Review: The Crown by Kiera Cass

The Crown by Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #5
Published by HarperTEEN on 2016-05-03
Length: 279 pages
Reviewing eBook from TN R.E.A.D.S.
Rating:

When Eadlyn became the first princess of Illéa to hold her own 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.

Initial Reaction

I LOVED this conclusion!!!! I have seen (and read) a lot of negatives for Kiera Cass‘s The Crown and I’m not sure we read the same book. I thoroughly enjoyed every word of the last installment of The Selection series. Eadlyn who was a bit pretentious and hard to stomach in The Heir came out a shining star and my ship sailed away into the land of happily ever afters. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Eadlyn is a Rock Star

So I’ll admit after reading The Heir I was confused as to how Eadlyn was a product of Maxon and America. She was a spoiled princess, concerned only for herself or so I thought. In this book, we see a different Eadlyn. She’s been crushed by the events that have occurred since her Selection started. Her brother’s crushingly honest letter was a wake up call for her. I think the contents of the letter were true and she needed to hear them, but not in the way she does. It causes Eadlyn to question her every move and overanalyze everything. She loses her confidence and the book is about her regaining it.

Eadlyn is an entirely different princess. Her responsibilities have increased tenfold after the events at the end of the last book. (Trying to not spoil it for those that haven’t read The Heir yet) She is running the kingdom with only her trusted few advisors while her father tends to other matters and all the while her Selection is still going on. She needs to make a decision on a husband and soon.

The Elite

During the second (maybe even the first) chapter, Eadlyn cuts her men down to 6. This is a huge decision and she plans to make a choice within the next two weeks. She’s trying to stave off a rebellion, an attack on the castle. She wants to be seen as taking the Selection seriously and she does. It’s her one chance at happiness, finding her happily ever after as her parents did. The men she choses she can see a life with and how each would fit into it. I was happy with who she kept around. In fact, there was only one I didn’t remember from the last book.

Of the men she kept around, I was already rooting for three of them: Hale, Kile, and Henri. Hale is the boy that promised her one thing every day to prove his affection. From that first very bold line, I was entranced by him. This boy doesn’t know her and yet he sees her vulnerability. Kill is the boy who grew up in the castle alongside her. He is more her best friend than anything else and I kind of love that. And then Henri ❤️ Henri is a Swendish refugee, who speaks little English and requires his translator Erik. He’s sweet and always makes Eadlyn smile.

Political Unrest

With her twin’s elopement and her mother’s condition, Eadlyn is left virtually alone with the exception of the men left in the Selection, her advisor, and her maid turned lady in waiting and best friend. The advisors are calling for war with France, the people are uncertain of Eadlyn’s leadership, and then enters Marid Illéa. Marid is the son of the August Illéa who staged the rebellion during Maxon’s Selection and then helped the new king during his first years of reign. Marid offers the same to Eadlyn, offers to be her liaison to the people. BUT he’s a little sneaky and causes way more problems than you’d imagine. I didn’t like him, I found him too convenient and Eadlyn too vulnerable with recent events to see through him.

My Conclusion

I felt that The Crown was a perfect conclusion to The Selection series. I think that Kiera Cass made the right choices in ending her series and I loved seeing the growth of Eadlyn throughout her two books. And her choice for husband? Let’s just say it was perfect and one I didn’t think was going to happen. My heart broke for the couple and for Eadlyn who always placed the well-being of the kingdom ahead of her own happiness. Bravo Mrs. Cass!!! I didn’t want it to end, but I’m wholly satisfied with the conclusion.

Final Conclusion:

Related Posts