History YMMV / TheSelection

* IdiotBall: America more often than not. But her crowning achievement is revealing the existence of Gregory Illea’s diaries on national TV without thinking of the consequences it would have for not just her, but Maxon for telling her of their existence in the first place.

** Multiple characters in the trilogy praise Amberly for her skill at being the queen. But is she actually a good queen, or does she just look the part? Clarkson doesn't respect her, won't let her object to his decisions, and she isn't at all a calming or stabilising influence on him. How good can she actually be as the queen if the king won't listen to her or allow her any initiative or autonomy?

* IdiotPlot: The entire plot is kicked off because of Aspen [[{{Wangst}} wangsting]] about his and America's castes. He starts the break-up because she wounded his fragile pride by making him dinner with money she earned when he's supposed to be the provider as a man. But ''then'' reveals he was waiting to be drafted in the military which would have automatically elevated him to a Two. All they had to do was wait two years and they could have gotten married, there's no mention that Aspen ''couldn't'' be in the draft or that he didn't want to make America the MyGirlBackHome, she wasn't even selected yet. She just made him dinner than that was enough for him to call it off.

* LesYay: Celeste ''really'' grows attached to America after their talk in ''The One''.

* UnfortunateImplications:
** Elise, the [[TokenMinority sole minority]] in the Selection is Asian, and plays the "shy, submissive, honor-bound Asian woman" to a T. It's also unclear where in Asia her family originates, East Asia? Southeast Asia? Is she Vietnamese? Filipino? Japanese? Chinese? Who knows! The narration makes it sound like [[InterchangeableAsianCultures "New Asia" is basically "Mega-China."]]
** In the sequel books, two of the boys in Eadlyn's Selection, Hale and Ean, fall for each other. Eadlyn's thought is how they would rather be with each other than [[ItsAllAboutMe her]] and how this will affect her public image. It doesn't help that Hale and Ean are [[SatelliteCharacter barely developed]] and had little to no hints at their budding relationship, unlike Marlee and Carter, who were hinted at, and got a novella, before they were caught.
** In the extras of ''The Selection Stories: The Prince and The Guard'' it's revealed that the Singer family was originally a Jewish family and would still be were it not for Gregory Illea's systems. However, ''unless'' you read ''The Selection Stories'' the only hint of this is Shalom Singer's name and ''maybe'' [[JewishMother Magda's behavior]]. Otherwise, it's possible to read the series as is and never know. There's no indication that Jewish practices are being held in Illea or any other religion for that matter, except maybe Christianity [[note]]America makes a comment early in ''The Selection'' that New Years now depends on the lunar calendar instead of being on January 1st, but Christmas is still December 25th with America noting (paraphrased) ''"You can't change the birthday of a deity."'' [[CriticalResearchFailure Debatable.]] [[/note]]. So, ''yikes...''

** While no doubt a [[{{Jerkass}} jerk]], if Celeste’s treatment of America for being a Five is a common occurrence, as well as living in the conditions America described, then it’s little wonder Kota ended up being how he is.

* WhatAnIdiot:
** Maxon stresses to America that the Illea's diaries and the room they're found in are top secrets. Not only does she reveal their existence ''twice'' (once to her father and once on ''national TV'') she has the gall to be surprised there are consequences for her ''and'' Maxon.
** The palace guards really suck at their jobs given how often rebels get into the palace at any given time. In Aspen’s novella, he explains that you can get far by just acting like you know what you’re doing even if you’re just a novice, and senior officers will listen, showing they have little in means discipline. Marlee’s novella reveals that Carter is illiterate. And remember that scene where the Elite [[EatingTheEyeCandy oogle the guards]] running laps while they have their shirts off? That wasn’t a mandatory training session. Aspen explains that after their ill-defined shot, they have excess energy they want to work off. And there is absolutely no indication that they’re doing anything different to prevent more rebel attacks. The books claim security has gotten tighter for the Selection, but with how many times the rebels have gotten in, that was likely a massive lie. This could have been salvaged if it was revealed that some of the guards were rebel spies letting them in. But no, they really are just a much of undisciplined, uneducated, muscle-headed morons.

