Friday, July 4, 2014

Independent Study

Independent Study
by Joelle Charbonneau

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian Fiction

Synopsis:  With her brutal Testing experience forgotten thanks to a government-issued memory wipe, seventeen-year-old Cia Vale is eager to begin her studies at the Commonwealth's elite University, as is Tomas, the boy she loves.

Their bright futures are threatened by the past,  however, when violent nightmares that feel more like memories force Cia to question reality and the true motives lurking behind the friendly faces of her classmates.

Embarking on a forbidden course of study that could get her killed, Cia delves into the Commonwealth's darkest secrets.  What she learns changes everything...

The Testing was just the beginning.

Review:  I enjoyed this book as a sequel to The Testing but it wasn't as action filled as the first book.  This book continued to raise questions for me regarding the underlying basis of the book: killing off the best and brightest of the colonies' youth to find the best leaders.  This just doesn't make sense when there aren't that many people who remain in the Commonwealth.  But just try to ignore that while reading!  This book is a good set up for the next book but it doesn't come to a satisfying conclusion.  It almost seems that this book was meant to be longer perhaps even as long as the second and third book put together!  Luckily I have the 3rd book in my hands to read right away.  Cia is a very strong heroine in this book but sometimes she just seemed too intelligent and too able to solve problems that no one else could.  She seems a little unrealistic.  I am still enjoying the series and I can't wait to find out how it concludes.

Rating:  3 1/2 stars

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