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jkreads's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this one up because I loved the concept of it - a decade on from the defeat of an otherworldly evil known as the Dark One, the five ‘Chosen Ones’ who were selected as children to defeat him are trying to go about their lives. I was initially hooked but somewhere about halfway along it just ran out of steam and almost fully sent me into a slump.
I initially enjoyed the structure of the story - it focused on one of the five Chosen Ones, Sloane, and was written from a third person POV which is my preferred style to read. Interspersed throughout the book were other pieces of media - journal entries from another character, quotes from books, newspaper clippings and government documents from the project to defeat the Dark One. I appreciated what the author was doing here, delivering pieces of the plot from different perspectives, however it just made the whole book feel really disjointed to me. I felt like it interrupted the flow of the narrative and a lot of the quotes and excerpts from other books felt irrelevant to me.
I really feel that had this book been structured differently, perhaps as a dual POV between Sloane and Nero, it would have flowed a little better and I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
I initially enjoyed the structure of the story - it focused on one of the five Chosen Ones, Sloane, and was written from a third person POV which is my preferred style to read. Interspersed throughout the book were other pieces of media - journal entries from another character, quotes from books, newspaper clippings and government documents from the project to defeat the Dark One. I appreciated what the author was doing here, delivering pieces of the plot from different perspectives, however it just made the whole book feel really disjointed to me. I felt like it interrupted the flow of the narrative and a lot of the quotes and excerpts from other books felt irrelevant to me.
I really feel that had this book been structured differently, perhaps as a dual POV between Sloane and Nero, it would have flowed a little better and I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
jjomally's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the world that Veronica roth created for this book. The first half was very slow for me but there were many unexpected plot twists which I really appreciated
sue_loves_to_read's review against another edition
3.0
A decade ago near Chicago, five teenagers defeated the otherworldly enemy known as the Dark One, whose reign of terror brought widespread destruction and death. The seemingly un-extraordinary teens—Sloane, Matt, Ines, Albie, and Esther—had been brought together by a clandestine government agency because one of them was fated to be the “Chosen One,” prophesized to save the world. With the goal achieved, humankind celebrated the victors and began to mourn their lost loved ones.
Ten years later, though the champions remain celebrities, the world has moved forward and a whole, younger generation doesn’t seem to recall the days of endless fear. But Sloane remembers. It’s impossible for her to forget when the paparazzi haunt her every step just as the Dark One still haunts her dreams. Unlike everyone else, she hasn’t moved on; she’s adrift—no direction, no goals, no purpose. On the eve of the Ten Year Celebration of Peace, a new trauma hits the Chosen: the death of one of their own. And when they gather for the funeral at the enshrined site of their triumph, they discover to their horror that the Dark One’s reign never really ended.
I was quite glad to finish this book, there were a few (but not many) gripping scenes but overall it was pretty dull. The writing method of mixing the narrative with excerpts from reports was irritating and, at times, confusing. I can't imagine why on earth a sequel is planned or needed.
Ten years later, though the champions remain celebrities, the world has moved forward and a whole, younger generation doesn’t seem to recall the days of endless fear. But Sloane remembers. It’s impossible for her to forget when the paparazzi haunt her every step just as the Dark One still haunts her dreams. Unlike everyone else, she hasn’t moved on; she’s adrift—no direction, no goals, no purpose. On the eve of the Ten Year Celebration of Peace, a new trauma hits the Chosen: the death of one of their own. And when they gather for the funeral at the enshrined site of their triumph, they discover to their horror that the Dark One’s reign never really ended.
I was quite glad to finish this book, there were a few (but not many) gripping scenes but overall it was pretty dull. The writing method of mixing the narrative with excerpts from reports was irritating and, at times, confusing. I can't imagine why on earth a sequel is planned or needed.
mariahreadit's review against another edition
2.0
This book caught my attention straight away from the premise alone. We're all to familiar with the idea of The Chosen One. The special snowflake that will save the world with luck, duct tape, and a group of friends more skilled, more likeable and more intelligent than they are.
