The Choosing
(Seer #1)
by Rachelle Dekker
Publisher:Tyndale House Publishers
Publication date: May 19, 2015
Genre: Dystopian Young Adult
Rating:
“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.
The Choosing is some weird religious dystopian novel. Everyone has a purpose, and unfortunately for women, well, our place is in the kitchen and making babies. No, that’s not sarcasm, this book has managed to not only travel to an alternate universe, but it’s also gone back in time. You see, there’s something called a choosing. It’s where the young ladies of age are presented for the young men of age to choose as their wife. This isn’t an equal exchange, there’s always more females to male ratio, so means not every girl gets piked. These girls don’t feel like awkward wallflowers watching the pairs head off to happy bliss. Nope. These poor unfortunate souls are now deemed unworthy and are therefore demoted to “working class” where they do all the dirty jobs no one else wants to do. They wear grey clothes, don’t interact with the public, and everyone acts like they don’t exist… even their own families. Yeah… that’s only the half of it.
Not only is this whole, “get married or live a solitary life of solitude” thing sad, but everyone is so driven by their God that they do some pretty crazy things. From executions, to torture, and murder in the name of salvation, there’s nothing these people won’t do in the name of their God. That is, of course, they won’t marry or interact with the different fractions. The whole thing was so absurd that I couldn’t seem to keep my judgement to myself. This book just felt like one massive cult gone wrong.
With all of this being said, I felt that the main character was lacking. She was basically a sheep following everyone else. Even when she starts to get a mind of her own, she gets slapped around a bit and all of a sudden she views herself as worthless unless she has a husband. Even if that husband is a murderer. Sometimes I just wanted to shake the girl and tell her to wake up and look around. I get that this is the life that generations have lived, but when the truth is staring you in the face, how can you turn a blind eye to it? Why would you think living with an abusive man who has murder in his eyes is a good thing for you? I found her lack of drive a little disappointing. She was not some Katniss Everdeen ready to avenge deaths. No, she was a sheep being led by everyone around her.
Obviously I have mixed feelings about this book. It had a lot of really good thought provoking points to it. It had a dark side to it that left not only suspense but mystery throughout the pages. If the main character was a bit more solid and had a backbone I think I would have enjoyed it more. I get what the author was doing, and I hope that in the books to follow that she sees some growth, but I don’t think I will be tuning in for them.
I get that this is reality in so many ways but can’t anyone come up with a different dystopian world? lol I’m just really tired of it even though I know it can (and has been) be done well.
Karen @ For What It’s Worth
In the kitchen and making babies…oh hell no. lol
Great review.
Definitely sounds like some darker elements in this one. And I can definitely see why this one would be a struggle. Not really a fan of portraying religion in such a dark way either or forcing women to be “in the kitchen making babies” now if its a woman’s choice, full respect on that. Definitely would struggle with elements in this one as well