Wow! Just wow! There’s so much to say about Rachelle Dekker’s debut novel, “The Choosing,” but so much I don’t want to say because I don’t want to give away the book’s plot. Dekker has made an incredible entry into the publishing world with her first work.
It’s the year 2257 and Carrington Hale is preparing for her Choosing ceremony. As per law given by God and set into motion by the Holy Robert Carson during the society’s Time of Ruin, if a young woman is not picked by a man for marriage, she is considered Unchosen and must leave her family and become a “Lint” worker — working the lowest-level trade jobs.
When Carrington is unexpectedly not chosen, she is quickly sent off to the Lint Stacks to begin her life of hardship and servitude. She doesn’t anticipate, though, receiving a second chance — but at what cost?
As Carrington develops new relationships — some good, some not-so-good — there are troublesome events occurring in the city. Lint girls are showing up murdered, and the Authority’s CityWatch cannot solve the crimes. And mysterious Aaron is vexingly leading people astray from the Authority and its laws from their holy book by teaching people there is more to their identity than provided by the Authority.
Dekker infuses “The Choosing” was amazing truths, like seeking one’s true identity and beauty and self worth, and finding the sources of these aspects; removing labels; the belief that one can be “beautiful, blameless and chosen”; and stepping above the role or position society may inflict upon you. One constantly asks “What is true beauty? What is true worth?” when reading this novel.
“The Choosing” is also a lovely parable reflecting the teachings of Jesus, and his battle against the religious leaders of his time and their hypocrisy. It reflects the love and identity we can find only through Him.
The book is filled with great and intriguing characters: Carrington, CityWatch guard and stutterer Remko Brant, friend and fellow Lint Larkin Caulmen, and Isaac Knight, Authority member and chief interpreter and keeper of the Veritas (the holy book). And as for plot, Dekker keeps you guessing until the very last page on how Carrington’s story will truly end.
If you like “dystopian” series like “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent,” or even Ted Dekker’s “Circle” series (yes, he’s the author’s father!), then you will like this new series.
I know I can’t wait for the next book!
Five stars out of five.
Tyndale House Publishers provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review.
Q&A with Rachelle Dekker
This is a hard question because it has many answers. I wanted to write a theme-based novel about identity. I wanted to write a dystopian novel. I wanted to write in a world that was familiar, but in a setting where I could change the way the world worked. It actually is several ideas I’d been toying with pulled into one story. Once I landed on Carrington’s core revelation and story arc, I simply fell in love with her as a character and drew the rest of the story around her. That’s usually how it works for me. I come up with a character, good or bad, and create the story from there.
2. You based your main character, Carrington, off of your younger sister. In what ways is Carrington like her?
It’s more the beliefs that Carrington struggles with that remind me of my sister. The idea of worth, of not feeling like you’re enough, or questioning whether anyone would choose you. Carrington came about as I spent time with my sister and her college-age friends and saw that a large majority of them were searching for significance, searching for worth—none more than my sister at the time.
3. Throughout the book, Carrington struggles with understanding her identity and worth and what is true. Why did you decide to write about the theme of identity?
Someone once asked me, If you could leave one message for your younger sisters, what would it be? The answer was always the same: I would pray they knew what they were worth. Identity is everything. There isn’t a theme that doesn’t start with identity, or circle back to identity. Knowing who you truly are is the greatest journey we face. Am I enough; am I worth it? I believe everyone faces these questions, and I sought out to explore them through this story.
4. One of the story’s most significant lines is, “Life is a journey of remembering and forgetting.” What do you mean by this?
It means exactly what you probably think. We have these flashes of clarity where we see so clearly who we are—and our connection to the Father—but then, in a single moment, something pulls our attention away and we forget who we are. This is the journey of life, remembering and forgetting. But I believe the more we remember, the more we set our gaze on the Father, the less often we forget.
5. What do you hope readers will take away from the story?
I hope readers are filled with joy and power as they either realize for the first time who their Father is and what they are really worth, or as they simply remember this truth.
6. The Choosing is the first of a three-book series. What can we expect in the next two books?
More struggles with identity, but in different ways. Familiar characters dealing with fear and worry and forgiveness. We’ll walk with our characters as they continue to understand the true way of Aaron’s Father. More excitement, more romance (of course), and more self-discovery.
7. What is it like being Ted Dekker’s daughter? Did your father help you with the writing process?
Being Ted’s daughter is wonderful! He’s the best, but then I hope many daughters feel that way about their fathers. He is a bit of a mystery, though. Sometimes, even sitting at the dinner table, I can tell he’s lost in thought, and I wonder what it might be like to have his mind.
It’s been a blessing to watch him write and struggle with writing, so that now when I struggle I have an understanding ear to talk off. He is always willing to talk me through the emotional and mental side of writing (which is where the biggest battles lie in wait) but as far as story, for the most part he lets me fend for myself. It’s always been important to me to write through my challenges on my own. To figure out scenes alone. In fact, he didn’t even read The Choosing until I was already in conversations with Tyndale about publication. I think that’s because he wanted me to believe I could do it on my own.
But when I doubt my ability as a writer, and when I forget who I am, he is the one I call. And he reminds me that life is a journey of remembering and forgetting, and helps me in remembering once again.
About the Author — The oldest daughter of New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker, Rachelle Dekker was inspired early on to discover truth through storytelling. She graduated with a degree in communications and spent several years in marketing and corporate recruiting before making the transition to write full-time. She lives in Nashville with her husband, Daniel, and their diva cat, Blair. Visit her online at rachelledekker.com.