3 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Veronica Roth novel and her writing style was definitely addictive and easy to fly through.

Unfortunately this book was entertaining but that’s it for me.

I felt like I was reading a sequel. Enough to have to check if I was. The plot felt all over the place like we were supposed to know what’s happening before it was explained.

Also I did have to double check if this was an adult novel because the dialogue and the characters did not feel like 30+ years old.

The magic system isn’t really for me either with the magical items. That’s just a preference.

I don’t think I’ll continue with the series but I will definitely be picking up another Veronica Roth novel.

As a big fan of Veronica Roth's YA novels, I was particularly intrigued when I saw that she had an adult novel coming out, and particularly when I read the description as the fact that this book plays on a well known trope but with a twist is something that I found particularly appealing.

Although Chosen Ones has a slow start, and therefore didn't grip me in the same way as some of Roth's previous books, this is still an interesting take on a trope and a book that past fans are likely to enjoy. I certainly enjoyed seeing how it played out - even if it wasn't as fast-paced as I would have liked!

The Chosen Ones explores a side of the classic 'chosen one vs big baddy' trope that we don't often get to see - the after. The teenage saviours, ten years on, still struggling. The characters have still got that YA angst and felt younger than their named ages to me, but I was happy enough to interpret that as an after effect of spending their childhoods training for the big battle. About a third of the way in the story took a turn I was not expecting, and set off in a completely different direction. In fact, multiple times the plot shifted so you were not reading the story you thought you were reading! Whilst this was slightly jarring at first, the intrigue and unexpectedness kept me coming back and wanting to know where the story was heading.

Veronica Roth is one of my favourite authors and her books always evoke nostalgia and sentimentality in me. Divergent was one of the first YA books I read and also one of the first books I received to review. It came out the year I started blogging and the love, enthusiasm, and support for the trilogy saturated the blogging community when I first started. When Allegiant came out, my best friend slept over and we both read the final book together. Carve the Mark came out when I finished my A-level exams and my dad bought it for me, as we both love Veronica Roth's books. I've never been disappointed by a Veronica Roth book, so my expectations were sky high.

Were those expectations met?
Yes, but at first I thought they wouldn't be.
Me and Chosen Ones had a rough start. In fact, I almost DNFed it but by the time I had turned the last page...I knew I was completely in love with the story I had just read.

This is Veronica Roth's first adult book and from the first few pages she firmly establishes that. There's swearing and adult themes...and more swearing. As someone who hates swearing, I was quite put off initially, and it had a heavy impact on my enjoyment of the novel, or lack thereof. The second reason I almost DNFed it was because Chosen Ones started out quite dark, darker than I was expecting. As someone who is quite a sensitive reader and shies away from heavy topics, it threw me slightly. However, as the book continued and I began to fall deeper into the story...I also began to fall more in love with it.

What first drew me to Chosen Ones (besides the fact that it was written by Veronica Roth) was the concept. I've grown up on a steady diet of "chosen one" stories, as I'm sure most readers have. Veronica Roth takes that concept and asks the question of what comes after. Once the villain has been defeated and the world continues in it's new normal, how do the heroes of the stories continue with their lives? How are they affected, physically and mentally? How do they try to live a normal life after all they've been through? How does the world view them? We are all familiar with the journey and the victory...but what happens once the dust is settled? It was such an intriguing, refreshing idea, and I think Veronica Roth showcased what a talented writer she is through exploration of the "chosen one" trope.

Chosen Ones is essentially about five characters who, in their, teens were chosen by a prophecy to defeat the Dark One. Ten years later, the toll it has taken is showing more severely. Sloane, the narrator of the story, has an uneasy feeling that things aren't what they seem. When something happens that splits her world in two, she realises that the reign of the Dark One had never ended.

Chosen Ones is split into three parts. Part one is heavy and Veronica Roth delves deep into the psychological impacts the past has had on the characters. I wasn't expecting there to be such heavy emphasis on the characters' mental state. It's uncomfortable, it's frustrating, and it's quite simply heartbreaking. The characters are suffering with PTSD, depression, and substance abuse issues. A decade later and they're still trying to find their feet and trying to deal with demons of their past. The first part is very character-driven and although I LOVE an in-depth analysis of characters, I wasn't expecting it.

