The Chosen One

Firstly, the cover jumped out at me first. The braid was so pretty, yet haunting. In this book we follow 13 year old Kyra. Kyra is a polygamist and is isolated from the outside world. Kyra has 20 brothers and sisters and her father has three wives. In the book, these wifes are called Sister wifes. Kyra visits the Library on Wheels which is forbidden because books were banned. She secretly reads them in a tree, or in her family van. Kyra secretly visits her crush, Joshua. They both hope to choose each other instead of Kyra having a man appointed to her. However, everything changes when the prophet visits her family saying that he had a vision from god of Kyra and Hyram, her 60 year old uncle. She is to be wed to him even though he is family, 60 years old, and already has 7 sister wives. Her father tries to talk the prophet out of it but each attempt fails. Kyra tries to run by fails the first time with patrick, the man who drives the Books on wheels truck. She tells Patrick her story, and he offers to help her. She obliges, but the plan is foiled by the god squad. She is surprized when she is just returned to her family, because the last girl who tried to run was killed. She attemps again later on with a spare key in the truck that Patrick told her about. The god squad is hot on her trail, and then the phone that Patrick told her about makes a sound (Chirrup) like he told her it would. She calls the police and the god squad is arrested. Kyra is then put in a foster home. Her foster mother ran away from another colt and brought her child with her. (her child is now around Kyra’s age) She told Kyra that she missed her family too (Not her sister wives) and it was hard even with her child, so she told Kyra it might even be harder for her. Kyra misses all of her siblings, mainly Laura and her baby sister. The ending is nice. Kyra is going to someday look for Joshua (Who had to leave along with a few others) a tree is scraping across the window (I forgot the name, but its the name of the tree that Kyra reads in).
This book will make you laugh, cry, and boil inside due to pure, uncontrollable anger!( for example, how can that happen? She is just a girl!) I got yelled at for yelling in anger at 1 am by my parents .....lol....I am told I need to keep my thoughts on books to myself, however, this is an opinion that I had to share to all of you. If you haven't traffic read this yet, seriously, what the heck are you waiting for ?

Reader reviewed by Beth Revis

THE CHOSEN ONE is a gripping account of a young girl whose life in a cult-like religion takes a sour turn when she's chosen to be the husband of a man she doesn't love. The best part of the book is the insight it provides into the cult-like religion and society. Although no specific cult is referenced, you can fill in any of the recent cults in the news for comparison. Instead of seeing it through the eyes of newscasters, though, you're giving a dynamic view from a member of the cult who both loves it for the sense of family and security and hates it for the sense of forced obedience and lack of freedom.

The main character is well drawn throughout the novel, with key insights to her character revealed through the books she illegally (according to her society) takes from the book mobile. Overall a quick read, THE CHOSEN ONE is gripping, and I couldn't put it down.

My only quibbles with the book come at the end. Elements of the end seemed a bit random to me--there was no foreshadow for the role of one character at the end, and while I enjoyed that not everything was neatly tied with a bow at the conclusion, I would have been happier with a more realistic and gritty outcome.

Reader reviewed by Yan

The Chosen One was outstanding. One of greatest of its kind, this book is powerful, vivid, absolutely astonishing.

What I love most about this book was the sheer desperation you get from Kyra but also the understanding of why she does not want to leave. You would assume that she wants to leave automatically from the way that she is treated. But she does not. You get the internal conflict in Kyra between staying with your familywhom you love tremendouslyor escaping this captive lifestyle she will soon face.

The author does a wonderful job of creating a scenario where you capture of essence of containment. Surrounded by fences, monitored and watched, ordered around. And the 60 year old uncle!? I think my heart broke a little for her too. But what I found most impressive was the whole ruling by dictatorship. The single minded thought of to follow and nothing else and the author takes it a step further. She explains what happens to those who do not followthe consequences, the step by step process, and the aftermath. We see this through Kyra and Joshuaa person she falls in love with and wishes to marry.

The relationship between Kyra and Joshua seems platonic in the beginning but develops as the story progresses. Its the sudden shift after Kyra is Chosen that Joshua shows more feeling. Desperate times call for desperate measures in this case. We did not see much of them together but when we did, it was sweet.

The family aspect is odd but still comforting. Kyras family is extensive but we only really focus on some on them. So within these people the bonds are strongwhich is why I understand why Kyra has trouble leaving behind her family. Her father is the sturdy wall that holds her down; her Mother Sarah is the warm fuzzy blanket, Mother Claire is the supportive one in her silent demeanor. Her sisters were everything. Kyras friends, ones that hold her sister, ones that she can cry to or talk to, and ones that holds her hands as she goes through this passage.

