Kindle
$4.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Paperback
$11.59
MP3 CD
$15.95
Buy new:
$11.59
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$11.59
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Friday, May 10. Order within 8 hrs 22 mins
In Stock
$$11.59 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$11.59
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$9.99
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Pages and cover are intact. Used book in good and clean conditions. Limited notes marks and highlighting may be present. May show signs of normal shelf wear and bends on edges. Item may be missing CDs or access codes. Ships directly from Amazon. Pages and cover are intact. Used book in good and clean conditions. Limited notes marks and highlighting may be present. May show signs of normal shelf wear and bends on edges. Item may be missing CDs or access codes. Ships directly from Amazon. See less
FREE delivery Wednesday, May 15 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Friday, May 10. Order within 12 hrs 22 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$11.59 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$11.59
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Sylvain Neuvel
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Test Paperback – February 12, 2019

by Sylvain Neuvel (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 1,535 ratings
Goodreads Choice Award nominee
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$11.59","priceAmount":11.59,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"11","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"59","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"%2BEe5mlJ1TuJso7YGOeIMQNOKNlsyUp%2FscdfpB7YmS6awWXkHWTUSRCkb%2BMSlZ5dpUUy%2BH0kE98Xtq8gJ1%2BuSJTLClM4MNUU3kR91fbCj2JaRCrSF3o7DOn8ohRjr0J%2FWkLgbQqJpbabbqY2rdpkRpA%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$9.99","priceAmount":9.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"%2BEe5mlJ1TuJso7YGOeIMQNOKNlsyUp%2FsAaTQ0fcJpjui1%2BD%2F6Tjt1OqlqC3XJGQt1TJr4Kzjd6BdbTTdOEKYCcW%2FLiEWEVbFCibZX8JVEKEzf0O3q5qDR7YI6nBpddNcHnuv4MbaffkDWOBbB18L6F%2FGgu9%2B1xkgQl%2BI6mugzDrFYiv9LRd%2BDY8mov6o9oz1","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Award-winning author Sylvain Neuvel explores an immigration dystopia in The Test

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?

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    112 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Tordotcom
  4. Publication date
    February 12, 2019
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.26 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1250312833
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1250312839
  8. See all details
Next page
Books with Buzz
Books with Buzz
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more

Frequently bought together

The Test
$11.59
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Helpmeet
$11.99
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Penpal
$9.99
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for The Test:

"Thought-provoking and disturbing. A cautionary tale illuminated with dark enlightenment."―Kirkus reviews, starred review.

Praise for the Themis Files

“As high-concept as it is, Sleeping Giants is a thriller through and through. . . . Not only is Sleeping Giants one of the most promising series kickoffs in recent memory, it’s a smart demonstration of how science fiction can honor its traditions and reverse-engineer them at the same time.”―NPR

"But the most surprising thing about the book may just be how compelling the central characters are in the midst of these larger-than-life concepts. . . . I can’t stop thinking about it."―The Chicago Review of Books

“Reminiscent of The Martian and World War Z, Sleeping Giants is a luminous conspiracy yarn that shoots for (and lands among) the stars.”―Pierce Brown

About the Author

Sylvain Neuvel has taught linguistics in India and worked as a software engineer in Montreal. He is also a certified translator, though he wishes he were an astronaut. His girlfriend would have him believe that he has too many toys, so he writes about aliens and giant robots as a blatant excuse to build action figures (for his son, of course). His debut, Sleeping Giants, was described by NPR as “one of the most promising series kickoffs in recent memory.”

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tordotcom (February 12, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 112 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250312833
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250312839
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.26 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 1,535 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Sylvain Neuvel

Sylvain Neuvel

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Sylvain Neuvel dropped out of high school at age 15. Along the way, he has been a journalist, worked in soil decontamination, sold ice cream in California, and peddled furniture across Canada. He received a Ph.D. in linguistics from the University of Chicago. He taught linguistics in India, and worked as a software engineer in Montreal. He is also a certified translator, though he wishes he were an astronaut. He likes to tinker, dabbles in robotics and is somewhat obsessed with Halloween. He absolutely loves toys; his girlfriend would have him believe that he has too many, so he writes about aliens and giant robots as a blatant excuse to build action figures (for his son, of course).

