The Knife of Never Letting Go [Hardcover]

A decade after its release, the astonishing opener to Patrick Ness’s Chaos Walking trilogy still resonates. Celebrate ten years of this groundbreaking book with a beautiful anniversary hardcover edition.

Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they can hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him — something so awful that Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the other females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.Crack dramatic and comic timing… unforgettable… penetrating… The cliffhanger ending is as effective as a shot to the gut.
—Booklist (starred review)

The emotional, physical, and intellectual drama is well crafted and relentless...Tension [and] suspense…are palpable throughout, mitigated by occasional moments of welcome humor.
—School Library Journal

Todd’s world is a fascinating one, and the psychological and sociological impact of being unable to shut out others’ thoughts—or hide your own—is creatively explored … Todd’s colloquial voice is by turns defensive, belligerent, innocent, and desperate; the strength of his point of view and the subtle world-building contained in it make this series opener as promising as it is provocative.
—The Horn Book

Todd and Viola…are realistically portrayed as kids frequently overwhelmed and terrlS*