Chosen Ones is narrated by Sloane. I think that's one of the reasons why I struggled to connect to this book initially too. Sloane isn't a very likable character. She's bitter, acerbic, authentic to the point of being considered rude...I think the way to describe Sloane would be prickly. HOWEVER, due to Veronica Roth's incredible characterisation and exploration of the impact Sloane's past has had on her, I could completely understand Sloane. I understood her thirst for privacy and normality, her exhaustion and her fear...by the end of the book, I deeply respected Sloane. She's battling every day with PTSD, unwanted fame, guilt, and the feeling of disappointing everyone...yet she soldiers on, all the while remaining true to herself.

The other characters were brilliant too. There's Esther, who is confident and sassy. On the outside, she seems to have it all together. She loves Instagram, fashion, and make-up but on the inside she's scared and hurting. There's Matt who, even though I understood Sloane's frustration with him, I appreciated how selfless and optimistic he was. He was always trying to find the good in people, and I really liked that about him. There was also Ines, who I can't say much about, as she didn't feature that heavily. Then there was Albie, dear, sweet Albie who sneaked into my heart. I absolutely adored his and Sloane's friendship. They had experienced personal torture at the hands of the Dark One so together they alone understood each other's pain and turmoil. I loved how different each of the characters were.

I loved the way Veronica Roth depicted the strength of their friendship. They had saved the world together and although they each frustrated each other at times, they knew each other so well, sometimes better than they knew themselves. Their friendship was so special - complicated, flawed, loyal and loving. Together, despite all their jagged pieces.

Another character that featured heavily was Mox. Man, I loved Mox. He was also incredibly complex and felt so real. He was powerful and strong yet vulnerable and desperately lonely. The depth of his loneliness and the subtlety of his inner turmoil made my heart break for him.

The villains were masterfully created too. Veronica Roth fully fleshed them out. They weren't 100% bad in being but were the result of consequences and choices. Their motives and actions were explained which made me, the reader, understand the reasoning behind their choices.

I am so incredibly impressed with Veronica Roth's characterisation. Books that delve deep into the characters and reveal their layers, not merely focusing on the surface, but laying bear the core of who they are, generally becomes one of my favourites - as was the case here. Sometimes it's shocking and unpleasant and uncomfortable, but it makes it worthwhile.

I feel like I could write a whole essay analysing the complexities of their characters, but I'll spare you.

Another thing I loved about Chosen Ones was the romance. I can't say too much because I'm trying to keep this as spoiler free as possible. The romance in the latter half of this book has me sighing and saying "I love this book". They complemented one another so well and understood the complicated, difficult parts of each other that everyone else tried to pretend wasn't there. They understood the loneliness and the burdens they carried. This was profound as the one character had lost the only other person who she felt could share in her pain. It was vulnerable and intimate. It was simultaneously heart-wrenching and heartwarming to see people so marred with mental and physical scars who were drowning in loneliness and guilt finding each other. It made me feel ALL THE FEELS.

I've never been someone who focuses heavily on plot, so as long as the story is going somewhere, then I'm happy. The pacing is quite slow in the beginning and the plot is lacking due to the focus on familiarising ourselves with the characters. The first part also explores the affect the media, fame, and popularity can have on someone who never asked for it. However, something happens at the end of part one that thrusts the reader into a fantastically built setting, where the fantasy and science fiction elements have an explosive beginning. I LOVED the plot. It was incredibly well-structured, layered with foreshadowing and depth, and featured well-placed plot twists that had me gasping out loud. It went in directions I wasn't expecting and had me reading at a feverish pace as I needed to know more.

I also loved the mixed media included, ranging from newspaper articles to government documents that added further layers and depth to the story. It gave me more insight into the world and sucked me further into the story.

I found the world fascinating too. It was mainly set in Chicago but an alternate version of Chicago where some people had developed magical abilities. It's not often that I'm so immersed in a fantasy book that I find myself actively trying to understand the world, but I did here. There was a wealth of articles and passages that enlightens the reader on how the magic functions and I loved reading it. Also, Veronica Roth balanced it very well; it was never an info-dump.

