Joelle Charbonneau
June 4th, 2013
Houghton Miffin Books for Children
336 pages
Amazon/Book Depository/B&N
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?
The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.
Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.
But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.
I hate comparing anything to the Hunger Games, but this book holds a lot of the same elements, and scantrons. While no one is starving, there is a contest with mortal consequences in order to attend university. There is also a faction bent on usurping the one in place. Though, what role they play in everything has yet to be seen.
The character is supposed to be smart, but when the writing style is so inside someone's head, I always feel like the character is thinking for hours instead of probably the few seconds they really are. I had this problem with the Sword of Truth series, and I have it with this one. There is a thing as too introspective.
The two possible love interests are both deplorable in different ways. Not that the Cia technically remembers, as they wiped her memory. They're both liars and murderers. There is really not a good team to be on.
The book is very cookie cutter dystopian. Something I've been seeing a lot of lately. I'm still curious to see where the second book goes. There is a chance that it could surprise me.
P.S. Is there a map? My version didn't have one. I could totally have used one.
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