The Choosing

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 -the killer's identity- 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.

After the Ruining wiped out much of the world's population, The Authority became the power and the law. Girls were raised with the dream of being Chosen. When they are 17, they have their choosing ceremony. If they aren't chosen by a man, they are sent to the stacks to work with no hope of any other kind of life. The whole idea of this archaic nonsense made me mad! That is like putting “obey” back into wedding vows. Gah!! That being said, it was a very good story and I found myself rooting for Carrington and hoping for the demise of all those in power. I plan to continue on with the series.

I received this book from the author/publisher for this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.

Many readers will (and probably have) picked this book up simply because the author (Rachelle Dekker) is the daughter of best-selling author Ted Dekker, however, The Choosing can definitely stand on its own when that aspect is taken out of the picture. This dystopian novel is nothing like any of the Ted Dekker books that I've read and it is a brand new idea into the dystopian genre.

Rachelle has a gorgeous writing style and a very vivid imagination that captures the audience and brings them deeply into the story. Her characters aren't the “perfect, fearless, unbreakable heroes” that we see in most dystopian novels, in fact, many actually have defects that make them relatable to the readers. Instead of reading about heroes and thinking “this is fiction, we can never be like them”, Rachelle created heroes that encourage the mindset of “I have that defect too, I can overcome it just like them.”

The Choosing's story world does have the typical dystopian set-up; sickness that wiped out humanity except for the few, corrupt government, and the rebellion that ultimately saves lives. But it is the sub-plots and how this story world progresses that makes it well-worth reading. There are plenty of twists, surprises, and knuckle-gripping suspense.

The pressure to find identity is the leading moral in this book and it was portrayed beautifully through the main character, Carrington. She shows the struggles that often come with discovering self-worth and identity and the freeing power that it has once we finally embrace it. There is absolutely no profane language and only mild sexual references and comments, but absolutely no scenes (other than a few kisses).

The Choosing is an absolutely incredible book that many fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Safe Lands, and other similar dystopian novels will thoroughly enjoy. I give it a full 5 out of 5 stars.