The Elite

Six girls are left: America, Kriss, Celeste, Elise, Natalie and Marlee. America is still torn between Maxon and Aspen, now a palace guard. She suggests a Halloween ball, where Maxon tells her he'll propose when the Selection ends. Then Marlee is caught in a secret romance with a guard, publicly caned and made an Eight. Later, America sees Maxon kissing Celeste and asks to leave, but he won't let her. On the Report, she proposes ending the castes, using the first king's diary. The king cuts the broadcast and wants her sent home, but Maxon keeps her. His father whips him. During a rebel attack they get trapped in a safe room, he shows her his scars, and they kiss. America decides to fight for him.

1. Behind the scenesDebuted at No. 1

   The Elite came out on April 23, 2013, and debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times young adult best-seller list.

   source ↗
2. Behind the scenesThe middle, rewritten twice

   During editing, Kiera Cass threw out the whole middle of the book twice. One scrapped version had America poisoned and convinced Maxon was treating her badly.

   source ↗
3. Behind the scenesThe dress changed color

   The cover dress was fuchsia in the original photo. It was digitally changed to an orange-red.

   source ↗
4. Behind the scenes800,000 copies

   By May 2014, The Selection and The Elite had sold over 800,000 copies combined, and rights to the series had sold in 26 territories.

   source ↗
5. ReferenceThe queen was Selected too

   Queen Amberly was a Four who won King Clarkson's Selection. Her story got its own novella, The Queen.

   source ↗