The Testing (The Testing, #1)

by Joelle Charbonneau

[shannonmiz]

I have mixed feelings about this book. Really, I don't recall the last time a book left me so divided on my opinions, so I may as well just get down to the business of explaining. I will start with the bad first, because I really hate saying bad things about books.

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.