The Heir (The Selection, #4) by Kiera Cass

Title: The Heir (The Selection, #4)
Author: Kiera Cass
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication date: May 5, 2015
Pages: 352
Rating: 2/5 stars
Purchase: Amazon

Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible. But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.  

 

 I loved The Selection. I loved its romance, thrill, and almost everything about it. I can't say the same thing about The Heir.

Honestly, the only thing I truly love about this book is its cover. I just felt like this book was a second attempt at The Selection, through the eyes of the princess. It didn't bring anything new to the series, except for older characters and a bratty princess, who (unfortunately) narrated the whole story. Eadlyn's determination to remain as an independent princess came off as annoying sometimes. Like, we get it, Eadlyn. You prefer not being married and you have an iron fist -- but you don't have to repeat yourself every chapter. I expected her to be like Mia (Princess Diaries) but nope. Eadlyn was too unlikable for me. 

Reading it was almost unbearable because of her. 

Also, I felt like Maxon didn't quite show the strong leader we were expecting him to be. What have the years done to you, Maxon? I get that you've gotten older, but come on. Using your daughter as a distraction? Um... I'm not so sure.

At least the Selected were alright, especially Erik, Henri, and Kile. Seeing it through the princess' point of view made me realize how hard it must have been for Maxon to choose during his time. They were all so charming in their own ways... I might actually read the next book just so I can find out who she chooses, that is, if she chooses someone. 

The Heir felt like it had no direction, too. It began with a Selection and ended in the middle of the Selection, but nothing really happened, except for some dates and kisses and Eadlyn-contemplations. I was confused.

The book was strong in its sense of "Wooo, girl power! Independence!" but it was too much. It gave independence a wrong definition, making Eadlyn seem like she was just being a bratty girl instead of being an actual strong girl with the potential to lead in the future.

The series should have ended with The One. Milking the series even more was a wrong move.