Title: The Testing
Author: Joelle Charbonneau
Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Pages: 336
Age Rating: Readers above the age of 12 due to disturbing violence
My Opinion: 9/10
Hi, Readers!
Are you a fan of futuristic series such as The Hunger Games trilogy and The Maze Runner, filled with action and excitement? If so, The Testing, by Joelle Charbonneau, is the perfect book for you. This page turner has thrilling plot twists on every page. By the end of the novel, I was practically begging for the sequel to come out.
Cia Vale lives with her family in a small colony comprised of survivors from the world's Seven Stages War. When she graduates from school, she is selected, along with three other classmates, to participate in The Testing, a governmental search for the nation's future leaders. She is initially excited to continue her education until her father warns her of The Testing's potential dangers. When she boards the skimmer to take her to The Testing, she is warned to trust no one. As soon as she arrives, she is required to participate in four rounds of intense testing, facing brutal competition and sabotage from 107 other students. Cia realizes that she is no longer competing only to become a future leader, but for her life and memories. Will she make it through The Testing alive?
 |
| Cia has to complete four rounds of testing. |
Although The Testing has a slow beginning, it really picks up the pace as soon as Cia arrives in Tosu City in order to compete with the other students. One of the most prominent themes in the novel is trust. As soon as Cia leaves home, she tries her best to heed her father's advice: "Trust no one." However, she makes friends with a group of misfits after carefully analyzing their behavior. Cia discovers both the positive and the negative impacts that her trust has on her test results.
 |
| Independent Study, sequel to The Testing |
I love that Cia is such a strong female character. Throughout the novel, she is the one who saves the boy, instead of the other way around. Cia finds a great group of friends and fiercely strives to protect them at all costs by using intelligence and resourcefulness. She is a solid role model for all teenagers and never stops in the face of adversity.
Clearly, I am looking forward to the release of The Testing's sequel, Independent Study, coming out this fall. *Spoiler Alert*, Cia survives, but is drastically changed and now attends The University. This series could easily be made into a blockbuster movie franchise, and it attracts all audiences. Make sure you pick up a copy of The Testing.
Enjoy a good book,
I haven't heard of this book but it sounds intense! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete