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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
A fast paced and stunning adult debut from Veronica Roth.
From the first page you are pulled in to a beautifully crafted and thought provoking world, that shows just how skilled Veronica Roth is at creating visuals. The characters in the book all have their own quirks and are easy to connect with.
An extremely enjoyable read.
From the first page you are pulled in to a beautifully crafted and thought provoking world, that shows just how skilled Veronica Roth is at creating visuals. The characters in the book all have their own quirks and are easy to connect with.
An extremely enjoyable read.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
Chosen Ones is the adult debut of Veronica Roth, bestselling author of the trilogy of Divergent and this book is absolutely magnificent!
Sloane, Matt, Ines, Esther and Albie are the Chosen Ones, the prophesied heroes able to defeat the Dark One and they did it, even though it costed them a lot. Now, ten years later, all of them are still battling with PTSD, fighting to move on as the whole world was able to do. Sloane is the main character and, among her friends, she's the one who has the hardest time adjusting to their new lives, burdened by nightmares, memories and secrets she wants to hide from her friends and found family, but secrets she can't escape herself. When one of them dies, her whole life is again turned upside down, because during the funeral all of them begin to discover that the Dark One's goal isn't the one they thought it was.
Chosen ones is a wonderful, intense and hearbreaking adult novel. Sloane, the main character, is grouchy, angry, she has an attitude and huge problems dealing with the everyday life, the attention of the press, what the others and the world expect from her. Her character isn't always likeable, but she's strong, stubborn and relatable, in her anger, fear and bad memories. It shows what would happen to the Chosen ones once their "job" is done. While Matt, Ines and Esther managed to move on, to create a new life, to deal with their pasts, Sloane shares with Albie her difficulties, her bad memories and bad moments.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Sloane's, Matt's and Esther's lives are abruptly changed when they are kidnapped and brought in a parallel universe, where they are forced to deal with another Dark One to get back home to their loved ones. I loved reading about Genetrix and parallel worlds and, above all, seeing how both worlds resembled and differentiated one other. The whole concept of magic, intent and workings was so interesting to read and how magic was deeply woven in the everyday life of Genetrix. Told by Sloane's POV, the reader follows her and her friends forced to deal with another enemy, forced to trust their kidnappers, but Sloane is stubborn and doesn't easily trust. Her determination to find the truth and real answer is skillfully written, as her dark thoughts, her PTDS, her attitude and problems, creating a character real and human.
END OF SPOILERS
I really loved Sloane, Albie, Matthew, Ines and Esther, their bond so precious and strong, finding in one other a found family. Above all I loved the relationship Sloane has with Albie, sharing traumas and helping and relying on one other, secrets deeply buried in Sloane's, guilt, rage and pain.
Woven with the story, there are interviews, extracts, thoughts about the Chosen Ones, the Dark One and the magic, Top secret documents.
One of the things I loved the most about Chosen Ones, besides the characterization, is the constant rollercoaster of emotions and plot twists. Through Sloane's, the reader discovers pieces and bits, trying to figure out who to trust, what's the truth, what's the goal, what will happen next. It was exciting, scary and exilarating.
And I can't wait to read what will happen next.
Chosen Ones is the adult debut of Veronica Roth, bestselling author of the trilogy of Divergent and this book is absolutely magnificent!
Sloane, Matt, Ines, Esther and Albie are the Chosen Ones, the prophesied heroes able to defeat the Dark One and they did it, even though it costed them a lot. Now, ten years later, all of them are still battling with PTSD, fighting to move on as the whole world was able to do. Sloane is the main character and, among her friends, she's the one who has the hardest time adjusting to their new lives, burdened by nightmares, memories and secrets she wants to hide from her friends and found family, but secrets she can't escape herself. When one of them dies, her whole life is again turned upside down, because during the funeral all of them begin to discover that the Dark One's goal isn't the one they thought it was.
