Chosen Ones

By: Veronica Roth

Narrated by: Dakota Fanning

Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

The mega-selling author of the Divergent franchise delivers her masterful first novel for adults

Fifteen years ago, five ordinary teenagers were singled out by a prophecy to take down an impossibly powerful entity wreaking havoc across North America. He was known as the Dark One, and his weapon of choice - catastrophic events known as Drains - leveled cities and claimed thousands of lives. Chosen Ones, as the teens were known, gave everything they had to defeat him.

After the Dark One fell, the world went back to normal...for everyone but them. After all, what do you do when you’re the most famous people on Earth, your only education was in magical destruction, and your purpose in life is now fulfilled?

Of the five, Sloane has had the hardest time adjusting. Everyone else blames the PTSD - and her huge attitude problem - but really, she’s hiding secrets from them...secrets that keep her tied to the past and alienate her from the only four people in the world who understand her.

On the 10th 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. And this time, fighting back might take more than Sloane has to give.

Chosen Ones is performed by Dakota Fanning and features the voices of Veronica Roth, Victor Bevine, Gabriel Vaughan, Isabel Keating, Robin Miles, Kevin T. Collins, Vikas Adam, L.J. Gasner, Richard Ferrone, Carly Robins, Flynn Earl Jones, Emily Bauer, Kyla Garcia, David Shih, Edoardo Ballerini, Natasha Soudek, and Amy McFadden.

©2020 Veronica Roth (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

Kinda "meh"

I frequently considered returning this one, but managed to stick with it. About the first 2/3 of the book was somewhat slow. The main character, Sloan, was hard to like and hard to feel sympathy for because she was so abrasive. It was a dull and brooding storyline until about the last third when it finally became interesting. I also feel Ms. Fanning's reading contributed to my feeling about the character. Seems the whole book was about Sloan sighing and being tired. I can't say I would recommend this book.

Being a Hero isn't a life for everyone

4/5

"Knowing magic was about knowing yourself, she thought. If you could be honest with yourself, you could better predict what your magic could do. Only how was anyone supposed to know themselves that way?"

Heroes and Villains are a concept as old as time itself. It's pretty easy to categorized who is the good guy and the baddie of the story thanks for the actions of the characters. Rare occasions we get a story that explore the gray morality of both sides, the complexity that lies in both the protagonist and the antagonist. But what about what comes after the chosen one finalized its journey? How do they fare from what they experience, the battles, the losses, the pain? What about the public image that comes with their victory or shall we say defeat? Veronica Roth decided to explore such interesting themes with her first adult novel, departing from the Young Adult genre for the first time.

“I’m tired of being special,” Albie said with a shaky laugh. “I’m tired of being celebrated for the worst thing that ever happened to me.”

I won't lie and say that I've grown up with Veronica since she was the one who introduced me to the Young Adult genre thanks for her debut with Divergent. I remember receiving the book from my sister when she came back from a trip to the USA with her future husband in law. I was so eager to tackle this beast and immediately became a fan of her. When I learned that my new author is releasing a new novel in 2020 I knew I can't miss it. I've to get a copy no matter what. Thankfully I was fortunate to received this ARC, hehe. Veronica uncovers to us in this book the implications that surrounds the role of the chosen one. We all think heroes are untouchable, that are pedestals to be worship that they can mended but they are not. Some suffer from reoccurring nightmares, never lasting flashbacks, depression, no hero is immune to it just as no person, even one who is methodical to a fault can't hide from such issues. I love how she presented to us that the chosen ones after defeating the dark one either accepted their infamy, cloistered back to their old life or are bothered by this persona the public fabricated for them.

Sloane, one of our heroes, is suffering from prolonged PTSD to what happened when the DARK ONE torture her and her friend. The aspect of that really grown on me since Veronica didn't shy to show us the vulnerability of Sloane and why her life was slowly falling apart. Her relationship with Matt, her friendship with Esther and Albie, not to mention her struggle with the magic that's burning inside her and on top of it all the public viewing her as champion or a nuisance in comparison to the others. Sloane to me was what lead me through the story, and it's also one of the many flaws of it. The pacing is not bad essentially but its too brisk, moving from a consistent point and suddenly everything shatters. Not to mention what I think majorly making people avoid the book is the fact that you can't talk freely about what happens due to spoilers since very early on we move to a different whole territory that either enriches the world setting or downright shots it in the leg.

