The Testing

I keep hearing people say that they're becoming burnt out on the dystopian genre... Well, let me tell you, Joelle Charbonneau's The Testing might just rekindle your love of the genre.

The Testing has been pitched as a must read for Hunger Games fans and does feel very similar... even the cover shares the same simplicity and a similar focal concept sure to catch the eye of HG fans. But I assure you, The Testing is not The Hunger Games. Charbonneau introduces readers to an entirely new dystopian society that, at least initially, feels quite safe, but turns out to have a much darker, sinister side than our heroine ever imagined.

The novel follows Cia, a mechanically gifted girl who has been chosen to participate in The Testing, which is a show more means of determining which individuals from various parts of the United Commonwealth will be able to continue their education at university and eventually become an important leader. Only a very small number of individuals are selected to compete in The Testing and most individuals know they will never be chosen, even if they dream of the honor. Cia hopes to be selected, like her father once was, but knows her chances are slim. When she learns that she, and three others from her district have earned a spot in the competition, she's amazed and incredibly proud - and is confused as to why her parents seem less than excited. Before she leaves for the capital, her father takes her aside and shares one of his deepest fears: that the testing is not the dream that it seems. He reveals to her that, while participants minds are wiped after they've completed the testing, he's been left with terrifying nightmares that he fears may be lingering memories rather than products of an overactive imagination. With this knowledge now lodged in her mind, Cia leaves for The Testing, anxious and guarded. She soon learns that her father was correct to fear The Testing and that she'll need to use everything in her to survive.

There is a romantic plot line within The Testing and, while it does contribute to the story, especially when considering the complications a romance can cause when an individual is unsure who can be trusted, it isn't the main focus of the novel. That is to say, this is not a love story, though it does contain one. In this way, it is much like The Hunger Games.

Some may wonder how like Cia is to THG's Katniss. While both heroines are strong and capable of taking care of themselves, Cia, in my opinion, is definitely more motivated by emotion than Katniss and is more naturally trusting and sympathetic. It always seemed to me that Katniss wasn't above manipulating or using others for her own gain when she knew they were emotionally attached to her (for example, Peeta); Cia, on the other hand, is more likely to be the one manipulated, not because she's weak, but because she feels deeply for others. There was never any point where I felt she was weak or unintelligent, though she does have weaknesses.

For the most part, The Testing had really great pacing and twists. Although, it did take me perhaps 50 pages or so to be completely hooked. It is around this point that Cia has reached the capital and has begun the testing... and then all hell breaks loose!

Whether you're a Hunger Games fan, a dystopian junkie, or just looking for a great, action packed read, The Testing is for you. Do not miss this book! show less

Veel reviewers vergelijken dystopische YA verhalen van na The Hunger Games vaak als een rip-off of een kopie daarvan. Dat is niet altijd eerlijk, want naar mijn mening is dit een origineel en misschien wel een beter verhaal geworden. Wie weet, de tijd zal het leren.

Door nucleaire fall-out, chemische oorlogvoering en de daarop volgende natuurrampen, is de wereld veranderd in een giftige en troosteloos woestijnlandschap. Mensen, planten- en dierenleven zijn gemuteerd. Hele steden zijn vernietigd.

Het verhaal draait om Cia, een meisje van 16 uit de kolonie Vijf Meren. Zij is erg slim en gepassioneerd over wetenschap en kennis en heeft altijd mee willen doen aan De Test, waarin een aantal schoolverlaters uit de diverse districten koloniën show more door moeten om een kans te maken op een plek op de universiteit.
Net op het moment dat zij denkt niet te worden gekozen krijgt zij te horen dat ze gekwalificeerd als een kandidaat. Al de volgende dag vertrekt zij met nog twee andere kandidaten naar de hoofdstad. Ze kon niet weten dat de vervulling van haar wens de grootste bedreiging voor haar is. Haar vader heeft 30 jaar eerder ook meegedaan aan de Test, en waarschuwt haar om niemand te vertrouwen. Ook al heeft hij geen herinneringen meer aan de Test, toch werd hij lange tijd achtervolgd door nachtmerries.