I loved the writing too. It was gripping, compelling, witty, and so raw. I've read all of Veronica Roth's books except The Fates Divide, and to me, she truly showcased her exceptional talent as a writer in this book. The intensity and vulnerability of the characters, the shock of the plot twists, the genius behind the foreshadowing...it blew me away,

One last thing I want to mention is how I felt so many things whilst reading this book. It evoked so many emotions in me from shock, sadness, relief, and everything in between. I read the majority of this book with a knot of dread in my stomach and anxiety in my throat - which I believe Veronica Roth intended. I read an interview she did for the release of Chosen Ones and she mentioned how she's interested in the sensation of dread whilst reading, dread instead of surprise. She accomplished that in this book. The entire time I was reading this I knew something bad was going to happen. I was on the edge of my seat and waiting with baited breath for the unsettling calm to be shattered. I would've read this book a lot quicker but due to the unsettling atmosphere I had to take breaks. This book completely sucks you in. I was right there with the characters.

Chosen Ones, mainly during the first part, was sometimes an uncomfortable reading experience. There's a constant feeling of unease and suspicion that danger is lurking around the corner. Veronica Roth also doesn't shy away from detailing the grittier aspects of being a chosen one - the effects of after, the fame and popularity and speculation, the trauma they have to deal with, and the devastating consequences as a result.

Although this book is set in an alternate Chicago to the one we know, Veronica Roth deals with issues that are prevalent in today's culture: mental health, race, fame and the consequences. However, as it's incorporated in a sci-fi/fantasy setting, it makes it more palatable.

Chosen Ones blew me away. I fell in love with this book slowly but deeply. I was blown away by Veronica's incredible characterisation - the characters were so complex, vivid, and multilayered. Veronica Roth didn't shy away from exploring the darker aspects of the characters; she delved into the core of who they were to produce a deeply moving, spectacularly written novel. The plot was incredible and filled with twists and foreshadowing that had me reeling. I loved the writing - the dialogue, the banter, the way the characters were detailed subtly and explicitly. The romance was intimate and vulnerable and moving.

I felt everything in this book keenly. The loss of certain characters, the mental turmoil and complex, messy emotions were palpable. It was riveting and shocking, devastating and brutal, yet pierced with moments of hope and promise. Veronica Roth's adult fiction debut started slowly but built to an explosive climax that had me experiencing a myriad of emotions. The writing was beautiful and poignant and had me drinking in the stunning quotes. I absolutely loved this book - another winner by Veronica Roth.

Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth is a story about what happens to heroes when they have defeated the big bad, how does life go on when the thing that you have been chosen for and trained to do lies behind you?
Ten years ago a group of young heroes known as the Chosen Ones defeated a mysterious magical villain known only as the Dark One, at a great personal cost, especially to our narrator , Sloane who was captured by him before he was defeated., As the anniversary of the fateful day draws close and the five are reunited, Sloane is struggling with many things, including her relationship with Matt , the self declared leader of the Chosen Ones., When the government reaches out to them again, hoping to test a new magical device she fears that nothing good will come of it, and those fears are proven right when the test goes tragically wrong. A shocking event in the aftermath of that tragedy will cause the Chosen Ones to question everything they know and believe , while taking the reader on a journey that they never expected. It would be difficult to say any more without spoiling the plot of the book , but I can say that despite the slow burning start ,once the key event takes place the pace certainly does pick up.
This is the adult debut of Veronica Roth but if the ages of the characters were not explicitly stated I would have assumed them to be much younger than they apparently are, their behaviour comes across as very juvenile and would not be out of place in a young or new adult book. I liked the use of magic in the book, especially how it was integrated into daily life , almost regarded as something normal. While the characters , including Sloane , our narrator, are not particularly likeable, they are still easy to relate to, and I think they feel like real people who are always more than just good or bad, I also thought it was interesting to set the book after what would normally be the big climax of a piece of fiction, the encounter with the villain, and not just in the immediate aftermath , but a decade later so that we see how the characters are dealing with it and moving on with their lives, or not as the case may be.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

A great start to Roth's first adult fantasy series.

