tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post3525145303995958815..comments2024-03-17T14:31:21.769-04:00Comments on Fantasy Book Critic: "Independent Study: The Testing Series Book 2" by Joelle Charbonneau (Reviewed by Cindy Hannikman)Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15006565422867420980noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-5032611263859713932014-04-24T15:55:21.204-04:002014-04-24T15:55:21.204-04:00I completely agree about The Testing. I felt momen...I completely agree about The Testing. I felt momentum and that is was alright - there are certainly worse YA dystopian books out there - and it did have a very small, unique twist. <br /><br />When I reviewed The Testing, I looked at it more as a decent alternative to those looking for other, similar books to Hunger Games. So I wasn't as critical of it as I could have been. <br /><br />Readers within the target age group tend to stick with what they know and right now dystopian/Hunger Games/Divergent books are what is 'cool', so I think it works for those people. Someone looking for a book that will wow them, keep them talking long into the night, etc.... won't find it with this series. <br /><br />That isn't to say the author is bad or didn't do what she set out to do, Charbonneau is a good writer, her book is just the average run-of-the-mill dystpian. <br /><br />I plan on reading the third book, just to see what happens and the books take me maybe 2 days to read. But I won't rush to read it. Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10285417085465806153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-54693224689214059762014-04-24T09:14:54.366-04:002014-04-24T09:14:54.366-04:00When I read The Testing, I was struck by 2 things....When I read The Testing, I was struck by 2 things. 1) it was a good book, decently creative with a clear narrative and smoth writing style. 2) Having come after so many other popular dystopian novels and series, it feel like absolutely nothing special, just another good novel in a growing genre of good novels, nothing to really make it stand out from everything else on the shelves.<br /><br />Had The Testing been written and published before Divergent, for example, I probably would have appreciated it more. It wouldn't have had so many other novels stacked against it, and it might not have come across as Yet Another YA Dystopia. It wasn't bad. It just was so much like half a dozen things I'd already read.<br /><br />I'm still wondering whether or not I'll read Independent Study. On one hand, I started the series and I do like to finish what I start, if I can. And it's been a while since I've read any dystopian novels, so maybe it won't seem so derivative. And I do have a soft spot for books involving education, for some twisted reason. On the other hand, the first book failed to wow me no matter how much I can admit that there was nothing really wrong with it, and I can't tell how much all my prior experiences are going to colour reading this, if I do.<br /><br />Maybe some day when I wan a quick read and can't find anything else on my shelves that appeals to me.Bibliotropichttp://www.bibliotropic.netnoreply@blogger.com