Het verhaal begint een beetje traag, maar neemt na een paar hoofdstukken (tegen de tijd dat ze bij het Testcentrum zijn) flink toe. Langzamerhand wordt je steeds verder het verhaal ingetrokken. Als Cia de testen goed doorstaat is ze zeker van een plek op de universiteit. Het probleem, foute antwoorden worden gestraft met pijn, verminkingen en soms met… de dood. Met minder dan 20 procent kans op zo'n plek zijn sommige kandidaten bereid tot alles.
De eerste fase van de Test was nog relatief simpel, binnen 4 uur diverse schriftelijke examens over verschillende onderwerpen.
De tweede fase is veel erger. Hier worden de kandidaten ergens gedropt en moeten proberen terug te keren naar het Testcentrum. Een afstand van zo'n 1.100 kilometer, dwars door de wildernis, uitgestorven steden en meer. Niet alleen moeten zij uitkijken voor gevaren van mutanten en door Testers geplaatste vallen, maar ook voor andere kandidaten die elkaar proberen te doden om zelf een betere kans te hebben.

Het verhaal had voldoende actie, liep vlot door en haperde nergens. Er was genoeg dat op het pad van Cia en Thomas (een schoolvriend uit de Vijf Meren kolonie) kwam. Er was wat romantiek tussen de twee maar nergens overdadig.

De personages waren allemaal goed uitgewerkt, de wereldopbouw was fantastisch.

Al met al kan ik dit boek zeker aanraden en ben benieuwd naar het vervolg. show less

In the Unified Commonwealth, the Testing is an important rite of passage for any intelligent new graduate hoping to attend the university. It is the process by which the Commonwealth identifies new leaders in all fields and essential to promote the continued survival of the country in its ongoing transformation. To Cia, whose father is a graduate of the university and a respected community leader, following in her father's footsteps is all she has ever wanted, and being selected for the Testing process is a dream come true. Even the doubts raised by her father's warnings fail to curb her enthusiasm for the experience. That is, until certain things happen during the testing process that raise moral and ethical dilemmas and leave Cia show more conflicted between what she has always known and what she observes. In this game of high rewards and even higher stakes, Cia must decide whether to trust her instincts or her experiences. To fail to do either could mean her life.

While comparisons to stories like The Hunger Games and Divergent are inevitable, there is a decided lack of “us versus them” that defines those previous dystopian novels. Indeed, this is what sets Joelle Charbonneau's The Testing apart from them. In fact, while the entire country is recovering from wars and terrible natural catastrophes, there are none of the hallmarks of a true dystopian society. People are poor but happy. There is no obvious repression or cult-like following. Questions raised are answered. Those who chose not to join the new post-war government are not forced to do so and are left alone. Things are not perfect, but no society ever really is. Even Cia understands that and enters into The Testing with eyes wide open. By all accounts, it is a fully-functioning government that is still working through some issues but genuinely has the citizens’ best interest at heart.

Of course, that does not mean that things are what they seem. The Testing process, as Cia soon discovers, is brutal, made more so by the lack of direct involvement by the examiners when danger is present. To subjugate sixteen-year-olds to such life-or-death scenarios could be construed as a form of torture. However, considering the Testing is specifically designed to weed out those who would make poor leaders creates a scenario in which the ends might really justify the means. This very large gray area is one of the best things about The Testing for the very reason that all of the potentially dubious actions on the part of the examiners are so easy to defend. It might be harsh, unfair, and extremely dangerous, but it does get the results required to help rebuild the country. Cia’s father went through the same program and thrived, after all, so it cannot be a truly horrible experience. The fact that there is nothing obviously sinister and underhanded about the government officials in Tosu City adds to a reader’s overall uncertainty and a general feeling of discomfort that are the trademarks of this particular genre.

Ms. Charbonneau has wisely stepped away from the ubiquitous romantic element, and the story is much stronger for it. Gone is the tired love triangle, and the proceedings of the various tests take precedence over any potential relationships. When romance does blossom, it does so naturally without much of the rhapsodizing that tends to occur. They might dawdle over the test but they never lose sight of the end goal, so while they take the time to kiss and talk, the story still progresses. The pairing works well, but much like the testing process itself, one cannot help but feel that there is something about the romance that is not right, as if the two lovebirds are being manipulated for some as yet unknown reason. Again, there is nothing obvious that would indicate that this is true, and yet the feeling persists.

