Let me start by saying that America did not magically turn into the strong and decisive character I really wanted her to be (see negatives below), but I was happy that she didn’t spend this entire book wondering if she should be with Aspen or Maxon ( thank you!!). But some unexpected things happened with the rebels, and we got to know them a bit more as well – I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will just say that the rebellion storyline started to get really interesting to me and I wasn’t ever sure how it was all going to end up! Honestly, often rebellion storylines bore me a bit, but this one didn’t at all – I was very invested in what was going to happen and how it would all play out. The rebels were still repeatedly attacking the palace and, as the book went on, they started to even attack the general population.
The rebellion was still in full swing when this book began. I think it made a huge difference to the story to truly see these girls and get to know them! We even got to see why each of them wanted to marry Maxon. We got to know who they really are and why they’d made the choices they made. We got to know all of the girls in the Elite A LOT better in this book. We continued on, the sound of our escape covering the shouts until one man’s voice rang out right on top of us. I wanted to be irritated that she said it, but I knew we were all thinking the same thing.Īs we descended into the darkness, I tried to reconcile myself to the hours that would be wasted, hiding like mice. “Damn it, Elise, pick up the pace!” Celeste yelled. We started down the stairs, Elise and Silvia heading the charge. “Here it is!” Silvia called, pushing a mysterious panel in a wall. Even now, as I hoped Maxon would choose me, a world without Aspen felt unimaginable. I couldn’t see a life for me that didn’t include Aspen. Maybe his patience with me was falling short, his ability to see only the best in me running dry. And then I’d ended up staying and had given him no explanation as to why. I had been about to leave the palace and had asked him to give me some space to get over the Selection. Our last conversation wasn’t exactly a happy one. While I could easily be at peace with the things we didn’t need to say, I had no such luck with the things we’d said out loud. In a split second, without a word, I could tell him Be careful and stay safe.Īnd saying nothing, he’d answer I know, just take care of yourself.
There was a problem, and he was on his way to fix it. Aspen didn’t look afraid or even startled. The guards passing us were completely indistinguishable from one another until a set of green eyes locked with mine. I found myself admiring them, wondering at the courage it took to run toward danger for the sake of other people. We followed her through a maze of hallways, looking for a path to the basement, watching as guard after guard ran in the opposite direction. “How do we get downstairs from here?” Elise asked. “Less talking, more moving!” Silvia yelled. “If it’s me, I’ll wear sneakers every day. “One of us is going to have to get used to it,” Celeste said, her breath labored. “I hate running in these shoes,” Kriss muttered, a heap of dress draped over her arm, eyes focused on the end of the hall. There was no more patience left for these attacks. Whether they came with guns or stones, anyone showing the smallest level of aggression within sight of the palace would die.
Within seconds, the guards had lined up at the windows and were firing, and the bursts of sound echoed in my ears as we fled. Kriss grabbed my arm, pulling me, and I broke into a run alongside her as we made our way to the exit. Celeste let out a high-pitched scream and bolted toward the back of the room, barely escaping a shower of glass. Elise immediately hit the ground and started crawling for the side door, whimpering as she went. THIS TIME WE WERE IN the Great Room enduring another etiquette lesson when bricks came flying through the window. The boy who climbed into the tree house in my heart and let me be the crown on his.