"The Knife of Never Letting Go"
The second installment of our Tall Boy Book Club takes our team on a sci-fi adventure. One they were not prepared for.
The Tall Boy Book Club selection from January was The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. This book was Kiera’s selection and our second book thus far. This book is the first of three in the Chaos Walking series, soon to be a major motion picture.
Set in a new world, the book follows a young man, Todd, and a his dog, Manchee. The bond between the two starts off as an unwanted responsibility for Todd, but grows into something much more. As an early teen, Todd is learning the harsh realities of his world in Prentisstown, where everyone can hear what you’re thinking at all times (except men can’t hear the women’s thoughts). What Todd learned as he was growing up soon takes a drastic turn in the opposite direction as he is made to run for his life and away from his home.
The struggles with this book begin with the barrage of “noise” coming at you from all directions as you read the book. From the thoughts of the people to even the animals, it’s somewhat of a challenge to keep it all straight. Add in the fact that the story is written in such a way that the words are spelled incorrectly. However, this gives you a little more insight as to the culture and education of the people of this new world.
While it may take you a few chapters to discover this is a science fiction story, your mind will explode in color with the scenery described. If it’s taking you a great deal of time to get through the first few chapters, just hold on. It’s going to get better and the twists and turns the story takes will have you wondering “how in the world” or “OMG, what next?!”
Our team describes their encounter with the book:
Neil — “First, I was like zzzzzz, then …. whaaaat?!!! And then settled in for one helluva ride! Worth it in every aspect.”
Kristine — “As an avid reader of thriller and suspenseful books, The Knife of Never Letting Go contains all of the elements readers are looking for: relatable characters, mystery, multiple sequences of rapid events and a cliffhanger. I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the series and (hopefully) getting some resolution to Todd and Viola's story.”
Joey — “It was outside something I’d normally be interested in, but it kept my attention.”
