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A review by frootjoos
The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
4.0
Posted at http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/2013/06/the-testing-review.html
You won't be able to help but think about The Hunger Games and constantly compare The Testing against it as you read, assuming you are one of the millions of people who have read the book and/or seen the movie. This really worried me as I scanned the first few pages. Could this new novel even hold a candle to Suzanne Collins's heart-wrenching runaway hit?
There are a few notable differences between the two series which I appreciate very much. As brutal as the tests may get, there is an inherent hopefulness in The Testing, brought forth by Cia's loving upbringing and her desire to help others despite her father's whispered warnings. Indeed, the secondary characters are complex--revealing new facets at every turn and sure to provoke conversation about heroes, villains, and the gray area in between that most humans occupy. Finally, and most important of all, the parts of this trilogy are spaced six months apart. No more waiting years to finish a series--we'll get it all in one, this time!
Though Charbonneau drags her heroine feet-first through Mary Sue territory, Cia can still give The Girl on Fire a run for her money. She's likable and tough, practical and smart. There's no love triangle, unless you can count the niggling feeling that clever, handsome Tomas isn't all he seems to be. I'm not sure whether it's the straightforward language or Cia's level-headedness which stops this book from being too maudlin. Something utilitarian about this book's tone stops me just short of tears; that, I'd have to say, is its biggest weakness.
You won't be able to help but think about The Hunger Games and constantly compare The Testing against it as you read, assuming you are one of the millions of people who have read the book and/or seen the movie. This really worried me as I scanned the first few pages. Could this new novel even hold a candle to Suzanne Collins's heart-wrenching runaway hit?
There are a few notable differences between the two series which I appreciate very much. As brutal as the tests may get, there is an inherent hopefulness in The Testing, brought forth by Cia's loving upbringing and her desire to help others despite her father's whispered warnings. Indeed, the secondary characters are complex--revealing new facets at every turn and sure to provoke conversation about heroes, villains, and the gray area in between that most humans occupy. Finally, and most important of all, the parts of this trilogy are spaced six months apart. No more waiting years to finish a series--we'll get it all in one, this time!
Though Charbonneau drags her heroine feet-first through Mary Sue territory, Cia can still give The Girl on Fire a run for her money. She's likable and tough, practical and smart. There's no love triangle, unless you can count the niggling feeling that clever, handsome Tomas isn't all he seems to be. I'm not sure whether it's the straightforward language or Cia's level-headedness which stops this book from being too maudlin. Something utilitarian about this book's tone stops me just short of tears; that, I'd have to say, is its biggest weakness.