Chosen ones is a wonderful, intense and hearbreaking adult novel. Sloane, the main character, is grouchy, angry, she has an attitude and huge problems dealing with the everyday life, the attention of the press, what the others and the world expect from her. Her character isn't always likeable, but she's strong, stubborn and relatable, in her anger, fear and bad memories. It shows what would happen to the Chosen ones once their "job" is done. While Matt, Ines and Esther managed to move on, to create a new life, to deal with their pasts, Sloane shares with Albie her difficulties, her bad memories and bad moments.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Sloane's, Matt's and Esther's lives are abruptly changed when they are kidnapped and brought in a parallel universe, where they are forced to deal with another Dark One to get back home to their loved ones. I loved reading about Genetrix and parallel worlds and, above all, seeing how both worlds resembled and differentiated one other. The whole concept of magic, intent and workings was so interesting to read and how magic was deeply woven in the everyday life of Genetrix. Told by Sloane's POV, the reader follows her and her friends forced to deal with another enemy, forced to trust their kidnappers, but Sloane is stubborn and doesn't easily trust. Her determination to find the truth and real answer is skillfully written, as her dark thoughts, her PTDS, her attitude and problems, creating a character real and human.
END OF SPOILERS
I really loved Sloane, Albie, Matthew, Ines and Esther, their bond so precious and strong, finding in one other a found family. Above all I loved the relationship Sloane has with Albie, sharing traumas and helping and relying on one other, secrets deeply buried in Sloane's, guilt, rage and pain.
Woven with the story, there are interviews, extracts, thoughts about the Chosen Ones, the Dark One and the magic, Top secret documents.
One of the things I loved the most about Chosen Ones, besides the characterization, is the constant rollercoaster of emotions and plot twists. Through Sloane's, the reader discovers pieces and bits, trying to figure out who to trust, what's the truth, what's the goal, what will happen next. It was exciting, scary and exilarating.
And I can't wait to read what will happen next.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 stars.
Cool concept of following "chosen ones" after they have fulfilled their destinies. This was a good read with just the right amount of darkness to it. I continue to enjoy Roth's writing style, though this installment feels more grown up than the writing in her Divergent series.
This is an adult series, but does still have a bit of a YA feel to it. I think it's actually a nice bridge between the two divisions and classified it in my reading spreadsheet as New Adult for this reason.
Sloane was a great protagonist choice. The background of her trauma and the exploration of her life since her active days as a Chosen One is really well done. I appreciated the look into mental illness in a way that was blunt and raw, present and addressed, while not taking over the entire story. It certainly influenced the plot, but it wasn't overdone.
The pacing was pretty slow in the beginning and was a bit of a struggle for me. This was likely due to the amount of world building that needed to be completed to fully set up the story. The characters were introduced pretty thoroughly and backstories were put into place. I can definitely understand how it can be a slog for some readers, but I think patience with this pays off. Once the footings were in place, the pace started to creep up and I really found myself invested for the last half of the book. I think that now that things are pretty well set up, the sequels to this should be full of great plot movement.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
Cool concept of following "chosen ones" after they have fulfilled their destinies. This was a good read with just the right amount of darkness to it. I continue to enjoy Roth's writing style, though this installment feels more grown up than the writing in her Divergent series.
This is an adult series, but does still have a bit of a YA feel to it. I think it's actually a nice bridge between the two divisions and classified it in my reading spreadsheet as New Adult for this reason.
Sloane was a great protagonist choice. The background of her trauma and the exploration of her life since her active days as a Chosen One is really well done. I appreciated the look into mental illness in a way that was blunt and raw, present and addressed, while not taking over the entire story. It certainly influenced the plot, but it wasn't overdone.
The pacing was pretty slow in the beginning and was a bit of a struggle for me. This was likely due to the amount of world building that needed to be completed to fully set up the story. The characters were introduced pretty thoroughly and backstories were put into place. I can definitely understand how it can be a slog for some readers, but I think patience with this pays off. Once the footings were in place, the pace started to creep up and I really found myself invested for the last half of the book. I think that now that things are pretty well set up, the sequels to this should be full of great plot movement.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A story that focuses on a world that has been already saved. Ten years ater the world is saved by five Chosen Ones, odd occurrences begin again. There story deals with loss and mental health in a hopeful manner.