My favorite part of the book was the character of Sloane, called an antihero but really, for the most part, just she's just a regular person with some magic thrown into the mix!

One thing, I did struggle with to start with was the articles and government reports included in between the chapters, this is because I had no reference point for what was happening or what they meant. They were just annoying and getting in the way of me reading about Sloane. However, after you start to understand what is happening (fr me around Chapter 5 ish) they actually are quite nice to read to get some back story and also to try and make your best guess of what is going to happen next.

I am excited to see what happens in the rest of the series, not sure how it will carry on!

This is the adult debut for Veronica Roth after her very successful Divergent series. I enjoyed this but it didn’t wow me the way I was hoping for, I think because I found the first half really slow. The world building is fantastic and Roth sets up a fabulous system. The other problem I have is Sloan doesn’t feel much more than a surly teenager and so I’m not exactly sure this feels like an adult book, it still largely felt like YA to me due to the character attitudes. I did enjoy the story and the second half picked up, once it does it’s action packed and the pace really picks up, so as I said I enjoyed it, I will read the next in the series, but just felt first half of book needed some work on pace.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Chosen Ones marks the debut adult fantasy from one of the masters of this genre albeit the young adult version of it, and although this has been a long time coming I was more than a little apprehensive as to whether it would live up to expectations but I needn't have worried at all; this is a richly imagined and compelling novel and will no doubt swiftly join her other books on the bestsellers lists. It plays with the classic "Chosen One” trope and perfectly bridges the gap between YA and Adult fiction genres in telling the story of five friends who as teens saved the world from a destructive figure known as the Dark One, and must now navigate adult life as celebrities. The plot for the book takes off on the tenth anniversary of the Dark One’s defeat when something unthinkable happens: one of the Chosen Ones does. Those who remain must reconsider what it means to be heroes – by destiny or by choice. It explores the question: what happens when the heroes who shoulder our burdens try to move on?

This is a dark, original and absolutely absorbing novel and the most gripping fantasy I can remember reading in at least the last couple of years. The worldbuilding is full of imagination and intricate detail and although this is much more of a character-driven story that by no means leads to a neglected plotline as it is well-executed, action-packed and tense from beginning to end. This is an intense and high stakes yarn and as it starts to unravel it’s difficult to resist racing through and feverishly turning the pages. I was also pleasantly surprised at the amount of emotion infused throughout the narrative. One aspect that unsurprisingly differs somewhat markedly from her YA novels is the willingness to explore important and prevalent real-world issues which I felt was done superbly well. This is certainly a defining moment for Ms Roth, and I suspect this will appeal to both her long-time fans but also to many new readers too. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.

‘Sometimes Sloan wondered if the world had been worth saving’

10 years after a band of five teenagers saved the word from the evil of the Dark One, they are struggling to live in the real world without the threat of death lurking behind every corner. But have they eradicated the threat completely?

Chosen Ones is Veronica Roth’s adult debut and after the popularity of her best-selling Divergent Series, I was excited to see her take on something new and wasn’t left disappointed. The events of Chosen Ones occur 10 years after The Dark One has been defeated and as such makes you feel a little bit like you’ve dived into a fantasy series half-way through. You have to trust that Roth will keep you up to date with the important aspects of what has happened although there’s always an unsettling feeling that you still might not have a full or truthful picture. It’s a really interesting premise and one that although is initially confusing, is a unique and interesting take on the fantasy genre. The book is mainly told through the perspective of main character Sloan, but also has snippets of books, newspapers and mission reports as well which integrate well into the story. The world-building in particular is first rate and we really get submerged into a new fantasy world in a detailed and interesting way.

