ktshpd
Written on Feb 26, 2019
It’s graduation day for sixteen-year-old Malencia Vale, and the entire Five Lakes Colony (the former Great Lakes) is celebrating. All Cia can think about—hope for—is whether she’ll be chosen for The Testing, a United Commonwealth program that selects the best and brightest new graduates to become possible leaders of the slowly revitalizing post-war civilization. When Cia is chosen, her father finally tells her about his own nightmarish half-memories of The Testing. Armed with his dire warnings (”Cia, trust no one”), she bravely heads off to Tosu City, far away from friends and family, perhaps forever. Danger, romance—and sheer terror—await.
- ISBN10 0547959109
- ISBN13 9780547959108
- Publish Date 4 June 2013 (first published 1 January 2013)
- Publish Status Out of Stock
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Houghton Mifflin
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 352
- Language English
Reviews
readingwithwrin
Written on Jun 13, 2015
Overall while I did really enjoy this book I also had a lot of problems with it and didn't really get into it until the last 60 pages. I just kept seeing so many similarities to the divergent trilogy that it made me not enjoy this as much as I could have.
When Cia graduates from school at the age of 16 she has no idea what she is going to do with the rest of her life, Until she gets chosen along with four other students to be tested for the University and potential future leaders of the commonwealth. While she is thrilled with this her father (was a part of the testing and went to university and is now a part of revitalizing plants) is not and warns her to trust no one and to only eat the food from the cafeteria. While she does take her fathers advice for the most part she also decides to trust Tomas who, is from her colony.
Once we get to Tosu City, which is the capital and where the testing takes place. We start to learn more about Cia as a person and see what her values are and what she will and won't due to pass the tests to be able to go to University.
I loved Cia as a heroine she showed emotion, was extremely compassionate and wanted to do what was best for the world in her mind. Plus she was able to take charge when needed and realized when she did something wrong and felt bad about it. She also really cared about her best friend back home and made sure she had someone around that we be her friend since Cia was leaving.
As for Tomas while I did enjoy his character I never fully trusted him as much as Cia did (and for good reason) and I found his character at times to be pretty annoying since Cia was the one capable of keeping them alive out in the testing field.
I didn't enjoy their romance at all and it felt a little like well were gonna be partners so we might as well date.
For the rest of the characters in the book they were well thought and enough information was told about them so we knew who they were, but none of them really stuck out to me much.
While I did enjoy the setting of the final test I also found it such a big testing area that at times it was very confusing and slight unbelievable that these teenagers could make it across this devastated land in such a short amount of time with little to no sources of transportation.
I might continue on with this series at a later date, but as of right now it's not on my to read list.
See more like this on my blog
shannonmiz
Written on Dec 25, 2013
The Bad
1. "The Hunger Games" called. It wants its story back. The thing is, the plot isn't completely similar, but some of the details really are. And in fact, the details that are so strikingly similar didn't really have to be for the story to work. I don't want to get into spoilers at all, so I'll be vague, but there were parts where I seriously had to do a double-take and make sure that Cato wasn't going to come charging along in the woods followed by some tracker-jackers. At one point, I seriously put down the book, scratched my head, and wondered why an incident had to happen just like it did to Peeta. It wasn't necessary, and the same effect could have been achieved by tweaking the story. So why not do that? Trying to stick with the tried and true approach? I have no idea. But I am seriously hoping that the next book doesn't veer directly into "Catching Fire" territory, because the author will have lost me for sure. I read "The Hunger Games". I loved "The Hunger Games". I am obsessed with "The Hunger Games". I do not need a new "The Hunger Games".
2. Cia is perfect. And I don't mean that in a good way. Listen, I know most of the female protagonists in YA Dystopia are a little too good to be true. That's why it is fiction, I get it. But they all have some kind of flaws, some kind of issues where they need help, some kind of problem they cannot solve alone. But Cia is a one-woman MacGyver. Seriously, I was completely prepared for her to make a fighter jet out of a rusted out lawn chair and an abandoned pizza box. There were certain skills that it made sense for her to have based on her background and prior experiences, but how exactly did she become The Professor from "Gilligan's Island"? There is nothing that she can't fix, create, build, solve, or discover. She doesn't really act holier-than-thou, but just the fact that she can seem to do no wrong is a bit grating.
