Official Review: The Chosen Ones by Dia Lynne Cardo

[Supergirl1]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Chosen Ones" by Dia Lynne Cardo.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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The Chosen Ones is a 278-paged historical fiction novel by Dia Lynne Cardo. The story is based on the Native American people and their ancient culture and religion, and their struggles with the Caucasians.

Coyote Hunter has grown weary of her white husband’s mistreatment. She has made up her mind to take her newborn baby and return to her people, the Apaches. But events take a sad turn when her husband chases after her, and she ends up killing him in the ensuing fight. Murdering one’s husband is a sacrilege among the Apaches, and Coyote Hunter could never have imagined the far-reaching effects her actions would have; for herself and for her people.

I want to start by saying I love the way the Native American culture is portrayed in this book. It takes you on a journey back in time to when the natives hunted buffalo and lived as tribes. Each tribe had a great chief and a medicine man who was integral to the tribe’s spiritual life. The natives only hunted to fill their needs, and never for sport. They also had an unshakable belief in the guidance of the Great Spirit.

Some of the characters in this story are well-developed, while some aren’t quite so. For example, one is able to follow characters like Coyote Hunter, Bold Feather, and Great Chief Shining Star; just to mention a few. But other characters like Storm Bear and Black Kettle just seem to spring up at the reader, seemingly out of nowhere, and fade away just as quickly.

One other thing I found disconcerting was the pacing. At the beginning of the story, I found it easy to follow Coyote Hunter’s story. However, as soon as she becomes a member of the Black Hills tribe, the rest of the story feels rushed, as though someone clicked the forward button. It felt like the author was trying to cram a long story into a short book. I think I would have preferred the longer version. More details would have made for a more interesting read.

I still recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, and to everyone who would love to learn a thing or two about the Native American culture. I rate The Chosen Ones 2 out of 4 stars. This novel appears to have been professionally edited, and I only found one error in the whole book.

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The Chosen Ones
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[maggi3]

The premise of this story sounds interesting. I would be tempted to pick it up if not for the rushed plot, as I would like to learn about Native American culture. I don’t know if this book is for me, but thanks for the review!

[Bluebird03]

I would love to learn more about the Native American culture, but the pace of the story and the character development appear to leave a lot to be desired. Thank you for a great review!

[Meg98]

Sounds like a very promising book; but the effect of rushing is disappointing. Native American culture is so interesting, and I would love to learn more about it. However, this story's narrative/plot seems to not have been written as well as it could have, so I think I will pass. Thank you for your excellent review! Well done...

[Nisha Ward]

Pacing is often everything that can break a story, so I'm sorry it didn't work out so well here. With that being said, I might still check it out based on your description.

[DogoMulla]

It's good that the book was exceptionally edited, but the story matters too. I have read historical books before, they can be interesting, but that doesn't seem to be the case with this one. Thank you for your review.

[damzzy]

I want to know more on the Native American culture, but the pace of the story and the character development appear to leave a lot of interest in reading it. Thank you for a wonderful review!

[Prisallen]

It does sound like an interesting way to learn more about the Native American people. It's too bad about the rushed ending and the not-so-good character development. Thanks for a wonderful review!

[kdstrack]

I really enjoyed your synopsis of the book. The consequences of Coyote Hunter's actions sound intriguing and I am interested in reading about them. I enjoyed your review. Thanks.

[allbooked+]

My favorite genre is historical fiction and I enjoy reading about Native Americans - I might give this one a try even though it becomes rushed. Enjoyed your review!

[Chrystal Oaks]

It has been awhile since I have read a Native American culture historical fiction. The premise of the story, even with the rushed-feeling toward the end and unexpected characters, is intriguing. I enjoyed reading your review. Thanks!