Friday, April 24, 2015

The Knife of Never Letting Go

Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go. Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press

Todd Hewitt and his dog Machee live in Prentisstown, a part of the New World that has “Noise”.  Noise are the thoughts that everyone can hear including hearing animals’ thoughts.  All women were killed by the Noise germ.  Todd discovers one day that he can see a spot moving on the silence.  Ben and Cillian tell Todd that he needs to leave and keep the silence out of the noise.  When he is escaping, Todd is attacked.  As he is running, he discovers Viola.  She was the silence that he saw and the first girl that Todd has even seen.  Viola joins Todd and Machee as they go off to warn the other settlements of the army of men that were coming.  They continue their run to Haven when Viola is shot.  As Todd is carrying Viola into Haven, he sees the mayor of Prentisstown waiting for him at Haven.      
This science fiction books is fast-paced and full of action.  I found it very suspenseful.  It is under the fantasy fiction because of the fantasy world that Todd lives in.  I would recommend this novel for readers in grades 9-12.  It does have some gruesome violence. 

Due to of all the action and life and death scenes, it could be popular among boy readers. Readers have to read the Chaos Walking sequels to see what happens to Todd and Viola.      

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