The Choosing by Rachelle Dekker

★★★★★

“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‘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.