CW: alcoholism, drug abuse, childhood sexual abuse, sexual abuse, rape, physical abuse, academic racism, poverty, hallucinations, schizophrenia, generational trauma (slavery)
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I've sat for maybe 30 minutes trying to work out how I feel after reading The Chosen One.

My main feeling is confusion but I'm not POC nor have I attended an Ivy League school - I'm in the UK and it is very clear there is a massive difference in higher education in the UK and US. I do truly wonder how that particular experience will transfer in understanding to readers outside America. There is also anger at how Echo's life experiences and expectations had left her drowning initially rather than flourishing. The Chosen One is a book that makes you think and feel so much at once that it's quite overwhelming.

Echo, along with her fellow Black students bond over being in the minority at Dartmouth but her fragility shows so often that when she falters, Echo is withdrawn and her experiences of stigmatism, being stereotyped and dismissed make her truly feel that she alone shouldn't be at the school. There are also examples of where the ignorance and privilege from the majority of students Echo encounters throw a dark shadow over the situation and Echo is reminded albeit inadvertently that she has fought for something that those around her have accepted as predetermined from birth.

The Chosen One is a story of overcoming adversities, both physical and emotional ones, and Echo along with her friends have already fought so much before even stepping into Dartmouth. I need to be clear again that there are mentions of situations that will be triggering from people and could cause extreme upset so please pay attention to the warnings I've placed at the beginning of my review.

The book is placed in the 14-17 years but I think it's better for the older reader, it would be perfect in a book club for teenagers to open discussions and understanding over many of the aspects within.