My main grievance is that there is a story line that deals with magical artifacts being experimented with that is never flushed out. It is a pivotal point in the book for the main protagonist Sloane, but it is left to simmer on the back burner for the story at large. Maybe in the next book Veronica with delve into it?
My main grievance is that there is a story line that deals with magical artifacts being experimented with that is never flushed out. It is a pivotal point in the book for the main protagonist Sloane, but it is left to simmer on the back burner for the story at large. Maybe in the next book Veronica with delve into it?
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was fine, I liked it, but it bit off more than it could chew. I was much more interested in the psychology of what being a “chosen one” might do to people than the cockamamie plot and unclear magic system. Characters, great. Aesthetics, solid. Magic, made no sense. Plot, confused the heck out of me.
I’ll write a real review once I have time to sit with my thoughts and feelings.
***
Chosen Ones follows Sloane, one of five “chosen ones” who saved the Earth from “the dark one” in their teens. Now facing 30 and struggling to cope with the trauma she was forced into by the government at such a young age, Sloane wants answers and closure. After another traumatic event, Sloane and two other chosen ones are pulled into a parallel dimension to fight their dark one. As Sloane starts to piece things together, she discovers that their “victory” may not have been so final and that there are still many horrors left to face.
In the first third of this novel, Roth deftly handles the psychological impact of what being a “chosen one” would do to someone for the rest of their life. Sloane is directionless - she peaked as a teenager, has unstoppable panic attacks and PTSD, & can’t go out without being recognized. However, the cockamamie parallel universe plot and poorly defined magic system and world building left a lot to be desired from this as a fantasy novel. This might have been more successful as a quieter, more introspective novel where Sloane digs into the government secrets and corruption that destroyed her life. The characters are great and watching Sloane grapple with her mental health in a very realistic way was awesome. I think Roth has a lot of potential to write fantasy that appeals to the millennial audience - she certainly understands the psychology of her characters in a way I deeply appreciated - but this first book leaves a lot of room for growth.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are, as always, my own.
I’ll write a real review once I have time to sit with my thoughts and feelings.
***
Chosen Ones follows Sloane, one of five “chosen ones” who saved the Earth from “the dark one” in their teens. Now facing 30 and struggling to cope with the trauma she was forced into by the government at such a young age, Sloane wants answers and closure. After another traumatic event, Sloane and two other chosen ones are pulled into a parallel dimension to fight their dark one. As Sloane starts to piece things together, she discovers that their “victory” may not have been so final and that there are still many horrors left to face.
In the first third of this novel, Roth deftly handles the psychological impact of what being a “chosen one” would do to someone for the rest of their life. Sloane is directionless - she peaked as a teenager, has unstoppable panic attacks and PTSD, & can’t go out without being recognized. However, the cockamamie parallel universe plot and poorly defined magic system and world building left a lot to be desired from this as a fantasy novel. This might have been more successful as a quieter, more introspective novel where Sloane digs into the government secrets and corruption that destroyed her life. The characters are great and watching Sloane grapple with her mental health in a very realistic way was awesome. I think Roth has a lot of potential to write fantasy that appeals to the millennial audience - she certainly understands the psychology of her characters in a way I deeply appreciated - but this first book leaves a lot of room for growth.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are, as always, my own.
I had high expectations for this book as Veronica Roth is one of my favourite authors and I don’t even check the synopsis of her books I just get them and I’m usually happy with the outcome. But this one was different. This was her first adult book, also I don’t really read adult books at all so it was reasonably new for me too so I’m not sure if my newness into the adult world effects the rating I’ve gave this book. The only thing I noticed was that it wasn’t the traditional adult book with really long chapters, the chapter length for this book was quite nice wasn’t too long and wasn’t too short. I also enjoyed how there was video entries and newspaper articles added into the book throughout, it gave that different aspect off to the story and how you read it.