Sloan is a somewhat grumpy Saviour with an attitude problem, and she comes across as a bit of spoilt teenager in some ways which isn’t as much of a split from the Young Adult genre as Roth was perhaps hoping for. There’s nothing really in this book that screams ‘adult’ except the amount of deaths to be honest. Sloan is an interesting and well-rounded character although I did feel her fellow Chosen Ones weren’t as fleshed out as I had perhaps wanted for an introduction to a series. There was also a bit of an information/exposition dump towards the end that tried to give the villain their motivation in a way that could have been done with a little more subtlety and finesse. I’m not really sure on this as a series as a whole – the first book could have even been a standalone in some ways. There is no real cliff-hanger or thread left majorly unresolved to make me desperate to pick up the next one but I would like to see what is next for the characters and the new world they now have before them.

Overall Chosen Ones is a great start to a new fantasy series from Veronica Roth and I’m excited to see where it goes next. Thank you to NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

'The Chosen Ones' by Veronica Roth.
Hmmm, this is going to be a difficult review to write as I can see that many people enjoyed this book immensely as there are lots of 4 and 5 star reviews...but I'm afraid it just didn't do it for me. I'm the first to admit that I'm not the most patient person in the world, but unless a book grabs me from the start, unless it picks up very quickly, I lose interest.
'The Chosen Ones' felt to me as if I'd missed the first part in a series where the scene is set and I was coming in somewhere in the middle; it therefore didn't make a great deal of sense. Maybe if I hadn't given up on it I'd have been a bit more impressed...however, having read some excellent reviews this is definitely one I shall return to. Perhaps it just wasn't the right time for me.
I give this book one star...for now.

Chosen Ones follows what happens after the chosen one defeats the villain, making it almost like a sequel to many YA fantasy novels. Our main character is Sloane, one of five chosen ones, and we follow her after she has defeated the 'Dark One', however, his defeat may not be as long-term as they had hoped.

I read the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth growing up, and while I was somewhat disappointed with the last book, the writing and Roth's way of crafting an engaging plot was something I really enjoyed. Therefore, when I found out she had written an adult novel I was keen to get my hands on it, adult fantasy is a genre I have started to explore and being in the familiar hands of one of the authors that saw me through my teenage years seemed like a perfect way of sampling more of the genre.

Chosen Ones is hard to review as I absolutely loved aspects of it, but it was also a slow one to get through. Roth's excellent plotting skills are very much in play, and the ending perfectly wove together many threads that almost all seemed to come together out of nowhere. It was a satisfying ending, but also one that left me wanting so much more, as such I am very tempted to pick up the sequel when it comes out.

I did find the ending somewhat predictable when Roth started dropping some big hints towards the end, but that didn't make it any less satisfying. I also found the way the book explored PTSD, addiction, and even the relationships with the ones we love really really interesting.

There was also some excellent characterisation, I wasn't keen on many characters at the start but over the course of the novel I really grew to care about them - Sloane and Matt especially.

The issues I did have with this book were mainly its pacing. The start especially seemed to drag, it took ages for us to actually get into the meat of the plot and while I feel some aspects of the beginning may become relevant in future books, at the time it made it really hard to get into this story and I found myself not looking forward to picking it up. This did improve towards the end but by this point it was sort of too little too late.

Overall, I think Chosen Ones was an interesting enough book but it read more like YA than adult (in my opinion) and while it tried to put a unique spin on the chosen one trope, I'm not entirely sure it managed that. I found that while the beginning promised a twist on the traditional story, as the story went on it settled into a typical fantasy story (bad guy vs good guy, one final battle). Good enough, but not the most memorable.

This was my first Veronica Roth book and I loved it. Chosen Ones is an adult fantasy rather than the author’s usual YA fare so it deals with more mature themes. Exploring the trope of the chosen one, the author asks what happens after the chosen one has fulfilled their destiny and completed the task allotted to them? Ten years ago, five chosen teenagers defeated the Dark One. Now Sloane, Matthew, Esther, Albie, and Ines must live their lives in the shadow of this huge event. All of them suffer from PTSD and have developed several coping mechanisms to help them endure daily life. My favourite element in the first part was the unique bond between these five people. I loved their understanding, banter, and family dynamic.