** Why would ''France'' go back to being a monarchy?

** After seeing [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/theselection/images/c/c7/Screenshot_2015-10-13-16-43-09.png/revision/latest?cb=20151020212525 the full map of Illea]], wouldn't it be nice to know how Canada, Mexico and Central America became annexed into a single country with the United States? Same with Swendway ('''Swe'''den, Finla'''nd''', and Nor'''way'''.)

** Elise, the sole minority in the Selection is Asian and plays the "shy, submissive, honor-bound Asian woman to a T. It's also unclear where in Asia her family originates, East Asia? Southeast Asia? Is she Vietnamese? Filipino? Japanese? Chinese? Who knows! The narration makes it sound like [[InterchangeableAsianCultures "New Asia" is basically "Mega-China."]]
** In the sequel books, two of the boys in Eadlyn's Selection, Hale and Ean, fall for each other. Eadlyn's thought is how they would rather be with each other than [[ItsAllAboutMe her]] and how this will effect her public image. It doesn't help that neither of these character's are [[SatelliteCharacter developed at all]] and there's very little build-up to this revelation (compare to Marlee and Carter, who were hinted at before they were caught).
** In the extras of ''The Selection Stories: The Prince and The Guard'' it's revealed that the Singer family were originally a Jewish family and would still be were it not for Gregory Illea's systems. The only hint at this is Shalom Singer's name and ''maybe'' [[JewishMother Magda's behavior]] there's no indication that Jewish practices are being held in Illea or any other religion for that matter, except maybe Christianity [[note]]America makes a comment early in ''The Selection'' that New Years now depends on the lunar calendar instead of being on January 1st, but Christmas is still December 25th with America noting (paraphrased) ''"You can't change the birthday of a deity."'' [[CriticalResearchFailure Debatable.]] [[/note]]. So, ''yikes''...

** In the squeal books, two of the boys in Eadlyn's Selection, Hale and Ean, fall for each other. Eadlyn's thought is how they would rather be with each other than [[ItsAllAboutMe her]] and how this will effect her public image. It doesn't help that neither of these character's are [[SatelliteCharacter developed at all]] and there's very little build-up to this revelation (compare to Marlee and Carter, who were hinted at before they were caught).

** The cover of the first book was likely supposed to give America and air of mystique... but ends up making it look like she's smelling her armpit.

** Elise, the sole minority in the Selection is Asian and plays the "shy, submissive, honor-bound Asian woman to a T. It's also unclear where in Asia her family originates, East Asia? Southeast Asia? Is she Vietnamese? Filipino? Japanese? Chinese? Who knows! The narration makes it sound like "New Asia" is basically "Mega-China."
** In the squeal books, two of the boys in Eadlyn's Selection, Hale and Ean, fall for each other. Eadlyn's thought is how they would rather be with each other than [[ItsAllAboutMe her]]. It doesn't help that neither of these character's are [[SatelliteCharacter developed at all]] and there's very little build-up to this revelation (compare to Marlee and Carter, who were hinted at before they were caught).

* {{Narm}}: There are a few actions that end up being more than just a tad bit silly. Such as most of the Selection collectively sighing wistfully at the prospect of meeting Maxon for the first time. America enjoying palace food so much she makes a "little moan" that ''somehow'' manages to silence the entire breakfast table and cause them to look at her.

