 |
| ★★★★★ |
“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.
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‘ll
admit that what first drew my attention to Rachelle Dekker’s debut novel, The
Choosing, was her familial connection to Ted Dekker, whose books I have
loved for many, many years. However, once I started reading, it did not take me
long to realize that Rachelle Dekker’s talent speaks for itself. From the very
beginning, Dekker’s The Choosing grabbed my attention and imagination
with its fascinating and compelling story of discovering the truth of identity
and worth amidst the lies. Using an intriguing dystopian world and authentic characters,
as well as excellent suspense, drama and a touch of romance, this novel was
nearly impossible for me to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it -
and I’m sure other fans of dystopian novels will as well. I highly recommend
it. With a novel like The Choosing, Rachelle Dekker has definitely
become one of those authors I look forward to reading again in the future.
Thanks to
Tyndale BlogNetwork, I received a copy of The Choosing and the
opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive
review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Q&A with the Author
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. Visit
her online at her website.
1. How did you come up with the story for The Choosing?
This is a hard question because it has many answers. I
wanted to write a theme-based novel about identity. I wanted to write a
dystopian novel. I wanted to write in a world that was familiar, but in a
setting where I could change the way the world worked. It actually is several
ideas I’d been toying with pulled into one story. Once I landed on Carrington’s
core revelation and story arc, I simply fell in love with her as a character
and drew the rest of the story around her. That’s usually how it works for me.
I come up with a character, good or bad, and create the story from there.
2. One of the story’s most significant lines is, “Life is a
journey of remembering and forgetting.” What do you mean by this?
It means exactly what you probably think. We have these
flashes of clarity where we see so clearly who we are – and our connection to
the Father – but then, in a single moment, something pulls our attention away
and we forget who we are. This is the journey of life, remembering and
forgetting. But I believe the more we remember, the more we set our gaze on the
Father, the less often we forget.
3. What is it like being Ted Dekker’s daughter? Did your
father help you with the writing process?
Being Ted’s daughter is wonderful! He’s the best, but then I
hope many daughters feel that way about their fathers. He is a bit of a
mystery, though. Sometimes, even sitting at the dinner table, I can tell he’s
lost in thought, and I wonder what it might be like to have his mind.
It’s been a blessing to watch him write and struggle with
writing, so that now when I struggle I have an understanding ear to talk off.
He is always willing to talk me through the emotional and mental side of
writing (which is where the biggest battles lie in wait) but as far as story,
for the most part he lets me fend for myself. It’s always been important to me
to write through my challenges on my own. To figure out scenes alone. In fact,
he didn’t even read The Choosing until I was already in conversations with
Tyndale about publication. I think that’s because he wanted me to believe I could
do it on my own.
But when I doubt my ability as a writer, and when I forget
who I am, he is the one I call. And he reminds me that life is a journey of
remembering and forgetting, and helps me in remembering once again.