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
1,535 global ratings
Short but packs a punch!
4 Stars
Short but packs a punch!
This little novella is a quick read, but it packs a PUNCH! I keep trying to review it and then don’t know quite what to say, because it’s really best experienced with as little foreknowledge as possible about the plot. I’ll just tell you that it’s diverse, sardonic, trippy, and thought-provoking! It brings up a lot of issues that are relevant to RL current events today.Read it when you’re in the mood for a whirlwind story that’ll leave you asking WHAT JUST HAPPENED?Thank you Tor.com Publishing for a free copy of the book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Lu
4.0 out of 5 stars Well worth the read
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2019
Verified Purchase
Idir Jalil lives in London with his wife, Tidir, and two children. As an immigrant seeking citizenship, he must pass the British Values Assessment test. Failure will cause an immediate deportation of the whole family.

Just minutes after he starts the test, terrorists storm the building. Their leader plays a game with Jalil - every fifteen minutes he picks two hostages from the crowd and has Jalil decide who lives and who dies. With his family amongst the hostages, Jalil experiences conflicting emotions and heart-wrenching drama. How is he supposed to choose who lives and who dies?

Obviously, there’s much more going on, but I can’t elaborate on it without going too far into a spoiler territory. Terrorists have their motives and we discover them at around thirty pages into the novella. A strong contrast between Jalil’s goodness and oppressors’ cold and clinical approach to life results in a fascinating read.

I find The Test disturbing and though-provoking, but also predictable. While not remarkable, it’s well worth the read.

I've read it as a third novella in my self-imposed 10 days / 10 novellas challenge. Seven more to go
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Madeline
5.0 out of 5 stars Didn't want to put it down!
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2023
Verified Purchase
If you enjoy "black mirror" style themes and story lines, you will enjoy this short but exciting book by Sylvain. The story is enticing and makes it an easy book to read in one sitting, I will definitely be adding it to my "read again" lists.
Helpful
 Report
Alix
3.0 out of 5 stars More than just your basic citizenship test
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2020
Verified Purchase
How does one accurately determine if someone is a good fit for their society? In <i>The Test</i>, this citizenship test is much more than your basic test. It assesses your values, beliefs, knowledge and most importantly, whether you will be a good fit for the society as a whole.

The test of course isn’t without its flaws. Who they decide to deem a citizen is incredibly subjective. To me, the test is more of a cruel and unusual punishment than an actual measurement of whether someone meets the qualifications to become a British citizen. Overall, a thought-provoking and entertaining read. I didn’t give it a higher rating because some of the dialogue and inner thoughts of the characters were written in a very juvenile tone.
Helpful
 Report
BigOrangeDave
4.0 out of 5 stars Twisty
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2019
Verified Purchase
An interesting perspective on the challenges of becoming a citizen as well as the challenges of determining who is to become a citizen. The author does a good job of presenting the situation from both perspectives; with a few twists for everyone involved. An all too believable look at how the future might turn out.

This is a quick read of less than an hour.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Reviews & Robots
5.0 out of 5 stars Examining Human Psychology
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2019
Verified Purchase
It’s hard to discuss The Test without giving away key plot details. As a summary, it’s a harrowing read, filled with deep questions about ethics, human psychology, and the impact of trauma. I recommend giving it a read.

To go into a bit more detail…

The Test is an examination of what it means to be human. It starts off as a typical test and becomes a horrifying life or death situation. The novella asks an extremely complex question: what kind of person would you become in a situation of extreme trauma? It’s an interesting and terrifying question, especially when used as a method for assessing a person’s right to citizenship. The psychological implications of this test are astounding, especially when the plot digs deeper and examines its roots.

At the beginning, we see a typical immigration test and, while it’s ridiculous and asks questions no one really needs to know, it pales in comparison to the horrors that come. To say the scenario is unethical would be an understatement. Imagining a government weeding people out based on trauma is pretty horrifying. This reduces people down to sets of statistics, with their futures hanging on which box gets checked.

