The Choosing

The debut novel from the daughter of thriller/fantasy novelist Ted Dekker introduces a 23rd-century dystopia run according to a patchwork of holy writs from the past known as Veritas. In this society, young women are chosen for marriage in the titular ritual. When Carrington is not chosen, her fate is to join the “Lints,” who do hard labor for the rest of their lives. When a key leader of the Authority, as the ruling class is known, loses his wife, he decides to take Carrington as a second one. In the meantime, Carrington learns of sinister deeds done by the Authority. She must decide between the “choosing” she’s always wanted and the truth she is coming to see—the possibility of alternatives outside Authority walls. The strong female heroine will appeal to teen readers, and adults and teens alike may also enjoy the themes of corruption and religion, absolute human power, and government as god. A seer figure named Aaron says pointedly, “The real illusion is that you are not free.” Despite flaws, Dekker’s debut is worth choosing. Agent: Esther Fedorkevich, the Fedd Agency. (May)