Reviews with content warning for Animal death - First Test

I originally read this series when I was in middle school, and I'm planning on re-reading the entire series. I definitely forgot how brutal the beginning is. Within the first 14 pages there is a traumatic animal death. It shocked me, especially since nothing else in this book comes close to that scene.

You can really tell that this is the first in a series as most of the time is spent building the world, characters, and explaining what being a Page entails. We go through their weapon training, horseback riding lessons, and classes, so there isn't exactly a lot of action. I imagine this picks up now that we "know" the world.

I actually kept forgetting that the main character, Kel, is only 10 years old. The Page that is tasked with showing her around and such is 15, and it very often feels like they are the same age. I'm curious to see if we feel the progression of her age as the series goes on, or if she is going to have the same "voice".

Overall I thought this book was ok. It felt a bit slow, and wasn't as intense as I remember. I'm looking forward to seeing how the second book handles the story.

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quil's review against another edition

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5.0

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meganpbennett's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Kel is the first girl since Alanna to decide that she wants to be a Knight. She is allowed to undergo the challenge as herself, but she is required to survive a probationary year, hence the title "First Test."

This book is rather similar to Tamora Pierce's Alanna series, with Kel undergoing training with the rest of the Pages. The older pages haze the younger pages, and Kel decides that she doesn't like bullies, no matter who or where they are. While training at the palace, she makes friends with the sparrows that live in her courtyard, feeding them breadcrumbs. They are important to the climax of the story, so watch out for them.

Good story, engaging and interesting. I'm interested in the sequel.

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rini's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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victorianrogue's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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