The story is told via Sloane’s POV, a woman with sharp edges and a rather detached personality. Sloane is often dismissed by the media as hostile because she subverts the ideal of the dutiful female but I appreciated how complex she was. I especially liked her friendship with Albie (who I probably identified with the most). Interspersed with Sloane’s chapters is a history of events told via media articles, debriefings, official documents etc. The magic system is treated as an unknown phenomenon and little is understood about it. The chosen ones were each able to wield magic and I enjoyed the incorporation of folklore and myth regarding the instruments of magic.

I was surprised by the direction part two took as the action moved to a parallel earth, and Sloane, Matthew and Esther find themselves summoned to defeat another Dark One. It’s hard to talk about much from this point on without revealing spoilers but I loved Sloane’s character development on this earth and her newly formed relationships. The ending leaves some room for a sequel but this felt like a standalone to me. Hopefully, it will all make sense when the next book is released. Chosen Ones is an engrossing fantasy with one of my new favourite main characters, a fast-paced plot, and engaging prose.

*Thank you to the author and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

2 stars

I saw the potential this book had... unfortunately, I was left disappointed. Maybe I'm just not that into Roths writing?

Although this is labeled as "adult" it still read as YA to me. An intriguing premise - something I've not read about before, but once I started the book I had to keep forcing myself to pick it up again and by the 50% mark I was still bored as hell. It really lacked in the world-building and character development departments. I couldn't picture what the world looked like and none of the characters had any distinguishing features about them to separate them from each other, and given the premise of the book, they should've been the most developed aspects, especially when not a lot is happening plot-wise until halfway into the book. Was the wait worth it? Not really, not for me. Honestly, I just kept reading for "The Dark One."

I’m giving this book 3 1/2 stars. I almost DNF’d it so many times. But persevered. Part three of the book was good, and if not for that, this would have been rated much lower.

If you like superhero/antihero kind of books I think you’ll like it. It reminded me of the fantastic four, that kind of premise. It has a whole parallel universe thing going on, which when introduced felt really strange.

I’m a fan of Veronica Roth, and loved Divergent. So had high hopes for this book. Like I said before read it if you like superhero/antihero type tropes.

A new adult novel from veronica roth. I was sceptical going into this as I still have strong feelings of hurt at how the divergent series ended.
It started well and had me interested I liked how we were going into the story 10 years after the saved the world. But the middle really lacked I was bored reading it and really had to push through. By part 3 it had picked up with some plot twists and reveals. But was it enough?

It took me a while to get in to this book, but that's probably because it's like nothing I've ever read. All of the details form an intricate web of information and as the story progresses, you really start to understand what exactly is going on.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would definitely recommend it. I could happily read more about any of the characters involved; but especially Sloane. She is bold and entirely herself and that is so refreshing to read.

Thanks Netgalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a while to get really into it. On one hand it felt like the story started from the middle and I have missed a greater part of it. On the other hand it did make the reading interesting and kept me reading. It makes the book different from others. A good difference.
For me the second part of this book was the better one. But to be honest I read it only because of Sloan’s character. She is an amazing character. She is not a typical hero.

The reasons I am giving it four stars instead of five are because there were chapters where I had to slog through (at the same time there were chapters where I could not put it down) and because the ending was a little weird for me. In my opinion the showdown was too easy solved. But all in all the ending is nice set up for a sequel.

I will definitely read the next book and I really recommend this book.

Highly enjoyed this very well written book and look forward to reading more from this writer in the future !!

As Veronica Roth's adult debut I had high expectations and I am glad to say this did not disappoint. Roth took a unique twist by instead of basing the story surrounding a big battle it was in fact based ten years later.

Admittedly I was confused in the beginning as the book includes excerpts from top secret files which at first seem slightly out of place, however the author does an amazing job at explaining everything that makes everything seamlessly tie in together.

This by all means is not a book for everyone. The characters are very love or hate but the writing style is really nice. I would recommend everyone at least trying to give this book a go but go into it prepared to focus and accept subtle pieces of given information.

It wouldn’t be fair of me to give this book a solid rating, because what I read felt like three different novels. In an attempt to be fair, I will rate each of these parts separately, and take the weighted mean of these values.

