Introduction

Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she’d spent a lifetime preparing for—her Choosing ceremony—to end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she’ll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it’s her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.

But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. Though the whispers contradict everything she’s been told, they resonate deep within.

Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she’s always dreamed of, yet she can’t shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.

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Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Carrington felt as though she'd collided with a moving train.

The room around her echoed with sweet laughter and flirtation. Handsome men softly led blushing young ladies around the dance floor while other girls looked on from corners, smiling with gleeful exuberance, all of them too consumed with their personal victories to notice the dread filling Carrington's face. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. In the very first chapter, the day that Carrington Hale has prepared for her entire life goes exactly the opposite of the way she imagined. Has anything like that ever happened to you, for better or for worse? How did you handle it?
2. The Choosing is a dystopian novel. What is it about dystopian fiction that most intrigues you?
3. Did you notice any elements of Carrington’s futuristic society that reminded you of twenty-first-century life? What would be the most challenging aspect of Carrington’s world for you, if you lived there?
4. In chapter 7, Carrington dreams of her mother telling her, “I’ve heard stories of a time when the Choosing didn’t exist. Everyone chose for themselves. People were joined and then ended their commitments. . . . People in committed relationships were unfaithful; people fought over one another. . . . Society lacked peace, and the people were full of jealousy and hate.” Do you think Vena accurately describes today’s society? If so, what might be the source of these issues, and how can our society—or our churches—better address them? The Authority believes the solution lies in the Choosing Ceremony. Are they right?
5. One of the main themes of this novel is the source of our worth and value. What determines a person’s worth, according to the Authority? According to Aaron, the prophetic voice in the story? According to modern American culture? According to Scripture?
6. Truth Six teaches girls that “not to be chosen would yield a cruel fate of [their] own making.” But if we are followers of Christ, God sees us as blameless, worthy, and completely forgiven. Why is it often difficult for people to accept this reality? Read Romans 8:1-4. How would your life look different if you truly understood that, in Christ, you are free from condemnation?
7. Can you think of a time in your life when you weren’t “chosen” (professionally, academically, romantically, etc.)? Looking back, are there ways you wish you would have dealt with the situation differently? What would you say to a friend or family member who feels like he/she wasn’t chosen?
8. The Authority’s holy book—the Veritas—sounds a lot like the Bible in many ways. But how does it differ from Scripture? For example, compare Romans 13:1-2 with this quotation from the Veritas: “Let every citizen be subject to the Authority. For there is no true authority except from God, and those who have been appointed have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the Authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” How can you avoid misinterpreting or misapplying Scripture in your own life? How can you discern when a teacher of Scripture is wrongly representing it for his/her own purposes?
9. Though some members object, eventually the Authority agrees to execute Arianna Carson. Why is she so dangerous to them? Why do you think her father, President Ian Carson, doesn’t protest more strongly? What’s your opinion of Arianna’s character and her influence on Carrington?
10. Compare and contrast the characters of Aaron and Isaac. What is similar or different in their methods of leadership? Their views of God? Their interactions with others?
11. Vena’s treatment of Carrington seems to change depending on circumstances—when Carrington isn’t chosen, Vena turns her back; when Carrington is selected by Isaac, Vena shows her favor again. Do you think Vena truly loves Carrington? What motivates Vena’s actions? Do any relationships in your life feel like this? How can you avoid letting the judgments of others affect your self-worth? How can you keep from treating others this way?
12. What lies ahead for Carrington and Remko? What struggles and triumphs might they face in book two of this series?

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