The Good
Here's the thing: Despite all of that, it works. I don't know how, it just does. Even though I was mad as hell sometimes, I could not put the damn book down. I stayed up far too late reading on to the next chapter, and pre-ordered the next two books immediately. I enjoyed the story, was interested in what would happen next, and the fates of pretty much every character. Plus, I am generally a sucker for YA Dystopians. There is just something about the book that drew me in, and continues to, as I am eagerly awaiting the release of Independent Testing.
Kelsenator
Written on Nov 28, 2013
Cia is a great and very smart character, and she uses this to her every advantage. I really liked her, and I also liked that any kind of romance mentioned was in the very background, so we didn't have to focus on that much, and just enjoy the actual story. I was getting really sick of Dystopians since they're so similar and boring lately, but I loved this one.
A great start to a series!
Kelly
Written on Jul 14, 2013
http://divainpyjamas.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/the-testing-by-joelle-joelle-charbonneau.html
The Testing is The Hunger Games, retold. Not an exact carbon copy, but a similar storyline, characters and fight to the death. It was well written, and I'm a fan of anything dystopian really, so I enjoyed it. It's basically a barren world with pockets of forced communities. After teens graduate, they have the opportunity to further their education, but only those selected for The Testing and pass will be able to attend. If you're chosen to be tested, there isn't any choice and you must attend. Failure to do so, results in being charged with treason and given the death penalty. Obey, and you need to fight for your life in a viscous game they disguise as a test of intelligence, wits and bravery.
The romance was terrible. I would have rated The Testing an extra star, if not for the forced relationship between Cia and Tomas. Michal the official, simply disappeared, but I wonder if he'll become of some importance in the second in the series.
Overall, if you loved The Hunger Games, you'll probably enjoy this. You'll at least be entertained. I'll definitely be continuing with the series.
Briana @ Pages Unbound
Written on Jul 14, 2013
The Testing has an interesting plot, solid pacing, and intelligent protagonists. If I had not already encountered this plot in several other YA dystopians, I probably would have loved the book. The opening scene is immediately reminiscent of a number of others novels. Featuring a teenage girl going to a graduation ceremony that will determine her future in her dystopian society, it evokes scenes from at least Delirium, Matched, and Divergent. Once Cia is chosen for the Testing, the plot is most similar to Divergent as Cia must pass a variety of tasks to move on in the completion. Finally, the plot mirrors that of The Hunger Games, as Cia and her fellow Testing candidates are dropped off in the wilderness to fend for themselves and kill their competition if necessary. The Testing, of course, puts some unique details on the plot, but the similarities to other YA books are so strong that the story barely seems worth reading for anyone who already has read many other dystopians, particularly Divergent and The Hunger Games.
Even the characters cannot set The Testing apart. Cia, in my opinion, is likeable and I was totally rooting for her. However, her defining characteristic is decency. While this is admirable, one of the many reasons I wanted her to succeed, and a large element in the plot and themes of the novel, it simply does not make Cia the most exciting female dystopian protagonist. Excitement, of course, is unnecessary for a book to be interesting or good, but its presence could really help a book already struggling to differentiate itself from every other book in its genre. The Testing’s attempt to be different from books like The Hunger Game by being a little more “quiet,” emphasizing that good leaders are good people and not just good killers, may actually lead it to become lost in the crowd rather than standing out in it.
Furthermore, beyond Cia’s intelligent and mature discussions of what the ideal Testing candidate (i.e. ideal future leader of her nation) should be like, Cia and her friends are not very dynamic. Everyone chosen for the Testing is smart, but their brilliance inevitably appears commonplace to the reader because no one is lacking in it. In this post-apocalyptic society, it is apparently normal for teenagers to engineer innovative irrigation systems, electrical systems, new plant life, etc. And although the Testing candidates are supposed to have a specialty, most of them appear to be good at everything, and no one is as good at everything as Cia. If she encounters a problem, she solves it in a heartbeat. It might take her time, say a day or two, to execute her idea, but that only involves the practical part of building her brilliant design. The design itself comes to her, unflawed, almost instantaneously, no matter the situation.
