550. The Test

Rating:  ☆☆1/2

Recommended by:

Author:   Sylvain Neuvel

Genre:   Fiction, Science Fiction, Novella

108 pages, published March 1, 2019

Reading Format:   Book

Summary

The Test is a short novella that takes place in the not to distant future of the UK.  Idir, an immigrant from Iran, is taking the 25 question British Citizenship Test.  If he passes, then his entire family will be allowed to stay.  If he fails, they will be sent back to the Middle East.  However, a few questions in and the test takes an unexpected and terrifying turn.

Quotes 

“When faced with a choice, humans almost invariably seek a no-action, no-change option, even when one of the presented alternatives is quantifiably and logically more advantageous.”

 

“System justification is the idea that many of our needs can be satisfied by defending and justifying the status quo. It gives stability to our political and economic systems because people are inherently inclined to defend it. It prevents people at a disadvantage from questioning the system that disadvantages them, makes people buy the inevitability of social inequity, ignore or support policies that hurt them.”

 

“Here the aversion to decision-making is reinforced by a phenomenon called reactance: when we feel that someone, or something, is threatening or eliminating our behavioural freedom, even just limiting our options, our innate reaction is to try to re-establish that freedom.”

 

“People who talk a lot about the environment are always the ones living the farthest away from nature.”

 

“The goal of the values assessment is not the selection of model human beings, but of model citizens. This means the test should favour homogeneity, not atypical attitudes, no matter how commendable they may be.”

 

My Take

An interesting book in parts with some ideas in the middle that made me think about human nature and decision making, especially when under stress.  However, a bit thin on the plot and character development.