Chosen Ones: A Review
“What, then, is a desire? We may begin by stating what it is not. A desire is not a whim. It is not an idle wish concocted on a sunny afternoon. A desire is a profundity of want, a deep and abiding craving that cannot be denied.”
Veronica Roth’s new book, Chosen Ones, was not quite what I was expecting when I picked it up. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t like it though. I genuinely enjoyed reading Chosen Ones!
Chosen Ones takes place in a world very similar to our own and ten years after an evil villain, The Dark One, was defeated by a group of 5 Chosen Ones. Instead of following the story of the heros as they defeat the villain as most novels do, Veronica Roth chose to write about Matthew, Ines, Albie, Sloane, and Esther (the Chosen Ones) ten years after they defeated The Dark One. We get to see them struggle with the traumas of their past. The Dark One still haunts Sloane in her sleep and Albie still struggles from the time that he and Sloane spent captured by the Dark One. They’re famous and stalked by papparazzi. For the most part, they are just trying to live their lives and move past the traumas of their time fighting the Dark One. That is until something from their past presents itself and causes everything to change…
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I found the first half of Chosen Ones to be a little slow, and I had a little trouble getting through it. Once the book hit its stride and the plot started to move, the book became easier to read. The trouble with the first half of the book stemmed from the lack of plot. There was a lot of learning of the characters, their struggles, and how they interact with not only one another but also the surrounding world. Mainly we learn about Sloane and her struggles. The other characters are sprinkled throughout and only as they relate to Sloane. I would have liked to learn a little bit more about each character as I felt as though they didn’t have as much character development as I would have liked. As the story progresses, something happens (I won’t spoil it) that changes everything for Sloane and the others. This is where the story truly begins.
From here throughout the rest of the book, the plot moves quickly as we have to readjust to the new reality. I genuinely enjoyed the second half of the book and I think it makes the slowness of the first half worth the read. New characters are introduced. There are new dynamics. Sloane is once again fighting a battle she never wanted. I don’t want to say too much about the second half of the book because I feel like it’s kind of a spoiler. But, I enjoyed the second half of the book a lot. Especially one of the characters that is introduced!
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I think that exploring the life of a “chosen one” after they’ve defeated the bad guy is interesting. I wish it was something that we had a little more time to explore in this book. Sloane is rough but I love her! She’s gone through a heck of a lot in her life and I respect her for the bravery and strength that she shows throughout the book.