Author: Patrick Ness
Publication Date: May 5th, 2008
Publisher: Candlewick
Genre: Young Adult Sci-Fi/Thriller
Pages: 479
Source: borrowed from library
Rating: 4.5/5 I'd take this book for coffee
**See the end of the review for why I didn't give this 5 stars, but beware it is a spoiler.
**See the end of the review for why I didn't give this 5 stars, but beware it is a spoiler.
Goodreads Summary: A dystopian thriller follows a boy and girl on the run from a town where all thoughts can be heard — and the passage to manhood embodies a horrible secret.
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.
My thoughts: When I started reading, I thought "wow, this narrator's voice is really annoying." So much so that I almost almost put it down. But I am so glad I didn't! Once I got used to Todd's voice (and his Noise and the Noise around him), say about 30-40 pages in, I found it really difficult to put this book down. So if you begin reading and are thrown off by the intentional misspellings, keep reading!
This book brought out so many emotions: sadness; horror; disgust; sorrow. It was very fast-paced, though there was one small section where I couldn't help but think "is something going to happen already?" Other than that, it was a very quick read, expecially considering it's nearly 500 pages. Definitely a cliffhanger ending (and cliffhanger chapters that keep you wanting to read "just one more chapter" over and over again, so I don't suggest reading this until you have access to the following books!
I'm not a huge sci-fi fan (though I enjoy post-apocalyptic and/or dystopic stories), and for some reason had the impression that this was a book about zombies, though I have no idea where I got that idea. But, BUT, even if you are not typically interested in sci-fi, you should definitely at least consider picking up this book.
Todd...the main character...I really felt for Todd. The book is told from him in first person, and, I would say, is written in stream of consciousness, which makes perfect sense because of the Noise. I haven't read many books written from a SOC point of view (Catcher in the Rye, which I loved, and Mrs. Dalloway, which I didn't), but I don't think this story could be told in any other way, and I wish there were more YA books told from this perspective.
Manchee? LOVED. Viola? LOVED. Most of the rest of the characters (in the hopes of not giving too much away)? They evoked my loathing, horror, and disdain. Some of the people in this book are truly disturbing, which made me love Todd even more.
**SPOILER: skip if you do not wish to be spoiled! I would have given this 5 stars were it not for the fact that Manchee died. My heart just broke for Todd at that point. Manchee wasn't just a pet in this book - he was one of the main characters! I didn't cry while reading this, but if I had...this would have been that moment. I just couldn't give this the full 5 stars knowing how much it made my heart hurt! SPOILER END.
FTC Disclaimer:All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.
I was prepared about the dialect thing (making it even worse in my head) so surprisingly, it was easier for me to read. This really is such an emotional read, it was so tense for me! Fantastic review!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elena! It took me a bit to get used to the dialect; I actually put down Blood Red Road for the same reason, but now I'm thinking I should really return to that. :)
DeleteThanks, Heidi! I'll definitely check out A Monster Calls. It sounds heartbreaking but good - my kind of book. :)
ReplyDeleteI must admit, I started to read this and gave up after about five pages. I couldn't get used to the writing. Glad you persevered and ended up liking this after all. :) Thanks for the insight.
ReplyDeleteThough it really, really annoyed me at first, I promised myself I would at least give it at least 50 pages before I put it down, and it ended up turning around even sooner! It does take some getting used to, but it was well worth it in the end. :) Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteDefinitely going on my TBR list. I'm a little worried about the writing, since it's not the first time I see this point mentioned when it comes to this specific book, but... but it still seems so interesting no matter what!
ReplyDeleteYay! I promise it gets less annoying once you get used to it, at least it did for me! :)
DeleteGreat review! I've heard lots of people complain about the weird dialect but that's great that you got used to it. I might just have to put this back on my TBR.:)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Addie! Go for it! :D
DeleteThis is my favorite series. I hope you're gonna continue at some point? I'm re-reading A Monster Calls right now via audio. (I'm a Patrick Ness nerd. He's my favorite.)
ReplyDeleteI totally understand why you downgraded. Lots of people throw the book down and won't even pick it back up.
This series is literally one of the most well-written I've EVER read in my entire life. Intense, emotional, and incredible. Just, wow.
I'll definitely be continuing the series! Hopefully soon. I was going to tell my husband to read the first book...but he read my review and ignored the part that said "spoiler ahead"... I felt terrible!
DeleteIt made me really sad, but at the same time, it fits, ya know?
I love being inside Todd's head. Between reading this one and The Catcher in the Rye earlier this year, I'm on the lookout for more "stream of consciousness" YA books, so if you know of any others, send them my way! :) This book made me feel ALL the things!!