The dystopian government of the novel also has some flaws. After finishing the book, I am still asking myself why any of this had to happen at all. Why does the government want candidates to die during the Testing? As Cia observes repeatedly, the Testing committee could easily weed out the “weaklings” without having them actually die. Right now, I, and Cia, can only assume the Testing officials are sick and voyeuristic, but (as I mentioned in my review of Nerve), I never find this type of explanation satisfying.) I also wonder why the Resistance is interested in Cia. So far, nothing special about her has been revealed. Presumably it will be later in the series, but some hints should be dropped so readers do not spend the entirety of book one scratching their heads and thinking so many of the plot elements make so little sense.
The Testing is well-written and has a lot going for it thematically. Cia tackles head-on important questions about her society, what it means it be a good person and a good leader, and what her experience during the chilling stages of the Testing should mean to her and to others. Charbonneau is clearly a thoughtful writer who wants to provoke readers' minds and not just their emotions; she wants to inspire in addition to stimulate. Unfortunately, Charbonneau’s thoughtfulness is packaged in other writers’ plots. The book would probably be incredibly enjoyable to readers just discovering the dystopian genre, but avid fans of it will recognize they have read variations of this book before.
Bottom Line: I would read more of this author’s work, but I am not interested in this particular series.
anastasia
Written on Jul 6, 2013
Linda
Written on Apr 26, 2013
Very interesting, but tough book!
This and other reviews can also be found on my blog (un)Conventional Bokviews.
The Testing starts with Cia’s graduation, and the hope that she will be selected for the testing in the Commonwealth’s capital Tosu City. Several of Cia’s friens think she’ll be chosen, even if it has been a long time since any student from Five Lakes has been chosen.
inlibrisveritas
Written on Apr 15, 2013
I feel it is necessary to go ahead and get this particular part out of the way because I’m sure most are wondering. Yes, there are similarities to The Hunger Games. However even with that in mind i feel it is worth being recognized as its own story. It’s wonderfully written, the plot is one that held my attention and pulled me in, and the characters are worth investing in. I think if someone can put the similarities on the shelf they will find that it’s quite unique and far more detailed in all aspects.
Malencia Vale, our narrator, is a bright and resourceful sixteen year old. She has high hopes for her future but she is tested beyond anything she could have imagined and it forces her to become more. I really enjoyed Cia and while it was heartbreaking at times I enjoyed seeing her grow as a person in response to everything she faces. She’s strong and capable of seeing things others can’t, but she is also a caring and trusting person. The side characters also get just treatment and are slowly fleshed out as Cia gets to know them better over the course of the Testing. I love the fact that we only get to know what she knows, it really drives the suspense up and had me on the edge of my seat at times. There are still a lot of things I want to know about some of them though and I really hope we get to find out the answers to a few nagging questions in book two.
The few issues I had all revolved around what is and is not realistic, or at least in my personal opinion. However given that the writing is wonderful and that the world building is actually pretty good, I was more than willing to set that aside and enjoy the story for what it is. This turned out to be a solid YA debut for Charbonneau and I can definitely see this being a strong series as well. Even though the release date is a long way away I’m definitely looking forward to Independent Study, book two, to see how things fare with Cia and the others.
I received the book in exchange for an honest review.
Jordon
Written on Apr 15, 2013
I found the beginning hard to get into, it took too long for something to happen. The middle wasn't as exciting as I had hoped, I started to get into it when I suddenly got bored. I ended up skimming half of the middle and I felt like I didn't miss a thing. Cia practically rehashes the fourth test with in one paragraph in the end chapters which gave me the gist of events that had happened if I had missed it while skimming (I felt like I didn't miss a thing while skimming either, too many non essential descriptions or thoughts rather than action). The ending was the ending. I'm not too fussed with knowing what happens next.
I was kind of excited to get into this too. Oh well. Just not for me.