Reviews with content warning for Grief - The One

I enjoyed the political bits, but that's it. I enjoyed Celeste's redemption arc more than America's character and lack of thought. I also hated that Aspen calls Anne 'rigid'-I know it probably wasn't meant this way but it seems to imply that she has to be open and sweet and stereotypically nice all the time.

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wrappingpaper's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I read this book in one day. I originally started this series not expecting much beyond a naive romance story however I can now say it’s much more than that.

This book progressed quickly from the start, with multiple plot points and key moments coming in fast. Then, about halfway, it started to take a very emotional turn, so much so I even cried at the end.

Overall, this book really exceeded my expectations. Am I mad about (spoiler alert) Celeste being killed off right after having the best character development ever?? Yes. And I think that’s what makes this book so great - I’ve gotten so genuinely attached to the characters that I simply want nothing bad to happen to them in their messed up world.

I’m really looking forward to seeing how the books progress for the last two parts. The story has got me hooked and I can’t wait to find out what happens next!!

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pippamillerxoxo_'s review

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dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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reesespuff6's review against another edition

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lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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ameydireads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

“Not wanting the crown means you're probably the best person to have it.”

The Selection is coming to an end and it’s finally time for Maxon to decide who is going to be the One. Even when she decides to let go of Aspen, America still doesn’t understand Maxon and makes it unnecessarily complicated. As if the king not liking America didn’t make it complicated enough for her. The king finds new ways to hurt America’s image, but her reaction to it only inspires the public and makes them love her more. And it was so good to see that the four remaining girls started to bond more, very wholesome. We even find out that Celeste has a heart, can you imagine!

The Northern rebels had a slightly bigger part in this book and we learn more about their motives and their allies. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I have to admit the ending felt very abrupt. It just felt very anti-climatic.

Very close to the end, Maxon finds out about America and Aspen. He had his doubts before, but trusted her too much to let it influence him. But when he finds out his gut feeling was right all along, he is heartbroken. Then, the southern rebels attack and kill Celeste, just when she starts acting like a human being. At the same time, Maxon gets wounded and this near-dead experience makes him realise how much America meant to him. This makes him forgive her. No need to talk about it, no need to even know if the affair is still going on. The king also died during the attack, very convenient as that also solved a big problem. They were now free to marry each other and to change the country, just like that… The book ends with their marriage and we only get a glimpse of the changes that are waiting for Illéa.

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