Book Review: Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth

Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth

Published: April 7, 2020

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Pages: 432

Synopsis: A decade ago near Chicago, five teenagers defeated the otherworldly enemy known as the Dark One, whose reign of terror brought widespread destruction and death. The seemingly un-extraordinary teens—Sloane, Matt, Ines, Albie, and Esther—had been brought together by a clandestine government agency because one of them was fated to be the “Chosen One,” prophesized to save the world. With the goal achieved, humankind celebrated the victors and began to mourn their lost loved ones.

Ten years later, though the champions remain celebrities, the world has moved forward and a whole, younger generation doesn’t seem to recall the days of endless fear. But Sloane remembers. It’s impossible for her to forget when the paparazzi haunt her every step just as the Dark One still haunts her dreams. Unlike everyone else, she hasn’t moved on; she’s adrift—no direction, no goals, no purpose. On the eve of the Ten Year Celebration of Peace, a new trauma hits the Chosen: the death of one of their own. And when they gather for the funeral at the enshrined site of their triumph, they discover to their horror that the Dark One’s reign never really ended.

Thoughts: There are quite a few negative reviews for this book over on Goodreads, and honestly I'm not sure what's up with those. Are people still mad about the Divergent series ending in a way that wasn't exactly how they wanted it? Sort of reminds me of how people now are reacting to the Supernatural TV series ending, in extremely polarizing ways. But I digress. We're here to talk about what I thought about Chosen Ones.

Point of Fact: It's very hard to create a female lead character who is both flawed and still likable. I've read many books where I've just not liked the lead female because she became too unlikable. It's sad because all lead characters, no matter their gender, should be flawed with bad habits, but unfortunately there's something ingrained in how women are viewed with a much harsher magnifying glass. All of that being said, I think Roth does a great job here with our lead heroine Sloane. Is she perfect? Heck no. And that's why I root for her. Because of all of her flaws, I want her to succeed. And that's how it should be, right? 

There's something that happens in this book about a third or so of the way through that I was not expecting at all, and quickly turned the whole story on its head, for the good. I was enjoying the beginning and seeing how a person might deal with having been a "chosen one" after the fact, but it became much more exciting and intriguing once this particular event happened. I won't say what it was because honestly it would spoil the surprise, so don't go looking it up if you're interested in reading the book.

The only thing that I can really knock the book for is there is a bit of the insta-love that happens. To be fair, almost any movie or story with romance as a main theme, the characters fall in love pretty much instantly and are just together in no time at all, or at least in the silly movies I've been watching recently anyway, so it's not like this isn't a known trope or something. But I do wish it wasn't quite so love-y so quickly. 

What's interesting is that this really feels like a fairly complete story, so I'm not sure where the sequel is going to go exactly. But I will certainly be checking it out. 

Rating: 4/5

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What I'm Reading Next: Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

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Supernatural 15x20 "Carry On" - The Series Finale

That's a wrap on Supernatural, a show I watched from the pilot episode when it very first aired, and hung on to all the way through the end. It was a bumpy road at times, and the last years tend to blend together compared to the earlier seasons. I stopped recapping every episode in the middle of season fourteen, and you could say why would you stop so close to the end? It wasn't the same for me anymore, to be honest. And I was tired of being kind of negative toward something that I really did love. 

But I did continue to watch, and as last week's penultimate episode ended, I wondered just what could be in store for this series finale. Last week felt like a finale already! They defeated GAHHG (Great Almighty He Him God for those who haven't been to this blog in awhile (or ever), that's what I nicknamed God because I much preferred Chuck when he was just Chuck), they could live their lives! Isn't that what it was all about? But while certainly that may have been a satisfying finale in a way, this one was much more, because it really hit you with that emotional gut punch.

The Winchesters die. For real this time, no take backsies. And they get to die in just the ways they always wanted - Dean in a blaze of glory, fighting some vampires, hunting with his brother, doing what he always thought he was best at (though we know he was good at more than just hunting - okay I meant that earnestly but it sounds naughty and, well hey, Dean would appreciate that too), and Sam having a family, growing old. It's not clear if Sam continued hunting, though with his son's devil's trap tattoo peaking out on his arm there at the end, there was at least some hunting business going on throughout his life.

Probably the two toughest episodes to write in a TV series are the pilot and the series finale. A lot rides on those two episodes, and to me, still sitting here with tears in my eyes as I write this, I think they accomplished a satisfying, emotional, and somewhat unexpected end to this long-running series. And for that, I say thank you and, like the episode title says, Carry On.

Book Review: The Place on Dalhousie by Melina Marchetta

The Place on Dalhousie by Melina Marchetta

Published: April 2, 2019

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 288

Synopsis: "You look the type to break your father’s heart.''

"Yeah, but he broke mine first."

When Rosie Gennaro first meets Jimmy Hailler, she has walked away from life in Sydney, leaving behind the place on Dalhousie that her father, Seb, painstakingly rebuilt for his family but never saw completed. Two years later, Rosie returns to the house and living there is Martha, whom Seb Gennaro married less than a year after the death of Rosie’s mother. Martha is struggling to fulfill Seb’s dream, while Rosie is coming to terms with new responsibilities. And so begins a stand-off between two women who refuse to move out of the home they both lay claim to.

As the battle lines are drawn, Jimmy Hailler re-enters Rosie’s life. Having always watched other families from the perimeters, he’s now grappling, heartbreakingly, with forming one of his own . . .

An unforgettable story about losing love and finding love; about the interconnectedness of lives and the true nature of belonging.

Thoughts: I'm a big fan of Melina Marchetta's books, at least all of the ones I have read so far, which is about seven now. What's great about her is that she doesn't let herself be pigeonholed into one genre. Yes, she has a fantasy series, and yes she's written a thriller mystery. Here, she's getting back to what she started out with, which is more of a focus on a family, or how a group of people end up becoming a family. And am I fan of this one as well? Yep. 

The Place on Dalhousie focuses on three different main characters - Rosie, Martha, and Jimmy. Though it's told in third person, each chapter is specifically from one point of view. While often in these books, I tend to be looking forward to certain characters' chapters over others, that rarely happened here. Each of our three leads has a story to tell, and somewhere to grow. Though I wouldn't say they necessarily have clear-cut goals of "I must do this," they do have wants and needs that are explored throughout, and that was enough to keep the story moving toward a satisfying conclusion.

The book is a quick read, and if you're not feeling emotional by the end when certain revelations come about, then I don't know what to say.  But wait.... 

I've just now read that it's a sequel of sorts to two of Marchetta's other books, Saving Francesca, and The Piper's Son. I absolutely loved The Piper's Son, and Saving Francesca has been on my list for a while now, so apparently I'm going to have to read that post haste. If I had known, I probably would have liked it even more with the glimpses into these other character's lives I'd already met throughout. And I would have been able to get ahold of the other characters much quicker as well having already been familiar with them. What a dummy. You're supposed to read them in the order of Francesca, then Piper's, then this one. Well. I guess that goes to show that you definitely don't have to have read any of the previous books to enjoy each one of these!

Rating: 4/5

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What I'm Reading Next: Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth

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