Chosen Ones promised to be a breath of fresh air in an oversaturated genre, a rare look behind the curtain - but most of us have larned, at this point, that getting a look at the wizard is not all it's cracked up to be.
Sloane is one of the five teenagers who stopped the Dark One — the villain who tried to use Drains to destroy the world as they knew it. As such, it's no surprise Sloane and her Chosen gang are a hodge podge of unhealthy coping mechanisms and PTSD. Everyone knows who they are. Everybody loves them, everybody hates them, everybody loves to hate them.
At the 10 year anniversary of their "Win", things start to go horribly wrong once again - in more ways than one, I'm sorry to say.
The YA fantasy connoisseur in me appreciated all the Easter Eggs and nods to all the classics, cliches and tropes you can think of, giving it sort of a Breaking of The Fourth Wall quality to it, making it almost comical.
Unfortunately, that's where Roth lost me. Pacing was probably the biggest issue here, as well as my inability to muster any real affection for the characters past pity, contemp and basic empathy.
Chosen Ones promised to be a breath of fresh air in an oversaturated genre, a rare look behind the curtain - but most of us have larned, at this point, that getting a look at the wizard is not all it's cracked up to be.
Sloane is one of the five teenagers who stopped the Dark One — the villain who tried to use Drains to destroy the world as they knew it. As such, it's no surprise Sloane and her Chosen gang are a hodge podge of unhealthy coping mechanisms and PTSD. Everyone knows who they are. Everybody loves them, everybody hates them, everybody loves to hate them.
At the 10 year anniversary of their "Win", things start to go horribly wrong once again - in more ways than one, I'm sorry to say.
The YA fantasy connoisseur in me appreciated all the Easter Eggs and nods to all the classics, cliches and tropes you can think of, giving it sort of a Breaking of The Fourth Wall quality to it, making it almost comical.
Unfortunately, that's where Roth lost me. Pacing was probably the biggest issue here, as well as my inability to muster any real affection for the characters past pity, contemp and basic empathy.
meljmac94's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
citronella_seance's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. Maybe it was because I've never read the Divergent series (it's on my list, it was just trending during a time when I wasn't reading as much) and got to go into this blind that I ended up loving it so much. It completely exceeded my expectations and was nothing like I thought it would be, in a good way. From the description and what I knew about the book, I thought this was going to be a story purely about chosen ones going through their quarter life crisis in the wake of having fulfilled their purpose, but I ended up getting parallel universes and magic and amazing villains. It was so much more than I could have asked for.
acraftyknitter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, and Death of parent
acollectiveofbooks's review against another edition
1.0
I'm not even sure where to start. The book was extremely slow with not much really going on. Five teens saved the world and 10 years later with Sloane as the main POV, it slowly pieces together what happened and you realize Sloane suffers from PTSD. I listened to an audiobook and while they had many voice actors including the author herself, the main VA is Dakota Fanning, which was so monotone and frankly, just not good at all.
I'm trying to understand the initial hype for this book. Is it because a popular YA author is trying to break into the adult genre? I can confidently say, it failed miserably. It still reads as YA even if the characters are NA. There's an attempt at being clever with revealing the plot and what happened, but it just dragged on and I just wanted the book to end already. Nothing happens, you're better off just skipping to the end because this book is just confusing AF.
I'm trying to understand the initial hype for this book. Is it because a popular YA author is trying to break into the adult genre? I can confidently say, it failed miserably. It still reads as YA even if the characters are NA. There's an attempt at being clever with revealing the plot and what happened, but it just dragged on and I just wanted the book to end already. Nothing happens, you're better off just skipping to the end because this book is just confusing AF.
mahardy37's review against another edition
4.0
Maybe a bit too much like the Divirgent series, has the same "feel". But good solid YA sci fi with magic and multi universes and a moody, damaged heroine. Quick read. I enjoyed it but I know its not great literature.