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A review by sporadicreader
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.0
What a great, action-packed book! While the first half is much stronger than the second half, I was enthralled till the end. The premise is intriguing, the narrative voice is compelling and emotionally engaging, and the characters are distinct and interesting. The pacing of this is mostly fast and I think that is owed in most part to the narration. It has elements of stream-of-consciousness which keep you tumbling forward.
Now that's the good. The not so good is, as stated above, the second half. There is a scene about half-way through in which the momentum comes to a screeching halt. This scene was particularly shocking to read in a YA novel featuring a 12 year-old protagonist but not surprising within the context of the dystopian world. It's a dark, cruel place. But where the forward movement understandably stops, it labors to pick back up again. Not only because of what literally happens to the protagonist but because it is needlessly dragged out. Some heavy editing needed to have taken place in this latter half.
Another issue, the reveal in the climax of the story was a bit myopic. We are meant to believe something about the protagonist that doesn't quite add up with a prior event and that prior event is kind of forgotten seemingly for the sake of making this reveal work and it just didn't quite sit right for me. I can't really go into detail without spoiling.
Lastly, this is not a standalone book which I think is more of a personal criticism from me. I prefer when books in a series have a certain amount of closure with each book. For me, it increases the chances of me rereading the series, either in part or in whole. It also tells me how strong the world/plot is that it can compel me to continue on with the series despite the closure. But I also understand this is targeted to YA so maybe cliffhangers are more effective for the target audience.
Now that's the good. The not so good is, as stated above, the second half. There is a scene about half-way through in which the momentum comes to a screeching halt. This scene was particularly shocking to read in a YA novel featuring a 12 year-old protagonist but not surprising within the context of the dystopian world. It's a dark, cruel place. But where the forward movement understandably stops, it labors to pick back up again. Not only because of what literally happens to the protagonist but because it is needlessly dragged out. Some heavy editing needed to have taken place in this latter half.
Another issue, the reveal in the climax of the story was a bit myopic. We are meant to believe something about the protagonist that doesn't quite add up with a prior event and that prior event is kind of forgotten seemingly for the sake of making this reveal work and it just didn't quite sit right for me. I can't really go into detail without spoiling.
Lastly, this is not a standalone book which I think is more of a personal criticism from me. I prefer when books in a series have a certain amount of closure with each book. For me, it increases the chances of me rereading the series, either in part or in whole. It also tells me how strong the world/plot is that it can compel me to continue on with the series despite the closure. But I also understand this is targeted to YA so maybe cliffhangers are more effective for the target audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Animal death and Misogyny