Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Book Review: The Heir

Title: The Heir
Series: The Selection
Author: Kiera Cass
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 5, 2015
Source: Purchased from Barnes & Noble

Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon -- and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection -- no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.


My Review

Stunning, beautiful, and eventful. These are three words that one might think of after finishing the highly-anticipated fourth book in The Selection series by Kiera Cass. I knew as soon as The Heir was announced that I would read it. I mean really... did you even have to ask? (It's one of those "Shut up and take my money" series for me.) You may or may not know that this series and I got off to a rocky start, but I fell in love with it. Once again, Ms. Cass was able to steal my heart and make me swoon with a lovable cast of characters and her witty banter. 

So The Heir takes place twenty years after America stole Maxon's heart and became the queen, and now a new selection has begun, but with a twist. Instead of the prince doing the selecting, this time, the heir is a princess! I loved this new dynamic that Cass brings in with this new novel, and it's entertaining to meet thirty-five goofy guys all vying for Princess Eadlyn's heart. Readers get to see how the privileged princess views her people. Sometimes, it isn't pretty. There is some dude drama (you know... fisticuffs and such), and I found it to be a lot more interesting than some of the cattiness that readers saw in The Selection, The Elite, and The One. I'm really hoping that Cass allows Eadlyn to really get to know some of these guys a lot better in the next book.

Then there's Princess Eadlyn herself. I'm no princess, but I felt a strong connection to her the minute I started reading. She's has huge shoes to fill eventually, and the whole country is watching her with an observant eye because she's the first female heir. Everybody is wandering what she'll do when she finally ascends the throne. I loved her disposition. Cass has created a beautiful blend of both America and Prince Maxon's best qualities with Eadlyn, and she's a true royal-pain-in-the-ass. Yes, she's a little bratty, but when you really get to know her, you see that she's a bit insecure like the rest of us. She doesn't want to admit when she's afraid, and she wants to give off the always-in-charge appearance of a future queen. She's built walls that she doesn't want people to climb, and she is very adamant about not falling in love because it only makes one vulnerable. She's doing what she thinks is best to be the next monarch on the throne. She seemed like a very normal YA character, despite her royal lineage.

For those readers looking to see how things for America and Maxon turned out, you're in luck. Kiera includes a few mother/daughter and father/daughter moments, and she also includes a few tender moments of Eadlyn and her siblings. She also offers Eadlyn's commentary on growing up with the two who set the standard for her own Selection. Readers don't get a lot (and I've already seen a few complain about it), but what do you expect when Kiera is writing two books for something that she once fit in three? There just isn't enough room unless you want her to write 500+ page books. I thought she did a great job at getting readers focused on Eadlyn.

And it wouldn't be a Kiera Cass novel if there weren't a cliffhanger. I can't even deal with that ending and the shocking events that Kiera includes in her non-resolution. All I know is that waiting for the fifth and final book will be extremely hard.



About Kiera Cass

Kiera Cass is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Selection series and The Siren. She is a graduate of Radford University and currently lives in Christiansburg, Virginia with her family. Kiera has kissed approximately fourteen boys in her life. None of them were princes.

17 comments :

  1. I have really been on the fence about reading The Heir. I really loved The One and I loved how everything ended, and I am worried that the new series will destroy that. But, I guess I do not have to worry. It seems like Eadlyn is an interesting character (I always wondered what America and Maxon's children would be like, even before The Heir was announced). I will definitely have to try it! Great review!

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  2. Ohmigod I completely agree with you! On all of your points, really. Plus I was lucky enough to meet Kiera on the 6th, which was amazing! I finished The Heir late at night on the 5th and seriously COULD NOT handle the ending.

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  3. Honestly... I think I liked this one so much more than The Selection and the rest of America and Maxon's story. Eadlyn's definitely interesting, and there are just so many layers to her. There's a lot of plot still to cover, and I'm kind of bummed that we're only getting one more book after this one.



    Thanks, Tessa! I hope you enjoy it! :)

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  4. OMG. YOU GOT TO MEET HER? I AM SO SO SO JEALOUS RIGHT NOW.

    That ending, right? I kind of suspected it early on with the little bit of foreshadowing that she provides. But I cannot handle not knowing what's going to happen to everyone! It's not fair that we have to wait a year to see if everything's okay.

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  5. I just finished this and OMG that ending! *cries* Why did she do that to me?! I loved everything about this book, I really enjoyed seeing Eadlyn's interactions with America and Maxon and her siblings :)

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  6. Right? The suspense will kill me for a year, but why pull that move? I am so flustered over it.

    The interactions were great. I'm hoping for a trip overseas in the next book so we can get some answers to that other issue going on too.

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  7. I need to read The Selection series...like ASAP! I didn't read the review because I was worried it would ruin the previous books... But I am happy to see you rated it five stars, makes me want to read it even more!

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  8. I am glad you loved this book Erin! I have a blogger friend who was really looking forward but ended up being disappointed because she had some issues with Eadlyn.I enjoyed The Selection a lot when I read it,though I never got the chance to continue it.But I am thinking of giving the series a second chance.

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  9. YES I DID. IT WAS SO AMAZING. I completely forgot everything I wanted to say, but it was all good. ;)


    Well, I was completely stunned by surprise #1 and then boom here's surprise #2 and IT WAS AWFUL. When I went up to her at the signing I said "I read the Heir already!" and straightaway, Kiera asked me if I was okay. I said "NO!" :D

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  10. I was like that each time I met Stephen Chbosky. I swear... the nerves just get to you.

    Surprise #1 was insane, and I was in between being shocked and giddy. Surprise #2 wasn't as big for me. I somehow had a feeling she would pull that, but still... why mess with these characters like that. Lol

    OMG. That is so sweet of her. I hope I get to meet her one day.

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  11. You should totally give them another chance. I almost didn't because I had major issues with the first onw, but I ended up really enjoying the rest of America's story. I think the personality Eadlyn is that too many people are taking her bratty attitude just for being bratty, but there are huge clues as to what made her that way. I liked her.

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  12. I haven't read this series at all but I literally like can't breathe when I look at this cover! It's so pretty, I just can't stand it! Glad you liked the book!

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  13. OMG! I am in love with all four covers for this series. The mirrors and the lights... it's just magical. Even the spines are gorgeous.



    Thanks, Michelle!

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  14. I'm sad to let this series go. Even though I didn't know about it for a long time I feel like this book will forever be in my heart. I want to read the prequel to see how the Queen's selection worked, it looks like such a sweet read!
    Naomi @The Perks Of Being A Bookworm

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  15. I was really sad when I thought The One was the last one, and knowing that we only get two Eadlyn books makes me really sad.

    OMG. It would be cool to see a whole book or books about Amberly. I never even thought about that. There are just so many things she could do with this world.

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  16. I'm glad you enjoyed this one, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. These books are like candy though ;) That ending was totally horrifying though. NEED NEXT BOOK NOW.

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  17. Thanks, Rachel.

    I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. I was so scared going into it because I wasn't a fan of The Selection, and I was thinking that the introduction to Eadlyn would almost be similar to the introduction to America.

    AND YES. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS. I wish I could just pick Kiera's brain to see if everything works out.

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