Title: The Knife of Never Letting Go
Author: Patrick Ness
Series: Chaos Walking
Publication details: 2014 by Candlewick Press (first published 2008)
Genre: YA, science fiction
Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in a constant, overwhelming, never-ending Noise. There is no privacy. There are no secrets.
Then, just a month away from the birthday that will make Todd Hewitt a man, he unexpectedly stumbles on a spot of complete silence. Which is impossible.
A refreshing and entertaining YA read.
Plot
It's difficult as it is to live in a town where everyone can hear everyone's thoughts. But when Todd Hewitt stumbled upon something very unusual, things got more complicated and chaotic. The Knife of Never Letting Go follows Todd, as he escapes the wrath of his town's mayor and the rest of Prentisstown, and as well as find out the truth behind everything he was told about.
I had no idea what the book is about when I started reading, so the events really intrigued me. There were confusing bits, but things were smoothed out eventually. The plot is something I've never read before, so it was an adventure reading the first book in the Chaos Walking trilogy.
The Knife of Never Letting Go is fast-paced and also has a lot of mystery in it, from the beginning until the end. The plot elements are revealed as the story progresses, making it such a page-turner. I felt like I was solving the mystery and discovering things with the main characters.
Aside from the adventure, I also liked that the book also says something about us humans and the norms of our society. It's poignant and funny at the same time.
The ending is a cliffhanger. Good thing I just recently bought the two books, so I can continue with the trilogy soon. 😁
World-building
The setting is something new to me. Even the language and the culture are quite refreshing. I find their world really fascinating though I still have a lot to explore in the next books.
Characters
I was not able to relate to any of the characters. But even so, I did enjoy reading about them.
The main character is as clueless as I was, so it was an experience finding the truth with him. Though his character is still naïve, thankfully he's not annoying to follow. I also liked his bravery in protecting those he cares for.
There's one character that is impossibly resilient. Haha! It's quite funny actually. But he did play a big role in the events and in shaping the characters' development.
Writing
I really liked the writing style of the author. I liked how he pieces everything together creating not only an entertaining story but also a socially-relevant one.
There are no dragging parts. And the flow is smooth and fast-paced. I also liked how he presented the 'Noise'. It definitely added to the uniqueness of the book.
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Overall, I really liked The Knife of Never Letting Go. I'm excited to continue with the trilogy! And I will definitely try the author's other works too.
Patrick Ness, an award-winning novelist, has written for England’s Radio 4 and Sunday Telegraph and is a literary critic for The Guardian. He has written many books, including the Chaos Walking Trilogy, The Crash of Hennington, Topics About Which I Know Nothing, and A Monster Calls.
He has won numerous awards, including the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, the Booktrust Teenage Prize, and the Costa Children’s Book Award. Born in Virginia, he currently lives in London (Goodreads).