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The Choosing
2016 Christy Award Winner! (Young Adult category)
2016 Christy Award Finalist (First novel category)
Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she'd spent a lifetime preparing for--her Choosing ceremony--to end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she'll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it's her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.
But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. Though the whispers contradict everything she's been told, they resonate deep within.
Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she's always dreamed of, yet she can't shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.
2016 Christy Award Finalist (First novel category)
Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she'd spent a lifetime preparing for--her Choosing ceremony--to end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she'll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it's her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.
But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. Though the whispers contradict everything she's been told, they resonate deep within.
Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she's always dreamed of, yet she can't shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.
200 pages, ebook
First published May 19, 2015
429 people are currently reading
5425 people want to read
About the author
Rachelle Dekker
21 books945 followersThe oldest daughter of "New York Times" bestselling author Ted Dekker, Rachelle Dekker was inspired early on to discover truth through storytelling. She graduated with a degree in communications and spent several years in marketing and corporate recruiting before making the transition to write full time. She lives in Nashville with her husband, Daniel, and their diva cat Blair. Visit her online at www.rachelledekker.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 585 reviews
May 12, 2015
If Francine Rivers wrote a novel set in a dystopian time, it might look like The Choosing. Yes, dystopian is all the rage, but I happen to enjoy it so it wasn't really a problem for me to read another novel set in a dismal future. Dekker does a great job drawing readers in from Chapter 1. I immediately wanted to know what happened to Carrington (and the vibrant cover helped too.)
At times it did feel like not very much was happening and Carrington's struggle to believe in her worth took up quite a bit of page time. However, that is the main point of this story. What is our worth? What do we do when society tells us we're worthless but a niggling in our hearts speaks otherwise? A tiny bit of romance cheese did creep into the pages, but many readers will probably swoon right along with Carrington as she falls in love with someone she can never have, a guard who cannot marry in their society. Ah, forbidden love...
It wasn't until I was halfway through The Choosing that I realized what Dekker was possibly doing with this tale. While set in the future, this novel could have taken place in ancient Israel during the time right before Christ. Many of the elements are there: a mysterious man who teaches of God's love and acceptance (much to the chagrin of the Authority), the desperation and despair of the lower classes, and the back-and-forth tugging of Carrington's beliefs mirror what many must've felt during that tumultuous time. It's possible this wasn't Dekker's intention, but if it was she did a beautiful job with it.
Overall, The Choosing is a strong debut and one which I hope propels Ms. Dekker's writing career. I have a feeling she has many more great stories in her heart to share with us.
At times it did feel like not very much was happening and Carrington's struggle to believe in her worth took up quite a bit of page time. However, that is the main point of this story. What is our worth? What do we do when society tells us we're worthless but a niggling in our hearts speaks otherwise? A tiny bit of romance cheese did creep into the pages, but many readers will probably swoon right along with Carrington as she falls in love with someone she can never have, a guard who cannot marry in their society. Ah, forbidden love...
It wasn't until I was halfway through The Choosing that I realized what Dekker was possibly doing with this tale. While set in the future, this novel could have taken place in ancient Israel during the time right before Christ. Many of the elements are there: a mysterious man who teaches of God's love and acceptance (much to the chagrin of the Authority), the desperation and despair of the lower classes, and the back-and-forth tugging of Carrington's beliefs mirror what many must've felt during that tumultuous time. It's possible this wasn't Dekker's intention, but if it was she did a beautiful job with it.
Overall, The Choosing is a strong debut and one which I hope propels Ms. Dekker's writing career. I have a feeling she has many more great stories in her heart to share with us.
January 28, 2023
What a crackling start to this series! This one kept me wondering what would happen next, and left me eagerly awaiting the second book! I'm glad I decided to check out the entire series from the library at once!
June 2, 2015
**NEW UPDATE**
It seems like everyone likes making comparisons, so I'll do one too:
Rachelle Dekker is like another author I've just know... I think her name was Rachelle and her last name Dekker.
I was hanging out on Tyndale's website when I saw this book, and I couldn't help going crazy because I love dystopian.
And then it happened: I saw the Dekker name.
But honestly, I like Rachelle's book because of her and not for her father. They both are great writers but I think Rachelle has a unique style and she has come to stay!
Something that I absolutely love about the story was the characters. In almost every page I was:
And that's the main reason why I LOVE THIS BOOK!
This isn't just an interesting dystopian book. It is an statement of freedom, a path that we have to follow, a journey we all have to do, and that's why this novel was so personal and profound that I can't even explain it.
And yeah, I know that it was a little bit predictable but I enjoyed the rest of the book so much that I didn't care about that minor thing.
I usually like to read the whole series, so I don't have to be fangirling all the time, but I'll do my best to behave well and not fall into despair.
I absolutely recommend this book and I hope we can all continue this journey together.
I won this book through GoodReads and I thank to the publisher for providing me this copy but this fact didn't influence the review.
June 15, 2015
She's Ted Dekker's daughter, so I expected to enjoy Rachelle Dekker's The Choosing. What I did NOT expect was that this book would be one of my favorites of 2015. Oh my word, this gal can write. While I definitely recognized some similarities in Rachelle's and her father's writing styles and story themes, I have to admit her author voice is something all its own. Let's face it, the dystopian genre has been overdone in recent years, so much so that I've avoided the genre all together for months. When I saw The Choosing pop up for review from Tyndale, the cover immediately drew me, and after that the back cover blurb. I was like, "Okay. I'll give this one a shot."
And I'm so glad I did!
Not only is the writing pretty phenomenal, but the story is just as stellar. Sometimes I read a book where I love the writing but hate the story, or I love the story but it could've been written better. The Choosing has it all. It's a well-crafted tale of love, hope, and finding where you belong. I adored the Biblical themes in this one. I could definitely tell what the message was, but at the same time I didn't feel preached at or talked down to. I strongly believe The Choosing is a book every teen girl and woman should read. The message of self-worth and being already "chosen" really spoke to my heart and soul. I put it right up there with Francine Rivers' Redeeming Love (which I have mentioned time and time again is one of my all time favorite reads). This one's high on my recommendation list!
Disclosure: I received a copy of The Choosing through the Tyndale Blog Network. I was not asked to write a positive review. All views and opinions expressed are solely and completely my own. I received no compensation other than a copy of the book featured in this post, which is mine to keep. Recommendations are my own opinion and are not meant to be the final say on age appropriateness.
And I'm so glad I did!
Not only is the writing pretty phenomenal, but the story is just as stellar. Sometimes I read a book where I love the writing but hate the story, or I love the story but it could've been written better. The Choosing has it all. It's a well-crafted tale of love, hope, and finding where you belong. I adored the Biblical themes in this one. I could definitely tell what the message was, but at the same time I didn't feel preached at or talked down to. I strongly believe The Choosing is a book every teen girl and woman should read. The message of self-worth and being already "chosen" really spoke to my heart and soul. I put it right up there with Francine Rivers' Redeeming Love (which I have mentioned time and time again is one of my all time favorite reads). This one's high on my recommendation list!
Disclosure: I received a copy of The Choosing through the Tyndale Blog Network. I was not asked to write a positive review. All views and opinions expressed are solely and completely my own. I received no compensation other than a copy of the book featured in this post, which is mine to keep. Recommendations are my own opinion and are not meant to be the final say on age appropriateness.
May 6, 2017
Um...WOW. I've got to admit, I actually did not expect to like this book. (Hey, don't look at me that way--everyone has books they think "won't be their thing.") The cover is amazing, the plot intriguing, but...it's dystopian. And I know from experience that I typically don't jive well with that genre.
Welllllll...MAYBE THAT'S NOT TRUE.
Because oh my word, this book blew. me. away.
Lovely Things:
- The characters. OOOOH YES. I've heard some reviewers say that the themes overshadowed the character development, but I actually think that they enhanced it. Rachelle Dekker did SUCH a good job creating believably amazing/horrible characters. You have Carrington, whose journey discovering her identity was extremely touching. Remko, the SWEET ADORABLE GUY WITH THE STUTTER. (Can I have him pleaseeee?) Helms, the hilariously full-of-himself bestie of Remko. Larkin, the strong, dependable girl who became a friend to Carrington when she had none. AND THEN THE VILLAIN EEEEK. He was absolutely revolting. The worst part about him? He actually thinks what he's doing is ridding the world of evil. Just...*shudders* HE WAS A MAJOR CREEP, OKAY?
- The writing style. For some reason, I totally clicked with the writing style. The author chose such interesting, unique words to describe things; and for whatever reason, I looooooved her writing style. (Also, news flash: not all dystopian novels are written in first person. XD)
- The themes. *sighs contentedly* This was one of my favorite parts about the book. Finding your identity in Christ--who created us all beautiful in His sight--is such an important thing to realize. There were moments that brought me to tears, moments that struck so close to home. I struggle a lot with identity issues so this book was a huge blessing to me.
- The plot. It was extremely good! There weren't a ton of surprises, but there were a few twists at the end that I didn't expect. Lots of action/suspense near the end that had my heart racing. ;)
Not So Lovely Things:
- The romance was a bit rushed. Don't get me wrong, Carrington and Remko are adorable together...but I did feel a little taken aback by how quickly they were "a thing."
- It was a little disturbing. Obviously, this is dystopian so I expected creepiness. It didn't really bother me, per se, but I can see how it would affect other readers. Also, the way they twist God's Word to form the Veritas was very unnerving. Which I guess is the point.
All in all, I LOVED this book! I have the second one staring me down right now, and it's tempting to read it right away. XD
4.5 stars!
Welllllll...MAYBE THAT'S NOT TRUE.
Because oh my word, this book blew. me. away.
