A review by annenichols
Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I enjoyed this book, and I would certainly read a sequel. It was a riveting page-turner for me, and I never wanted to put it down. However, it’s neither great literature nor among the greatest stories I’ve read.

The prose is good, with some of Roth’s apt descriptions that I really appreciate - but it doesn’t hold a candle to Poster Girl in this regard.

The protagonist has some good development, but she’s a bit annoying. Some of the other characters develop, but others are flat.
I never really grew to like the protagonist
, which made it a less enjoyable read for me. One review commented that
Sloane and Matt’s relationship
was pretty flat for
something that had been going on for a decade or more
, and I agree.

There are some great elements to the magical world, complete with a few really rich details that flesh it out, help you suspend disbelief, and delight the imagination.

The overall plot felt a little incomplete, especially toward the end. Some of the plot twists felt a bit shaky and didn’t have quite enough rationale. In particular,
was the Dark One the exact same person as the evildoer in the new world? How exactly did his arc lead him to want, gain, and reject immortality
? It felt a little like the writer got tired and rushed the ending. The
how and the why of the worlds colliding were also inadequately explained
. 

Finally, I didn’t think the
zombie army
fit with the rest of this brand of fantasy. It was weird and gross and annoying. 
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