The Knife of Never Letting Go

Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press.

The Knife of Never Letting Go takes place on a planet known as the New World that has been colonized by Christian settlers. Todd Hewitt lives in an all men settlement. According to what Todd has been told, a germ that infected all settlers killed women. Men survived, but were left with a side effect that causes them to hear each others’ thoughts causing an ever sounding Noise. Todd later discovers a swamp on the settlement’s borders where there is a spot of silence. After being prompted to leave by his adoptive parents, Ben and Cillian, Todd leaves Prentisstown. Reaching the border he discovers the source of the silence, a girl named Viola. Together Todd and Viola who are later joined by Ben fight off the mayor’s son and the town preacher who track them down. Throughout their journey, Todd discovers the truth about their settlement and gains hope for an end to the Noise by heading to the technologically advanced settlement called Haven. In the end, Todd manages to arrive to Haven just in time to get help for Viola who is dying. Unfortunately, the mayor has already declared himself President making the journey to Haven hopeless. Certainly readers can tell this book is part of a series and so I recommend the second book, The Ask and the Answer. This science fiction book shares a story that takes place in a fantasy world, but yet the moral messages are universal. Students can gain a new perspective of what a planet without females would entail or perhaps analyze the settlers’ actions in managing the Noise.