The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Cannongate Books

Pages: 320pgs

The Story

The extraordinary happens every day...

One night, George Duncan - decent man, a good man - is woken by a noise in his garden. Impossibly, a great white crane has tumbled to earth, shot through its wing by an arrow. Unexpectedly moved, George helps the bird, and from the moment he watches it fly off, his life is transformed.

The next day, a kind but enigmatic woman walks into George's shop. Suddenly a new world opens up for George, and one night she starts to tell him the most extraordinary story.

The Review

A big thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this book!

Ever since I read Patrick Ness's young adult series, The Chaos Walking trilogy, this new book of his had become one of my most anticipated books coming from this year because I knew if it was Patrick Ness writing the book, I was, ultimately, going to love it no matter what. And while this book was definitely not what I was first expected from it, but in some way I still managed to be (somehow) captivated by the story it told and in the end loving it as well.

THE CRANE WIFE from the get-go is a very different book. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it is the kind of book that you will really need to pay attention to in order to fully understand the book as a whole, especially when it comes to the ending. But what I love about this 'different' side to things in this book is how the author writes and it's one of the few things I really appreciate about Patrick Ness's writing because he always goes out of his comfort zone - at least I find - and I love that it also becomes a read that is also outside my own comfort zone, which this book definitely is for me. Plus I love that the author based this book on an old Japanese folktale which is a bonus for me. Who doesn't love a good old Japanese folktale? I certainly love them!

Now regarding the characters, I certainly thought they were the most fascinating part of the book. Some are lovable, some are frustrating, and some are just simply . . . strange. But while this book has a very colourful cast of characters and each one has a personality of their own, but I think what makes them even more interesting to the reader is because of the storyline itself and how that story drives them in a certain way . . . I don't know what else to say to be honest with you because it's such a hard book to describe . . . but I think many people will come to love or at least like our two main characters, one being George, who is lovable in his own right, and also this new, strange young woman who comes into his life, that being Kumiko, who is the driving essence of this entire book and wow . . . she was definitely a character that inspired me or at least the way the author told her story . . . I just . . . I don't know . . . she was just really something special. I mean, she's weird for the most part (in a good way of course) but there's just something about her that makes me tick. Loved her and pretty much everything else about her! That's all I'll say.

Now while I would love to give this book 5 stars, but I think the only thing I didn't like about this book or rather what I wished the book offered to me was for more explanations on certain things in the book, especially with what happened to Kumiko's situation, but apart from that, I still pleasantly enjoyed this book!

Overall, THE CRANE WIFE is a very different book than what I'm used to reading, but it was a very beautifully written book and I would highly recommend it, especially if you have read Patrick Ness's previous books.

The Rating

4/5 stars

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Walker

Pages: 603pgs

The Story

In the riveting conclusion to the acclaimed dystopian series, a boy and girl caught in the chaos of war face devastating choices that will decide the fate of a world.

As a world-ending war surges around them, Todd and Viola face monstrous decisions. The indigenous Spackle, thinking and acting as one, have mobilized to avenge their murdered people. Ruthless human leaders prepare to defend their factions at all costs, even as a convoy of new settlers approaches. And as the ceaseless Noise lays all thoughts bare, the projected will of the few threatens to overwhelm the desperate desire of the many. The consequences of each action, each word, are unspeakably vast: To follow a tyrant or a terrorist? To save the life of the one you love most, or thousands of strangers? To believe in redemption, or assume it is lost? Becoming adults amid the turmoil, Todd and Viola question all they have known, racing through horror and outrage toward a shocking finale.

The Review

This third and final book of Patrick Ness's brilliant-epic-amazing-riveting Chaos Walking trilogy, MONSTERS OF MEN, had really pushed everything over the limit (I mean really, really pushed it with just about everything its got) and by the time I started this book, the sooner I finished it not even realizing just how quickly I read it to begin with. It was crazy I tell you and my god, my god, my god, MY GOD. And what a book this one was! It was action-packed, adventurous beyond belief, emotionally-driven by all of its characters, mind-blowing, and just to sum it all it up . . . it was just like . . . WHOA. Consider myself speechless.

