Title: Unchosen
Author: Katharyn Blair
Page Length: 416
Publication Date: Jan. 26, 2021
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Synopsis: Katharyn Blair crafts a fiercely feminist fantasy with a horrifying curse, swoon-worthy sea captains, and the power of one girl to choose her own fate in this contemporary standalone adventure that’s perfect for fans of The Fifth Wave and Seafire, and for anyone who has ever felt unchosen.
For Charlotte Holloway, the world ended twice.
The first was when her childhood crush, Dean, fell in love—with her older sister.
The second was when the Crimson, a curse spread through eye contact, turned the majority of humanity into flesh-eating monsters.
Neither end of the world changed Charlotte. She’s still in the shadows of her siblings. Her popular older sister, Harlow, now commands forces of survivors. And her talented younger sister, Vanessa, is the Chosen One—who, legend has it, can end the curse.
When their settlement is raided by those seeking the Chosen One, Charlotte makes a reckless decision to save Vanessa: she takes her place as prisoner.
The word spreads across the seven seas—the Chosen One has been found.
But when Dean’s life is threatened and a resistance looms on the horizon, the lie keeping Charlotte alive begins to unravel. She’ll have to break free, forge new bonds, and choose her own destiny if she has any hope of saving her sisters, her love, and maybe even the world.
Because sometimes the end is just a new beginning.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
My Review:
Unchosen is a fast-paced young adult fantasy about a girl who will do anything to protect those she loves. The Crimson is a virus that is spread through eye contact and turns people into zombie-like monsters. When Charlotte’s parents fall victim to the Crimson, Charlotte and her sister’s lives are forever changed.
Charlotte is determined to protect her younger sister, who is The Chosen One – the person who supposedly can stop the virus and save the world. When her sister’s life is threatened by raiders, Charlotte pretends to be the Chosen One. The raiders take her, which leads Charlotte on a danger-filled, epic odyssey filled with flesh-eating monsters, pirates, and fierce women who will do whatever it takes to protect those they love.
I loved Charlotte’s character and growth throughout the novel. She is the middle sister and often feels ordinary in comparison to the other girls. She loves her older, popular sister and her younger, talented sister but feels she pales in comparison. It takes an apocalypse and being on her own for Charlotte to find herself.
Charlotte is strong and resilient, a determined person who survives against all odds. Deadly viruses, flesh-eating monsters, pirates, and more threaten her at every turn. Charlotte’s character goes through so much throughout the story, which helps her realize just how fierce she really is. Charlotte examines what it feels like to be ordinary compared to others and finds out how truly extraordinary she is.
Though the ending felt a bit rushed and some of the characters weren’t as dynamically developed as Charlotte, I enjoyed this stand-alone coming-of-age story with its immersive world and dynamic protagonist. I think it will appeal to readers who like young adult apocalyptic fiction. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Katherine Tegen Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
Charlotte is a well-developed and interesting protagonist.
Themes of family, feminism, and sisterly love.
The immersive world – great world-building!
Recommendations:
Readers who like YA apocalyptical fantasy with great characters and a fast-paced plot will enjoy Unchosen.
I was wondering about this book! Great review (:
Thanks so much! 🙂
Great review, Julie! I’ve seen this one a few times over the last week and my curiosity is piqued especially because that cover is stunning 😍 Too bad the other characters aren’t well developed but at least the MC undergoes some good growth! Nice to see it’s a standalone too (that in itself makes me keener to pick it up if I come across it in-store)!
The cover is what drew me to the story! So gorgeous!!
I love this sound of this book. I think I’ll be adding this to my tbr for definite as your review has relly grabbed my interest!
Nice! I hope you enjoy it when you get to it! 🙂
This is next on my TBR..I’m looking forward to reading it! Great review!
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