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