Lovely Things:
- The characters. OOOOH YES. I've heard some reviewers say that the themes overshadowed the character development, but I actually think that they enhanced it. Rachelle Dekker did SUCH a good job creating believably amazing/horrible characters. You have Carrington, whose journey discovering her identity was extremely touching. Remko, the SWEET ADORABLE GUY WITH THE STUTTER. (Can I have him pleaseeee?) Helms, the hilariously full-of-himself bestie of Remko. Larkin, the strong, dependable girl who became a friend to Carrington when she had none. AND THEN THE VILLAIN EEEEK. He was absolutely revolting. The worst part about him? He actually thinks what he's doing is ridding the world of evil. Just...*shudders* HE WAS A MAJOR CREEP, OKAY?
- The writing style. For some reason, I totally clicked with the writing style. The author chose such interesting, unique words to describe things; and for whatever reason, I looooooved her writing style. (Also, news flash: not all dystopian novels are written in first person. XD)
- The themes. *sighs contentedly* This was one of my favorite parts about the book. Finding your identity in Christ--who created us all beautiful in His sight--is such an important thing to realize. There were moments that brought me to tears, moments that struck so close to home. I struggle a lot with identity issues so this book was a huge blessing to me.
- The plot. It was extremely good! There weren't a ton of surprises, but there were a few twists at the end that I didn't expect. Lots of action/suspense near the end that had my heart racing. ;)
Not So Lovely Things:
- The romance was a bit rushed. Don't get me wrong, Carrington and Remko are adorable together...but I did feel a little taken aback by how quickly they were "a thing."
- It was a little disturbing. Obviously, this is dystopian so I expected creepiness. It didn't really bother me, per se, but I can see how it would affect other readers. Also, the way they twist God's Word to form the Veritas was very unnerving. Which I guess is the point.
All in all, I LOVED this book! I have the second one staring me down right now, and it's tempting to read it right away. XD
4.5 stars!
May 21, 2016
I received a free copy via Edelweiss for review purposes
The Choosing ceremony is the most important day in Carrington's life. It's something she has been preparing for her entire life. But she isn't chosen and is instead forced to serve out the rest of her life as a Lint - the lowest level in society, and she has to live with her mothers disapproval. As Carrington endures her first few months as a Lint, rumours of rebellion make her question her beliefs. Yet not all hope is lost as Carrington is thrown a lifeline - but Carrington might just be in a lot more danger than ever before.
It appears I'm in the minority about this one. I didn't really enjoy it. There's no doubt that Rachelle Dekker is a good writer and I really wanted to like this, but there were aspects of it that I just did not like. I hadn't realised that this is classed as Christian fiction? That's probably why I didn't enjoy it because there was very religious messages and I'm not religious myself, so this aspect (which was a large one) left very little impact on me.
I also didn't like Carrington much as a character either. She didn't seem to have a personality. There was also that insta-love aspect which I loathed, even thought I found him a rather interesting character.
I probably won't be continuing with this series, but if you're a fan of dystopia's and don't mind a lot of religious messages then go for it, you'll probably like it a lot more than I did.
The Choosing ceremony is the most important day in Carrington's life. It's something she has been preparing for her entire life. But she isn't chosen and is instead forced to serve out the rest of her life as a Lint - the lowest level in society, and she has to live with her mothers disapproval. As Carrington endures her first few months as a Lint, rumours of rebellion make her question her beliefs. Yet not all hope is lost as Carrington is thrown a lifeline - but Carrington might just be in a lot more danger than ever before.
It appears I'm in the minority about this one. I didn't really enjoy it. There's no doubt that Rachelle Dekker is a good writer and I really wanted to like this, but there were aspects of it that I just did not like. I hadn't realised that this is classed as Christian fiction? That's probably why I didn't enjoy it because there was very religious messages and I'm not religious myself, so this aspect (which was a large one) left very little impact on me.
I also didn't like Carrington much as a character either. She didn't seem to have a personality. There was also that insta-love aspect which I loathed, even thought I found him a rather interesting character.
I probably won't be continuing with this series, but if you're a fan of dystopia's and don't mind a lot of religious messages then go for it, you'll probably like it a lot more than I did.
April 18, 2019
April 4, 2019
That was..
Wow.
Just, wow.
I had hoped the book would be decent, but I did not expect that level of greatness from a book I got for like, $4-$5 at the Dollar Store last summer on a whim😱
I need to somehow find book 2 and 3 because I need more Remko and Carrington adorableness💞
That was..
Wow.
Just, wow.
I had hoped the book would be decent, but I did not expect that level of greatness from a book I got for like, $4-$5 at the Dollar Store last summer on a whim😱
I need to somehow find book 2 and 3 because I need more Remko and Carrington adorableness💞
January 1, 2016
Carrington Hale has spent her entire life preparing for her Choosing ceremony – the day that she is to be chosen to become a wife. After years of careful preparation, she is not prepared for this moment to end in disaster. Instead of being chosen, she must spend the rest of her days serving in the lowest level of society as a Lint. Knowing the Authority cannot be questioned, Carrington prepares herself for a life of toil and drudgery, completely shut off from her family. She soon establishes a connection with another Lint girl, and discovers that there is a whole other side to their society, a rebellion that shakes her beliefs to the core and resonates in her heart in ways that she never imagined. Then Carrington is given an unheard of second chance at the life prepared and dreamed of, but things are not quite what they seem. With an assassin killing Lints and corruption looming in the upper echelons of the Authority, Carrington must find out the truth before it destroys her and those she has come to love.
I don’t read a lot of dystopian fiction, but when I saw this as an option to review, I took the chance because I love checking out debut authors, and the premise sounded intriguing to me. From the first chapter, I was drawn into the story. Rachelle starts with a heightened scene that really pulled me into the action. While I found some parts of it to be similar to things I have already read, I still enjoyed her debut novel.
The world that Rachelle created here at first seems very simplistic. I think that it’s a little deeper and more involved than it might first appear. I appreciated that details of how the society worked were threaded throughout so as to avoid a big pile of information. The details were mentioned, but I didn’t feel that it was overwhelming at any point. I do wish I could have learned a bit more about its history and what it actually looks like. Even though I learned about the various elements of the government and society, I never really got a feel for what it looked like – was it futuristic, was it part old and part new, did homes look like they do now or are things more uniform? Overall though, I felt that the world building was done well and created a great backdrop for the story.
Carrington’s character is interesting, but for me, she didn’t have any special quality or quirk that really brought her to life and established a connection. I felt empathy for her and was compelled to continue reading her story, but never felt that “something” that I look for in main characters. There is a lot of introspection in her character that I found to become repetitive, although I can see her realizations resonating greatly with a lot of readers. I look forward to Carrington learning who she is as a daughter of the true Father.
The plot was entertaining, though nothing out of the ordinary. I was fairly certain what was going to happen, but I still enjoyed getting to the heightened scenes in the book. For me there were a few elements that I felt were left a little vague. How did Aaron and his followers meet without detection? Did he live outside of the city or hide somewhere inside? Perhaps more will be revealed about how those who function outside of the Authority live, as Carrington discovers more about who she is as a daughter of the true Father away from that society’s control.
I know that this is the first novel is a series, so perhaps I just need to be more patient and wait for more to be revealed in the second book. Overall, The Choosing is very well-written debut novel, and I can see how there is plenty here for the sub-sequent books in the series to delve deeper into Carrington’s society and the rebellion. I recommend this for young adult readers who enjoy dystopian settings.
I don’t read a lot of dystopian fiction, but when I saw this as an option to review, I took the chance because I love checking out debut authors, and the premise sounded intriguing to me. From the first chapter, I was drawn into the story. Rachelle starts with a heightened scene that really pulled me into the action. While I found some parts of it to be similar to things I have already read, I still enjoyed her debut novel.
The world that Rachelle created here at first seems very simplistic. I think that it’s a little deeper and more involved than it might first appear. I appreciated that details of how the society worked were threaded throughout so as to avoid a big pile of information. The details were mentioned, but I didn’t feel that it was overwhelming at any point. I do wish I could have learned a bit more about its history and what it actually looks like. Even though I learned about the various elements of the government and society, I never really got a feel for what it looked like – was it futuristic, was it part old and part new, did homes look like they do now or are things more uniform? Overall though, I felt that the world building was done well and created a great backdrop for the story.
Carrington’s character is interesting, but for me, she didn’t have any special quality or quirk that really brought her to life and established a connection. I felt empathy for her and was compelled to continue reading her story, but never felt that “something” that I look for in main characters. There is a lot of introspection in her character that I found to become repetitive, although I can see her realizations resonating greatly with a lot of readers. I look forward to Carrington learning who she is as a daughter of the true Father.
The plot was entertaining, though nothing out of the ordinary. I was fairly certain what was going to happen, but I still enjoyed getting to the heightened scenes in the book. For me there were a few elements that I felt were left a little vague. How did Aaron and his followers meet without detection? Did he live outside of the city or hide somewhere inside? Perhaps more will be revealed about how those who function outside of the Authority live, as Carrington discovers more about who she is as a daughter of the true Father away from that society’s control.
I know that this is the first novel is a series, so perhaps I just need to be more patient and wait for more to be revealed in the second book. Overall, The Choosing is very well-written debut novel, and I can see how there is plenty here for the sub-sequent books in the series to delve deeper into Carrington’s society and the rebellion. I recommend this for young adult readers who enjoy dystopian settings.
September 25, 2018
I have grown to love Christian dystopian books ever since I read A Time to Die by Nadine Brandes. They always have such high stakes and messages of hope through utter darkness. This book has a strong message of hope, worth, and beauty for girls. In the futuristic society the main character, Carrington, lives in, they measure a woman's worth and beauty. The women in the book judge themselves by their flaws and believes what society tells them about themselves.
Fear not, readers, for there is hope!
Even though society believes so many lies about well...just about everything, the real Truth prevails. (I will not elaborate any more on this because there may be some spoilers.)
