Indipendent Study by Joelle Charbonneau

Synopsis

For the attention of candidate Malencia Vale. Congratulations. You have passed The Testing. You have won a place at our prestigious university. After six months of preliminary classes, you will sit an examination. The results will be used to assign you to an area of study appropriate to your talents. The United Commonwealth urges you to consider your answers carefully during this examination. Wrong answers will be penalized.

Review

Thomas and Cai have survived The Testing, but the book starts with them facing another test to find what areas of expertise the candidates will study. They are again faced with the ominous words of Dr Barnes that a wrong answer will have serious consequences! Cai to her surprise ends up in government studies whilst Thomas goes to biological testing. If Cai thought the worst was over, she was soon to find it's not, as the initiation was soon to start.

I was unsure about the start to this book, as we're suddenly introduced to Tosu City candidates who gain entry by whom there related to or who greased the palms of some official. Why the author had to introduce the idea of rich kids versus poor kids I don't know, it really didn't add much to the story. These characters were meant to trip up Cai or worse but they fell a little flat. I was starting to get a little annoyed with Cai as the book progressed as she is portrayed as someone of exceptional high intellect who new exactly how to solve every problem that arises - she's too perfect.

On a positive note Cai does remain a feisty character and the love interest through the book doesn't interfere with this. The plot doesn't need much concentration to follow, and its a pleasant easy book to read on the beach, but if you want a great dystopian trilogy to read i'd give this one a miss. I really wanted to like this series, but the final nail in the coffin was when at the end of the book, Cai decided to tell the president about the rebel faction that is set to fail, and the president gives Cai the task of killing Dr Barnes and his fellow conspirators written on a list. Really is the top person in charge going to give such a momentous task to a 16yr old girl!

I rate this book