The Heir (novel)

The Heir is a 2015 young adult novel by Kiera Cass and the fourth book in "The Selection Series", which consists of five books, the last one coming out May 2016, called "The Crown". The book was first published on May 5, 2015 through HarperTeen. The Heir is from a new perspective, Maxon and America's daughter, Princess Eadlyn. The book is when Princess Eadlyn holds her own Selection, this time with male suitors. Many known characters as well as new ones make appearances.

A sequel to The Heir was announced and was released in May 2016 with the title of "The Crown" The sequel will be the final full-sized novel in The Selection Series, and it will be the end of Eadlyn's Selection.

In The Heir, Princess Eadlyn (Prince Maxon - now King- and America Singer's - now Queen- eldest child) must find a husband in order to secure the country of Illea's peace and safety, as there have been many disturbances in recent times. Maxon believes that holding a Selection for his daughter and heir is the best way to do it although she disagrees. Eventually, Eadlyn agrees to hold a selection after talking to her brother and twin Ahren (Eadlyn holds onto the fact that she was born 7 minutes before Ahren, had he been born first then she wouldn't be forced to hold a selection). She chooses 35 Suitors at random, and they arrive at her palace not long afterwards. She goes on a parade with them to show off that she is willing to look for a husband for her people, but it ends in disaster as disgruntled members of Illea and rebels throw food at her. She is reluctant to spend any time with the suitors although some slowly start to win her around.

After several are kicked out, one Suitor nearly attacks Eadlyn, and she becomes disheartened towards the whole process once again but finds comfort in her 3 younger brothers. A short time later Eadlyn is invited to play a game of Baseball with some of the remaining Suitors although she is meant to be in a meeting with her mother and an advisor. She has a few games with them and her parents join in as well. Later that night, the other Suitors are upset with Eadlyn that she didn't invite them to play in the game and say that the other Suitors have an unfair advantage over them. She and the Suitors agree that they can spend some time with her to make it up to them. The Suitors then proceed to perform different tricks and skills before her in the Great Hall. As time passes, Eadlyn invites the French Princess, Camille, (and Ahren's girlfriend) to the palace to add a bit more interest to the proceedings. Eadlyn starts to feel a little more excluded as her brother spends more time with his girlfriend than with his sister. Eadlyn confronts him about his "love" for his girlfriend and warns him off her. At dinner Ahren isn't there, and it is later confirmed that he has runaway to France and has eloped with Princess Camille with the Queen of France's consent. Eadlyn is hurt by her brother's betrayal. She runs to her room to find a letter written by her brother telling her that the people rebel because of her and that she uses her power too much like a sword and that the difference between Camille and her is that Camille uses her power with gentler approach.

Eadlyn decides to tell her parents about the letter and goes to her dad's room hoping to find them there. She finds the room empty and sees on one of the walls a collage of pictures mostly consisting of her mom including a picture of just after she and Ahren were born. She realizes that the collage is a shrine to her mom, showing her that her dad's love for her mom is so strong and deep that maybe she could find something as strong in one of the men in her Selection. As she absorbs the collage, she is told that her mother has been rushed to the hospital wing having suffered a heart attack. She rushes there to find her dad in tears and Aspen trying to console him. Her brothers are there too, trying to seem strong. The Suitors soon turn up having heard about what happened and wish to pray with them all as America's life hangs in the balance. It is then that Eadlyn realizes the only thing that will come of her Selection is her engagement and future wedding.