The Knife of Never Letting Go

There are times when I pick up a book and get so completely involved in the story I have to pull myself out of the fictional world in order to function in the “real world.” Those are also the books I’m most unhappy to see end. I love to find out what happens, but can’t bear to leave the characters. Luckily, The Knife of Letting Go by Patrick Ness is the first in a series; so, feel free to get involved knowing there are more stories to come.

Set in a world filled with “noise” Todd is constantly bombarded by the thoughts of men. Todd lives in a secluded community of only men as the women have died from a mysterious disease that allows the men to hear each other’s thoughts and killed all the women. Or so Todd has been told. When Todd meets Viola, a girl his age, alone in the swamp, he begins to question everything he knows. Where did Viola come from? Why hasn’t she been infected? Why can’t he hear her “noise?” After Todd saves Viola from being killed by a man from his town, the two set off to find another community that may protect them. Accompanied by Todd’s faithful dog, Manchee, the two must learn to trust each other if they hope to survive and find answers to their questions.

A truly extraordinary novel. Let me know what you think!