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The Chosen One  By  cover art

The Chosen One

By: Carol Lynch Williams
Narrated by: Jenna Lamia
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Publisher's summary

Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated polygamous community without questioning her father's three wives and her twenty brothers and sisters. Or at least without questioning them much—if you don't 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 uncle—who already has six wives—Kyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family.

©2009 Carol Lynch Williams (P)2009 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Narrator Jenna Lamia brings passion and dignity to Kyra, her sisters, and even the strict elders who want all the girls for themselves...Lamia's voices sounds believably young and brings surprising gravity to this ripped-from-the-headlines story.” —AudioFile

“Narrator Jenna Lamia's searing, poignant performance will stay with listeners long after the book ends as she draws listeners in and never lets go, making them feel as if Kyra is living with them as they hear her story...Outstanding.” —Sound Commentary

“Jenna Lamia strikes just the right note between innocence and a growing sense of rebellion in her characterization of Kyra...” —Kirkus Reviews

What listeners say about The Chosen One

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Riveting Story - Amazing Narration

I can't find anything to criticize about this audio book and believe me - that is no small feat. The writing is superb and the story pulled me in right away - I could not stop myself from listening to the whole thing right away even though I wanted to savor it for a few days once I'd gotten a taste. The match of the narrator to the character is nothing short of perfection - she is truly one of the most talented narrators I have ever heard. I wholeheartedly recommend this for anyone looking for a reason to love audio books again after wasting credits on a few clunkers - it makes my membership and the search for more gems worthwhile.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly....great

I completely enjoyed this selection. I felt empathetic towards the character and it even felt like a 13 year old was telling the story.

Very well written. Very enjoyable. Hopefully unrealistic.

I definitely recommend and hopefully I'll find another one as good soon.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great book, slightly disturbing

I really enjoyed this book - it moves very quickly and I found myself looking for opportunities to keep putting my headphones back in to listen to more. The narrator is fantastic.

Some of the content in the book was rather disturbing, perhaps more so for a parent than for a teenager reading the book.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Can't Turn it Off

The Chosen one is a well written story of life in a palygamist colony. You are in first person with the main character. It is very well written, the events keep you tuned in needing to know what is next. I don't think they could have picked a better reader for the audiobook, you feel like your listening to an accounting of a real event, not someone reading a book. Her voice and acting is spot on. I highly recommend it!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic!!

I recommend this book 100 times over, kept me interested the whole time - was definately a book where I waited in my car to end a chapter before I could stop listening!

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Not a dull moment.

If you're looking for a fast-paced and exciting story, this is it. Though The Chosen One was a work of fiction, it was inspired by a true story. The narrator did a fantastic job on making the characters come alive. There are times when I felt Kyra's pain and guilt so strongly, I forgot I was merely a listener. It dosen't matter whether you're a teen or not, you'll love it.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

a new plot idea

I loved this book about a polygamist sect in a desert US state. The author did a great job of getting into the characters and show a strong sense of love of family, teen anxt and righteous indignation. It is one of the most disturbing YA books I have read recently. The reader was perfect--strong emotion in all the right places. At the end of the last disk, the author gives a great interview. Highly recommended.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Heart-racing, eye-opening, vivid

This is book less about life in a polygamous community than it is about people imposing their wills on others. It is not about sex, it is about power. It is not about religion, but about the cloak of religion. It uses themes of polygamy, sex and religion through the eyes of a thirteen year old girl. It is beautifully told, well-narrated, poignant. I don't like to plow through a credit in a five hour listen, but this was worth it.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Favorite Narrator!

Would you listen to The Chosen One again? Why?

I probably wouldn't listen again because I don't like to listen to books more than once, but that does not mean I don't think it was GREAT! I loved the story - so sad because it is based on true facts, but very well written. Jenna Lamia is my favorite narrator and she, once again, did an awesome job reading this one!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Chosen One?

This is difficult to answer without giving something away!

What does Jenna Lamia bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Jenna really makes you feel what the character is feeling. I think you get into her heart more hearing it read by Jenna than you would just by reading it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes - I wanted to. I never have that much time all at once, but if I could have listened to it all in one sitting, I probably would have!

Any additional comments?

This is a great YA book for girls over 13 years old. There are a few things in it that are a little rough, so I would say any younger than that might be too young.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!

This book was amazing! Williams took on (and conquered) the daunting task of putting a sympathetic face on the sometimes reprehensible (certainly in this book) practice of polygamy. And she does this in a YA novel, to boot. So, Kyra is born within a polygamous sect, but has dreams of the outside world thanks to the Mobile Library on Wheels that gives her a tenuous connection to another lifestyle.

When her dirty-old-man-uncle comes a-calling for her thirteen-year-old hand, she knows she needs to find a way out. This isn't Big Love we're talking about here people, or Sister Wives. This tale is more like a storyline you would see with the were-panthers of True Blood.

The Prophet (the group's leader) has slowly eroded away the colony's freedoms (like reading any book but the Bible) and has a standing, armed God Squad to keep people in line. Murder happens just often enough to keep everyone towing the line for God.

What I found immensely compelling about The Chosen One wasn't the big developments, but the small moments. I wanted Kyra to hightail it out of there ASAP, but I slowly understood why she kept choosing to stay despite everything. Her family (all three Mothers, multiple siblings and Dad) are there. They are a different family, but they are hers and they love each other deeply. Yes, her parents made horrible choices that subsequently led to her present circumstances, but they adore her, their family and their community.

Williams has created a beautiful tale that sheds light on the underground world of polygamous sects. Kyra is a strong, young heroine you want to hug, take in, root for and protect. She is simply amazing.

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3 people found this helpful