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A review by robinhood2000
Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness
5.0
The first book was thrilling and fast paced. The focus was on Todd and Viola finding out the truth about Prentisstown and the noise was a big part of the book.
The second book was more about human issues. What is evil? Who is worse? I really liked that Davy became someone you liked- even more than Todd. Mostly the noise was less of a focus and the Moral problems the greater focus. I sometimes got annoyed that there was such focus on moral and human problems, although I think it was nice that neither of Viola’s side(Coyle) or Todd’s (Prentiss) was a perfect choice. It felt really real.
The third book was at first only about war which bored me. I thought I wouldn’t want to finish it as it so far felt weakest in the series. Then the chapters with the Spackle came and I recalled that some chapters were from their perspective. A certain scene where 1017 is getting soup and says thanks for a spoon in “the wrong language” and the rest of the herd is disgusted by his use of language, his differentness despite him being different because of life in slavery, felt so much more genuine than the petty human conflict. Generally the major of Prentisstown always manages to escape and Todd always remains “the good” even though Viola is the only character coming close to being morally good. This kind of annoyed me because Todd made a lot of life changing mistakes. Todd’s reasoning for branding the Spackle and women is literally “ If someone else did it they would be crueler, I should do it instead”. I also disliked that part of the second book because the whole thing felt like a concentration camp reference (which I didn’t think when I was 15).
The second half of the books really picks up and I would say in the end that this is the best book in the series. I think that because I read the first two in 2 weeks then started this I was a bit finished with all the human conflict and war which the book begins with. Having said that, this third book is better than I remember and I still really love the series!
Earlier review:
Read these when I was 15 and they are so great, so cruel, so original. The characters are great and the world is magnificent, one of my favorite book series. Everyone should read them! I'm looking forward to rereading them soon!
The second book was more about human issues. What is evil? Who is worse? I really liked that Davy became someone you liked- even more than Todd. Mostly the noise was less of a focus and the Moral problems the greater focus. I sometimes got annoyed that there was such focus on moral and human problems, although I think it was nice that neither of Viola’s side(Coyle) or Todd’s (Prentiss) was a perfect choice. It felt really real.
The third book was at first only about war which bored me. I thought I wouldn’t want to finish it as it so far felt weakest in the series. Then the chapters with the Spackle came and I recalled that some chapters were from their perspective. A certain scene where 1017 is getting soup and says thanks for a spoon in “the wrong language” and the rest of the herd is disgusted by his use of language, his differentness despite him being different because of life in slavery, felt so much more genuine than the petty human conflict. Generally the major of Prentisstown always manages to escape and Todd always remains “the good” even though Viola is the only character coming close to being morally good. This kind of annoyed me because Todd made a lot of life changing mistakes. Todd’s reasoning for branding the Spackle and women is literally “ If someone else did it they would be crueler, I should do it instead”. I also disliked that part of the second book because the whole thing felt like a concentration camp reference (which I didn’t think when I was 15).
The second half of the books really picks up and I would say in the end that this is the best book in the series. I think that because I read the first two in 2 weeks then started this I was a bit finished with all the human conflict and war which the book begins with. Having said that, this third book is better than I remember and I still really love the series!
Earlier review:
Read these when I was 15 and they are so great, so cruel, so original. The characters are great and the world is magnificent, one of my favorite book series. Everyone should read them! I'm looking forward to rereading them soon!