I loved the book mobile! It was a nice touch that kind of got some brownie points from me.

The ending was superb. It was a clean and crisp ending. Based off the knowledge that this book is first person I really have no qualms about the smaller details of what happens to the community. It just might seem excessive and perfect if we do end up finding outfrom what I feel.

Overall: Wonderful. Amazing.

Reader reviewed by trishalynn0708

What a heartbreaking, intense novel into a secret world. This book
was so intense from page one. Not one page slowed down my reading. The
story could have been longer and it still would have been just as
intense.

Reader reviewed by Jessica

THE CHOSEN ONE tells the story of thirteen year old Kyra while she lives within a polygamous group entitled The Chosen Ones. When the Prophet informs Kyra that she is destined by God's will to marry her uncle, who already has a number of wives and is considerably older than her, she suddenly begins to question the very foundation upon which she was brought up. Believing that her sins - reading books from outside the Compound, in love with a boy from their group, thoughts of escaping - have caused this to happen, Kyra find herself entangled within the thoughts of what it real and what is normal.

While she goes through her daily life, the reader can watch how she changes and begins to question the very things that had seemed normal at the beginning of the book to her. Kyra's character is developed wonderfully and the voice IS that of a scared but hopeful thirteen year old.

An amazing book which opens the eyes to the darker events in human life, THE CHOSEN ONE is a book that will keep you thinking long after you have finished reading the letters on the pages.

Reader reviewed by Erica

The Chosen One
Carol Lynch Williams
Release Date: May 12, 2009
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 224

Rating: 5 stars

Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated polygamous community without questioning her fathers three wives and her twenty brothers and sisters. Or at least without questioning them muchif you dont count her secret visits to the Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her meetings with the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her. But when the Prophet decrees that Kyra must marry her 60-year-old unclewho already has six wivesKyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family.

This was such a compelling, powerful book of choice and rebellion. The Chosen One has such strong emotions that kept you thinking and feeling for Kyra(the main character) the entire book. With The Chosen One, there were varying shades of gray, everything wasn't just black or white. It made the book so much better.

The Chosen One was one of those books that after you read, the plot still keeps reeling in your mind. The fact that Kyra "escapes" with her books if another thing that really draws you in. The Chosen One isn't just a book, it's a story that's a long trek of emotions. It was a great read, that carries you to the end of the book, captivating you, making you read wanting more. This is a must read!

Reader reviewed by mearley

Polygamy seems to be a hot topic lately, and this is the first YA book I've seen that deals with the subject.  Kyra is a typical teenager in some aspects; she takes piano lessons, watches her brothers and sisters, and is experiencing her first crush.  On the other hand, she lives with her father and his three wives and his 21 kids, and she has rarely, if ever, left the jurisdiction of the Prophet.  While walking one day, Kyra notices a Bookmobile.  The Prophet has banned all books except the Bible, but something makes Kyra stop.  She discovers the joys of reading Dr. Seuss, Katherine Patterson, and J. K. Rowling.  Kyra is consumed with guilt over reading this forbidden material as well as her secret trysts with Joshua, a boy from her community.  When The Prophet announces he has had a vision that Kyra is to marry Hyrum, her 60-year-old uncle, Kyra takes her rebellion even further.

Although what Kyra needs to do may seem obvious to many readers, Williams manages to make us agonize over the decision with her.  Kyra's family, unnatural as it may seem, is truly loving.  Kyra adores her father who proves he will even try to stand up to the Prophet on her behalf (until the rest of his family is threatened).  She loves her siblings even though she is annoyed by the lack of privacy in such a large family, and she even gets along with all of her father's wives.  Although marriage to Hyrum is inconceivable to Kyra, she also cannot fathom leaving her family behind, never to see them again.

There are some parts to this book that are difficult to read.  Kyra's punishment for her rebellion is brutal.  Even more disturbing is the way Kyra's baby sister, Mariah, is punished for crying when the Prophet came to visit.  Because of these scenes, I would only recommend this for high school students and adults.

Reader reviewed by LaTonya M. Baldwin

When I got an email asking me if I wanted a review copy of The Chosen One, I was pleased. Then, I thought about what it meant to read and review a new release that has gotten favorable early reviews. Ive given this real thought and effort. I look forward to hearing if you find something useful in my review.

