Graduation Day, Joelle Charbonneau

The 3rd and final book in the Testing Trilogy.

It was pretty good, but after having read such livid dialog in the Unwind series, I felt like Cia's voice was a little flat. Or maybe she's just been through so much it became that way.

I'm ok with some of the ending, but there are too many unanswered questions. I feel like there needs to be another book, but it wouldn't be exciting, just information, so there probably won't be another installment.

The BIGGEST thing that this book does is make you question 2 things. 1: do the ends justify the means, even if the means are against everything you believe in (for the most part)? and 2: The world is a very, VERY gray area. Which makes for interesting philosophical debate....because even in Christian Scriptures, there have been times when even murder has been a necessary means to an end, even endorsed by the God who said "Thou shalt not kill." There are people who would like to draw a line for everything. I am definitely a black and white thinker, but there is ALWAYS an exception to the rule.





SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One aspect just BARELY touched on is medical/scientific studies on humans. We have a lot of controversy over using animals for testing, but a LOT of medical advancements that keep people alive are only here because of animal testing. If test subjects are treated in as humane a way as possible, many people feel the ends justify the means. And after all that, we have humans volunteer to be test subjects for medicinal trials when they have run out of other options. In the Testing Society, there have been MANY issues with mutations due to radiation. We find out some students are "Redirected" to become a resource. Where they are purposefully exposed to radiation and have to report back what they are experiencing in order for the Dr's an scientists to hopefully find a cure for the mutations and help the other people who have hopelessly mutated and were "turned out" to basically fend for themselves in a semi-controlled environment. And because the results are promising, Cia actually thinks that it's worth continuing-just under slightly different protocols. I don't think any of those people ought to be subjected against their will. But there are NOT enough people in the "secret colony" to explain ALL the "Redirections" mentioned. Which was a bit frustrating to me.