The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

In a ripped-from-the-headlines teen thriller, young Kyra has just been chosen to be the seventh wife of her much older uncle who is an apostle in their polygamous cult. Her family (one father, three mothers, 20 siblings) reacts in horror, even though Prophet Child's tells them that this is a great honor and cause for celebration.

The emotional punch that this book packs is far beyond the ability of most middle schoolers to process, though they are the book's recommended audience. The physical violence and implied rape that is to come on Kyra's wedding night were difficult for me to stomach as an adult reader. I also worry that young readers will jump to the conclusion that this is what it was like at the Texas polygamist compound raided in 2008. While this may or may not be the case, younger readers would lack the background knowledge and critical thinking skills to separate speculation from reality in such an emotionally powerful story.

The book's main strength is its characters. Kyra's character will ring true to teen and adult readers as she discovers the outside world through books and weighs the decision that will place either her own safety or that of her family in jeopardy. What kept me going through this book was a need to know what would happen to her. Even minor characters, such as the driver of the library-on-wheels, have a depth not usually found in YA novels.

No doubt, this is a compelling and well-written story. Minor flaws such as Kyra's ability to turn on a cell phone, make a call, and use the phone's display to light her way stretch the bounds of plausibility, but the strength of the writing overcomes them. In spite of its quality, I will not be purchasing this for my middle school library. I do expect I'll have requests for it from my students, but I would recommend The Chosen One only for more mature teen readers.

A discussion guide is available from the publisher.