Ten years after she and her team defeated the Dark One, a man capable of mass destruction using what citizens of Earth can only describe as “magic”, Sloane Andrews has not moved on. She faces crippling PTSD daily and feels dejected over the state of her current life, despite being an international celebrity. She also despises magic and the weapon-related advancements the government is using it to pursue. This is why she should not have been pulled into another dimension along with two of the other “Chosen Ones” responsible for the death of the Dark One. In this alternate version of Earth, magic is widespread and used for even everyday tasks. Unfortunately for Sloane, the worst part of this dimension is not its magic, but the fact that it, too, has its own “Dark One” that needs to be fought and Sloane and the other Chosen Ones are expected to do it, despite the fact that Sloane has been completely misled in regards to his identity.

Although the plot could be slow moving for large portions of the book, it was almost impossible to put down as the climax approached. Much frustration was also caused by the perpetual feeling that there was another book I was supposed to have read prior to this one. Despite this, Chosen Ones has many engrossing attributes, one of them being the author’s way of integrating both reality and the supernormal and allowing them to coexist. This element makes up for the presence of underdeveloped characters, including the other Chosen Ones, and many cliché components. However, the explanation of the existence of other dimensions is very well thought out and the idea of magic use tied to Earthen government conflicts is very fascinating. It is also refreshing to see, through Sloane’s difficulties, that the aftermath of a hero’s victory is often just as difficult as the battle itself.

This novel is a recommended read for any fans of Veronica Roth’s other books such as the Divergent trilogy and Carve the Mark duology. Some other similar books are The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima and Renegades by Marissa Meyer.