Monsters of Men

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

(Chaos Walking Trilogy: Book 3)

Published: September 28, 2010 by Candlewick

"War," says the Mayor. "At last." Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they're so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await? But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge.

Read my review of the 1st book, The Knife of Never Letting Go, here.

Read my review of the 2nd book, The Ask and The Answer, over here.

        This is officially one of the most epic book series I have ever read. I keep trying to find new words to describe these books and I can't get away from that word *EPIC* because it just sums it up so well. This book is so full of action but it tackles some seriously deep issues at the same time and keeps you guessing the whole time. Patrick Ness is made of awesome and so are his books. GO READ THIS SERIES NOW *ahem* Sorry, got a little carried away there. 

Reasons I love this book:

• no holds barred action- the actions starts right away with a war against the Spackle and a war for the support of the settlers between the Mayor and Mistress Coyle. As I've said before, I have such admiration for authors who get their hands dirty and aren't afraid to hurt or kill off characters (not that I'm saying that happens but you definitely get the feeling that no one is safe here)
• narration- even faster swap-offs between Viola and Todd, each of which ends on a cliffhanger. This is very cool because it gives you 2 views on the war at hand and covers the same times (i.e. Todd sees a bomb go off and kill some Spackle, Viola hears the same bomb go off and hopes it didn't kill Todd once you switch to her view)
• stakes are high- true of any war, but really driven home here as we follow a group of people who are possibly the only humans on the planet and are fighting the native species right as settlers begin to land....whoa. 
• Wilf + Lee- 2 characters I already loved prove themselves again- I wish we saw more of them
• SPOILER!
• Viola's armband- I know this part sucks for Viola and Todd but the drama of the band slowly killing her and how she put it on to get to Todd is palpable
• END SPOILER!

Huh, what?:

• MINOR SPOILERS!
• 1017's POV- learning how to understand the Spackle noise took me a little while, but this is something that helps you realize how high the stakes are for everybody in this war
• random Spackle is gay- 1017 is a random Spackle when we meet him in book 2. I mean, yeah he's angrier than the others, but still just 1 of thousands. It doesn't actually matter to the story that he's gay (yes, he's out for revenge of his one in particular but he would be whether his one was male or female) I don't know guys, it just felt a little like an afterthought to add some diversity, and while I'm a fan of diversity I wish it felt more intentional (Unrelated: Did anybody think Dumbledore was gay before JK said so? Because when I read them I could have sworn he had something going on with McGonagall in the early books)
• Todd's quiet Noise- 1st Todd learns how to block his Noise from others, including Viola. Then he learns how to control people with it...just like the Mayor
• the ending(!)- I do not like this ending! I'm usually a fan of ambiguous endings, but after all Todd and Viola went through I wanted to see this end on a high note
• END MINOR SPOILERS!

The boyfriend factor:

• So once again, my boyfriend is in love with this series and kept bugging me to read faster so he could flip out to someone about everything that happened.

Is this the end?:

• Yes. *tear*

Favorite quotes:

• "Stop!" I shout, whirling round to see who fired, but all I see are confused faces among the women and men with guns-                                                                                                                 And Wilf standing over next to Lee.                                                                                                        And Lee with a rifle in his hands.                                                                                                           "Did I get him?" Lee says. "Wilf aimed for me."                                                                                       - Viola  pg. 527  (you won't know until you read the book why I found this funny)            
• ...but it's been obvious since the beginning that wars make no sense. You kill people to tell them you want to stop killing them.                                                                                                                Monsters of men, I think. And women.                                                                                                   -Viola  pg. 287

5 robots

Go read this series- you won't be disappointed!

Acquired: Bought

  

The Ask and the Answer

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

(Chaos Walking Trilogy: Book 2)

Published: September 8, 2009 by Candlewick

We were in the square, in the square where I'd run, holding her, carrying her, telling her to stay alive, stay alive till we got safe, till we got to Haven so I could save her - But there weren't no safety, no safety at all, there was just him and his men...Fleeing before a relentless army, Todd has carried a desperately wounded Viola right into the hands of their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss. Immediately separated from Viola and imprisoned, Todd is forced to learn the ways of the Mayor's new order. But what secrets are hiding just outside of town? And where is Viola? Is she even still alive? And who are the mysterious Answer? And then, one day, the bombs begin to explode... 

       Read my review of the 1st book, The Knife of Never Letting Go, here.

       This book takes all the action of the 1st book and doubles it. If you thought the 1st one was the most epic book you've ever read, take a deep breath and set aside a few hours to read this cover to cover. Trust me, you won't want to stop reading, and you'll probably want to have the 3rd book ready as soon as you finish this one. 

