It is the dream of many young girls to be swept off their feet by a handsome prince and taken away to his beautiful seaside castle to become a princess. Although most girls have resigned themselves to the fact that, no, they will most likely not end up royalty, there is a dystopian series that gives a glimpse into the life of the royal. The Selection Trilogy by Kiera Cass brings the dream of royalty to life for a few lucky girls of Illéa, a new country born out of the ruins of the United States after Gregory Illéa took control of the land, but with a new twist. Instead of extravagant balls and mysterious girls, the royal family has set up The Selection to chose the future queen of the country. With a Bachelor-esque, Hunger Games-like turn of events, 35 girls from different castes are chosen to compete and win Prince Maxon’s heart.

The Selection Trilogy is broken up into three books- The Selection, The Elite, and The One- and follows America Singer, a musician from one of the lower social castes, as she runs from heart-break and into the arms of The Selection. She enters hoping to get a break from reality, but doesn’t anticipate actually liking Prince Maxon and striking a bargain with him- help him pick his future wife in exchange for staying at the palace for a while. All of the girls face the challenges of competing for the heart of a teenage prince, lessons in etiquette, and attacks from rebel groups hoping to overthrow the government.

Slowly but surely, girls are released from The Selection and sent home to their families, until they’re down to the top ten- the Elite. America faces even more obstacles as the boy she ran away from, who broke her heart, is thrust back into her life. Now, however, any relationships are illegal and America has to chose between the two boys who have each claimed a spot in her heart. The One concludes the trilogy, and ends the story through a series of rash decisions and surprises that will leave readers reeling and wanting more.

Even though the princess-hopefuls in this exciting dystopian trilogy aren’t quite the normal fairytale royals, most of them grow on the reader as the story goes on, albeit a few of them grudgingly. This trilogy is highly recommended, especially for those who enjoy mystery and cut throat competitions between scheming women mixed in with their romance. Kiera Cass is able to add and blend these ingredients with ease, making it easy for readers to understand the characters and their intentions, and giving them a chance to immerse themselves into the luxurious life of the royal, until they work their way down to The One.