SFF

The Test

by Sylvain Neuvel
Tor.com. Feb. 2019. 112p. ISBN 9781250312839. pap. $11.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250312822. SF
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In an alternate near future, Idir Jalil is taking the British Citizenship Test, which one in three persons fail. If he answers the 25 questions correctly, he and his family can stay in the country and finally have a sense of belonging. But as Idir takes the test, a group of armed, masked men arrive, taking the participants and Idir's observing family hostage. Can Idir make the decisions necessary to survive? What happens when one has to choose who lives and who dies when all one has is the information in front of him? And once one chooses a final answer, will he ever be the same? With an intriguing plot, alternating viewpoints, and unexpected turns, Neuvel (Sleeping Giants ) tells a fast-paced story full of action and takes a hard look into the human psyche.
VERDICT This compact novella combines issues of immigration as well as a hostage story into a tale of incredible choices.
Reviewed by Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton , Jan 02, 2019
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