First off, let's talk about Todd and Viola. Honestly these two are the real thing when it comes to main characters and are the main reason why I loved this series as much as I did. So really, it pains me that I never picked up this book series sooner than I did, even after hearing so much about them. I mean, where has this series been hiding all of my life? I want to know because when it comes to Todd and Viola they are one of the strongest characters I have ever met in fiction and even for very young teenagers with so much more to learn . . . they just have this personality that makes them seem quite older than they are and whether they are apart in the book or are working together against crueler forces . . . they still manage to pull through just about everything that is thrown at them and be this unstoppable duo team who are full of courage, heart, intelligence and love. And speaking of love, Todd and Viola's love for each other and their impeccable sense of friendship was one of the most sweetest ones I've ever come across and what I can I say? I'm obsessed with them. Totally obsessed and I'm going to miss them terribly because honestly . . . if they were real people I would be stalking them right about now!

As for the most hated character in the entire book, that being the Mayor, I have to say his character out of everyone had really surprised me in this particular book - at least in a sense that he wasn't what we always thought him to be like. Sure he is what a typical villain should be like and he perhaps never made any heroic attempts to become a better man for everyone else involved in this war going on around him, but I actually felt really sorry for the guy, especially when he started to treat Todd like a second son and make a replacement out of him for the son he had killed in the second book. Yeah . . . he's a different kind of man Mr. Mayor.

Anyway, I don't know why I liked him so much in this book because it was like he was begging for me to hate him, but you could just tell that he loved Todd and admired him so much for his courage in war, and how he kind of wished for him to be the son he always wanted to have, even in his own twisted ways. So I really enjoyed his character despite him being the villain and all. He was - and still is - always interesting to me and is one of my favourite villains til this day and to me he is almost like Javert from Les Miserables - someone who isn't entirely a meanie, just someone who is misunderstood. Well, mostly. It's like, after reading this book, the Mayor was saying to me . . .

Then there's that cliffhanger! Oh that cliffhanger of an ending killed me! Literally. While the ending - to me at least - felt like an open ending for a possibility of another book (though I highly doubt it) but I also think it's the kind of ending where we, as the reader, interpret it in our own way with what happened and in my mind the ending ended perfectly and in a way that surprised me. It was really cruel of course this ending, but mostly it was perfect and was quite clever too. Not to mention completely different to most endings in YA book series and I like that difference. It makes this book stand out even more . . . just . . . gah. I still can't explain my feels on this one without doing it justice.

Overall, MONSTERS OF MEN was so darn good and I can't even think straight because I'm mind-blown by everything that I have just read. So I'm incredibly happy with this book but I'm also incredibly sad too because this series is now over and I just don't know what to do with myself anymore . . . there's this void in my heart and I just don't know how to fix it! I just don't know.

The Rating

5/5 stars

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Walker

Pages: 517pgs

The Story

Fleeing before a relentless army, Todd has carried a desperately wounded Viola right into the hands of their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss.

Immediately separated from Viola and imprisoned, Todd is forced to learn the ways of the Mayor's new order.

But what secrets are hiding just outside of town? 
And where is Viola? Is she even still alive?
And who are the mysterious Answer?

And then, one day, the bombs begin to explode . . .

The Review

When I finished this book, THE ASK AND THE ANSWER, I was in awe over it all. Literally. I was just like . . . whoa. I loved this book even more than the first installment in the Chaos Walking trilogy, The Knife of Never Letting Go, which really says something because never did I think the sequel would top it all off. But it certainly did. It really did as it exceeded every expectation I have for this series. The story, the world, the dialogue and the whole cast of characters were so real - not to mention so raw - in the best way possible. Oh my goodness! Oh my god. Geez. This series has become one of my absolute favourite dystopian series ever and it just keeps getting better and better by the looks of it!

Apart from the storyline that I found covered a lot more ground compared to the first book, the characters alone were the major thing that made this book stand out to me. Each character, no matter their own stories to tell, no matter their roles to play and no matter whether they were good or bad characters, each character always made me cry, laugh and frustrate over in the actions that they took every single time, and that was just because I couldn't help but care about those characters and for me it's rare to care about characters so much . . . especially in this way!

