The Testing

Dystopian YA Fiction

VG/A  Charbonneau, Joelle.  The Testing.  Houghton Mifflin, 2013.  352p.  978-0547959108.  17.99.

In order to continue your education in the colonies, you must be selected for the Testing process. Although no one from Five Lakes Colony has been for many years, Cia Vale hopes to follow in her father’s footsteps and be selected. Lucky (or unlucky) for her, Cia and 3 of her classmates are all chosen. The Testing involves several levels, including a written exam, puzzle solving, teamwork and survival. Cia soon realizes why her father advised her not to trust anyone; there are very few rules for the participants and some students do not play nicely. Even though The Testing might be reminiscent of The Hunger Games, it’s original enough to stand on it’s own. Charbonneau does a fantastic job of building the world and providing back story without breaking from the current story. In the abundance of dystopian fiction out there, The Testing stands out.  Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve