The Testing
FlumeAward – The Testing The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
Cia has hopes of having done well enough at school to be chosen for the testing, but graduation comes and goes, once again, with nobody from her colony being chosen for the testing. And then the official show up, and she’s on her way, with her dad’s warnings of what the testing might involve filling her with foreboding.
This was yet another post-apocalyptic dystopian tale, but somehow it felt fresh to me. I cared about what had happened to Cia’s father, what was happening to Cia and her friends, and what it meant for the society in which they lived. I will definitely be reading more in this series, just to see how everything resolves itself. Good for fans of dystopian fiction, of any age or gender. Yes, there’s an element of romance, but nothing steamy to preclude younger readers from enjoying the story. I feel that this is a strong dystopian selection, and would recommend it for the final list (unless something better comes along after writing this!). -Kirsten Rundquist Corbett, Sandown Public Library. 2/11/16