The One, by Kiera Cass: After the Final Rose

*As with most reviews of book sequels there will be some spoilers for book one and two in the series, but no spoilers for The One.

I’ve been waiting for The One, by Kiera Cass since I first read The Selection. Why? Because the central tension of the books revolve around two questions. (1) Who out of the 35 women will Prince Maxon choose to become his princess? (2) If America is chosen will she choose Maxon back or will she end up with childhood sweetheart turned palace guard Aspen? This book lives up to its promise by answering both questions. Ergo I think it is a pretty successful book. 

In all of my reviews of these books, I heavily compare them to the Bachelor. I know Keira Cass says the books are based more on The Book of Esther than the reality TV show, but I’m still not buying it. Where the book does differ from the Bachelor is the political aspect to Maxon’s decision. For Prince Maxon his choice isn’t just about a compatible marriage. It is also about solidifying his power when faced with violent rebellions from both the north and the south (gotta love Kiera Cass’s specificity).

What Kiera Cass does well (create a compelling storyline and relatable characters you root for), she does very well. What she doesn’t do well (world building and secondary characters) in the previous two books she’s really dropped the ball on. While the dystopian elements still fell a little flat, this is definitely the best written and most well rounded book in the series.

This review is feeling really negative, which isn’t my intention at all. I found these books incredibly enjoyable and compelling. Even though things didn’t pan out exactly the way I expected I was happy with the ending.

I expect that most people, if not all people, will decide to read or not read this book based on their experience with the previous books in the trilogy not my review. Still, if you’ve read The One let me know what you thought in the comments. I would love to hear from you!