Hey world! Day Three in this blog marathon game, I hope you noticed that my beat hasn't changed. I'm upping the ante. That was a reference to something. Maybe you'll get it, maybe you won't. You probably won't. It's kind of obscure. But anyways...I have finished another book, which means this marathon will last one day longer! But this post might not go well, because I can't remember which book I'm reviewing next. I of course remember the book itself, just not the order in which I read it...Luckily, I keep a reading log, and it says we're up to...
So, I read this book called The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau recently. It appears that in addition to teen Distopian, she also writes books for younger people about glee club and skating. Interesting resumé. This is book one in a trilogy, but I'm sure you already know this because I feel like, like the last book I read, there's been a lot of hype going on because of this book. It's a mostly great audible, though a little, I don't know...the cadence seems a little to dippy. Amazon link!
Summaryish: It's the future, like most of the books I read, and things are very different. After wars and environmental disastrophes, the few cities left are all struggling to become self-sustaining, while at the same time grooming their children for success at school and life, so that maybe they'll be chosen to participate in the Testing to go to university and learn more, and earn better lives for them and everyone. But Cia's father was chosen long ago, and his nightmares about the brutal Testing days haunt him. So when Cia is chosen, he gives her simple advice: Trust no one. Nothing is as it seems in the Testing.
Review: I can see why a lot of people like this book, but I wasn't very engaged when reading it. I found the tone a little too mellow and clinical for my taste. Also, things kind of just...dragged by. Days were passing in a matter of single-digit pages, which while I suppose was important to the plot, just seemed empty and boring to me. It seemed like most of the book was a list of things being consumed and fires being built, and the same old thoughts being rehashed over and over again. There were plenty of actiony scenes, and plot twists I didn't see coming, but something important was missing from this story, and that elusive thing is probably what would make me want to read more. But I don't. I probably won't.
About the cover:
The cover is gorgeous which left me disappointed. That whole "don't judge a book by its cover thing" is an allegory to other people. Actual book covers you can judge as much as you want, and the shiny awesomeness combined with the ticker tape of warning along the bottom of this book was fabulous. I only wish the innards were as promising.
See you tomorrow!
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Anonymous Book Reviewer.
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