The Test

THE TEST

Written by Sylvain Neuvel

Published by St Martin’s Press, March 1, 2019

My star rating – 4 stars

THE SYNOPSIS:

Britain, the not-too-distant future.
Idir is sitting the British Citizenship Test.
He wants his family to belong.

Twenty-five questions to determine their fate. Twenty-five chances to impress.

When the test takes an unexpected and tragic turn, Idir is handed the power of life and death.
How do you value a life when all you have is multiple choice? Find it on Goodreads

MY REVIEW:

Well. Now that was interesting! I have no idea how I’m going to review a book that was only 100 pages long. I guess that makes this a novella then. But I will say, that the amount of action that was packed into these 100 pages…. outstanding!

We meet a man named Idir as he’s about to take a 25 question test to become a British citizen. Him, his wife, and two children, have been living in the UK for 5 years now. After having left their home due to violence, they are setting down roots as a dentist and  journalist in the UK. But, in the middle of the test, he is interrupted by men with guns. This is when he is presented with a new kind of multiple choice. Nothing is really as it seems.

One thing that I love about Sylvain Neuvel is his ability to complicate things. In his other series (The Themis Files), he could take the smallest of details and make the situation much larger than it is. A situation plays out in front of you and then, without realizing it, there are suddenly more players thrown into the mix, and you realize you’re in the middle of a shit storm. That about sums it up lol.

I really wished that this was longer! It could have been. But in a way I appreciated the length. It honestly played out like an episode of a tv show….. an episode I would watch! If you’re looking for a really quick read, that’s full of action, surprises, and decision making that will make you think so hard your brain hurts….. this is the novella for you! I’m definitely a huge fan of Sylvain Neuvel! And the fact that I turned the last page and asked myself “What the hell did I just read?” made the experience even better!

Until next time, happy reading!