The Chosen One is a sympathetic tale. Its about 13-year-old Kyra who has been told she must marry her 60-year-old uncle, an Apostle among the Chosen Ones. The story is the archetype of a clear victim and bus load of bad guys. In this case, theyre church leaders, nasty old men who want child brides. Its about a practice that the majority of society frowns upon- polygamy. All this adds up to a pretty straightforward tale of personal courage, harrowing action and a hopeful ending. The expectations are formed before you even begin the read. While I expected a tearjerker I also hoped for depth, some layers or revelations about the faith and its members. What the author provides are secondary characters who add additional opportunities for the reader to sympathize: a budding romance busted up, a miscarriage and Kyras family threatened. Speaking of secondary characters, Kyra has two older brothers. Where are they in all this? Why introduce these characters but not give them roles in the novel?

The contemporary story mirrors what has been published already about fringe religious communities. While Kyras point-of-view is honest, she provides no insights or an intimate view of the faith which would help the reader understand why followers embrace the faith. The story never gets complicated. Kyra is a sympathetic character. You want her to escape and she does. But emotion alone cannot carry a novel. Not for this reader. Kyra can play Mozart, but this story fails to rise above more than a childrens song. There is no duplicity, no shades of good and evil. There is only a single note: root for Kyra. The entire novel focuses on how Kyra feels and how she escapes.

One reviewer commented that she doubted Kyra could have used a cell phone so easily, but we know that the sect did not shun technology. They had computers and wide screens in the offices. Families didnt have access but its not far-fetched to think theyve never used them. They werent always closed off. And Patrick, the driver who tries to help her gives Kyra pretty easy directions to how to use it. More troubling for me is the escape scene. We know from Kyra that the God Squad has killed members or run them off before, and being a closed community they could get away with it, but Patrick is an outsider, a man with a family. He is a county employee. His absence would draw attention from authorities. Why would the God Squad treat Kyra differently than Ellen the adulterer or the boys theyve dropped off in the desert to die? Kyra has been warned, beaten and her family threatened. By the time she attempts the escape why isnt she killed? Because not killing her means a happy ending and that feels grossly contrived to me.

Lastly, the transitions between scenes often felt stilted or abrupt. The additional white spacing was not an effective segue to new thoughts or scenes. At times I had to re-read the last line of preceding paragraphs to see if I missed a transition. Stylistically, the writing is competent but there arent any memorable lines and the construction is not impressive. The inner dialogue and brief accounts of past memories are either too brief or awkward. They add little. The Chosen One does tug your heartstrings. If you enjoy a tearjerker and emotion is enough, youll enjoy this. I had hoped for more.

Reader reviewed by Deltay

Carol Lynch Williams' The Chosen One has been the recipient of a multitude of high praise, despite the fact that it has yet to be released. In fact, right on the cover of the ARC edition, it's referred to as "compelling", "powerful", "a masterpiece", "an important book"... With heralds like that, one begins the book with high expectations.

Despite that, The Chosen One does not disappoint. In fact, it even surpassed those high expectations, for the most part. (Just a random side observation - this is also a book written in present tense; how uncanny!) Williams has boiled down to the essence of a thirteen year old voice with the bare minimums in Kyra. The storytelling style is simultaneously captivating and credible. The flashback memories are incorporated well, the tale flows beautifully, and a sense of immediacy is created between the reader and Kyra. The one thing that irked me slightly was the random changes to poetry format. A few of them worked well, but some of the others just felt like overkill. Had the transition been a little more smooth, they might all have worked, but as it were, a few of them just felt fragmented and interrupted the otherwise amazing flow.

Kyra is characterized fantastically as a main protag. Pathos is generated masterly, and readers will be carried along on the intense ride of emotions, feeling their hearts go out to this thirteen year old girl with whom they may not have a lot in common with, but will find themselves unable to remain removed from her compelling tale. Emotions were conveyed beautifully. The supporting cast was also portrayed very well. It was easy to be swept along with the story. When Kyra was wronged by those around her, I felt angry at the perpetrators, at the Prophet, at her uncle. And such was the power of Kyra's narration - the emotions of the characters have the ability to overtake the reader before he or she is consciously aware of it.

A lot of the concepts in this novel offer insight into a world that's so close to our own, but that we don't really know a lot about. It's thought-provoking, and it'll probably draw in some controversy after its release, but especially with the amount of polygamy stories hitting the news recently, the conversations provoked will definitely be interesting.

The Mobile Library on Wheels - now that is one awesome thing. The many twists towards the end though - and this is a book which pulls you along in the story really well, without having you try to predict the answers beforehand because you're too engrossed in the present - those are very shocking and powerful. I, for one, was pretty much blown away by the progression of the climax.