The Testing is a big change for Ms. Charbonneau, but she manages the dramatic shift in genre and audience with aplomb. Her story line is exciting and has enough twists and turns to distinguish it from other popular dystopian novels. Cia is spirited, making for some exciting scenes, but she also loves the Commonwealth and is proud of everything that it has accomplished to date. This loyalty to her country is unusual in such novels and adds a different dynamic to the overall story - one in which the bad guy is not obvious and could very easily be nothing but the reader's imagination. This doubt certainly increases the suspense but also makes potential plots for future novels quite intriguing. There is no cliffhanger ending, other than a reader's ongoing confusion about the story's villain, but that is enough to pique a reader's interest. In all, it is a strong addition to the YA category and a fascinating twist of the dystopian genre. show less

I really like this book, this is the third time I've read it. I love books with competitions, especially deadly ones. It gives the story excitement and tension. Cia is so smart and resourceful. Watching her move through the tests and outsmarting her ruthless competitors was a lot of fun. The tests were intense and definitely not something I could have passed. I also liked how Cia treated her companions, Tomas, Will, and the others. Even when people decided to sabotage and even kill, Cia kept her moral compass and used her abilities and her friends to pass. The audio was really good and the narrator did a good job of making you feel like you were there.

It’s not the plot that makes this book great. This is standard dystopian fare—teens living under evil regime must compete in a contest where only some will come out alive, &c. It’s just really tight and well-written and fun. A total page turner.

For every Dystopia book that’s been published since The Hunger Games, I don’t think any have been as reminiscent of Katniss’ story as The Testing. Upfront, there is very little original about this story. And yet, despite the similarities(which I know it’s a popular thing to do in regards to Dystopias, but really can’t be helped in this case), The Testing is one of the few that really deliver a world that’s as horrifying and chilling as Panem(though perhaps not as well laid-out).

Cia is not the most engaging main character, especially at first, but by the middle of this book I could follow her story well enough. At the end of book 1, I’m not quite sure why she’s the narrator of this trilogy, because she hasn’t done show more anything to stand out from other characters so far. She’s survived The Testing, but so did other candidates. This isn’t really a criticism, because there are hints that her story may be going somewhere really interesting in future books, but it’s definitely an observation to consider. If you read mainly for characterization, I don’t think this may be the right book.

That being said, I did really enjoy The Testing. The world-building was fairly solid, and I thought Charbonneau did a really good job of incorporating information into the book without making it too info-dumpy. I still have a few questions about the institution of The Testing, but there are hints those things will come to light in the future so I’m all right with waiting for now. I felt by the end of the book I had a pretty firm handle on how this world worked.

The atmosphere of The Testing was chilly and horrifying. There was one scene in particular(won’t say for fear of spoilers), where I realized that The Testing was not a book that was playing at being a Dystopia. This was not a book that had a single death perfectly in place to scare readers just enough before getting back to the action(or more likely, romance). This was the kind of book where horrible things happen simply because the government wants them to. The safety of the characters was NEVER guaranteed. Candidates turned on one another and did awful things. Cia had to confront her own ability to do similar things all for the sake of survival. Cia nor any of the other candidates got off easy when it came to issues of survival and morality.

It was at this point in the book, when I realized The Testing was serious as a Dystopia, that I became invested in it as a reader. So while Cia’s characterization felt a little flat and it wasn’t the most original book, it IS a book I can get behind in this genre. It might not offer anything original, but I think in some ways it’s going back to the basics, and I’m okay with that.

Final Impression: The Testing is by no means flawless, and I can see a lot of people looking at it as a rip-off of The Hunger Games. And while I see that, The Testing did for me as a reader what few Dystopias have done recently: made me terrified of the society. There may be tried-and-true plot elements here, but in this case, they work on really bringing The Testing back to basic Dystopia level and telling an intriguing and often horrifying story. show less

The Good: I loved The Testing. It hit a lot of the marks for me in terms of what draws me into a book. A dystopian world, a boarding school-esque setting, a reality show competition feel (even if that wasn't the exact situation going on in this case), etc. There is a lot of mystery to continue on here, especially in relation to what the true evil is here. It's implied that this is a dystopian system/society and you see how the testing itself works, but much is left unexplained as to why this particular system is utilized. I was absolutely glued to the pages of this book and cannot wait until the sequel is released.

The Bad: Nothing at all. I loved everything about The Testing.