Reasons I love this book:

• alternating point of view (Todd and Viola)- it's really nice to know what Viola's thinking and feeling after the 1st book (half of which Todd spends wondering if Viola can even talk), and the transitions between the POVs are so smooth you'll barely notice
• Davy Prentiss- there is so much character development with Davy. I was stunned to find myself rooting for him. After the ending of the 1st book I never thought that would happen. 
• Mistress Coyle- I wouldn't call her a likable character by any means, but she's someone as determined and stubborn as the Mayor is and she's willing to fight for what she believes in. I definitely don't trust her. 
• Angharrad (Todd's horse)- almost makes up for Manchee, although I can't at all picture Manchee in the settings and situations in this book

Huh, what?:

• Spackle 1017- the only Spackle who will stand up to Todd and Davy. I'm guessing we'll see him again as the war starts
• Todd and Viola on different sides, being manipulated against each other by strong, almost dictator-like aspiring leaders
• the Mayor- SPOILERS!- Todd had him beaten finally and he let him go! I mean, I wouldn't want to lead an army into war either, but he let the Mayor go! -END SPOILERS-

The boyfriend factor:

• my boyfriend is hooked on this series- I'm pretty sure he read this one in 3 days, plus he told me I needed to read faster

Is this the end?

• Ha, read the end of this book and ask me again I dare you! This is definitely not the end- the 3rd book is Monsters of Men and is out now

Favorite quotes:

• And a body tumbles from the pile, knocking right into me.                                                                   I scoot back fast, rolling over other bodies, scrambling to my feet, wiping my hands on my trousers, wiping the dead away.                                                                                                         And then another body falls.                                                                                                                I look up at the pile.                                                                                                                           1017 is working his way out.                          - Todd  pg. 309
• I turn away from her to try and think but I'm wrapped so tight in bandages around my middle I can't properly sit up.                                                                                                                             Mistress Coyle runs a couple of fingers across her brow. "And now that you're back," she says, "I'm not at all sure you're going to thank us for the world to which we've returned you."                  -Viola  pg. 73

5 Robots

This book ups the epicness from the 1st one. This is a must-read series!

Acquired: Gift from a friend

The Knife of Never Letting Go

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

(Chaos Walking Trilogy: Book 1)

Published: September 9, 2008 by Candlewick

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in Prentisstown.
But Prentisstown isn’t like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts in a constant, overwhelming, never-ending Noise. There is no privacy. There are no secrets.
Or are there?
Just one month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd unexpectedly stumbles upon a spot of complete silence.
Which is impossible.
Prentisstown has been lying to him.
And now he’s going to have to run ...

       This is one of those books that I've seen around book blogs and was vaguely aware of, but it kinda got buried under all the new books out there. Then I made a swap.com account with all the books that I'd read and thought "well, this book is okay but I'm never gonna read it again and don't know anyone who would love it." I put this book on my want list and it was the first book I swapped for and I'm so glad I read it. This book is the very definition of epic. If you like dystopian even a tiny bit, read this book!

Reasons I love this book:

• Manchee- from the 1st page (as you'll see in my fave quotes) I knew I was going to love Manchee and he didn't let me down
• Plot- the Noise, Todd being the only remaining Prentisstown boy, the impossibility of he and Viola's situation- everything comes together so well
• Aaron- SPOILERS!- I have never read about a villain I hated more, and that goes far with me. If an author can make me care that much it's awesome, even if it is a villain
• writing- the way Todd speaks and thinks is written like he would spell it. It's kinda like how when Hagrid talks except way easier to figure out what he's saying (seriously, when I was 10 and reading Harry Potter I had a hard time understanding Hagrid)                   

Huh, what?:

• Manchee (again)- SPOILERS!- Whyyyy? I cried. This has only ever happened once before, over Dobby.
• Aaron (again)- why won't this man just die already? Who is capable of being that stubborn?
• the ending- agh! After all that Todd and Viola went through to get where are....it's just agh. I know there's a sequel but it makes me want to scream

The boyfriend factor:

• as soon as I finished this book I gave it to my boyfriend and he's loving it. He's almost done with it. He doesn't enjoy the writing in Todd's spelling though.

Is this the end?:

• No, and thankfully the whole trilogy is out because I'd never be able to stand the wait. I bought the 3rd book at a local Borders (going out of business) when I was only about a 3rd of the way through this book. Now all I need is the 2nd book, like now

Favorite quotes:

• The first thing you find out when yer dog learns to talk is that dogs don't got nothing much to say. About anything.  "Need a poo, Todd."      "Shut up, Manchee."      "Poo. Poo, Todd."     "I said shut it."        pg. 1                (This is the 1st line of the book. How could you not be dying to read the rest after this? Best 1st line I've ever read.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
• We can't ask anyone for help. Even if we got it, the army's coming, ain't it? We should warn them but what if they're Matthew Lyles rather than Hildys? And what if by warning them we draw the army right to them cuz then we're in everyone's Noise?                  pg.234

5 robots

This book is epic and I'm dying to get my hands on the 2nd one as soon as I can.

Acquired: swapped for (swap.com)