The Crown by Kiera Cass (Review)

Genre:	YA, Dystopia
Publication Date:	May 3, 2016
Pages:	279
Published By:	Harper Teen
Series	The Selection #5
Review copy:	Purchased

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Selection, she didn’t think she would fall in love with any of her thirty-five suitors. She spent the first few weeks of the competition counting down the days until she could send them all home. But as events at the palace force Eadlyn even further into the spotlight, she realizes that she might not be content remaining alone.

Eadlyn still isn’t sure she’ll find the fairytale ending her parents did twenty years ago. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and soon Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more impossible—and more important—than she ever imagined.

  No, this whole process made no sense, but I could see how it happened, how your heart could get swept up in the endeavor.  And that was my hope now: that somehow duty and love would overlap, and I'd find myself happy in the middle of it.

"If I'm going to be Queen one day, I need to win the people over."
  "And you think finding a husband is the way to accomplish that?"  Mom asked suspiciously.
  "Yes.  It's all about their perception of me.  They think I'm too masculine.  The most absolute way to refute that is to be a bride."

  I had felt it growing, this feeling that had been hiding beneath the surface for some time now.  I'd seen him, this person who never intended to be seen, and my faulty, silly, useless heart kept whispering his name.  I clutched my chest, feeling my heart racing.  "You treacherous, treacherous thing.  What have you done?"

  This series has been truly something, a series of up and downs.  The only book I didn't read right after the release was The Selection, and that was only to allow some of the hype to die down.  The Crown I just couldn't get my hands on quick enough.  Not for any other reason than this was the end, this was it.  No, I didn't want the series to end but honestly I did just want to know.  Especially after the mixed feelings that The Heir caused to ripple through me page after page.

  There is so much that you can't really say with this series without spoiling anything.  With all honesty I wish that there was more to this book.  Please don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it.  I enjoyed the way that it ended, but I wish that the journey to get there was a little more detailed.  Undoubtedly there was a lot that needed to be packed into this final instalment and so many expectations, but I wish that sometimes it had been a little more fleshed out.  There were times that it felt like I knew how it was ending, but wanted to savour it a little bit longer.

  The biggest thing for me (beyond the fact I was happy with how everything ended) was that, Eadlyn was truly redeemed.  She was almost a breaking point for me in the previous book and though I started to warm up to her, there was still room for so much to go wrong with her in this book.  However, she truly came into her own and became more than I could have every expected.  Once again because this is the last book I don't want to say too much but despite a few obvious choices, Eadlyn really did become a character that I enjoyed.  She learned through everything and took the steps that she needed to, not only for herself but for the people of her country as well.  She still does have some growing to do but she is for sure on the right path.

  When it comes to romance and the men of this book there is really not much to be said.  I think that some of their secrets that came out shocked me but beyond that it was fairly obvious who wasn't going to be in the final three.  This was probably the more predictable part of the book and I was okay with this.  In fact most people that have followed this series probably were.  The thing is Cass put a little twist in there.  Okay, I kind of expected it but still it did initially surprise me that it all wrapped up the way it did.  There was so much at stake for these guys and some made unexpected steps, while others went a way that no one could have expected.  Overall, I really enjoyed how everything turned out for each guy and the true colors that shone so brightly from each towards the end.

  The Crown was the end that I had hoped for.  Part of me wishes there was more, that we could see how the decisions that Eadlyn made played out.  This is one dystopia series that I feel complete by, which is no easy task.  It's hard to feel satisfied with the end, when often the end is only the beginning in dystopia novels.  I would have to say that overall Cass nailed it and I hope to be able to pick up more reads by her in the future.  If you haven't started this series, I would highly recommend it if you are a fan of dystopia and stunning covers!!