The Selection Quotes

“I practically ran forward and snatched the letter out of her hand. I was so hungry for words from my family.”

“I looked over at Lucy. At least in my case, one of us got to make the decision. She had no choice when it came to losing the man she loved.”

″‘Aspen, I know you could do it. But you’re not a superhero. You can’t expect to be able to provide everything for everyone you love.‘”

“Now that we had survived a major rebel attack together, it felt like these small bonds had sealed into something unbreakable.”

“I turned and caught the briefest of moments in Maxon’s life. His mother, the beautiful Queen Amberly, pushed some stray hairs back into place.”

“I think the Selection was meant to draw us together and remind everyone that Illéa itself was born out of next to nothing.”

″‘I can’t make you like me. I can’t stand the thought of you hungry or cold or scared. I can’t make you a Six.‘”

″‘If this were a simpler matter, I’d have eliminated everyone else by now. I know how I feel about you.‘”

“It was true, though. Janelle was the only girl to have two dates with Maxon besides me. Not that I was counting.”

″‘You are not to go outside under any circumstances,’ Silvia continued, ‘During the day, there will be times when you can go into the garden, but not without permission.‘”

“His voice was full of a ringing authority that I had only really heard once—the night he let me into the garden. He was much more attractive when he was using his status for a purpose.”

“Our caste was just three away from the bottom. We were artists. And artists and classical musicians were only three steps up from dirt. Literally.”

“Perhaps it was all my years as a big sister, but I just had to keep these girls safe.”

“And we needed that money so badly at the time, the whole family was elated. But Kota kept almost all the money for himself.”

“It was too much to bear, to be loved that much. I’d be surrounded by scores of guards at the palace, but I couldn’t imagine a place safer than my father’s arms.”

“It seemed unreasonable to limit everyone’s life choices based on your ancestors’ ability to help the government, but that was how it all worked out.”

“It meant a great deal to me that she chose a place beside me as opposed to a spot in the second row. She was faithful. She’d make a great queen.”

“So much went through my head. How families are families, no matter the caste. How mothers all have their own worries to bear.”

“Suddenly those stares made sense. My intentions didn’t matter. They didn’t know I didn’t want this. In their eyes, I was a threat. And I could see they wanted me gone.”

“I turned at the sound of my name. Maxon was jogging down the hall toward me. I felt like I was seeing him for the first time.”