Part I

Being the first part of the novel, Roth focused on introducing us to our characters (the five Chosen Ones), the type of lives they’ve been living ever since they defeated their evil nemesis ten years prior to the events of this book, and how despite all the time that’s passed by, they’re still affected by the events that transpired when they were teens.

While the book didn’t directly launch off into action, there were a few things I enjoyed:

1. The world building. It’s a dystopian world building itself back together AFTER the war with the Dark One.

2. Roth doesn’t shy away from the racism. For ex., Matt, one of the Chosen Ones who’s African American, is treated differently from Sloane, who’s Caucasian. The other POC characters are aware of it too. As a person of colour myself, it’s nice to see the casual racism and stereotyping being acknowledged by the characters.

3. Decent representation of PTSD, anxiety, and other mental health issues. All the characters were affected in different ways by their fight with the Dark One, and they’ve all had different reactions to it.

As I said earlier, this part isn’t action packed. It takes 30% of the book (the entire first part) to set up the events mentioned in the blurb:

“On the tenth anniversary of the Dark One's defeat, something unthinkable happens: one of the Chosen Ones dies. When the others gather for the funeral, they discover the Dark One's ultimate goal was much bigger than they, the government, or even prophecy could have foretold - bigger than the world itself.”

I give this first 30% 3 stars.

———

Part II

Welcome to the second part, where nothing of significance seems to happen. Having read the third part, I can definitively say that this second part is the part one which shadowed my entire reading experience.

My primary complaint about this part — though we’re introduced to more world building, new characters, etc. — is that the pace (which we’ve already established in the review of Part I as being slow) became even slower.

At this point, the plot seemed to stay hidden beneath the surface, because Roth focused on descriptions of the places, the clothes people wore, the activities they performed, and more. While such descriptions, when used in moderate, tend to add to the narration, this merely obscured the plot.

I think this was meant to serve as an opportunity for us to understand our narrator, Sloane, better — that she holds secrets and never really settled down after the first battle — but these are things we’ve already gleaned from Part I and the blurb.

Something I’ve noticed is that generally, in trilogies, the second book always seems to idle, merely serving as a bridge between the first and the last books. This part was 40% of the book, and was a sort of bridge between the parts, albeit an incredibly slow one.

This sort of marred my experience, and that’s why I give 2 stars to this 40%.

This 400 page novel could have easily been a 300 page one — the pacing would have been better then.

P.S. I’ll give credit where it’s due. Roth did a wonderful job of expressing how it feels to be in a relationship where you feel trapped because the romance/love has long gone, but breaking up is hard because you still care for the other person emotionally.

———

Part III

I LOVED the last part! The pace picked up in a jiffy, and all of a sudden the characters were on a mission, and it absolutely rebuilt any interest I’d possibly lost due to the previous part.

Reasons why I loved this part:

1. The pace was just right. This was a massive relief for me, because I enjoyed reading the novel once more.

2. All the various hints and clues that Roth had dropped throughout the book came together beautifully. The foreshadowing was masterfully done, and I enjoyed seeing all the puzzle pieces fit together. Appropriate usage of Chekhov’s Gun.

3. A certain character strongly reminded me of Megamind, who happens to be one of my most favourite animated movie characters. Naturally, this character is now my favourite of all the characters we have in the book.

4. This point is technically for the entire book — Roth presented interesting additional info about the world’s history and past events through newspaper clippings, official/government interviews and debriefings, excerpts from books and magazines, etc. This technique got across interesting supplementary details effectively.

5. Roth plays with ethics and morality. There’s no clear line between good and bad, and she deals with the grey area well.

6. Though this book is said to have a sequel, it ended in way that all loose ends were tied up, without a cliffhanger, but just a feeling of not knowing what the future holds. A satisfactory end always makes a book so much better!

I give this last 30% a rating of 5 stars.

———

Now, to calculate the weighted mean.

3x0.3 + 2x0.4 + 5x0.3 = 0.9 + 0.8 + 1.5

= 3.2 stars

Honestly, if the sequel isn’t as slow as Part II of this book, I’ll be sure to read it, for the simple reason I’d like to know what happens to this world and these characters.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the book; I’d have enjoyed it even more if it had been a bit faster.