* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation;
** America herself. Is she a determined, non-materialistic girl who cares about Maxon the most, or a hotheaded, impulsive person who is very hypocritical towards him and the rest of the Selected girls?
*** Would America even make as good a queen as she thinks? She’s shown repeatedly to be unable to keep a secret by revealing the existence of secret information to her father and on [[EpicFail national television]]. Then she let it slip that she saw Maxon with his shirt off. When she’s given a philanthropy project she puts it off until the last minute when everyone around her says it should be easy for her. Continues to see Aspen behind Maxon’s back despite seeing what the penalty for that could be through Marlee and Carter. And when she knows she’s being set up by Clarkson, she still plays right into his hand anyway and shows that she can’t make a difficult choice if it ever comes to that. So America can’t keep secrets, can’t follow the rules, puts off important work, can’t make the tough choice, and is played like a fiddle.
** Are Aspen’s claims that he won’t stop fighting for America-even when she expresses no interest in continuing a relationship-romantic, or creepy considering that [[AbhorrentAdmirer he won’t back down.]]
** Eadlyn at the end of ''The Heir''. Did she finally decide to take the Selection seriously and seriously consider finding a husband because she realizes the value of love and companionship… Or is she really just looking for someone to leech onto after Arhen eloped?
** Josie. Is she an annoying brat who wants to be a princess so bad to the point of annoyance, or a girl who is constantly overshadowed by her family friend’s daughter and just looks up to her as an older sister?
** Did Clarkson choose Amberly because she was a calming source in his otherwise chaotic life? Or did he choose her because she does what he says without question?
** Given how readily Aspen broke up with America and how quickly both of them fell for other people, would they have even lasted if America wasn't selected?
** 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?
* AluminumChristmasTrees: Some critics said the name "America Singer" is an UnfortunateName designed to just be meaningful. It's actually not - both "America" and "Singer" are in fact actual (albeit uncommon) names. Admittedly, "America" is more common in Latin American circles, so for some people this was actually their introduction.
* AngstWhatAngst
** Maxon is shown to be controlled by and abused by Clarkson to the point where he prepared himself to fight back one day should the day ever come. Yet he seems pretty well-adjusted. Which is kind of jarring, as it’s likely Clarkson’s own upbringing that made him what he is.
** Maxon also doesn’t seem that bothered when his parents (or at least Amberly) are killed at the end of the One. Heck, ''America's'' more torn up over Amberly's death than Maxon!
** Neither Marlee nor Carter seem to have been affected that much mentally by their public caning.
* AssPull
** 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, pining 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.
** Ahren eloping with Camille. Most of his country and France are okay with this relationship, and he only really does it because supposedly Eadlyn won’t forgive him for leaving her. Even though she essentially wanted to keep him tied to Illea because she couldn’t stand the thought of him living in another country…despite her always talking about keeping [[{{Hypocrite}} her autonomy all the time]]. This makes America have a heart attack and is just a way to build tension in the story that was lacking it for much of the book.
* BaseBreakingCharacter:
** America. While some find her to be a fiery and passionate girl who is a SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan, she can come off as quite unempathetic (such as when some of the girls are crying during the first rebel attack, where they could ''die'') and can sometimes have [[NotLikeOtherGirls deep contempt for the other girls]] in the Selection. It doesn’t help her character in ''The Elite'' when she’s so indecisive in her LoveTriangle, shifting from Maxon to Aspen the minute there’s a slight problem with one relationship.
** Aspen to some extent. While some love him, other’s find him to be whiny, a jerk to America, someone who would put America in danger just because he wanted to love her, or simply [[DieForOurShip not Maxon]].
** Eadlyn is a pretty controversial lead. Some disliked her for her selfish attitude and felt that her novels were {{Sequelitis}}. Others like that she had a different personality from America and that she experienced CharacterDevelopment.
* CaptainObviousReveal: Was anyone honestly surprised when it turned out Josie filled out Kile’s application for the Selection behind his back?
* 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.
** Why would ''France'' go back to being a monarchy? Hell, why would ''Italy'' go back to being a monarchy, after they put in a hell of a lot of effort to stop being one and exiled the last members of their royal house for decades?
** How does your daughter marrying into royalty make you king of a broken country? Especially one that historically fought to ''break out'' from a monarchy and become an independent nation.
** If the Singer's financial situation is so precarious, how is America able to save leftover's for Aspen as opposed to her siblings having a little more? For that matter, how is America getting half a paycheck ''not'' putting the family in a worse off situation? The only reason this doesn't have long-lasting affects is because the Singer's have been getting more jobs and America ended up being Selected, but they could have been in a worse off position than they [[InformedPoverty supposedly]] are because of this.
* InformedWrongness: Maxon fooling around with Celeste to work off steam would be wrong under different circumstances. However, America's calling him out on it rings hollow when you remember that [[{{Hypocrite}} she's guilty]] of doing the [[GoodAdulteryBadAdultery exact same thing with Aspen]], if not more so since there was actual feeling behind America and Aspen's relationship. This also overlooks the fact that America's been so indecisive in her LoveTriangle that she won't make a choice, and ignoring the fact that Maxon flat out told America that if her heart wasn't in it, that he couldn't waste his time and effort on him at the risk of making the Selection drag out too long and [[{{Irony}} looking indecisive]].