The Characters
Wow. The characters. They were real people with real flaws, real emotions, real problems. Carrington is constantly told her worth is measurable, that she brought all this on herself. She is so insecure. Not only that, but she grows by the end of the book.
Let me talk about the antagonist of the story for a minute. He is one of the most amazingly written antagonists I have ever read about. I can't say any more about him in this review. Go read the book.
The Setting
Typical dystopian book...walled city, controlling government, awesomely simple names of jobs... But there are some extremely unique things about this society. One can see this when they see how they view women. This alone leads to some intriguing setting...stuff. I really don't want to say too much for fear of ruining it for you.
Other Stuff
I would recommend this book for older teens, maybe 15 and above. The main focus of this story is marriage, but it just has to do with the setting where the goals of women are to get married and have children. There is a little romance, but it is sweet and clean. There is also a little violence and a ton of suspense.
Okay...enough with my rambling. Go read the book. :D
Fear not, readers, for there is hope!
Even though society believes so many lies about well...just about everything, the real Truth prevails. (I will not elaborate any more on this because there may be some spoilers.)
The Characters
Wow. The characters. They were real people with real flaws, real emotions, real problems. Carrington is constantly told her worth is measurable, that she brought all this on herself. She is so insecure. Not only that, but she grows by the end of the book.
Let me talk about the antagonist of the story for a minute. He is one of the most amazingly written antagonists I have ever read about. I can't say any more about him in this review. Go read the book.
The Setting
Typical dystopian book...walled city, controlling government, awesomely simple names of jobs... But there are some extremely unique things about this society. One can see this when they see how they view women. This alone leads to some intriguing setting...stuff. I really don't want to say too much for fear of ruining it for you.
Other Stuff
I would recommend this book for older teens, maybe 15 and above. The main focus of this story is marriage, but it just has to do with the setting where the goals of women are to get married and have children. There is a little romance, but it is sweet and clean. There is also a little violence and a ton of suspense.
Okay...enough with my rambling. Go read the book. :D
February 16, 2017
Excellent pacing and defined writing catches hints of a psychological thriller (like her father's books) and the world building of an incredible dystopian (such as Divergent).
The character of Remko was brilliantly written. Carrington was done well. Larkin and Healms were strong side characters. Overall, the theme of finding your worth was prevalent and beautifully portrayed in the end.
I loved how Rachelle brought up another very relevant issue or theme of a false religion. With the agenda to ultimately control people to do their wishes and desires. She then highlights and contrasts this to "real" and genuine faith. But, I did have some troubles with this book in that aspect.
What real faith?
There was nothing truly grounding about the faith in the book.
Was it Jesus? I couldn't tell you.
Was it the Holy Spirit, or simply God? Not sure.
It seemed this "faith" was illusive. This is, and was, very confusing.
Due to that fact and the detailed murders, I may not venture out and get the rest of the series. Maybe The Calling? Because it is written in Remko's POV. But, I don't know. I was truly satisfied with the first book alone, though still lost at the end of the whole "faith" agenda.
In the end, I gave this a good solid 4 stars. But this book would not be recommended for those under 16. Some murders in the book are detailed and if your sensitive to this (as I am and usually don't read Ted Dekker books because of this fact), than I don't recommend this book for you.
16+
The character of Remko was brilliantly written. Carrington was done well. Larkin and Healms were strong side characters. Overall, the theme of finding your worth was prevalent and beautifully portrayed in the end.
I loved how Rachelle brought up another very relevant issue or theme of a false religion. With the agenda to ultimately control people to do their wishes and desires. She then highlights and contrasts this to "real" and genuine faith. But, I did have some troubles with this book in that aspect.
What real faith?
There was nothing truly grounding about the faith in the book.
Was it Jesus? I couldn't tell you.
Was it the Holy Spirit, or simply God? Not sure.
It seemed this "faith" was illusive. This is, and was, very confusing.
Due to that fact and the detailed murders, I may not venture out and get the rest of the series. Maybe The Calling? Because it is written in Remko's POV. But, I don't know. I was truly satisfied with the first book alone, though still lost at the end of the whole "faith" agenda.
In the end, I gave this a good solid 4 stars. But this book would not be recommended for those under 16. Some murders in the book are detailed and if your sensitive to this (as I am and usually don't read Ted Dekker books because of this fact), than I don't recommend this book for you.
16+
May 26, 2015
Rachelle Dekker writes with confidence and authority in her debut novel. THE CHOOSING was a smooth, easy read that at times felt like a Cassandra Clare novel but at other times, felt like Dekker's father's influence drenched the pages (NOT a bad thing!). Sometimes, the prose felt overwrought and distracted me from the story, but the story itself also exerted its strength and power to ensnare my interest from start to finish. Definitely looking forward to the next novel by Rachelle Dekker.
June 3, 2015
About this book:
““Not to be Chosen would yield a cruel fate of my own making.”
Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she’d spent a lifetime preparing for—her Choosing ceremony—would end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she’ll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it’s her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.
But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. The whispers contradict everything she’s been told; yet they resonate deep within.
Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she’s always dreamed of, but she can’t shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.”
Series: Book #1 in “The Seers” series.
Spiritual Content- It’s said many times that the law was given to the Authority from God; A handful of Scriptures are quoted, mentioned and twisted; Mentions of God’s plan; the Veritas is God’s Word; Isaac is the keeper of said Veritas; Talks about God, the Veritas and those who have strayed; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Three mentions of damnation; Mentions of Prayers.
*Note: a “devilish”.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘crap’, an ‘idiot’, a ‘shut up’, a ‘suckers’, two ‘freakin’’s, two forms of ‘screwed-up’, two forms of ‘sissy’, five ‘stupid’s; Curses are said but not written; Mentions of cigarettes and tobacco; Punching, beating & slapping someone (semi-detailed); Mentions of punishments (semi-detailed); Many mentions of executions & an actual execution (semi-detailed to detailed); Blood (up to semi-detailed); Pouring bleach down girls’ throats (semi-detailed); Smelling rotting flesh (semi-detailed).
Sexual Content- a semi-detailed kiss and a detailed kiss; a cheek kiss and two forehead kisses; Wondering what a kiss would be like (barely-above-not-detailed); Married couples kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches (up to semi-detailed); Noticing & Flirting; Helms thinks he is a ladies’ man; Two men look at Carrington with “perverse curiosity” and are stopped before anything sexual happens; Isaac says the “women had always made him uncomfortable. Their cunning glances, their sexual temptations…”; Stark teases Remko and calls Helms his boyfriend; Love, falling in love & the emotions.
*Note: a “pain in my behind.” and a “something shoved up his--.”.
-Carrington Hale, age 17
P.O.V. switches between Carrington, Isaac & Remko (and the Killer)
Set in 2257 (Dystopia)
424 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- One Star
My personal Rating- One Star
I don’t know where to start this review. The publisher told me the author would be looking at my blog today, hmm. So, author, you might not want to read this review.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. The author’s father is Tedd Dekker, and I’ll be honest when I say that his books scare the living daylights out of me and I’ve had horrible nightmares from reading just an article he wrote. Another reviewer compared this book to if Francine Rivers wrote a Dystopia, it would be this book. And y’all know how I feel about her books. You’re most likely wondering why in the world would I read this book then, yes? Simple. I was hoping she (a new Teen/YA genre author) would be better than the two people she’s been compared to; I was going to give her a chance. I’ll give her that she was much clean than one, and less spooky and thriller-y (is that a word?) than the other, but I’m having difficulty finding what was the point of this book. Some people might pull out the self-worth at the end, but it was not enough in my opinion. (Which is what this is. My opinion.)
It’s not a good sign when you want to:
1.) Shake one of the P.O.V. character to get her to be all Dystopia-tough-girl-wins like. In Dystopia novels, I expect the lead girl to be, you know, tough, fierce basically everything Carrington wasn’t. She was brainwashed, I get that, but I expected her to snap out of it about half-way. Ha! She was very…compliant, anything that was thrown in her path or her path in general was God’s plan/law and the devil would never tempt you with a path that seemed all great and good but really isn’t. *sigh*
2.) Have one of the P.O.V. characters murder/killed. In my defense he is the villain. Great guy *sarcasm*, twisting Scriptures, killing girls by pouring bleach down their throats and saying basically that if God want them saved, He would. What God do you worship, ya freak? (This character would be the closest Rachelle Dekker gets to her father’s style of writing.) Oh, and sinners can’t be saved. ‘Cuz he’s so perfect and all. (The twisting Scriptures is the part that makes me just plain mad.)
3.) Sing “Time for You to Go” by BarlowGirl to said previous character. (Which I did. Many times.)
4.) Tell the third P.O.V. character to run for the hills and not look back because everyone else is loony!
I also am still puzzled about: This book was set in 2257 and there was zip-ties to hold the villain’s prisoners. There is a way to get out of zip ties, you know, google it. I was more than a little shocked that the author put zip-ties in a Dystopia book.
“I am so done
Listening to you
Time for you to go
Time for you to go, whoa
I refuse to give one more day to you
Time for you to go,
time for you to go, whoa
I am so done
Listening to you
Time for you to go,
time for you to go Whoa.
I refuse to give one more day to you
Time for you to go,
time for you to go, whoa
No more wasting my life on this worlds addiction
Time for me to take you to find your place
I am letting go, time for you to go
We're missing out on His voice
We've traded God for ashes
We've got to think for ourselves
Where's our passion?
I am so done Listening to you
Time for you to go
Time for you to go, whoa”
~”Time for You to Go” by BarlowGirl
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Tyndale House Publishers) for this review.
““Not to be Chosen would yield a cruel fate of my own making.”
Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she’d spent a lifetime preparing for—her Choosing ceremony—would end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she’ll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it’s her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.
But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. The whispers contradict everything she’s been told; yet they resonate deep within.
Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she’s always dreamed of, but she can’t shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.”
