Book Hoot #24 The Knife Of Never Letting Go

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in a town of men. Prentisstown is a new settlement on a planet where because of a virus everyone can hear everyone elses thoughts and all the women have died. When Todd and his talking dog Manchee (you can hear the thoughts of every living thing in this world) stumble across some 'quiet' while out looking for apples, his world begins to change. He has discovered a girl.

The Knife Of Never Letting Go is the first in the Chaos Walking trilogy and it is an amazing beginning. I haven't been gripped by a book like this since Hunger Games. Apparently the Chicago Tribune labelled the novel as “a read-alone, stay-up-way-too-late book.” It is brimming with suspense and tension. There are moments of humour and tenderness also. Todd's relationship with Manchee in particular is lovely.

The noise is metaphorical, of course, of how many distractions there are in our everyday, how difficult it can be to stay focused and remember what's important. Todd repeats his name to himself, reminds himself of how close he is to his 13th birthday and sings a song from childhood all to block out the noise. How rare, but how important it is to find those pockets of silence and peace.

Viola, the girl with quiet from the swamp, turns out to be far from the damsel in distress. In fact she saves Todd a few times in their flight from Prentisstown. Quite the kick ass heroine!

I think if you like suspense, action packed reads, you'll like this one. The ending is open, of course because of the whole trilogy thing, but the good news is that part two is in the stores! I'm off to buy number two tomorrow!

Happy tales,

Barking Owl