Ness' new young adult novel is Book One in the Chaos Walking series—a teen dystopian trilogy that was published in 2008 by Candlewick Press.
Prentisstown
With only a month left until his thirteenth birthday—the birthday that will officially make him a man—Todd Hewitt is the youngest member of Prentisstown. Named after the town's mayor, Prentisstown is the only settlement on their planet, and with all the women dead, their population is dwindling fast. The disease that killed the women left the men burdened by the Noise—Every single person in town can hear each other’s thoughts. Even animals can communicate with them. Secrets can’t be kept and the constant Noise overwhelms the town.
The Hole In The Noise
While collecting apples at the swamp with his dog Manchee, Todd experiences something he has never felt before; A void in the Noise. A nothingness. When he returns to town and tells one of his guardians, Ben, the chaos begins. Todd’s life is changed forever.
In a hurry, Ben and his partner Cillian give Todd supplies; a map and a book and tell him to find the next settlement. The next settlement? Todd wonders. But there are no other settlements. This is the first of many truths that Todd discovers on his journey; a journey that he doesn’t understand. Why does he need to run? Why is the Mayor after him? And what role does his birthday play in all of this?
The Silent Girl
Reluctantly, Todd runs away and again comes across the void in the Noise. But this time he finds its source—a girl. And she has no Noise at all. Even though she doesn’t speak, the girl, Todd and Manchee escape together and search for the next settlement.
The Army
But Todd soon learns that he’s not going to get away from Prentisstown so easily. The Mayor has built an army—an army that is after Todd. But why? Why is he so important? Todd and the girl's journey is riddled with danger. But with the ever-growing army on their trail, will they ever be able to stop running?
The Knife of Never Letting Go Book Review
Patrick Ness uses a unique writing style where sentences go on for an entire paragraph and many words are spelled as they sound. It is a style that takes a chapter or two to get into, but once you’re in, there's no turning back. The Knife of Never Letting Go is captivating, raw and shocking in ways that will make readers both hate the author and love him for his bravery. For those who are into dystopian thrillers like The Maze Runner and Incarceron, this series is a must read.
Sources
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness | Candlewick Press, 2008 | ISBN: 9780763645762
Nicole Skutelnik - Nicole is an avid reader and lover of books, particular teen and young-adult fiction. At an early age, she decided to turn her passion ...
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