Series: Book #1 in “The Seers” series.
Spiritual Content- It’s said many times that the law was given to the Authority from God; A handful of Scriptures are quoted, mentioned and twisted; Mentions of God’s plan; the Veritas is God’s Word; Isaac is the keeper of said Veritas; Talks about God, the Veritas and those who have strayed; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Three mentions of damnation; Mentions of Prayers.
*Note: a “devilish”.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘crap’, an ‘idiot’, a ‘shut up’, a ‘suckers’, two ‘freakin’’s, two forms of ‘screwed-up’, two forms of ‘sissy’, five ‘stupid’s; Curses are said but not written; Mentions of cigarettes and tobacco; Punching, beating & slapping someone (semi-detailed); Mentions of punishments (semi-detailed); Many mentions of executions & an actual execution (semi-detailed to detailed); Blood (up to semi-detailed); Pouring bleach down girls’ throats (semi-detailed); Smelling rotting flesh (semi-detailed).
Sexual Content- a semi-detailed kiss and a detailed kiss; a cheek kiss and two forehead kisses; Wondering what a kiss would be like (barely-above-not-detailed); Married couples kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches (up to semi-detailed); Noticing & Flirting; Helms thinks he is a ladies’ man; Two men look at Carrington with “perverse curiosity” and are stopped before anything sexual happens; Isaac says the “women had always made him uncomfortable. Their cunning glances, their sexual temptations…”; Stark teases Remko and calls Helms his boyfriend; Love, falling in love & the emotions.
*Note: a “pain in my behind.” and a “something shoved up his--.”.
-Carrington Hale, age 17
P.O.V. switches between Carrington, Isaac & Remko (and the Killer)
Set in 2257 (Dystopia)
424 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- One Star
My personal Rating- One Star
I don’t know where to start this review. The publisher told me the author would be looking at my blog today, hmm. So, author, you might not want to read this review.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. The author’s father is Tedd Dekker, and I’ll be honest when I say that his books scare the living daylights out of me and I’ve had horrible nightmares from reading just an article he wrote. Another reviewer compared this book to if Francine Rivers wrote a Dystopia, it would be this book. And y’all know how I feel about her books. You’re most likely wondering why in the world would I read this book then, yes? Simple. I was hoping she (a new Teen/YA genre author) would be better than the two people she’s been compared to; I was going to give her a chance. I’ll give her that she was much clean than one, and less spooky and thriller-y (is that a word?) than the other, but I’m having difficulty finding what was the point of this book. Some people might pull out the self-worth at the end, but it was not enough in my opinion. (Which is what this is. My opinion.)
It’s not a good sign when you want to:
1.) Shake one of the P.O.V. character to get her to be all Dystopia-tough-girl-wins like. In Dystopia novels, I expect the lead girl to be, you know, tough, fierce basically everything Carrington wasn’t. She was brainwashed, I get that, but I expected her to snap out of it about half-way. Ha! She was very…compliant, anything that was thrown in her path or her path in general was God’s plan/law and the devil would never tempt you with a path that seemed all great and good but really isn’t. *sigh*
2.) Have one of the P.O.V. characters murder/killed. In my defense he is the villain. Great guy *sarcasm*, twisting Scriptures, killing girls by pouring bleach down their throats and saying basically that if God want them saved, He would. What God do you worship, ya freak? (This character would be the closest Rachelle Dekker gets to her father’s style of writing.) Oh, and sinners can’t be saved. ‘Cuz he’s so perfect and all. (The twisting Scriptures is the part that makes me just plain mad.)
3.) Sing “Time for You to Go” by BarlowGirl to said previous character. (Which I did. Many times.)
4.) Tell the third P.O.V. character to run for the hills and not look back because everyone else is loony!
I also am still puzzled about: This book was set in 2257 and there was zip-ties to hold the villain’s prisoners. There is a way to get out of zip ties, you know, google it. I was more than a little shocked that the author put zip-ties in a Dystopia book.
“I am so done
Listening to you
Time for you to go
Time for you to go, whoa
I refuse to give one more day to you
Time for you to go,
time for you to go, whoa
I am so done
Listening to you
Time for you to go,
time for you to go Whoa.
I refuse to give one more day to you
Time for you to go,
time for you to go, whoa
No more wasting my life on this worlds addiction
Time for me to take you to find your place
I am letting go, time for you to go
We're missing out on His voice
We've traded God for ashes
We've got to think for ourselves
Where's our passion?
I am so done Listening to you
Time for you to go
Time for you to go, whoa”
~”Time for You to Go” by BarlowGirl
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Tyndale House Publishers) for this review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2015
Synopsis:
“Not to be Chosen would yield a cruel fate of my own making.”
Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she’d spent a lifetime preparing for—her Choosing ceremony—would end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she’ll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it’s her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.
But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. The whispers contradict everything she’s been told; yet they resonate deep within.
Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she’s always dreamed of, but she can’t shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.
My Review:
Since it's been almost 6 months since I've read The Choosing, I've had a lot of time to think about it. And geez, I only gave it 4 stars? This story is so much more deserving--it gets 5 stars from me, no question.
This story is enthralling, beautiful, bold, soul-wrenching and heart-stirring. Rachelle Dekker sure gives her dad (Ted Dekker, one of my favorite authors!) a run for his money!
In The Choosing, we follow Carrington Hale, a young woman desperate to be Chosen. But her Choosing Ceremony ends in disaster--and now she's a Lint, the lowest level of society. And she's alone. Her life is meaningless now; that is, until she's offered an opportunity of a lifetime--the life she's always dreamed of. But is it all an illusion? A mistake? And to make matters worse, there's a serial killer roaming free, targeting Lints much like herself. Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.
There's a reason I love Christian Dystopian--because it offers hope and light in a bleak and hopeless world. It offers Christ to a world that's forgotten Him. Umm, if that's not about the coolest thing ever, I don't know what is!
The Choosing is the perfect representation of what I've just described. It offers hope and meaning to an otherwise hopeless, meaningless future. The Light of Christ beams in this story.
And the writing is so freaking flawless. Just...agh. I love it. It makes me hurt, almost. Holy hot sauce. *breathes deeply*
The plot is also amazing. There were a very few (very small!) dystopian clichés, but that doesn't bug me, because I eat anything dystopian up no matter what. It held my attention from page 1 to The End!
Carrington's journey in The Choosing is also just so beautiful. She learns that she is beautiful, she is wanted, she is loved, she is perfect, no matter what society says. She is beautiful, wanted, loved, perfect to Christ. And that's all that matters. Wow. It was just so powerful. It really spoke to me. *happy sigh*
I'd have to say that favorite character was Larkin, however. There isn't much to that--I just loved her. A lot. I hope to see more of her in book 2...and hopefully she finds redemption as Carrington did!
The small romance between Carrington and Remko was awesome. It didn't overwhelm the story, didn't drench the pages; it was a sideline romance (which is my favorite)...the story flowed without it. It was added in in a well-executed manner, and I loved it. Remko and his awkward self was awesome, and I enjoyed his POV in the story! He and Carrington were adorable together. (Yes, I love stuff like this...)
Isaac Knight was sickening. I want to gouge his eyes out. That is all.
I could keep going on and on about this story...I just loved it so much. I cannot wait for The Calling, book 2, coming in March! *flails*
I encourage anyone to pick up The Choosing and give it a try. Even if you don't like dystopian fiction or haven't given it a try yet...who knows, it might hook you to the (sub)genre! I know it would have me, if I wasn't already obsessed with everything dystopian! So 5 shining, perfect stars!
Highly Recommended.
“Not to be Chosen would yield a cruel fate of my own making.”
Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she’d spent a lifetime preparing for—her Choosing ceremony—would end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she’ll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it’s her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.
But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. The whispers contradict everything she’s been told; yet they resonate deep within.
Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she’s always dreamed of, but she can’t shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.
My Review:
Since it's been almost 6 months since I've read The Choosing, I've had a lot of time to think about it. And geez, I only gave it 4 stars? This story is so much more deserving--it gets 5 stars from me, no question.
This story is enthralling, beautiful, bold, soul-wrenching and heart-stirring. Rachelle Dekker sure gives her dad (Ted Dekker, one of my favorite authors!) a run for his money!
In The Choosing, we follow Carrington Hale, a young woman desperate to be Chosen. But her Choosing Ceremony ends in disaster--and now she's a Lint, the lowest level of society. And she's alone. Her life is meaningless now; that is, until she's offered an opportunity of a lifetime--the life she's always dreamed of. But is it all an illusion? A mistake? And to make matters worse, there's a serial killer roaming free, targeting Lints much like herself. Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.
There's a reason I love Christian Dystopian--because it offers hope and light in a bleak and hopeless world. It offers Christ to a world that's forgotten Him. Umm, if that's not about the coolest thing ever, I don't know what is!
The Choosing is the perfect representation of what I've just described. It offers hope and meaning to an otherwise hopeless, meaningless future. The Light of Christ beams in this story.
And the writing is so freaking flawless. Just...agh. I love it. It makes me hurt, almost. Holy hot sauce. *breathes deeply*
The plot is also amazing. There were a very few (very small!) dystopian clichés, but that doesn't bug me, because I eat anything dystopian up no matter what. It held my attention from page 1 to The End!
Carrington's journey in The Choosing is also just so beautiful. She learns that she is beautiful, she is wanted, she is loved, she is perfect, no matter what society says. She is beautiful, wanted, loved, perfect to Christ. And that's all that matters. Wow. It was just so powerful. It really spoke to me. *happy sigh*
I'd have to say that favorite character was Larkin, however. There isn't much to that--I just loved her. A lot. I hope to see more of her in book 2...and hopefully she finds redemption as Carrington did!
The small romance between Carrington and Remko was awesome. It didn't overwhelm the story, didn't drench the pages; it was a sideline romance (which is my favorite)...the story flowed without it. It was added in in a well-executed manner, and I loved it. Remko and his awkward self was awesome, and I enjoyed his POV in the story! He and Carrington were adorable together. (Yes, I love stuff like this...)
Isaac Knight was sickening. I want to gouge his eyes out. That is all.
I could keep going on and on about this story...I just loved it so much. I cannot wait for The Calling, book 2, coming in March! *flails*
I encourage anyone to pick up The Choosing and give it a try. Even if you don't like dystopian fiction or haven't given it a try yet...who knows, it might hook you to the (sub)genre! I know it would have me, if I wasn't already obsessed with everything dystopian! So 5 shining, perfect stars!
Highly Recommended.
February 2, 2016
Well...
I really don't know what to say about this book. It was good, and I enjoyed it to some extent, but it just didn't wow me. I wasn't a big fan of the romance - it was kind of an insta-love cliché and it moved too fast, I think. My favoritest character, Larkin, hardly appeared at all in the last 30-ish percent of the book... The plot was interesting, which is why I finished it, and I'll probably check out the next book. If it goes on sale really cheap for Kindle. :P
TBH, though, I think my biggest problem has nothing to do with the book itself. I read this right after Anomaly by Krista McGee, and I kept mentally comparing the two. And, seriously... Anomaly is soooooo much better. I don't want my review to be affected by that, but... well, I can't help it.
Overall, mostly just... eh. Okay. But definitely read it if you like Ted Dekker's stuff! ;)
I really don't know what to say about this book. It was good, and I enjoyed it to some extent, but it just didn't wow me. I wasn't a big fan of the romance - it was kind of an insta-love cliché and it moved too fast, I think. My favoritest character, Larkin, hardly appeared at all in the last 30-ish percent of the book... The plot was interesting, which is why I finished it, and I'll probably check out the next book. If it goes on sale really cheap for Kindle. :P
TBH, though, I think my biggest problem has nothing to do with the book itself. I read this right after Anomaly by Krista McGee, and I kept mentally comparing the two. And, seriously... Anomaly is soooooo much better. I don't want my review to be affected by that, but... well, I can't help it.
Overall, mostly just... eh. Okay. But definitely read it if you like Ted Dekker's stuff! ;)
April 25, 2017
I'm not really into Christian dystopia since all the one's I've read haven't really impressed me. This book however is one of the better ones, and it's interesting enough that I might go on to read the second book. The good is the fact that there was a great message, and the plot flowed along nicely. The only problem I had was the fact that it got a little preachy at times, and it was sometimes hard to connect with the characters and so it was difficult to really care about what happened to them. It's not as if their personalities were bad, it's just that at times they seemed very bland (especially the main character) because the message that the author was trying to push overshadowed the focus on character development. Otherwise, it was a solid book, and for a debut, not horrible.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
October 8, 2016
This was a good story, and I liked the characters. I wasn't thrilled with the dark side of the plot...but over all, it was a unique read and I would love to see if the other books in the series are better. :)
February 19, 2018
An incredible, thought-provoking read.
THINGS I LIKED:
~The characters had my heart. Carrington wasn't my absolute favorite (as is common with main characters for me) but she was a good heroine and my heart ached for her. For so many of the characters, really. Remko and Helms were super sweet (I teared up more than a little over a certain thing that happened to Helms). However, I think my favorite character was Dodson - the Authority in charge of CityWatch. Because he was downright awesome.
~The writing style. It reminded me a little of The Giver actually, the bleak beauty of the prose and the dialogue and the worldbuilding and all. Also, kudos for not writing in first person, Rachelle.
~The worldbuilding was terrific. At the beginning, I was internally rolling my eyes a bit because the Capitalization of Certain words and Phrases is a pretty Cliched move, but Rachelle completely won me over by the end. The worldbuilding was impeccably done and quite believable.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
~Okay, so, when I read the 'about the author' bit at the back and learned that Rachelle is Ted Dekker's daughter, it made sense. Because the creepiness with a certain Authority and what he does to the Lints was something Ted Dekker would totally write. And there was also some bad theology - Jesus was never mentioned once and 'salvation' seemed to simply mean discovering your true/inner self and everyone is now a child of the Father (even though we don't become God's child until we repent and trust Christ as our Saviour). So that didn't impress me.
~Aaron was groan-worthy. I've had the privilege of hearing, speaking to, and knowing several amazing pastors and preachers and Aaron was just...weird compared to them. Not someone who would inspire me to risk my life. (And his words were quite vague.)
All that being said, I did thoroughly enjoy The Choosing and I already put the next two books on hold at my library. Can't wait to read them.
THINGS I LIKED:
~The characters had my heart. Carrington wasn't my absolute favorite (as is common with main characters for me) but she was a good heroine and my heart ached for her. For so many of the characters, really. Remko and Helms were super sweet (I teared up more than a little over a certain thing that happened to Helms). However, I think my favorite character was Dodson - the Authority in charge of CityWatch. Because he was downright awesome.
~The writing style. It reminded me a little of The Giver actually, the bleak beauty of the prose and the dialogue and the worldbuilding and all. Also, kudos for not writing in first person, Rachelle.
~The worldbuilding was terrific. At the beginning, I was internally rolling my eyes a bit because the Capitalization of Certain words and Phrases is a pretty Cliched move, but Rachelle completely won me over by the end. The worldbuilding was impeccably done and quite believable.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
~Okay, so, when I read the 'about the author' bit at the back and learned that Rachelle is Ted Dekker's daughter, it made sense. Because the creepiness with a certain Authority and what he does to the Lints was something Ted Dekker would totally write. And there was also some bad theology - Jesus was never mentioned once and 'salvation' seemed to simply mean discovering your true/inner self and everyone is now a child of the Father (even though we don't become God's child until we repent and trust Christ as our Saviour). So that didn't impress me.
~Aaron was groan-worthy. I've had the privilege of hearing, speaking to, and knowing several amazing pastors and preachers and Aaron was just...weird compared to them. Not someone who would inspire me to risk my life. (And his words were quite vague.)
All that being said, I did thoroughly enjoy The Choosing and I already put the next two books on hold at my library. Can't wait to read them.
January 21, 2016
I really, really wanted to like this book.
And it was ok, I suppose. But it just didn't work for me for a few reasons.
1. The Christian message seemed.... off. Sure, it was a good message, about finding your worth in who God, our Father, is instead of in what society says about us. That's awesome to know who you are in Christ. Really. BUT. Jesus was never mentioned. Not once do I remember Christ mentioned. It's explained that we're children of God, because of Him. But it's not told WHY. It's not told that sin separates from God and not told that Jesus takes that sin away. It was always the Father who redeems us, chooses us, and, yes, while that's all good and nice, the Bible says that Jesus is the only way TO the Father. So in this story the person who is the preacher keeps telling people about the Father and says that they can be free. But free from what, really? In this book it's not our sinful nature that you need to be free of. The main thing is to be free from thoughts that we're worthless. Not free from our sin and not free from eternal death because of the love Jesus Christ showed for us in becoming sin for us. No, simply,free, because God chooses us and that means we're beautiful. And while that is all good and true, that is not the Gospel message, that isn't the truth that saves us. There is one way and that is through redemption by the blood of Jesus and what He did for us, by faith in Him. It is Christ who had our sin taken on Him and we must give that to Him, put our trust in Christ.
Yet in this book, you just had to declare "I am free!" and you're saved, not even really knowing what you're truly free from. Instead of repenting and having faith in Christ, you are saved by finding freedom from the box that society puts you in. Saved by realizing that just because society says you're worthless, doesn't mean it's true. It's a good thing to realize, but that's not what saves. So this bothered me, a lot.
Another thing, what about the men? What saves them in this society? The women find that they're not worthless, and they're saved. But the men never thought they're worthless. And even the love interest doesn't seem to come to any kind of real faith.
As well as the preacher was sort of like Jesus, but not actually Jesus. When the POV of one character (no spoilers so won't say who) was in a tough spot and had to rely on new found freedom (not faith) that character tried to recall the preacher and find comfort in the preacher instead of in God or in Jesus. As if the preacher had become the one she looks up to and not God. This also bothered me, a lot.
Even when one person was sentenced to death and was given a chance to say their last words, they chose to say something like: "Remember that I love you" And this person was dying for the sake of God, because they refused to change their beliefs. And when this was happening, I expected this person to declare the Gospel and tell people that Christ is worth anything and to turn to Him, to show people the truth, but instead they just said something like, "I do this and I think this and I'm free".
While I don't think it's bad that this person said they love their family, because it's great to give assurance of that to your loved ones. But it kind of defeats the whole point, declaring faith in God, then not actually even saying out right. All this person said about their faith is "I am free" They didn't say from what they are free or how anyone else can be freed, just, "I am free so I am ok with dying." So imagining the people who were there witnessing this, they didn't really see why this person was ok with whatever happens. Won't spoil what actually happens, though.
In any case, salvation because you find freedom from thinking you're worthless, that is not the Gospel. It's a good thing to find freedom from but it's not what saves. Jesus Christ saves!
The story also had a false Gospel. A false religion. That was very twisted, but it was supposed to be twisted, so that's not the problem I had.
2. I just never felt any attachment to anyone. The main character is supposed to be 17, I think. Yet to me, she didn't even really have a personality or anything to make her who she is, so the entire time I was picturing her as a 30 something year old, because there was nothing in her voice or actions or thoughts that made me see that she is a young girl.
When I try to think of a way to describe her now, I can't think of anything specific about her at all. This doesn't often happen, there was just no real personality in the story, at least to me. The story will definitely not stick with me.
3. The writing. It wasn't bad, it was repetitive and simply wasn't that kind that I enjoy reading.
4. I wasn't expecting it to be so violent. I don't usually read suspense, because I don't do well with it. I don't do well when put into the mind of psychopaths. I don't do well when reading about such things in a crime setting.
