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

After the Snow

Young Adult Fiction

F/A  Crockett, S.D.  After the Snow.  Feiwel and Friends, 2012.  304p.  978-0-312-64169-6.  $16.99.

During the second ice age, Willo and his family live a secluded life in the middle of nowhere. One day when Willo returns home from hunting, his family is gone, presumed arrested. Willo must survive in the snowy wilderness by himself now. That is until he meets Mary, another abandoned child. Their travels lead them back to the big city where they go their separate ways. Willo meets an old man who helps him survive in the city and ultimately learn more about who he really is and where he needs to go. Most of the book is written in a weird dialect (Willo’s voice), which is pretty distracting. Plus Willo has a strange habit of talking to his inner “mad dog.” The novel turns from a survival story into a dystopian about halfway through and I think it would have been better solely as a survival story. Readers who enjoyed the Chaos Walking or Dust Lands series, will be disappointed in this similar read. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve