Monsters of Men Review

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Title: Monsters of Men

Author: Patrick Ness

Series: Chaos Walking #3

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Date: September 28, 2010

Genre: Science Fiction; Fantasy; Dystopia; Young Adult

Pages: 603

Format: Hardcover

goodreads

"War," says the Mayor. "At last." Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they're so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await? But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge - the electrifying finale to the award-winning "Chaos Walking" trilogy, Monsters of Men is a heart-stopping novel about power, survival, and the devastating realities of war.

Holy sugar, this series was good. Sure it left me winded and reeling like I had just taken a ride on the world’s worst roller coaster, but man, was this series good.

The battle-hunger, power-crazy, will-always-come-back-to-life-no-matter-what-you-do, megalomaniac mayor has finally gotten what he wanted: all-out war. Todd and Viola are alone, caught in the middle of three raging enemies willing to do anything to annihilate one another, and have to save the world...again. Not that they succeeded the first time, or the second, or the third, but now, they really have to save the world. With the help of some of Viola’s friends (which is a very limited amount of help at that), the duo just may pull it off. The bond of friendship that holds them together is unlike their world has ever seen, and it may be what saves their lives.

Two words: Action-packed. The last book may have left you with a feeling of indescribable emptiness and a hysterical need for closure, but by golly, this book fixes all your problems. Ness delivers more than promised in this last book of the Chaos Walking series. Where the war left off in The Answer, it is picked right back up in Monsters of Men. Todd–loyal, fantastic, sweet Todd–is set on one thing, and that is to keep Viola safe at all costs. His sentimental personality and the astonishing evolution he has faced throughout the series had me fall in love with him in the first book, but kept me unequivocally devoted in the second and third. He was definitely one of the best characters that I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

Viola, on the other hand, is–shall I say it?—bad-ass. Period. Exclamation point. She is tough, strong, and persistent; qualities, I am sure, are necessary in any kick-ass female character ever written. When you pair her with Todd, how could I not devour every word ever written about them?

Now, you may be wondering why, with all this praise, is this book not a full five stars? That is a good question, and there is a reason. I hate to say that I deducted two stars on behalf of the fact that the entire book was a prolonged battle. A battle, that I must mention, started in the previous book and didn't end until 400+ pages later in this book. Yes, there was an unnecessary element of violence in the book, in my opinion, and I hate it when the whole book’s persona is made up of blood and battles. But the good news? That was literally the only thing that I disliked in this book, and because of the awesome characters, their relationships, and the complex world around them, I got over it pretty quick.

This science-fiction, mind-blowing series will have you rethink your life and thoughts. All I can say is thank you, Patrick Ness, for taking me, the reader, on an incredible journey that I do not believe I will forget any time soon. You really are a rock star in my world.

The Ask and The Answer Review

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

Title: The Ask and the Answer

Author: Patrick Ness

Series: Chaos Walking #2

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Date: September 8, 2009

Genre: Science Fiction; Futuristic; Dystopia; Fiction; Young Adult

Pages: 528

Format: Hardback

goodreads

Reaching the end of their tense and desperate flight in The Knife of Never Letting Go, Todd and Viola did not find healing and hope in Haven. They found instead their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss, waiting to welcome them to New Prentisstown. There they are forced into separate lives: Todd to prison, and Viola to a house of healing where her wounds are treated. Soon Viola is swept into the ruthless activities of the Answer, aimed at overthrowing the tyrannical government. Todd, meanwhile, faces impossible choices when forced to join the mayor’s oppressive new regime. In alternating narratives — Todd’s gritty and volatile; Viola’s calmer but equally stubborn — the two struggle to reconcile their own dubious actions with their deepest beliefs. Torn by confusion and compromise, suspicion and betrayal, can their trust in each other possibly survive?

Tom and Viola have been separated. On two different sides of the Mayor’s regime, they have no way of communicating with another or even knowing if the other is alive. As the Mayor patiently attempts to convince Tom to join him in building his empire, Viola is struggling to resist the powerful persuasion of The Answer, a rebel group that hopes to defeat Mayor Prentiss and his oppressive influence. While Tom and Viola both fight for the same ideals as the Answer, they cannot help but question the future that the Answer plans for Haven and its citizens. With the appearance of new enemies and a turbulent plot line, The Ask and the Answer will question everything that Viola and Tom have been fighting for. In a world where nothing is secret and morality and principles are a joke, Viola and Tom must single-handedly fight to save their world and destroy anyone that threatens its future.

Ness does many thing very well, but one thing that he definitely needs to work on are his conclusions. After I finish a book, I would like to move on with my life without breaking down and crying every five seconds because I have to wait a whole day to get its sequel, thank you. All I need is a little closure in life. Is that too much to ask? These endings are worse than the Hunger Games series. And that’s saying something.

I love the dynamic connection between Tom and Viola. I appreciate how honest their friendship is, and how much they care for one another. They provide a profound contrast against the horrible world that Ness has built around them. Despite all odds, their characters are strong and defiant.

This installment paves a very welcoming road to the third and final book of the Chaos Walking series. With a staggering number of wars to win and problems to solve that even the most capable of protagonists probably couldn’t even take on, I am excited to see how Ness ends his series. I am also hoping that this series actually does end, and I am not left with some mind-imploding cliff hanger. Fingers crossed! 

Monsters of Men

The Knife of Never Letting Go Review

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Title: The Knife of Never Letting Go

Author: Patrick Ness

Series: Chaos Walking #1

Publisher: Walker

Publication Date: May 5, 2008

Genre: Science Fiction; Futuristic; Dystopia; Fiction; Young Adult

Pages: 479

Format: Hardcover

goodreads

Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.

But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought? 

I used to wonder what it would be like to read minds. After reading this book, I’ve decided it wouldn’t be so great.

Todd is the last of the boys. He can read minds, just like everyone else in Prentisstown. Men, dogs, cows, everything. He has no say in what he hears, and he has no say in what other people hear. There are neither secrets nor privacy. Some men break under the constant pressure of the Noise, and some hide underneath alcohol and its effects. Some embrace the Noise, while others hone it like a weapon that needs to be finely sharpened. The Mayor is one of the people that believe the Noise is a gift that is yet to be used to its full potential. He believes the Noise enables the mind to be a vehicle of power and control. When Todd escapes the oppressive Mayor and his town, he runs into a girl and is shocked to discover he hears nothing. The girl has no Noise. The shocking discovery is the start of many more findings that will not only change Prentisstown, but Todd’s entire world as he knows it.

After reading his novel, A Monster Calls (review here), Patrick Ness became one of my idols. I absolutely adored his book, and I immediately wanted to read every book that he had ever written. When I learned about the existence of this series, it soon became number one on my to-read list.

This book is not only a narrative of this unusual story. It is the embodiment of the voice of a boy who struggles to understand not only his own thoughts but everyone else’s thoughts as well. While the Noise is a seriously awful thing, whenever I read about it, I can’t help but think about How the Grinch Stole Christmas. How does it go?

“And then! Oh, the noise! Oh the Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise! That’s one thing he hated! The NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!”

Although I think the Grinch was talking about a different kind of Noise, and the Whos are infinitely happier than the citizens of Prentisstown, I still think that the message is the same. Noise = Bad.  

Ness creates a captivating story by using both the words themselves and how the words look on the page to tell his story. He uses different fonts, carefully placed punctuation, and even the white space on a page to create both art and a story. It is intriguing and mysterious and very hard to look away from.

Fair warning: You have to be a very strong person to resist the sequel. If you pick up the first book, in all likelihood, you’ll end up with reading the whole series, one after another.

Patrick Ness, once again, deserves five stars for his ingenuity, creativity, and expert skill at language. Reading more of his work is at the top of my list. 

The Ask and the Answer