Take for example . . . Todd. Oh my dear sweet Todd. It was like break-heart city in this book when it came to Todd's character and oh my god . . . he's the shining star in this book. He really is. He's so broken and at times so defeated with everything else going on around him, and yet he still manages to hold his head up high because he's fighting back for Viola, another character we met in the first book. His Viola. I swear, every single time he talked about Viola and all his feels for her . . . my heart just went out to him. Despite all of the chaos and people trying to bring him down hard, he was always thinking about Viola and wanting to do everything within his power to protect her. Sure, he can make some silly mistakes here and there, but he's there fighting for his life and I can't ask for anymore from the characters. Todd, in particular, was perfect even when flawed.

Then there's my previous, previous Viola. Her and Todd are the unstoppable team. There's no doubt about it because like Todd, Viola is fighting too alongside with him (even when they're apart) and boy does she step up her game in this sequel. Whoa. If you thought Viola was awesome in the first book . . . think again. Also for fans of Viola you'll be happy to know Viola constantly gets her own chapters in this book (yay for that!) so I was really happy about that because I gained some wonderful insight through her own eyes and see how she viewed the world . . . she just rocked.

And, of course, I couldn't help but make a small mention of Davy's character, a nasty boy and the new mayor's son who we briefly meet in the first book. Now let me tell you, he was someone I absolutely hated in the first book and yet there was something so interesting about him too. And, in this book, he shined far more than I ever thought he would. He maybe brutal at times but he is a really misunderstood character and I actually came to love him as he built a slow friendship (as funny as it sounds) with Todd's character. I really felt for him in this one.

Overall, THE ASK AND THE ANSWER was no sequel flop whatsoever. It was utter perfection for me and really sets up an amazing continuation of the series! I'm speechless with this one!

The Rating

5/5 stars

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Walker

Pages: 479pgs

The Story

Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him -- something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.

The Review

This book is just-

This book is just so-

This book is just so amazing!

Just WOW. Why didn't I read it sooner than I did? Who knows? But I honestly can't recommend this book highly enough, so prepare yourselves readers! This book is a fast-paced story with such a vivid dystopian world, plenty of action-oriented scenes, amazing and realistic characters, and a plot that just leaves you hanging off every single bloody word you read. Yes, THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO is such a fantastic - almost epic - start to a YA trilogy.

Todd, our main character, was fantastic. At first he may have been an angry and quite an aggressive soon-to-be 'man' of a character, but once you learn more about his world and of him, you will soon get yourself caught up in his world and loving Todd to pieces. He's the type of character that seems just so honest, real, open and completely natural with being well . . . himself, you know? Not to mention his voice - the way he sees the world and interacts with it - was SO loved by me. I can't even describe it to you but I loved Todd so much and I so badly wanted him to triumph whenever someone beats him down. Even his dog, Manchee, the dog that constantly says the most outrageous things and SPEAKS in Todd's mind, was such a pleasure to read about and everything he says is exactly how I would imagine a dog to speak like. Oh those two together . . . I can't say more about them (or I'll gush all day long) except that they're awesome!

Then there's that strange girl Todd ends up meeting up with, another main character who accompanies him for the rest of the journey. That being Viola. Oh Viola! Comparing her quietness to Todd's loudness (you'll get what I mean when you read this book) was such a lovely thing to witness and they just worked perfectly together. They belonged together almost. Plus Viola is a total gem! She may have been 'mute' for the beginning of the book and you were so frustrated by the fact of wanting to know more about her, but trust me there's way more to her character than meets the eye because she is so captivating! And also she is a little Miss Lady of Bad-assery! I tell you this girl is exactly what you need in a book such as this one. Highly intelligent, quick-thinking and such a good-hearted soul, Viola and Todd just make the perfect companionship! I honestly can't wait to see how their relationship strengthens later in the series . . . I just know they're going to be loved by me no matter what they do!

Overall, with stellar world-building, emotionally-connected characters, and splendid writing style, THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO is a must read for all. Once you reach the end of this book you're not only going to be frustrated by the cliffhanger but you're also going to be desperately wanting the next sequel, so it's a good job I have a copy of it right now because I would go insane otherwise so please, please, please go and buy this book immediately! You won't regret it!

The Rating

5/5 stars