Book Review: The Selection Stories: The Prince & The Guard
Book: The Selection Stories; The Prince & The Guard
Author: Kiera Cass
Genre: Fiction/Romance/Futuristic/Dystopia/Side Story
Summary: Before America Singer was chosen to compete in the Selection… She was in love with a Six named Aspen Leger… And there was another girl in Prince Maxon’s life… Step inside the world of the #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series with these two captivating novellas, available in print for the first time. Also includes additional scenes from The Prince a teaser to The One, a Q&A with author Kiera Cass, and more! - HarperTeen, 2014
So, because this series is a guilty pleasure of mine, I knew I had to get the novellas that accompany the novels. The novellas “The Prince” and “The Guard” take place during the time period of The Selection and The Elite. You won’t understand the context of the scenes in full/depth unless you read the novels first. It’s not crucial to read this between novels (I chose to read it before reading The One), but I think it helps add to the timeline better if you do.
These novellas are the “P.O.V“ stories that the fans enjoy getting, especially if it involves a love triangle. What was he thinking at that time? What did he want to say? What was he feeling? etc, etc. Both were interesting to a certain extent. While I’m not one to ask or encourage authors to make mirror novels (think: the attempt to make an Edward version of Twilight before Stephanie Meyer threw a fit because it was leaked online) simply because I see it more as a way of getting more money and squeezing whatever interesting drops you have left out of a series than actually attempting something new. Note that I don’t apply this to a series where each book takes place with a different character’s P.O.V. That’s fine. It’s when the same story is told again through a different character’s eyes that it becomes somewhat of a problem.
So, getting back to these novellas, they were pretty good. They left a lot to be desired, especially because it did leave you wanting for more. I wanted more of Maxon’s side of things - especially for events during The Elite. I was super bummed when I learned that his chapters only relate to events during The Selection. Aspen’s chapters only cover the events of The Elite. I wasn’t as interested in Aspen, so his chapters didn’t leave much of an impact. I’m assuming that it varies with who the reader’s preferred male is when it comes to which novella was more interesting.
Both stories were true to the novella format, so Cass only chose bits and pieces of the novels to cover from the opposing point of view. Again, I wish different scenes had been picked, but then, I’m not the author. Oh well.
Overall, they’re a nice little side dish/expansion of the universe Cass has created. They help you understand the events of the novels a little better.
I give The Selection Stories a B+.
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