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Review of THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO


Cover art taken from http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?mode=book&isbn=0763676187&browse=.
Todd is an orphan who has been raised by family friends in the New World settlement of Prentisstown, which was founded by colonists looking for an alternative to life on Earth. Life in Prentisstown in difficult- all of the women have been killed by an alien germ, and all of the men have been infected with Noise – the inescapable ability to hear other men’s every thought. On the verge of his thirteenth birthday, when Todd will officially become a man according to Prentisstown tradition, he discovers a frighteningly quiet spot. The truth behind this quiet is so dangerous that Todd, his talking dog Manchee, and a mysterious new arrival are soon running for their lives from the men of Prentisstown. Can they reach safety in time, and can they save the other settlements of New World from the army at their heels?
“The world’s a dangerous place when you don’t know enough.” (p. 142)
I never would have picked this book up if it hadn’t been required, because I had always mistakenly believed that I didn’t like science-fiction and because it looked like a “boy’s book” to me. Am I ever grateful that this course forced me outside of my comfort zone and put this amazing series on my radar! In our textbook reading, we learned that science-fiction encompasses a lot more than just Star Trek and Dr. Who; yes, space colonies, aliens, and futuristic technology can all be found under the sci-fi umbrella, but apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic stories, dystopian fiction, parallel universes, and books about extra-sensory perception (just to name a few) also fall into this category. The knife of never letting go may be set on an alien planet, but otherwise it has a very old-fashioned feel to it that belies the futuristic setting. Additionally, while there is no denying that the book will have a strong appeal to young male readers, it features a surprising feminist undertone that feels delightfully subversive in such an otherwise masculine book.
Continue the Chaos Walking series with The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men, and try to wait patiently till next year for the release of the film adaptation (called Chaos Walking) starring Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley.



Chaos-Walking-Set-Photo-Daisy-Ridley-Tom-Holland
Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley on the set of Chaos Walking. Photo taken from https://movieweb.com/chaos-walking-set-photo-daisy-ridley-tom-holland/.

Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go: Chaos walking book one. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

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