But in this particular book, I just wasn't expecting it. It didn't bother me much, but the synopsis made it sound more like a dystopian than a crime story, and while both were present, the crime seemed to overshadow the dystopian aspect and I'm sure that a lot of people will appreciate that, and I won't give it lower rating due to this, because it's my own fault that I didn't expect it. But it had more violence and gruesomeness than the other (very few) suspense novels I've read. And less description of the world than I would have liked to get a feel for it.
5. The answer to the mystery was quite obvious from the beginning.
All in all, I'm quite disappointed. I really don't like giving negative reviews, but there wasn't much I liked. The story had a great premise and I tried to like it, I really did, I had been looking forward to it for a long time!
And it was ok, I suppose. But it just didn't work for me for a few reasons.
1. The Christian message seemed.... off. Sure, it was a good message, about finding your worth in who God, our Father, is instead of in what society says about us. That's awesome to know who you are in Christ. Really. BUT. Jesus was never mentioned. Not once do I remember Christ mentioned. It's explained that we're children of God, because of Him. But it's not told WHY. It's not told that sin separates from God and not told that Jesus takes that sin away. It was always the Father who redeems us, chooses us, and, yes, while that's all good and nice, the Bible says that Jesus is the only way TO the Father. So in this story the person who is the preacher keeps telling people about the Father and says that they can be free. But free from what, really? In this book it's not our sinful nature that you need to be free of. The main thing is to be free from thoughts that we're worthless. Not free from our sin and not free from eternal death because of the love Jesus Christ showed for us in becoming sin for us. No, simply,free, because God chooses us and that means we're beautiful. And while that is all good and true, that is not the Gospel message, that isn't the truth that saves us. There is one way and that is through redemption by the blood of Jesus and what He did for us, by faith in Him. It is Christ who had our sin taken on Him and we must give that to Him, put our trust in Christ.
Yet in this book, you just had to declare "I am free!" and you're saved, not even really knowing what you're truly free from. Instead of repenting and having faith in Christ, you are saved by finding freedom from the box that society puts you in. Saved by realizing that just because society says you're worthless, doesn't mean it's true. It's a good thing to realize, but that's not what saves. So this bothered me, a lot.
Another thing, what about the men? What saves them in this society? The women find that they're not worthless, and they're saved. But the men never thought they're worthless. And even the love interest doesn't seem to come to any kind of real faith.
As well as the preacher was sort of like Jesus, but not actually Jesus. When the POV of one character (no spoilers so won't say who) was in a tough spot and had to rely on new found freedom (not faith) that character tried to recall the preacher and find comfort in the preacher instead of in God or in Jesus. As if the preacher had become the one she looks up to and not God. This also bothered me, a lot.
Even when one person was sentenced to death and was given a chance to say their last words, they chose to say something like: "Remember that I love you" And this person was dying for the sake of God, because they refused to change their beliefs. And when this was happening, I expected this person to declare the Gospel and tell people that Christ is worth anything and to turn to Him, to show people the truth, but instead they just said something like, "I do this and I think this and I'm free".
While I don't think it's bad that this person said they love their family, because it's great to give assurance of that to your loved ones. But it kind of defeats the whole point, declaring faith in God, then not actually even saying out right. All this person said about their faith is "I am free" They didn't say from what they are free or how anyone else can be freed, just, "I am free so I am ok with dying." So imagining the people who were there witnessing this, they didn't really see why this person was ok with whatever happens. Won't spoil what actually happens, though.
In any case, salvation because you find freedom from thinking you're worthless, that is not the Gospel. It's a good thing to find freedom from but it's not what saves. Jesus Christ saves!
The story also had a false Gospel. A false religion. That was very twisted, but it was supposed to be twisted, so that's not the problem I had.
2. I just never felt any attachment to anyone. The main character is supposed to be 17, I think. Yet to me, she didn't even really have a personality or anything to make her who she is, so the entire time I was picturing her as a 30 something year old, because there was nothing in her voice or actions or thoughts that made me see that she is a young girl.
When I try to think of a way to describe her now, I can't think of anything specific about her at all. This doesn't often happen, there was just no real personality in the story, at least to me. The story will definitely not stick with me.
3. The writing. It wasn't bad, it was repetitive and simply wasn't that kind that I enjoy reading.
4. I wasn't expecting it to be so violent. I don't usually read suspense, because I don't do well with it. I don't do well when put into the mind of psychopaths. I don't do well when reading about such things in a crime setting.
But in this particular book, I just wasn't expecting it. It didn't bother me much, but the synopsis made it sound more like a dystopian than a crime story, and while both were present, the crime seemed to overshadow the dystopian aspect and I'm sure that a lot of people will appreciate that, and I won't give it lower rating due to this, because it's my own fault that I didn't expect it. But it had more violence and gruesomeness than the other (very few) suspense novels I've read. And less description of the world than I would have liked to get a feel for it.
5. The answer to the mystery was quite obvious from the beginning.
All in all, I'm quite disappointed. I really don't like giving negative reviews, but there wasn't much I liked. The story had a great premise and I tried to like it, I really did, I had been looking forward to it for a long time!
February 24, 2017
I had heard mixed things about this and I actually really liked it. It reminded me of Matched + Ted Dekker plot. I really love Ted Dekker's books so the similarity with the dark characters didn't bother me as much. There was redemption and hope for those who deserved it and consequences for the evil ones.
June 3, 2015
I have to say that The Choosing was such an original idea for a story. The creativity to the setting and the creation of this new futuristic America was so detailed, it caught me up from the first page.
Rachelle has a talent for writing just like her dad. Her world building and the flow of the story is just fantastic. There was a richness and depth to the characters and Rachelle made sure in her writing that you weren't standing on the sidelines watching, but you were apart of the story. There were many times while reading that I felt heartbroken for Carrington as she had to adjust to so much change, and not that of her surroundings, but that of how she was treated by people she grew up with, and by the ones she always thought cared about her.
This new world is one that is terrifying. The extreme views of the leaders made me cringe and the hold that they had on people. As I started to dive deeper into the story, I wondered how events led up to that. I have to say, that the telling of this story answered my questions as they popped up. It was the perfect layout and it kept me pushing forward to find out more. Then...it ended! Oh, how I didn't want it to end.
Remko, Larkin, Aaron, are just some of the other characters in the book who play such important rolls in Carrington's life and journey. Each were different, but offered so much to the story.
I can't wait for the next in the series to come out!
Thank you to the Tyndale Blog Network, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Rachelle has a talent for writing just like her dad. Her world building and the flow of the story is just fantastic. There was a richness and depth to the characters and Rachelle made sure in her writing that you weren't standing on the sidelines watching, but you were apart of the story. There were many times while reading that I felt heartbroken for Carrington as she had to adjust to so much change, and not that of her surroundings, but that of how she was treated by people she grew up with, and by the ones she always thought cared about her.
This new world is one that is terrifying. The extreme views of the leaders made me cringe and the hold that they had on people. As I started to dive deeper into the story, I wondered how events led up to that. I have to say, that the telling of this story answered my questions as they popped up. It was the perfect layout and it kept me pushing forward to find out more. Then...it ended! Oh, how I didn't want it to end.
Remko, Larkin, Aaron, are just some of the other characters in the book who play such important rolls in Carrington's life and journey. Each were different, but offered so much to the story.
I can't wait for the next in the series to come out!
Thank you to the Tyndale Blog Network, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2016
The Choosing is a well written debut novel. It's futuristic with a focus on a young lady named Carrington and the challenges she faces after not being chosen for marriage.
The cast of characters are part of what had me engaged in the novel. There were villains, cold hearts, innocents, friends and more. As a result of the characters, Carrington goes through both character and spiritual development.
The novel includes a mystery, however, that is more of a minor focus much of the time.
The future painted in The Choosing is plausible. I look forward to continuing the Seer series.
The cast of characters are part of what had me engaged in the novel. There were villains, cold hearts, innocents, friends and more. As a result of the characters, Carrington goes through both character and spiritual development.
The novel includes a mystery, however, that is more of a minor focus much of the time.
The future painted in The Choosing is plausible. I look forward to continuing the Seer series.
Read
March 27, 2017WOW. Well, I finished it. I'm not sure what to rate it...so I'll have to think. XD It was pretty good... And Remko? GOSH HE IS SUCH A SWEETHEART. And the truth in this?! Life IS most definitely a journey of remembering and forgetting... Lord, help us remember!
BUT, SERIOUSLY. HAND OVER BOOK TWO PLEASE. (Tomorrow. *nods*)
BUT, SERIOUSLY. HAND OVER BOOK TWO PLEASE. (Tomorrow. *nods*)
April 12, 2018
another good read of 2018!
to be completely honest, i'm not sure if i would have continued reading it, unless it had been so highly recommended of a friend, because of the twisted Scriptures. I would've thought that I was reading something someone wrote to mock and falsely represent the gospel.
but still i read on!...
and was i glad i did! the story of a confused girl in a confused world, only knowing that she was created to be chosen by a man because it was commanded by God and the Authority, who ruled as the government. she experiences a second chance to be chosen by a powerful, seemingly handsome man, who claims to love and guide her. he claims to be her only way to salvation and worth, which is false. as time moves on she realizes beauty will fade and reveal people's true characters. through her friends and a teacher, she is led to realize that she is already chosen, she is beautiful, by her Father. she was born chosen, not born to be chosen.
my only complaint is that i wish they had revealed more direct Scripture and battled that "veritas" (the man-made gospel) but i loved this story of salvation and love! i can't wait to read the next one!
thank you Mrs. Boyne for this wonderful read!! 💚👏🏻
to be completely honest, i'm not sure if i would have continued reading it, unless it had been so highly recommended of a friend, because of the twisted Scriptures. I would've thought that I was reading something someone wrote to mock and falsely represent the gospel.
but still i read on!...
and was i glad i did! the story of a confused girl in a confused world, only knowing that she was created to be chosen by a man because it was commanded by God and the Authority, who ruled as the government. she experiences a second chance to be chosen by a powerful, seemingly handsome man, who claims to love and guide her. he claims to be her only way to salvation and worth, which is false. as time moves on she realizes beauty will fade and reveal people's true characters. through her friends and a teacher, she is led to realize that she is already chosen, she is beautiful, by her Father. she was born chosen, not born to be chosen.
my only complaint is that i wish they had revealed more direct Scripture and battled that "veritas" (the man-made gospel) but i loved this story of salvation and love! i can't wait to read the next one!
thank you Mrs. Boyne for this wonderful read!! 💚👏🏻
March 5, 2016
In my mind The Choosing is one part Matched meets one part Ted Dekker, meets one part crime drama, meets one part YA Dystopia. I know, that's a lot of parts but I feel like that was the different waves of thought I had for this book.