* FridgeLogic: China invaded America (uh…the country) because America wouldn’t pay back its debts. Not only would this never happen, but no country around the world would also just stand back as China destroys a country for a petty reason as they haven’t been seeing their Renminbi returned.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped:
** Abuse sometimes comes in cycles. While it's never explicitly stated whether King Clarkson was abused, it's probably likely considering his parents' problems: his father was implied to almost hit his mother, his mother is constantly drunk, and those two things probably culminated in quite a lot of emotional-and perhaps physical-turmoil. That shaped him to be Maxon's abuser, but thankfully the cycle stopped with him.
** Life will throw rocks at you, but you will get up and heal and become stronger. After Natalie loses her sister in a rebel invasion, she completely breaks down and leaves the Selection. Her family is utterly broken by her sister's murder, with her parents even considering divorce. Natalie reminds them that her sister wouldn't have wanted this, and they eventually pick themselves up. She goes on to start her own business, becoming successful and happy.
** Sometimes your first love won't work out, and that's okay. Kriss was pretty upset over Maxon marrying America, but she eventually meets a man she loves and marries him.
* StrangledByTheRedString: Aspen and Lucy had very little build-up. While Lucy is heavily hinted to be attracted to him by The Elite and she does get a bit of ShipTease with him in ''The Guard''. However, Aspen spends most of that time pining for America. It’s rather jarring to see Aspen spend the better part of three books all but begging her to take him back to Aspen flat out telling America that he doesn’t love her anymore.

** The abused usually become abusers. While it's never explicitly stated whether King Clarkson was abused, it's probably likely considering his parents' problems: his father was implied to almost hit his mother, his mother is constantly drunk, and those two things probably culminated in quite a lot of emotional-and perhaps physical-turmoil. That shaped him to be Maxon's abuser, but thankfully the cycle stopped with him.

** In the climactic battle at the end of ''The One'', America is locked into a safe house with a pistol. She tries to shoot the door open so she can find Maxon and...it doesn’t work. A bit of RealityEnsues no doubt, but the scene ultimately proved to be [[{{Padding}} pointless]] since America ends up waiting it out anyway.

* TheUntwist: Towards the end of ''The Elite'' America discovers that Illea's founder forced his daughter to marry a prince in a foreign nation to make the family royalty, thus himself king of a new nation. The problem is that the audience already knew all of this beforehand through a history lesson the Selection had. The only thing we really find out was that Illea wasn't nice about it. This still doesn't have much effect because it's already been explained that Illea's princesses are married off to foreign princesses to form alliances. America herself describes them as being "sold off," therefore lacking any punch the discovery was supposed to have and just makes America look like she hasn't been paying attention and really unsuited for the cut-throat nature of politics.

* IdiotBall: America more often than naught. But her crowning achievement is revealing the existence of Gregory Illea’s diaries on national TV without thinking of the consequences it would have for not just her, but Maxon for telling her of their existence in the first place.

** Aspen falling for Lucy in ''The One''. There was little build-up outside of Lucy developing feelings for him and some minor ShipTease in the novella, ''The Guard''. However, despite this, Aspen spends the better part of three books, plus the novella, pinning for America only to end with Aspen telling her point-blank that he doesn’t love her anymore out of nowhere. It ends up coming across as a forced and clunky way of settling the LoveTriangle.

* NeverLiveItDown: If this series is going to be known for one thing, it's the naming convention. Most critiques of the original three books will more likely than naught take a moment to mock the name America Singer and names ranging from Tiny to Gavil. The naming conventions infamy is so rampant some detractors expressed ''surprise'' when Cass’ 2020 novel ''The Betrothed'' came out and the character names were somewhat normal.

* {{Narm}}: There are a few actions that end up being more than just a tad bit silly. Such as most of the Selection collectively signing wistfully at the prospect of meeting Maxon for the first time. America enjoying palace food so much she makes a "little moan" that ''somehow'' manages to silence the entire breakfast table and cause them to look at her.
* NeverLiveItDown: If this series is going to be known for one thing, it's the naming convention. Most critiques of the original three books will more likely than naught take a moment to mock the name America Singer and names ranging from Tiny to Gavil. The naming conventions infamy is so rampant some defectors expressed ''surprise'' when Cass’ 2020 novel ''The Betrothed'' came out and the character names were somewhat normal.