Book review: The knife of never letting go

The knife of never letting go

by Patrick Ness

Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go. London, United Kingdom: Walker.

The knife of never letting go is, simply, one of the most astonishing books I have ever read. A science fantasy for young readers and the first of a trilogy, it challenges what we think young readers can cope with, and defies boundaries by challenging and winning over adult readers.

The story is set on another planet at a point in our future. A group of explorers had arrived to what they thought would be a new paradise, but everything has gone wrong. There has been a war with the planet’s indigenous species (the Spackle), who have released a germ known as Noise. This has killed all the women, and made the thoughts of all the men audible to all. When the book opens, the main character, Todd, is the only boy left in a dying town of desperate, mostly mad, often dangerous men, whose thoughts surround him at all times.

Within the first chapter, Todd finds a place of silence in the relentless Noise. At that point, the breakneck pace of the book starts up and Todd is hurtled along a journey where what he thinks he knows is constantly overturned, and he comes to see his world as an increasingly dangerous and unreliable place. He has to find out what this world really is, and what his place in it might be. At the same time, he has to come to terms with becoming a man (his thirteenth birthday is in a month’s time), and what this might mean for him.

Todd is a singular hero, often for his lack of heroism. He doubts himself and those around him, he is not sure of his goal, and he often makes mistakes, sometimes with terrible consequences. Yet his search for understanding, and his frantic journey towards the truth are highly compelling, and his emotional growth is believable and meaningful.

This is a book of tremendous pace and depth, that can be read as a simple adventure story or with an appreciation of the deeper themes. The densely-packed narrative invites repeated readings, and the characters and context resonate long after the book is finished.

Book review: Not a box

Not a box

by Antoinette Portis

Portis, A. (2006). Not a box. United States of America: HarperCollins Publishers.

Not a box is a caption picture book for toddlers which celebrates the imagination and simplicity of a child’s world.

Not a box concerns a young rabbit playing with a box. On each alternative page, the rabbit is in, on or beside a box, which he says, when asked, is “not a box”. The page turns to reveal that the box is a mountain, or an elephant, or something similarly wondrous. He finally reveals that he’s playing with his “not a box”. This is an effective  idea, complemented with simple and clear illustrations. Colour is kept to a minimum, with strong tonal variation.

This is a story that encourages young children to participate in the action, guessing what the box might be in each scenario, and coming up with their own possibilities for what a box can represent. Although the plot is minimal and based on a single idea, it promotes children and their readers to engage with the story together and takes the story beyond the page and into playtime. The book itself reinforces the idea, bound in strong brown cardboard with “This side up” printed on the back, reminiscent of an actual box.

Not a box is a celebration of the limitless imagination of children, and their ability to find endless possibilities in ordinary objects. In a world of branded, complicated toys and flashy books, it’s a visual relief, and a refreshing reminder that children and parents can make their own marvellous worlds.

Book review: The name of this book is secret

The name of this book is secret

by Pseudonymous Bosch

Bosch, P. (2007). The name of this book is secret. New South Wales, Australia: Allen &  Unwin.

The name of this book is secret is an eccentric adventure story for middle readers. Set in a normal, contemporary town , the story concerns two eleven year old children, Cass and Max-Ernest, who become friends and quickly become embroiled in a quirky, unpredictable mystery.

This is a unique book for children, defying genre and convention. One of its most striking elements is the narrative voice. The book is told in third person by the author, who ostensibly doesn’t want to tell his story, as it contains a dangerous “Secret”, but can’t keep it to himself. His narrative often digresses out of the story into footnotes, warnings, and suggestions that the reader try to guess the next part.

As characters, Cass and Max-Ernest are quirky and highly likeable. Max-Ernest is known for his talkativeness and his unrelenting logic, while Cass is a serious survivalist, who is never without her backpack containing trail mix, a space blanket and topographical maps. These traits, which have marked them out from their schoolmates, unite them in their difference, and become assets when they start to solve the mystery, which involves puzzles, codes, and a certain amount of bravery and cunning.

This is a fine, appealing book for young readers. It sustains an idiosyncratic, interactive tone, and builds the tension and danger of the plot while keeping it appropriate for the experience of our young heroes. Cass and Max-Ernest are 3-dimensional characters with strong personalities and a realistic tendency to make mistakes and fight with each other.  Many of the minor characters are ambiguous in their loyalties or just adorably hopeless, and the villains are suitably creepy (readers may never look properly at a gloved hand again). As a reading experience, it’s compelling, thought-provoking and highly entertaining.

A brave, not very new world

Blogging. Goodness. I’ve loved reading blogs for a long time, but I’ve never kept one. It’s all a little bit exciting. I might have to go for a walk now.