Hello Jenny Reviews: Review: The One by Kiera Cass

Title: The One

Genre: YA Dystopian Romance

Author: Kiera Cass

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication: May 6th 2014

Cover Rating: 5/5

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So, just as The Elite, this book picks up pretty much exactly where the previous book left off. With that being said, I think these 3 books could have been turned into one. They books are all short and VERY quick reads. Nothing changes enough for each piece of work to really be its own book. Aside from that, I really did enjoy this trilogy. It is such an awesome story with a deeper meaning that I am sure not a lot of people cared too much about considering these books have been labeled as guilty pleasures or quick reads to keep up with your Goodreads yearly reading goal.

I still love the series and they are still very quick and fun books to read but the back and forth, back and forth made this book not as enjoyable. I spent a good portion of the book wanting to smack Maxon and America upside their heads. But, I think we all knew what was going to happen considering there is a spin-off series about a certain... character. I also really didn't like Maxon's mindset on relationships. If something goes wrong he goes running to another one of The Elite girls. America wasn't exactly the poster girl for perfection either but she also wasn't raised as royalty.

Do you know those weird phone calls where a couple will sit there and say "You hang up. No you hang up." back and forth until some else grabs one of those phones and hung up for them? Well, that is kind of what it was like watching Maxon and America in this book. Except instead of hanging up they were both willing the other to say I LOVE YOU first. Of course, this was all internal dialogue, but I'm pretty sure they knew what the other wanted.

*WARNING SPOILERS COMING*

Maxon didn't have to marry her... His father was gone, the castes were going to be gone and HE was in charge but he still wanted her!!! And she got to keep Aspen! I really have no idea how this book could have ended any better. Well, I do know, the Queen, Mer's dad, all the death never happening. But without the death, Maxon would have ended up with the wrong girl. I have read tons of books. All of them center around a plot point. But I have never read a book where one phrase could make or break everything. They say love is a powerful thing... who ever they are, they aren't wrong. Love... really is powerful. Love can make you do things you didn't think you could ever do. Love heals.

ALSO!!! WTF? No one said anything about Kriss and no one even mentioned Celeste(yes their names came up as a passing thought for America but that wasn't enough). I think that was pretty screwed up after those 4 girls became THAT close. I also feel bad for Anne. She was just doing her duty but that got her labeled as rigid and made Aspen not want her but instead he wanted Lucy. So what happened to Anne? It just said she was gone. So I'm assuming she died. Mary was still there so that was nice to see but it just felt like the other people were just overlooked and didn't matter anymore. They did matter. You can't just go through 3 books and play it off when a character is gone.

There is so much more I can say but I can't even gather my thoughts on a lot of the subjects. But one thing that keeps coming to mind is that killing off a character is an easy way out for the author. They don't have to create an imaginary future for dead characters and that's what would have had to happen with Celeste, Kriss and Elise. I'm going to continue with the companion series and read the last two novellas only because I have already invested time into these books but I really wish this book was a little different.

Overall, I gave the book 3.5/5 stars.