* JerkassWoobie:
** Celeste. While bitchy and rude, her revealing her fears that she only has her looks to live on to America drew a lot of sympathy from readers.
** Kile as well. Even though he can be a little rude at times, many can sympathize with his struggle of feeling he won't be able to go to the school he wants due to his overprotective mother.
* [[HoYay Les Yay]]: Celeste ''really'' grows attached to America after their talk in ''The One''.
* {{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.
** There's something to be said about all the compromising positions America and Aspen were in behind closed doors never getting them caught. But America giving Aspen a platonic ''shoulder pat'' was all Maxon needed. [[SarcasmMode So scandalous!]]
** The cover of the first book was likely supposed to give America an air of mystique... but ends up making it look like she's smelling her armpit.
* {{Sequelitis}}:
** There are some readers who felt that this series did not need to be a series in the first place. ''The Elite'' was seen as the weakest book in the trilogy filled with endless padding (not helped with America being so indecisive in her LoveTriangle).
** ''The Heir'' and ''The Crown''. While there were readers who did enjoy them, some were left wondering why Eadlyn’s story needed to be told when ''The One'' had a decent ending. It doesn’t help at all that Eadlyn was such a BaseBreakingCharacter.
* ShipToShipCombat: Overall downplayed but both generations had two contenders
** Books 1-3: America/Maxon vs. America/Aspen
** Books 4 and 5: Eadlyn/Erik vs. Eadlyn/Kile
* 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.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot:
** Both sets of rebels have gotten into the palace on multiple occasions with no mention of having captured a rebel or finding out anything to put a stop to the attacks. This could have been a good setup to reveal that some of the guards are rebels. It could help explain why they successfully get in every time. But outside of the climax of ''The One'', there’s nothing to suggest this is the case and only proves that the guards are awful at their job.
** 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 SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome no doubt, but the scene ultimately proved to be [[{{Padding}} pointless]] since America ends up waiting it out anyway.
** 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'''.)
* UnintentionallySympathetic
** Many readers found it all too easy to feel for Josie Woodwork. Her biggest crime is being fifteen. And as Kile spells out to Eadlyn, she’s grown up under her shadow. While it is annoying for Josie to be stealing Eadlyn's things, she doesn't deserve what Eadlyn gives her. [[ItsAllAboutMe Eadlyn]] ends up being needlessly cruel and rude, calling her a commoner, and putting her down for having a crush on Ahren and other celebrities.
** While no doubt a {{jerk|ass}}, 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.
** America's mother is seen as a desperate caste climber who isn't satisfied, but when you look at the condition of her current life, and the condition of those below a Five, it's no surprise why her mother wants her to marry a man of a better class. She's not doing it to see her daughter have a glamorous image, but rather a better life where she is financially affluent. Especially in the environment of Illea, sometimes love isn't enough to sustain yourself with a secure life.
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic:
** When you get down to it, there isn’t anything wrong with America wanting a simple life. However, America doesn’t seem to understand that just because she was content as a Five, doesn’t mean others are. While preparing to leave for the palace America, in her narration, wonders why her mother isn’t happy or content with her life. However, America herself recounts a time when the Singers has to sacrifice lighting and heating in order to feed the family and went without presents one Christmas. It’s really not that hard to understand why Magda (or even Kota) would want something better as soon the opportunity came. It ends up making America look like a brat who can barely see two inches beyond her love life.
** Aspen can be forgiven for not wanting to make America a Six upon marriage, a servant who's generally worse off than Fives, and breaking up with her when it really hit him. But what brought this about? [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking America made him dinner with money she earned.]] Because he's a man and he's supposed to be the one providing for her. But then we learn that he was waiting to be drafted, which instantly makes him a Two and could marry America in four years. So, really, he only broke up with her in the first place because America wounded his [[SarcasmMode precious pride]].
* 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 princes 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.
* TheWoobie:
** Amberly. She's loved a man from afar, and when she finally meets him, he shows no sympathy for her terrible health, insults her when she finds out she probably can't have kids and mocks her when she tries to comfort him. After she marries him, it gets worse: He emotionally and physically abuses her son and has affairs(one resulting in the birth of an illegitimate child.) She really deserved better.
** Marlee as well. Many readers were so heartbroken when she was caned and forced to watch Carter get the same treatment on his back. Even worse when you consider that they took extra measures to make sure it was the most excruciating pain.
** Lucy, big time. Her mother was suffering from a serious illness, and she and her family had to work for another family to pay off their debts (which never went away.)She falls in love with their son, but her and her father are sent away when his mother discovers their relationship, leaving her heartbroken. She was implied to almost get raped in one rebel attack and suffers panic attacks because of this. To top it all off, she can't have children either and has trouble getting a surrogate or adopting a child.