So this book is wrote in 3 parts, part 1 was okay wasn’t great but not the worst, part 2 I was so bored I almost gave up reading the book, part 3 was just on the verge of been good but just not quite there.
Throughout the whole of this book I was getting Harry Potter vibes but it just wasn’t Harry Potter at all and was quite pathetic when you compare it to it. But the chosen one and the one who must not be named! No the names just puts me off it now when I think back on the book which really is a shame because I really wanted to like this book.
There are 5 main characters within this book to an extent. Well there are 5 chosen ones and they have defeated the dark one and they are trying to get on with their lives afterwards as much as possible but a few of them suffer with their mental health, while others are all about social media and been heroes. In this book they are also kidnapped from their world and are pulled to a different universe where they are challenged to defeat the dark one again as they never succeeded in killing him.
When they are transferred to the whole new world and having to try and kill their dark one is really messed up. You discover why it’s messed up towards the end of the book. I feel sorry for some of the characters because they really do struggle with their mental health and they aren’t sure what to do for the best whether they should just carry on making others happy or to actually think about themselves and put them first for once and not worry about the others. It is a lot easier said than done and she really does struggle but she slowly gets there by the end of the book.
There is quite a lot of action and memories about the fight mentioned throughout the book so you really don’t feel like you missed out on the killing of the dark one as there are the important snaps of the event throughout the book and different events are reminded throughout.
Some of the characters do get on my nerves and some don’t because the ones that try to be the hero’s are not actually because they are so childish and don’t actually help the ones who need it.
Part 3 was definitely my favourite part of the book because we got to meet new characters and we got to see what they can all really do, and learning more about the dark one and understanding him just makes the story more complete. I don’t think I will read the other books within the series or maybe if I do I won’t buy the physical books or read them instantly. I feel like this book could have just been so much better, the potential was there slightly but it just needed a few tweaks here and there and then developing in certain parts and then it would have just been the perfect book that she usually writes. I’d still buy any of her other books just maybe not the rest of this series.
So this book is wrote in 3 parts, part 1 was okay wasn’t great but not the worst, part 2 I was so bored I almost gave up reading the book, part 3 was just on the verge of been good but just not quite there.
Throughout the whole of this book I was getting Harry Potter vibes but it just wasn’t Harry Potter at all and was quite pathetic when you compare it to it. But the chosen one and the one who must not be named! No the names just puts me off it now when I think back on the book which really is a shame because I really wanted to like this book.
There are 5 main characters within this book to an extent. Well there are 5 chosen ones and they have defeated the dark one and they are trying to get on with their lives afterwards as much as possible but a few of them suffer with their mental health, while others are all about social media and been heroes. In this book they are also kidnapped from their world and are pulled to a different universe where they are challenged to defeat the dark one again as they never succeeded in killing him.
When they are transferred to the whole new world and having to try and kill their dark one is really messed up. You discover why it’s messed up towards the end of the book. I feel sorry for some of the characters because they really do struggle with their mental health and they aren’t sure what to do for the best whether they should just carry on making others happy or to actually think about themselves and put them first for once and not worry about the others. It is a lot easier said than done and she really does struggle but she slowly gets there by the end of the book.
There is quite a lot of action and memories about the fight mentioned throughout the book so you really don’t feel like you missed out on the killing of the dark one as there are the important snaps of the event throughout the book and different events are reminded throughout.
Some of the characters do get on my nerves and some don’t because the ones that try to be the hero’s are not actually because they are so childish and don’t actually help the ones who need it.
Part 3 was definitely my favourite part of the book because we got to meet new characters and we got to see what they can all really do, and learning more about the dark one and understanding him just makes the story more complete. I don’t think I will read the other books within the series or maybe if I do I won’t buy the physical books or read them instantly. I feel like this book could have just been so much better, the potential was there slightly but it just needed a few tweaks here and there and then developing in certain parts and then it would have just been the perfect book that she usually writes. I’d still buy any of her other books just maybe not the rest of this series.