The Knife of Never Letting Go: Review

Title: The Knife of Never Letting Go

Author: Patrick Ness

Release Date: May 2008

Published By: Walker

Pages: 479

Goodreads Rating: 4.12 stars

Review: In Prentisstown, everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ceasing Noise. But just a month before Todd becomes a man, he and his dog Manchee stumble upon an area of complete, pure silence. With growing horror, they learn of a terrible secret that's been kept from them their entire lives, a secret so horrible that they must now run away if they want to survive. But how do you escape when your pursuer can hear your every thought?

Every so often, a rare book comes along that invokes emotion in you beyond sympathy stirring for a character. THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO is that kind of book. I read this early in the morning, curled in bed by the window where light was just starting to pour in through the window, and I was completely enraptured by this novel. My heart actually leapt with every twist and tears rose in my eyes with each emotional scene, and the whole time, I just couldn't believe that this book was having such a profound effect on me.

One of the things, beside the incredible writing, that made this book was so fantastic was the protagonist. Todd is unlike any other middle grade or young adult character I've read about before. Although young (about 14 in our years), his maturity, courage, and pure emotional strength made him an admirable hero, and yet his flaws only showed how truly honest his depiction was. My heart ached for him, and while I was reading, I cared more about his well-being than I did about my own.

I mentioned the emotional aspects of this book, but these softer sides of the books were scattered nicely in throughout the fast-paced, almost non-stop action taking place. I'm not typically the hugest fan of action, but I found myself incapable of tearing my eyes away from the page, and I did actually get some paper cuts from turning the pages so quickly.

Regardless of whether you like YA or MG or adult fiction, THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO is a book you absolutely have to pick up. It's a haunting but beautiful and hopeful story you will never forget, with both action scenes to make your heart race and emotional parts to bring tears to your eyes. Patrick Ness paints a desolate, frightening world with rich characters that make me eager to pick up the next book.