Book 21 (2011): The Chosen One

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams is a young adult, fictional novel set in a cult.

Kyra is 14 and the oldest of many. She lives in a trailer in the desert with her mother and her siblings. All her other mothers and siblings live in trailers next door. Her father lives with them all. They live in a compound with the other members of the cult, The Chosen, and they are led by Prophet Childs.

As the story unfolds, Kyra learns she's to wed her 60 year old Uncle and she becomes defiant, because she doesn't want to.

After witnessing repeated violence brought upon her family and those in her "community", claiming it's the way of God, she has to make a choice to be broken and live that life, or leave.

This was an interesting novel and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I think because I'm an adult I wanted it to be longer and for the author to dig a little deeper, for it to be more detailed. I'm sure for teen readers, this is probably "just enough". It was an interesting story and Kyra, the protagonist, was unique enough to keep me reading but I'd like to know more, to have more character development and then more story. I'd also like to know some more backstory- what brought people to this cult and what made them stay.

I'll be interested to see what my high school readers think as this book circulates. (213 pages)

B-