I'll start off by saying I wasn't sure what to expect. Per usual, I didn't read the back cover or blurbs about the book. I knew it was dystopian and I knew it dealt with identity, but that was about it. I dove in with anticipation and a little bit of wariness, unsure of what I'd find coming from such high expectations of Ted Dekker's writing and what I'd heard others say about the book.
To start off, I initially got a good feeling for the world. Ok, I thought, this could be interesting. I'm always curious to see how other authors create their dystopian worlds. But, the more I got into the book the less I discovered about the world. I am a huge fan of rich description and I didn't really find that here. I need something to help shape my mental images of the world and characters and, though I had some clues, I wished for a more. For total immersion.
Carrington Hale (first off, awesome name--and while we're on that subject, awesome names in general!) was a mellow chracter to me. I understood her plight and felt sorry for her at times, but I felt as if I couldn't get a firm grasp on who she was beneath the fact that she wasn't chosen. Granted, that's a large part of the book, but it felt a little like I wanted to shout at her and say do something. She was not brought into sharp contrast to me and instead kind of floated through the book and her relationships. Speaking of relationships, I really liked Remko! I won't spoil anything, but, though he doesn't say much, he was a firmer character to me. Though I would have loved to see even more of him!
As for the plot, I would say it was interesting yet understandable. That's where the Ted Dekker/Crime Show feelings came in. The villain was very "Dekker" in my opinion (not that this is a bad thing). I can appreciate a really bad guy doing bad things. Not that it was too graphic, but part of me always wishes for more from villains. They are often times too weak to really be "bad" and then you have to wonder, why were we scared in the first place? I digress...
The romance was...eh. I mean, the parts where the romance was described were great but the foundation to it was slightly contrived in my opinion. I personally didn't feel like they were on the page together enough to make it believable.
The rest of the cast of characters was well chosen (no pun intended)--with exception to Carrington's family. I just really didn't get a read on them aside from mom=bad and dad=nice, but both very weak in their roles. I did like Aaron's character (again, he felt very Ted Dekker-ish if I can use that as a descriptor). Obviously, I approve of Aaron's message and the way in which it's delivered was...interesting.
All in all, I'd have to say this book didn't wow me. I was easily distracted from it and wished there had been...more. More action, more compelling plot movement, more emotion, more feeling, more tension. Oh, and less name usage--maybe I'm just being nitpicky but I felt as if there was an overabundance of first name's used throughout the novel which made the writing feel stiff and choppy in points.
I will say I am interested in reading the second book because I'd like to see what Rachelle decides to do with the series. If you like YA Dystopian and are looking for a good message, I would recommend it to you--it may go over well with teen readers, though there are hints of violence to be aware of. Oh, and the cover is lovely. You all know I can't help but notice amazing covers!
My rating: 3.5*
Originally posted on my blog: http://eahendryx.blogspot.com/2016/02...
_______________
I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.
I'll start off by saying I wasn't sure what to expect. Per usual, I didn't read the back cover or blurbs about the book. I knew it was dystopian and I knew it dealt with identity, but that was about it. I dove in with anticipation and a little bit of wariness, unsure of what I'd find coming from such high expectations of Ted Dekker's writing and what I'd heard others say about the book.
To start off, I initially got a good feeling for the world. Ok, I thought, this could be interesting. I'm always curious to see how other authors create their dystopian worlds. But, the more I got into the book the less I discovered about the world. I am a huge fan of rich description and I didn't really find that here. I need something to help shape my mental images of the world and characters and, though I had some clues, I wished for a more. For total immersion.
Carrington Hale (first off, awesome name--and while we're on that subject, awesome names in general!) was a mellow chracter to me. I understood her plight and felt sorry for her at times, but I felt as if I couldn't get a firm grasp on who she was beneath the fact that she wasn't chosen. Granted, that's a large part of the book, but it felt a little like I wanted to shout at her and say do something. She was not brought into sharp contrast to me and instead kind of floated through the book and her relationships. Speaking of relationships, I really liked Remko! I won't spoil anything, but, though he doesn't say much, he was a firmer character to me. Though I would have loved to see even more of him!
As for the plot, I would say it was interesting yet understandable. That's where the Ted Dekker/Crime Show feelings came in. The villain was very "Dekker" in my opinion (not that this is a bad thing). I can appreciate a really bad guy doing bad things. Not that it was too graphic, but part of me always wishes for more from villains. They are often times too weak to really be "bad" and then you have to wonder, why were we scared in the first place? I digress...
The romance was...eh. I mean, the parts where the romance was described were great but the foundation to it was slightly contrived in my opinion. I personally didn't feel like they were on the page together enough to make it believable.
The rest of the cast of characters was well chosen (no pun intended)--with exception to Carrington's family. I just really didn't get a read on them aside from mom=bad and dad=nice, but both very weak in their roles. I did like Aaron's character (again, he felt very Ted Dekker-ish if I can use that as a descriptor). Obviously, I approve of Aaron's message and the way in which it's delivered was...interesting.
All in all, I'd have to say this book didn't wow me. I was easily distracted from it and wished there had been...more. More action, more compelling plot movement, more emotion, more feeling, more tension. Oh, and less name usage--maybe I'm just being nitpicky but I felt as if there was an overabundance of first name's used throughout the novel which made the writing feel stiff and choppy in points.
I will say I am interested in reading the second book because I'd like to see what Rachelle decides to do with the series. If you like YA Dystopian and are looking for a good message, I would recommend it to you--it may go over well with teen readers, though there are hints of violence to be aware of. Oh, and the cover is lovely. You all know I can't help but notice amazing covers!
My rating: 3.5*
Originally posted on my blog: http://eahendryx.blogspot.com/2016/02...
_______________
I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.
May 2, 2016
From The Book
“Not to be Chosen would yield a cruel fate of my own making.”
Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she’d spent a lifetime preparing for—her Choosing ceremony—would end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she’ll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it’s her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.
But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. The whispers contradict everything she’s been told; yet they resonate deep within.
Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she’s always dreamed of, but she can’t shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.
Review
So when I read the synopsis of this book I felt like I had to have it! I really like reading in the dystopian genre. So I was totally excited to find out there are Christian dystopian books out there.
I felt so much for Carrington's character, you just want to give this girl a hug! Because of all of the awful things she and all of the other people under the "Authority" rule are taught about their worth and the distorted view of God.
I thought it was just so sad that the girls who aren't chosen to be a wife by an available suitor, they are forced to work for their government basically as slaves for the rest of their lives. As if there wasn't enough pressure dating.
Overall I thought the story was good, with a couple of twists to kept me interested. I just wish that there was more explained about Carrington's background . And I also wish there was more world building into the society they lived in. But I still enjoyed it. I give it 3 stars! :-)
Favorites Quotes:
The truth is beautiful, like you. The truth is you have been made perfect and are wholly loved. Chosen simply because you breathe, because you exist, because of who created you.”
"Carrington could feel her own hope stirring, building—a soft orchestra filled with lovely tones that could at any moment burst into a thunderous crescendo."
“The first time I held you I was amazed, and it is something I will never forget. I had a moment of complete clarity: you were absolutely perfect—every inch, every part."
December 17, 2015
Whoa!!! Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Speechless….hows that for a review?!?
Doesnt work too well I suppose.
I have been waiting and anticipating Rachelle Dekker’s debut novel and …..whoa!
You see, I’ve been a fan of her dad for a while now, but we aren’t here to talk about Ted.
We’re here to talk about The Choosing.
In a word….spectacular!
Rachelle really sucked me in- big time.
I couldn’t put this book down and it had me reading late into the night…way, way past my bedtime.
The sign of a great book…”I’ll read just one more chapter..” only you read ten more and even then, you don’t want to stop.
Carrington’s world is as intriguing as it is haunting…rigid as it is ordered, but beneath the surface lies the truth. And the truth is dangerous.
I was so impressed at the powerful truths woven seamlessly throughout the story. Bravo Mrs. Dekker!!! You not only throughly entertained me, but you caused me to examine myself against the truth of the Savior. Thank you! What a wonderful reminder that we belong to Him and oh…how He loves us.
Do not miss The Choosing! Absolutely one of my favorite reads this year. Get your copy today!
Speechless….hows that for a review?!?
Doesnt work too well I suppose.
I have been waiting and anticipating Rachelle Dekker’s debut novel and …..whoa!
You see, I’ve been a fan of her dad for a while now, but we aren’t here to talk about Ted.
We’re here to talk about The Choosing.
In a word….spectacular!
Rachelle really sucked me in- big time.
I couldn’t put this book down and it had me reading late into the night…way, way past my bedtime.
The sign of a great book…”I’ll read just one more chapter..” only you read ten more and even then, you don’t want to stop.
Carrington’s world is as intriguing as it is haunting…rigid as it is ordered, but beneath the surface lies the truth. And the truth is dangerous.