It’s especially difficult to watch these events unfold because we get to know the primary character well. We see him shift from excitement to fear to pure trauma. That transition is haunting, and knowing the implications of the test on his life to come makes it all the harder to stomach.

The Test is a psychological experiment to be sure, examining human actions from a personal and a government perspective. In the end, it’s clear that the “good guys” have crossed the threshold and left their humanity at the door.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Laurie Pollack
4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2021
Verified Purchase
Inteiguing. But at the end found myself reaching for more, was actually expecting or hoping for a certain twist that did not appear but would have been an obvious way to take things. Instead it seemed to me to be wrapped up a bit more neatly than what I expected. But I did find it as a whole compelling and wished it was longer/more character development. I would seek out more by same author.
Helpful
 Report
Jessica Arey
5.0 out of 5 stars RIVETING STORY
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2020
Verified Purchase
I was immediately engrossed in this story. I first listened to it as an audio book from my library (totally recommend- audiobook is phenomenal) but loved it so much that I had to purchase it for my library. This went into this book expecting a story about citizenship and testing for a country; HOWEVER the story turns on its head. The story is told from 2 perspectives and the role they play in the citizenship test. The book is a quick read and is set in the future regarding advancements in technology and how it affects government (this is an aspect but does not overwhelm the story- don't see it if you're not looking for it in the story). It is atmospheric and psychological and asks you to question the story. Recommend this for anyone who wants a fast paced read that makes you think.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Shelbie Langlois
3.0 out of 5 stars Black Mirror...but not
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2019
Verified Purchase
It was pitched to me as having Black Mirror vibes....which I guess it did, but it was lacking. I know it's a short story and all but I feel like it started off great but ended kind of dull.

I did appreciate the ending and how the character had changed and such, but still wished it has more.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
MLH
5.0 out of 5 stars Can’t put it down!
Reviewed in Canada on October 4, 2023
Verified Purchase
Well written. Could not put this crazy book down.
Report
Tygrysek2808
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2021
Verified Purchase
‘’𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙨𝙤 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙟𝙪𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙣? 𝙄 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙨, 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚. 𝙒𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠’’.

This book has only 100 pages. Read it in one day. After finishing this book, I was starring into the wall thinking: what the actual f?

Since the book is actually really tiny, it is also very difficult to talk about it without giving too much information about what actually is going on. Obviously, we have a man here who is taking the test for British citizenship. It is all good and fun until he needs to make the choice between life and death.

This book destroyed me completely after finishing the last pages and I just could not believe it has finished so quick. If I could read it all over again I would but I guess I will give it some time to sink it in and then eventually, reread it to see whether it will have the same impact on me as the first time.

I would actually recommend you, bookish friends, with having a go with this book because it is really good. Like really, really good. As good as ice creams or beer during a hot summer holiday. I guess this explains how impressed I am with the storyline of this beautiful position.
By the way, if you decide to read it, I suggest do it on Kindle because for a book of only 100 pages it’s a bit too expensive for its price.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Daniela
3.0 out of 5 stars Bom
Reviewed in Brazil on September 19, 2019
Verified Purchase
Conceito bem interessante e te prende desde o início, mas me decepcionei com o final.
Report
Jean Rosales
4.0 out of 5 stars Corto pero interesante
Reviewed in Mexico on September 2, 2019
Verified Purchase
La premisa de la historia es interesante, y el autor la desarrolla con precisión y de una manera interesante. La narración es ágil, no tiene momentos tediosos y mantiene muy bien el suspenso.
Report
BeastlyMuLLeR
5.0 out of 5 stars Such. A. GREAT. Read.
Reviewed in Spain on June 21, 2019
Verified Purchase
I started this book shortly after lunch time. I was not able to put it down until finishing it... at 7PM the same day. Idir is a normal guy, with a regular family, about to sit the British Citizenship Test. He’s nervous. Some of the questions are weird. Until everything suddenly gets unbelievably weirder. This novel has all what is needed to be included as a chapter in Black Mirror, including an ending SPOILER ALERT leaving you with the thought of whether the cure is worse than the disease.
One person found this helpful
 Report