America Singer is a seventeen-year-old girl who lives in the country of Illéa, which was once the United States. Their society is divided into eight castes, the lowest and poorest being Eight and royalty One. America is a Five and is in a secret relationship with a Six named Aspen Leger, which they kept hidden by sneaking out at night for dates in her backyard tree house. When America and Aspen grow apart because Aspen feels like he will never be able to provide for her, he tells her to join the Selection, a competition designed to pick a woman to become the future wife of Prince Maxon and take on the role of Queen of Illea. Although America is indifferent to the Prince and the Selection, she is pushed by her mother and Aspen's words to apply. Miraculously, she gets in and is sent to the palace, where she slowly falls for the prince and begins to learn that there are rebels who want change in the country.
