Reviews

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

sweetsummerchild's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

andrewsweet's review against another edition

4.0

For the first half of the book, I thought this would be a 5-star review. I like the characters, and the idea for the story is just outrageous. I love the "cows" - HERE! But when I got about two-thirds of the way through the novel, I realized that I'd pretty much figured out the ending. Also, the relationship between the main character and a secondary character develops in a way that's somewhat drawn out. There were some scenes that could have been left out. That's fine by me, though. I read to the end just the same and was not at all disappointed with the action and the plot unfolding. In a nutshell, this was a great story, well told, and fell just shy of being a 5-star. Well done!

tlskayte's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

mmmlysaght's review against another edition

5.0

Absolutely captivating voice, one of the few stories written in both vernacular and first person which I couldnt put down. Ness is a master of stories where you expect the worst possible thing to happen, and yet what actually happens is even worse.

caitie145's review against another edition

3.0

3.5
While I did enjoy the ending and the second half of the book it took me around 5 months to finish because it would drag too much at times. This is also like the 4th time I have tried to read it so I’m happy to have finally finished it and am excited to see what happens in the second book ☺️

lyakimov's review against another edition

3.0

this book was DISTURBING. very very very disturbing. it was a very quick read though. I thought it was a really solid story and really interesting.

alexasdraft's review against another edition

adventurous challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

_leooo_'s review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense

4.0

franciscogrilo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

gunte4919's review against another edition

tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.25

This unrelenting tragedy was the worst book I’ve read in years. I’m passionate about ensuring others know they can put this book down because it doesn’t get better. 
- the protagonist complains so frequently it is so incredibly annoying. He has no redeeming qualities and doesn’t do a single nice thing in this book. He is the most un redeaming character in the world. He is either a huge wuss or an insane sadist. He could’ve solved all the problems could’ve been solved if he just put his pride aside. This was 8 hours of my life I want back. You will get tricked into thinking it will maybe turn a corner and it won’t.  
- why don’t certain people die in this book? They just keep coming back and it’s so exhausting. 
- can anything good or even neutral happen? It is one soul crushing event after another. 
- this is a 400 page chase sequence. The characters don’t talk or get to know each other. 
- none of your questions get answered. The only reason I finished it is because the person I was listening to it with wanted to see if it got better and we wanted answers to the questions brought up in the first few chapters. Just know you don’t get answers. 
- the only like able character was the 
dog. 
<Spoiler>Viola should have left long ago. 
-why doesn’t this illiterate fool have the girl read the book???
-a crocodile would kill you. Are you kidding me? They have no medical care to fix that injury. 
- the multi chapter fever dream is just so played out. 
- he killed the only innocent thing because it was weaker than him. 
The dog dies.