Speaking of world building, the aspect of magic is a bit... odd. We don't completely get explanation as to how it works but we do get clarification that certain items can invoke magical powers, and each individual who shows symptoms of possessing magic can develop different blends of manipulation with it. Like for example, the ability to heal fast, your agility growing faster, producing fire from your finger tips. Fundamentally it works in context but also leaves you lost thanks to characters explaining and the numerous documentations and interviews that were added for the benefit of the world lore will render everything useful or downright waste of time. I do hope the sequel will fix that.

Oh and I want to give a special mention to Dakota Fanning and all the other Cast members who delivered such an amazing performance throughout the book. It was outstanding!

Definitely Different

Ok. Hear me out. It's a very sluggish and somber read. But I love the structure of the story. I love the storyline. The various readers was definitely different for me. I was intrigued, but I felt like I was pulled through the story with heavy weights and no release. Even at the end, there was an air of gloom left as the closing mood.

Interesting. Original. Quirky. Unexpected.

This is a really good book. It's very unlike the Divergent novels, so if you're looking for more of that type, you may be disappointed, but I really enjoyed it. I liked the full-cast element with the narration, the parallel universe concept, the complexity of the relationships, and while Sloane wasn't someone I'd want as a best friend, I could understand how her life had turned her into what she was. I'm hoping the Happy Ending turns up for her, and her 30s go better than her teens and 20s did! Things were looking up at the end, I think. Sort of. Hope there's a sequel. I'll read it!

YA authors transitioning to the Adult audience is a little dicey. This book is WAY more intense than the Divergent books, which given the violence, war, evil leadership and general level of death in that series is saying something! But everything is more complex here. The Good Guys/Bad Guys dichotomy is blurrier, tho of course you have to hate the Dark One. The romantic and even friendship connections aren't easy simple ones.

Also, more importantly, the thought required to follow the story is greater. Instead of going from Point A to Point B, there are more major plot points that are only gradually revealed that help you understand how these people got to where they were at the start of the book. I really came to enjoy the odd little news briefs or bits of history or medical records that began chapters. Totally cool and interesting!

Favorite line? "I don't have many rules to live by, ...but 'When a murderous psychopath tells you to do something, DON'T DO IT', is absolutely one of them.' Yay! Well stated, Slo!

I read a ton of reviews first, most of the top ones expressing disgust that there was profanity in it. Throughout it, actually, so if your ears are too pure to hear any of such language ever, find something written for middle-schoolers, or pre-1900, bcz that's kind of all that's left for novels without obscenities. I love all the Anne of Green Gables books, try those. I found the profanity pretty much like the average novel written in the last 25 years. Take a bunch of 20-somethings with PTSD coping with ongoing situations of extreme stress and danger, that IS typically what's coming out of their mouths. Whatever.

I found Dakota Fanning's narration just a LITTLE flat, for my taste, thus the 4 on performance. I turned the speed up about 10% over my normal listen, which was helpful. I think it was a book where a lot of awful things were happening, and she read as if she was always waiting in dread for the next catastrophe. I think that's an understandable artistic choice even if, for my taste, it could have been perked up just a BIT. But overall, good job. A wonderful listen. Keep them coming!

Wish there was more

I love all Veronica Roth’s books and this one didn’t disappoint. But it was definitely different from her past books as it had more mature subject matter. Which I guess that can be expected as she is older. I look forward to more books by her.

Ok

Performance was really cool. Story started out great then got slogged into multiverse nonsense. Just ok.

Horrible Narration

This narration is so draining and monotone! There isn't any changes in her voice for any characters or action. Her acting is about the same. Meh!

Okay-ish

The narration by Dakota Fanning was dry and not urgent enough. The book itself felt too long and repetitive.

Entertaining

The story is entertaining enough. Veronica Roth's writing is solid. I enjoyed Dakota Fanning's reading style because its as if her Alienist character Sara Howard is telling the story. Compared to readings done by Claire Danes, BD Wong or James Marsters its not the worst. I would recommend this story.

Slow but enjoyable

It was slow to pick up, but as I listened the more I got pulled in. Not my favorite book, but it was a good listen