I was so impressed at the powerful truths woven seamlessly throughout the story. Bravo Mrs. Dekker!!! You not only throughly entertained me, but you caused me to examine myself against the truth of the Savior. Thank you! What a wonderful reminder that we belong to Him and oh…how He loves us.
Do not miss The Choosing! Absolutely one of my favorite reads this year. Get your copy today!
May 16, 2015
First, thanks to Edelweiss and Tyndale House Publishers for allowing me to read an egalley of this title. I've always wanted to read a book by her father, Ted Dekker, but just have never gotten around to it. So when I saw this title, I went ahead and requested it because it did sound like a good one. It's a dystopian story, with a bit of a religious slant, but not in a way that you would think it is a Christian fiction book. I did really enjoy it, and at the beginning, well let's say it hit me a bit hard as I kind of felt what the main character was feeling in certain parts.
You can read the full review on my blog Lisa Loves Literature
You can read the full review on my blog Lisa Loves Literature
May 21, 2017
So I decided to remove my review because I felt it overtly negative... If you'd like my thoughts, please feel free to message me! :)
Read
June 17, 2021I have so many thoughts on this book.
As a fan of Christian dystopian, I pretty much devour any Christian dystopian book I can get my hands on, so this was no exception.
Rachelle Dekker's writing style is unlike anything I've seen before—very straightforward and deep. Her worldbuilding was interesting. The community THE CHOOSING takes place in is a place similar to ours, with multiple tiers of society. The council, the Lints (that name makes me cringe every time.), and the ordinary families.
As for what I did like, I liked the way Dekker's writing style subtly portrayed the depth of the human spirit. How many characters were questioning society and their places in it. How some genuinely thought they were doing the right thing for the will of God—leading them to do terrible things (including our very own villain). This created a depth in the characters that I don't see often in fiction, let alone dystopian.
But ultimately, there were a lot of things that stood out to me that just felt wrong. For one, why there would be peace and an answering voice (which I assume is God supposedly speaking) to the villain. It seemed to confirm his actions were right (when they obviously weren't).
About halfway through the book, I considered DNFing it due to how dark it got later on. There was even a semi-detailed scene where an execution happened. Plus the whole thing with pouring bleach down girls' throats to "cleanse" them unsettled me. Maybe I'm just an over-sensitive reader, but I felt like some of the scenes with corpses/violence were too detailed.
And our protagonist. I expected her to be a tough girl, as is common in dystopian books. But she was completely the opposite. She didn't do anything except cry when things went wrong. Her relationship with Isaac was unhealthy, but she continued to let him abuse her and just cried/complained about it to her parents.
Out of all the characters, I think Remko was my favorite. He didn't seem to be a character I've seen a lot in fiction—very quiet and with a stutter—which all the while made him more realistic.
But I wasn't a really big fan of his relationship with Carrington, unfortunately. There didn't seem to be any depth to their romance, and I felt like I didn't see them interact enough to care about what happened in the ending.
Overall, I feel like this book just wasn't for me. I did appreciate the depth of the characters and how the author explored various themes we all struggle with, though, and Remko was such an interesting character.
Content warnings: Physical abuse, violence (including multiple described scenes), shooting, torture/poisoning, multiple kisses
As a fan of Christian dystopian, I pretty much devour any Christian dystopian book I can get my hands on, so this was no exception.
Rachelle Dekker's writing style is unlike anything I've seen before—very straightforward and deep. Her worldbuilding was interesting. The community THE CHOOSING takes place in is a place similar to ours, with multiple tiers of society. The council, the Lints (that name makes me cringe every time.), and the ordinary families.
As for what I did like, I liked the way Dekker's writing style subtly portrayed the depth of the human spirit. How many characters were questioning society and their places in it. How some genuinely thought they were doing the right thing for the will of God—leading them to do terrible things (including our very own villain). This created a depth in the characters that I don't see often in fiction, let alone dystopian.
But ultimately, there were a lot of things that stood out to me that just felt wrong. For one, why there would be peace and an answering voice (which I assume is God supposedly speaking) to the villain. It seemed to confirm his actions were right (when they obviously weren't).
About halfway through the book, I considered DNFing it due to how dark it got later on. There was even a semi-detailed scene where an execution happened. Plus the whole thing with pouring bleach down girls' throats to "cleanse" them unsettled me. Maybe I'm just an over-sensitive reader, but I felt like some of the scenes with corpses/violence were too detailed.
And our protagonist. I expected her to be a tough girl, as is common in dystopian books. But she was completely the opposite. She didn't do anything except cry when things went wrong. Her relationship with Isaac was unhealthy, but she continued to let him abuse her and just cried/complained about it to her parents.
Out of all the characters, I think Remko was my favorite. He didn't seem to be a character I've seen a lot in fiction—very quiet and with a stutter—which all the while made him more realistic.
But I wasn't a really big fan of his relationship with Carrington, unfortunately. There didn't seem to be any depth to their romance, and I felt like I didn't see them interact enough to care about what happened in the ending.
Overall, I feel like this book just wasn't for me. I did appreciate the depth of the characters and how the author explored various themes we all struggle with, though, and Remko was such an interesting character.
Content warnings: Physical abuse, violence (including multiple described scenes), shooting, torture/poisoning, multiple kisses
September 19, 2021
Prvý diel dystopického románu zo série s názvom Prorok obletel náš knižný svet už v roku 2017. Ja som sa ku knihe dostala len nedávno,no lepšie neskôr ako nikdy.
Keďže sa do kníh púšťam bez čítania anotácie, už po prvých stranách som šípila, že toto nebude triler,ako som sa domnievala. Príbeh sa začne Vyvolením. Hlavnej hrdinke Carrington, krásnej,od malička pripravovanej na slávnosť Vyvolenia,sa v zlomku sekundy zrúti život ako domček z karát. Nikto si ju nevyvolí. Jej matka jej to dá kruto pocítiť, pretože je to nepredstaviteľná hanba a potupa pre rodinu. Jej otec je láskavý, avšak s odlúčením dcéry sa zmieruje ťažko, rovnako,ako jej malý brat-nechápe silu obradu Vyvolenia. Carrington odvedú od rodiny a život Halových pokračuje akoby nikdy dcéru nemali...teda mal by! Vysoko postavenému úradníkovi,Isaacovi, umrie manželka a udelia mu výnimku aby sa znova oženil, keďže s prvou manželkou nemal svojho dediča. Povolenie mu bolo dané, avšak pod podmienkou, že si vyberie ženu spomedzi robotníc. Isto tušíte ako to dopadne,no medzitým sa strážnik Remko(mimoriadne citlivý chlap s rečovou vadou a taký sa na Vyvolenie nedostanú, pretože spoločnosť potrebuje len nezávadných jedincov na rozmnožovanie,preto sa musel pridať k strážam)zahľadí do Carrington. Objaví sa tu aj kriminálna zápletka. Robotnice niekto unáša,zohavuje, vraždí a pohodí ich na okraji mesta. Kto je za tým? Niet nádeje na spravodlivosť a lepší život pre nevyvolených(niežeby všetci vyvolení boli spokojní a šťastní!)? Všetci sa podriaďujú zákonom bohov-samozrejme, zákony sú upravené podľa toho,aby vyhovovali vládnucej časti spoločnosti, pričom tieto funkcie sa dedia... strážcom zákonov je Isaac a tento príbeh vás pri čítaní hlboko zasiahne. To,ako spoločnosť vníma ženy,sa v nich zakorení.
Mladá autorka perfektne napísala dystópiu,kde nemáte právo na vlastný život, nemáte nad ním kontrolu a riadia ho iní,kde sa láska a viera v iný život trestá smrťou.
Keďže sa do kníh púšťam bez čítania anotácie, už po prvých stranách som šípila, že toto nebude triler,ako som sa domnievala. Príbeh sa začne Vyvolením. Hlavnej hrdinke Carrington, krásnej,od malička pripravovanej na slávnosť Vyvolenia,sa v zlomku sekundy zrúti život ako domček z karát. Nikto si ju nevyvolí. Jej matka jej to dá kruto pocítiť, pretože je to nepredstaviteľná hanba a potupa pre rodinu. Jej otec je láskavý, avšak s odlúčením dcéry sa zmieruje ťažko, rovnako,ako jej malý brat-nechápe silu obradu Vyvolenia. Carrington odvedú od rodiny a život Halových pokračuje akoby nikdy dcéru nemali...teda mal by! Vysoko postavenému úradníkovi,Isaacovi, umrie manželka a udelia mu výnimku aby sa znova oženil, keďže s prvou manželkou nemal svojho dediča. Povolenie mu bolo dané, avšak pod podmienkou, že si vyberie ženu spomedzi robotníc. Isto tušíte ako to dopadne,no medzitým sa strážnik Remko(mimoriadne citlivý chlap s rečovou vadou a taký sa na Vyvolenie nedostanú, pretože spoločnosť potrebuje len nezávadných jedincov na rozmnožovanie,preto sa musel pridať k strážam)zahľadí do Carrington. Objaví sa tu aj kriminálna zápletka. Robotnice niekto unáša,zohavuje, vraždí a pohodí ich na okraji mesta. Kto je za tým? Niet nádeje na spravodlivosť a lepší život pre nevyvolených(niežeby všetci vyvolení boli spokojní a šťastní!)? Všetci sa podriaďujú zákonom bohov-samozrejme, zákony sú upravené podľa toho,aby vyhovovali vládnucej časti spoločnosti, pričom tieto funkcie sa dedia... strážcom zákonov je Isaac a tento príbeh vás pri čítaní hlboko zasiahne. To,ako spoločnosť vníma ženy,sa v nich zakorení.
Mladá autorka perfektne napísala dystópiu,kde nemáte právo na vlastný život, nemáte nad ním kontrolu a riadia ho iní,kde sa láska a viera v iný život trestá smrťou.
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