War Makes Monsters of Men

Monsters of Men: A Chaos Walking Novel by Patrick Ness

I have recently read many ends of stories, so far this year I have finished several series that I have read for many months and in some cases a year.  This is yet another end of a story.  When I started The Knife of Never Letting Go it was a suggestion from a friend who loved it, the same friend did not enjoy The Ask and the Answer and didn’t even try to read Monsters of Men.  I read The Knife of Never Letting Go, but decided to get the audio books for the second and third installments.  I loved them all and I was so glad that I listened to them because the actors that performed the recording did an excellent job.  I had the book and the audio book and if possible I usually preferred to listen instead of reading it myself, that is how well of a job they did on the recording. 

This series is about several groups of invading aliens and how they interact with the native species.  This new world is full of communication, the men can hear each other’s thoughts while the women remain silent.  This causes many problems and with the settling of the aliens comes many troubles that lead to wars.  We enter the story after the Spackle (native species) War and before the war that ends all wars.  Our story in this third book follows not only Todd and Viola, but we also are in the voice of 1017, the banded Spackle that we meet in The Ask and The Answer.  Of course it was different being in the voice of the Spackle that hates Todd so much especially since the audience and Viola love Todd.  It was an interesting twist so that we could see the story from every angle.   

This book had one of the craziest endings of book history (slight exaggeration).  I was actually quite shocked by the course of the events in the last several chapters and couldn’t get it off of my mind for quite some time after finishing.  I cried at the end and was upset at the turn of events. 

Throughout the series I fell in love with the relationship with Todd and Viola, it was love, but not lust.  There was a relationship that was beyond a teenage love with all that they had been through and conquered just brought them back together and closer.  I enjoyed the entrance of Lee into the story and how Viola was not swayed from her devotion to Todd and was not even tempted to go in the direction of a new found interest. 

As most books go, I miss the characters when I am done with a book and that still goes with this series.  I loved them, they became my friends and I miss them now that the story is over. 

I would recommend this series to any reader of all ages.  And if you like to listen to your books, this should be next on your list.  Keep Reading my Friends!  

I am the Circle and the Circle is me

The Ask and the Answer: Chaos Walking Novel by Patrick Ness

We find Todd exactly where we left him in The Knife of Never Letting Go, the first book of the Chaos Walking trilogy.  He is in the Cathedral begging for Viola’s life.  He had carried her to Haven only to meet Mayor Prentiss and his herd of men from Prentisstown.  In this second book of the trilogy, the audience reads both Todd and Viola’s perspective and we follow their paths as they are separated but both residing in New Prentisstown which was formally known as Haven.  There is so much going on in this book, it would be hard to outline it all. 

I love the characters, both Todd and Viola are great characters to sink into their thoughts, Viola whose thoughts are secret to those around her because she is a woman and Todd’s Noise speaks to all because his is a male.  It’s interesting to see Todd’s decisions and actions through Viola’s thoughts and no matter how bad his actions are she never loses faith in him.  The author also tries to bring another male character into the mix for a love triangle, but I wasn’t buying it.  There is no one else except Todd. 

I loved the ending.  I was sitting on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen, but as the last book, cliff hanger.  I was actually given The Knife of Never Letting Go as “the craziest cliff hanger of all times.”  I’m not sure that I agree with that, but my friend also didn’t enjoy The Ask and the Answer and I did.  I think second book has a bigger cliff hanger than the first and I cannot wait to start Monsters of Men to finish this series and find out what happens.

The Ask and the Answer was an interesting title.  I assumed it had to do with Todd and Mayor, excuse me, President Prentiss’ first interaction where President Prentiss says a sentence about asking and answering, but in all actuality it has to do with President Prentiss’ rebuttal to Mistress Coyle’s terrorist group, The Answer that started during the Spackle War when the new settlers came to the new world. 

All of this to say if you like Aliens, War, hearing men’s thoughts, suspense, with a little splash of romance (maybe), then this series is for you.  I found it at the library, but I’m sure you can find it at any book store.  I hope you enjoyed the blog and I hope you enjoy a good book soon!  Keep reading my friends! 

How do you hide when everyone can hear your thoughts?

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Todd Hewitt is 30 days away from becoming a man.  Every boy in Prentisstown becomes a man at the age of 13 with 13 calendar months.  He doesn’t know what all it entails, but as the last boy in Prentisstown he knows it’s a big deal.  Not only is he the youngest in the town, there are no women in Prentisstown.  In New World, everyone can hear everyone’s thoughts and the noise is overwhelming and not only can you hear the men’s thoughts, but the animals talk and have noise just as loud as men.  One day Todd and his dog Manchee stumbles upon silence.  Like a whole in the Universe.  When this secret silence is discovered, Todd must leave the only settlement in New World to hide and escape.  The only problem is whoever is after Todd can hear every thought he has.

The Knife of Never Letting Go was a high thrills young adult novel that was action packed from start to finish.  When I began the book I knew that it had a cliff hanger ending.  My friend Kathy lent me her copy and said, “Here is the biggest cliff hanger ending of any book I’ve ever read.” Wow, thanks Kathy!  She said it was well worth the read though and I have to completely agree. 

I enjoyed the style in which the book was written.  Ness writes the book in Todd’s voice, it sounds just like it would if he were speaking.  The audience only knows what he allows himself to think and speak, we are in his inner thoughts as well as everyone else in the story.  I enjoyed when characters would interact with the unspoken words and of course correct his horrible grammar in his mind.  I also loved Viola and the relationship that buds between her and Todd.  I loved learning with Todd about a whole world that he knew nothing of.  I want to continue to read the series just to find out what was written in Todd’s mom’s journal and find out what’s going to happen with Todd and Viola. 

This is not a book that I think I would have ever come across if Kathy had not handed it to me.  I’m thankful that she did and I look forward to continuing the series. 

Do you ever borrow books from people and are so thankful for the chance to read it?  What books have you read that you borrowed and didn’t want to give back?  Twilight was probably my first borrowed book that I didn’t want to give back.  Keep Reading my friends!