Knife of Never Letting Go, Book One (Chaos Walking series)

Peach’s Picks Rating


Title:
The Knife of Never Letting Go, Book One (Chaos Walking series)

Author:
Patrick Ness

Illustrator:
None

ISBN:
978-0-7636-3931-0

Publisher:
Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press

Copyright:
2008

Length:
479 pages

Plot Summary:
The book takes place in an apocalyptical, vaguely futurist time, when space crafts full of people left earth seeking a safe place to create a Utopian society. However, the planet that appeared to be perfect is not. It carries a germ that affects men and animals, making all their thoughts audible. The protagonist, Todd Hewitt, lives in Prentisstown with his two male caretakers Ben and Cillian. His parents are dead; he is led to believe his mother was the last woman alive in the settlement; that there are no more living women, and that Prentisstown is the only surviving settlement. Todd is the youngest male and the last child. This is significant to the community, but he does not understand the importance. Suddenly his world is turned upside down when he discovers silence in the form of a girl. The discovery that truths are lies propels him to run away from home with an army chasing him. He does not know where to go or where to seek help. He discovers there are other settlements and women are still alive. He races against time and an army to save himself and prevent a dictator from taking over the settlements.

Critical Evaluation:
This book is lots of fun to read with twists, turns, and red herrings constantly thrown at the reader. One criticism is that it is a little too long, but just as the plot slows down, the author adds a well-timed twist and the reader’s attention is grabbed again. Another criticism is the unsatisfying cliff-hanging ending. The reader had read so many pages and lived through Todd’s trials and tribulations only to be faced with an ending that appears hopeless, although the end is not hopeless because there are two sequels to the book (The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men). Maps of the settlements showing Todd’s travels might have been included in the book. Often fans of science fiction and fantasy enjoy studying maps of the world created in the story. These criticisms do not detract from enjoying the book. Todd speaks in a blend of Pidgin English that is not difficult to read. This device lends an authentic voice to his character, that of an isolated boy struggling to find the truth. The author and publisher have worked together, using a very effective literary device of scratching out words or printing them in bold letters using a font different from the text. This device is used when Todd is trying to hide his thoughts or is particularly distraught.

Reader’s Annotation:
Todd Hewitt and his dog, Manchee, must flee for their lives. There is one major problem, Todd is not clear why they must leave, where he should go, or why an army is chasing him.

Author Information:
His father was a drill sergeant in the Army
Born in Alexandria, Virginia
Lived in Hawaii, Washington state, Los Angeles
Studied English Literature at the University of Southern California
After graduating from college he worked as a corporate writer at a cable company
His first story was published by Genre magazine (1997)
Moved to London in 1999
Occasionally teaches writing at Oxford University
Writes book reviews

Genre:
Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:
Use in literature classes and recommend to science fiction/fantasy clubs

Booktalking Ideas:
If you enjoyed the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins you will enjoy this book.

Read the opening lines of the book, page three. Todd, the main character, and his dog, Manchee, are having a conversation: “The first thing you find out when yer dog learns to talk is that dogs don’t got nothing much to say. About anything. ‘Need a poo, Todd.’ ‘Shut up, Manchee.’ ‘Poo. Poo, Todd.’ ‘I said shut it.”

Reading Level/Interest Age:
High school

Additional Books by Author:
The Ask and the Answer
Monsters of Men

Challenge Issues:
None apparent, but if challenged, deal with challenge by having a challenge policy in place, selection policy in place (ALA policies). Meet with library administration if necessary. Provide positive review(s) from professional publications.

Why this work is included in Peach’s Picks:
The book is included because it received a starred review in Booklist and a positive review in School Library Journal. Four peaches are awarded because while the book is very enjoyable, it is long and has an unsatisfying cliffhanging ending.

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Knife-Never-Letting-Go-Walking/dp/0763645761/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272895955&sr=1-1

References:
Ness, P. (2010). “Biog”. Patrick Ness. Retrieved April 28, 2010, from http://www.patrickness.com/biog.html