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bookwyrm_94's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
lisawreading's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed First Test, but didn't find it particularly exciting. As with the first books in Tamora Pierce's other two quartets that I read this year, we start with a very young main character. Kel is 10 years old at the start of the story, determined to go through the process of training to be a knight. Despite it now being acceptable for girls to work toward knighthood, none have in the 10 years since the law changed -- until Kel steps forward. She faces hostility from the boys training as pages as well, and the head of the training program makes it clear that he thinks she doesn't belong. The book follows Kel's first year as a probationary page, and contains many of the elements familiar from other Pierce books -- palace gossip, bullying and competition among the pages, weaponry and riding training, and a shot at adventure.
First Test is a fun and satisfying read, but I'm looking forward to the later books in the series when, hopefully, an older protagonist will lead to more interesting challenges and relationships.
First Test is a fun and satisfying read, but I'm looking forward to the later books in the series when, hopefully, an older protagonist will lead to more interesting challenges and relationships.
kiwitheboss19's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
mayhplumb's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book, but I guess I'm just disappointed because I didn't enjoy it as much as The Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett (which I also read for the first time recently).
It's my first Tamora Pierce, recommended by a friend as the best series by her. It gets bonus points for being a YA book with a female protagonist but no love interest; also that she had some feminine aspects to her personality, instead of being a total tomboy stereotype. I enjoyed Kel and Neil and look forward to reading the next in the series to learn more about them. There were some other details I enjoyed -- e.g. the sparrows and the jousting bits, to not give spoilers.
However, the book was pretty weak in some other ways. The plot didn't feel very original, but perhaps that's just because it's a YA book, and the idea of fantasy taking place in an Arthurian society has been done a lot. The Immortals sound interesting, but they're not very developed (maybe I would get that from one of the other Pierce series?). I wish the adults -- or even some of the other pages -- had more developed characters. It kind of hit all the obvious areas for a girl going into a boy's world, but didn't go much beyond that. The writing was over-descriptive in that YA way.
It's my first Tamora Pierce, recommended by a friend as the best series by her. It gets bonus points for being a YA book with a female protagonist but no love interest; also that she had some feminine aspects to her personality, instead of being a total tomboy stereotype. I enjoyed Kel and Neil and look forward to reading the next in the series to learn more about them. There were some other details I enjoyed -- e.g. the sparrows and the jousting bits, to not give spoilers.
However, the book was pretty weak in some other ways. The plot didn't feel very original, but perhaps that's just because it's a YA book, and the idea of fantasy taking place in an Arthurian society has been done a lot. The Immortals sound interesting, but they're not very developed (maybe I would get that from one of the other Pierce series?). I wish the adults -- or even some of the other pages -- had more developed characters. It kind of hit all the obvious areas for a girl going into a boy's world, but didn't go much beyond that. The writing was over-descriptive in that YA way.
how_sweet_the_sound's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
fernjulep's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? No
4.25
there are some racialized stereotypes but all in all I loved this book when I was a kid, and I loved it again as a grown up
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Violence and Animal death
fesd5's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Light-hearted read, loved that it was written from the perspective of a 10 year old, although at times I didn't feel that it was true to the mental state of someone that age. Wholesome. Intrigued to read the next in the series.
nicoleankenmann's review against another edition
4.0
Keladry (Kel) is a young lady living in a world of boys and men, training to become a knight. Her story explores the daily challenge of re-defining the social and professional expectations of womanhood, the emotionally grueling task of proving your value to others, and the long process of self-discovery and personal development. First Test is a compelling, easy-to-read adventure that captures well the adolescent voice and spirit. It is also the opening act of a four-part drama in the classic bildungsroman tradition, so naturally leaves its reader with unanswered questions and unresolved conflicts. I look forward to reading the next installment.