Series: Seer #1
Author: Rachelle Dekker
Published: May 19, 2015 Tyndale House Publishers
Format: Galley
Pages: 464 per Goodreads
“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.
I saw some friends on Facebook talking about this book, The Choosing. I read the blurb and I was immediately interested. I had to read it! And then I started and I was continually saying to myself "What the fuck?!?" for the first couple chapters.
This book is well into the future. I didn't write down the date, but it's like 100 or 200 years from now. Society had collapsed and was rebuilt with new ideals. These new ideals... whoa. I can only imagine that anyone with any common sense had been killed in the collapse. Under new society, women are basically worthless. There are six common rules to live by, and mostly they revolve around religion and being worthy of being picked by a man for marriage. With rules like: "My significance comes not from my own merit but from being chosen" and "My first responsibility is to make myself worthy of being chosen", how do you actually think you will ever be happy as an individual?
And if you aren't Chosen for marriage you are reclassed as a Lint, and moved to a segregated part of the city, no longer able to see any of your friends or family again. You're forced to live in what amounts to dorms with the other Lints. You have the horrible jobs, jobs that no one else wants to do. You are not allowed to date (actually, no one is, on either side of society) and you are not granted any social permissions. Your job is to work, live, and be the best person you can be.
Our hero is Carrington, and she thought she'd be Chosen. Except something went wrong somewhere, and she wasn't, and now she is a Lint. Carrington is dealing with all of the mental things that go along with that when she meets Larkin. Larkin is a bit of a rebel, and she begins to open up Carrington's eyes. And then not only that, but Carrington meets Remko, a CityWatch guard, and instantly has attraction for him. Not that she can do anything about it, since any type of relationship or dating is strictly prohibited, so much so that it could actually cost you your life!
Things happen, and Carrington gets a second chance at being chosen for marriage. Enter Isaac. Nothing about this man feels right, and there isn't a single moment where I feel comfortable with him. But he is part of the Authority, and so everyone respects him. Whatever. I can feel the evil radiating off him, and it makes me wonder why no one else can.
This book takes a lot of twists and turns. There are some really heartbreaking moments for several characters. We also get to see several different character's points of view. Initially when I read about how worthless women were, I was tempted to put this book down. It went against everything I believe in as a modern woman. But I am really glad that I didn't, because the story inside was a terrific mystery full of excitement and it just kept me turning the pages. Carrington, at times, was not the woman I wanted her to be. I wanted her to be stronger than she was. I had to remind myself she is just a teenager in a time when women are basically property. The budding feelings between her and Remko were very powerful, you could feel the pull from each of them. But when your choices are not your own, what can you do?
This dystopian book is definitely worth the read. There is a serial killer on the loose, rules are being broken, and there is a rebel cause gaining steam. It feels like a time when everything is coming to a head at once. I don't think this story would be for everyone, but for some people, I think it could be a really great read. I'm definitely ready to read the next book in the series!
The 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.
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