action. 

There are actually a lot of smaller things that I can complain, but I'm gonna save it. (Besides, I can't talk about them without giving out spoilers of The One). 

So yes, I'm pretty bipolar about this book. On one hand I like the fact that the rebels are actually involved in this story and the lack of uncertainty between America and Aspen, on the other I'm pissed about a lot of things. I don't know how I view this book generally, but I'm certain that this is not gonna be one of my favorite endings.

Rating: 6.5/10