Since Cia may think she dreams of participating in the test, if it is done with school, just as it once did her father. Seldom graduates are selected for testing and it is considered a special honor to take the test, because only then you have the chance to go to university and the sick and dying country United Commonwealth calls itself, with his knowledge rebuild to help. Almost expects Cia not more so, to have been chosen for the test, but eventually they, too, is one of the four lucky young people from their colony, which shall set out for the capital Tulsa. The day before her departure, her father reported from memory lapses and terrible nightmares and gives her a final warning on the way: Trust no one! And shortly after the test has begun will Cia the meaning of these words clearly, because she realizes that it is about life and death ...
My Opinion
Even before I read the book I knew I would be here certainly did not expect the most innovative of all dystopias. The blurb sounded to me very much like a mix of The Hunger Games and Divergent and as I found out later, I was right. Right away, I can say that The Testing certainly was not a bad book. Still, it had some teething problems and crutches, which is why it then could not completely tear off the stool me. It could also be that a review, two small spoiler contains.
The world lives in the Cia is not to compare with our. The United States no longer exist, instead, is the United Commonwealth and is a composite of many different colonies with different levels of population figures. Cia comes from the colony Five Lake, which is one of the smallest and it is, together with the other three of their grade level, the first of the colony, which may take the test. The idea, which is why North America and probably the rest of the world is in ruins, I found very good and innovative. That people who instigated the wars and contributed to the destruction of that but at the same time the nature itself is reason for major changes. There are repeatedly delivered guidance on how it could come to the war that plunged the world into chaos, but everything undergoes not one. I am excited about what is yet to come to light in the next volumes.
The first half of the book appealed to me ever better than the second half definitely. The idea with the first three tests that are required to complete Cia and the other volunteers, has pleased me well. Since the author has also proved quite an imagination. I thought that was arriving at the testing center, the meeting of the second and the third test of particular interest of the participants and especially and had fun reading these scenes. While it realized quite early that everything will go towards The Hunger Games and Divergent - a selected group has to complete tasks and survive, but before the actual fourth test begins again courted with special delicacies, there are surveillance everywhere and you young people deliberately pressured in order to select further - but still the book could occasionally trump with their own ideas. Of course, there are participants from District 12, I mean the Five Lake total outsider.
When it comes to the fourth and final test slips the book but for me quite off, because it really is very similar to The Hunger Games. Or from me also Battle Royale, which is the first book so that the concept uses that a group of young people is somewhere into the wild and they have to come to a destination, by all means they deem correct. So it is allowed to kill other test candidates. Basically, there are during the fourth test only a few rules: you must start to take only a certain number of objects (has been the scene reminded me of the cornucopia of The Hunger Games) and you are allowed the fenced area where takes place the test , do not leave. The rest is "up to you" how to say so beautiful. Candidates are free completely, as they reach their destination. That some take this opportunity literally and begin to hunt other participants and to kill is probably the most logical conclusion. Because with just twenty seats offered by the University and fifty-eight participants who begin the fourth test, you want to so little competition have as necessary. In addition, Cia allied with Tomas, who as she also comes from Five Lake, saves his life several times, heals him when he is wounded and falls in love with him.
The similarity to other dystopias would certainly not me so disturbed, if not the characters would have been. Above all, Cia, the protagonist. Immediately she is "special". Michal, an employee of the Testingkommitees has become directly aware of them and generally it receives from all sides very much attention. I would have perhaps found better when Michal would only did you become aware in the course of the tests on them because they all solve the problems so confidently. Cia is also totally clever and technically gifted and everything. It is a real "miracle girl" and it can seem everything better than anyone else. In addition, always pointed out by all sides that Cia makes everything better and makes things that no one else can ... And from the second half of the book could be named simply by the exchange of Katniss and you would not notice any difference , Cia is Katniss. It's cool, suspicious, rational, always believes that everything is just a trap, can total well survive in the wild, because they know how to hunt and can set traps and what to look for anything if you days and nights in enemy territory spends. She is also a bit inconsistent, because when her father says that she should not trust anyone, she runs Felt five minutes later to Tomas and told him everything ... Even Tomas is such a thing in itself. To quickly he develops into the love interest. Although it is said that the two of them know each other for years, but at the beginning of the talk somehow not together, and then suddenly, when they go to test germinating feelings. I was the whole time not really understand what both see each other. Otherwise Tomas remains fairly pale, until the fourth Test he gets a little color and I thought from the beginning that there certainly is something that he is not as he gives himself. And I was right. In almost all the major characters, I was right. Whether it was Michal, or Will, who is also a candidate, as well as Brick. Somehow you could immediately recognize that it's not all what the characters have shown in the first half easily.
Also with regard to the end I had my suspicions that have nearly all confirmed. One can already imagine quite well what tantamount everything and the consequences will have everything. Above all, the question remains: what about Tomas (who has read the book will know what I mean.)? I can still say that the language in the book is very simple, as you experienced everything from the perspective of Cia and the events are described in first-person perspective. Since Cia is a very rational person, the sets are therefore also kept quite simple. For English beginners, the book therefore is very well suited.
Conclusion
All in all it is an acceptable Testing The dystopia that can be read loosely-fuzzy down and certainly entertain some places and captivate white. Some ideas that attaches the author, really imaginative and innovative, but it uses just as obvious and too much from other books. When The Hunger Games and Divergent not now knows, one experiences with The Testing certainly a great and exciting dystopia, even if the characters are quite still expandable and the author would have put more of surprise, because so far she writes too predictable. I forgive finally almost three star.
