The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

Brief synopsis (no spoilers): It’s graduation day for sixteen-year-old Malencia Vale, and the entire Five Lakes Colony (the former Great Lakes) is celebrating. All Cia can think about—hope for—is whether she’ll be chosen for The Testing, a United Commonwealth program that selects the best and brightest new graduates to become possible leaders of the slowly revitalizing post-war civilization. When Cia is chosen, her father finally tells her about his own nightmarish half-memories of The Testing. Armed with his dire warnings (”Cia, trust no one”), she bravely heads off to Tosu City, far away from friends and family, perhaps forever. Danger, romance—and sheer terror—await. (Amazon)

Category: YA dystopian

Why I chose this book: Looked good on a display

My personal opinion: I've figured out something about myself through reading so many dystopian novels. What I enjoy the most is learning why the society has come to this point and how they keep the people in their subjection. When the story doesn't give an explanation of those things I am left unsatisfied. I don't enjoy reading stories of teens being pitted against each other for a small amount of spots in either a treasured spot of society (Divergent) or for pure entertainment (Hunger Games). What I want to know is how did it all come about and why do the leaders use the methods that they do.

With the above being the case, I was disappointed with this book. There isn't much back story. We are told there was a seven stage war and that the ground/soil of the entire area was destroyed so it no longer grows plants well. We also know that those chosen for the testing are going to be the top leaders of the United Commonwealth, but we don't get any details about what that means. I also felt that the story was quite superficial and not thought out as well as it could have been. The author spent too much time on some things and then skimmed over things that could have been expounded upon. The warnings from Cia's father also feel out of place somehow. 

However, this book did leave me feeling more on edge than most "like-minded" novels I've read. The mutant humans were just creepy and the kid's attitude about killing other people just to weed out the competition really affected me. I do think I could get some answers to my above questions if I were to read the next books, but, I don't think I would pick up the next in the series because of how I felt while I was reading this one. 

Warnings:
Language: Half a dozen sprinkled throughout. 
Violence and death: There are many violent injuries and killings throughout the book. One minor character takes her own life by hanging, another gets shot in the eye with a nail. Cia (reluctantly) and her counterparts (not so reluctantly) kill their competitors during the events.

Movie rating equivalent: R for violence. 

Protagonist description: Cia is an intelligent, although not infallible. Her character was not as well developed as it could have been.  

Point of view of story: First person

Book length: Very quick, read in three days. 

Story flow: Fluid.

Grammar and spelling issues: None

Character connection: None

For series:

Independent or integral: Independent as first in a trilogy 

Series review as a whole: I don't plan on reading the rest. 

If you only have time for one, read: Don't bother