YMMV / The Chosen (1997)

• Common Knowledge: Quite a few readers get confused over Rashel's relationship with Timmy, her Childhood Friend who goes missing at the beginning of the novel. A lot of people assume he's her brother, which is understandable given they're both described as having black hair, they're both attending the carnival for Rashel's birthday party with no other adults besides Rashel's mother, and they have a close friendship (Rashel in particular is protective of him). However, it can be assumed that Timmy is actually just Rashel's best friend, as he's never once stated or otherwise implied to be her brother.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: Daphne compares Rashel to Buffy Summers, referencing the 1992 movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Rashel doesn't understand the reference and besides being a teenager who fights vampires, she doesn't appear to resemble Buffy that much. However, Rashel soon goes on to have a Monster/Slayer Romance with a vampire; a month after The Chosen was published, the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired, which also saw Buffy having a romance with a vampire. Maybe Daphne was onto something after all...
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character: With the exception of Nyala, the Lancers are only relevant to the plot in the first act and then all but disappear from the story. It seems a shame they don't get more focus or a bigger role in the story, given the amount of depth some of the members received and them being the closest thing to friends Rashel has. They're also one of the few prominent groups of humans who are aware of the Night World (most human characters in the series start out ignorant of the Night World).

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