Book Review: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

The Knife of Never Letting Gois the intense story of Todd, the last boy in his village, who one day discovers something new - silence - in the form of a girl. Todd lives in a world where thoughts - everyone's thoughts - can be heard. He is always surrounded by Noise, his own and every other man in his village. But, when he discovers this silence, he doesn't realize he is uncovering terrible secrets about his village. When he must flee his home in the company of this girl, he sets out on a dangerous escape that just might lead to freedom or death.

Things I Liked:
This story kept me turning pages as fast as I could! Ness sure knows how to write a story that will knock your socks off and keep your eyes open (all night, if necessary). I had a hard time putting it down, because I just had to know what happened next. The story was heartwrenching, unique, and not exactly what I expected. And the ending? I almost threw the book I was so upset! The cliffhanger made me really happy the sequel was already out. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get a copy yet. The writing was excellent, and I really enjoyed how the Noise was written in the book. Here is a quote that will only give you a small glimpse of its awesomeness:

'Cuz I see Viola looking back at me as we run and there's brightness on her face and she keeps urging me on with tilts of her head and smiles and I think how hope may be the thing that pulls you forward, may be the thing that keeps you going, but that it's dangerous, too, that it's painful and risky, that it's making a dare to the world and when has the world ever let us win a dare? p423

Things I Didn't Like:
It felt really fatalistic, which isn't necessarily bad since that was probably the point, but it didn't make for happy feelings after I finished. Especially the ending! Of course, with any dystopian story, I wanted more information!

Read-alikes:
The Giverand Messengerby Lois Lowry
Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$
plenty of swearing

mrg-factor: X
some references

v-factor: ->->->->
there was a lot of violence, some of it pretty graphic

Overall rating: ****

How do you feel about cliffhanger endings? Love them, hate them, can't live without them?

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