The Knife of Never Letting Go

"Yes, and I thought it was very interesting that Ness had taken the idea of interconnectivity and increased access to personal information to the very extreme. The idea of the ‘noise’ virus makes us wonder how different our personal relationships would be if everyone around us could hear our constant buzz of thoughts. The story follows Todd, who on the verge of his thirteenth birthday is told by his guardians to run away. With no knowledge of the world outside his town, Todd is surprised to find a girl (there are no girls in Prentisstown) who has no ‘noise’. It was such an intriguing idea, and together with Ness’s way of unraveling the mysterious plot around the Mayor of Prentisstown and Aaron, the maniacal preacher, the book was a fast paced and emotional read. Yes, I can definitely see this as a coming of age novel! The novel begins with Todd almost making the transition from boy to man, but running away before he can, and embarking on a journey that uncovers the remarkable flaws of his troubled society. As this is a young adult book, I think the people who read it will instantly be able to connect with the narrator and Viola, as they are both subject to the same emotions as the readers, including the fear of learning the truth, and developing both sense of self and morality, both things universally relatable."