More Than This - Patrick Ness

Source: Borrowed Proof
Pages: 480
Publisher: Walker

There have been times in the last few crazy months where I've been very low about the blogging part of my life. I felt that I'd built this book orientated world around me, working at Waterstones, my A levels and my blog yet it felt like that didn't matter.
However, the day when I was handed this book into my hands to read, that day it made me realise how much I love what I do and how much I love books.
On that day, I was at work and met my friend who had just lost her job at the independent Lion and Unicorn Bookshop, that has recently been shut down. It was a sad time to meet her. This was a place where she had grown up, done work experience at and then had her first job there all while I was over the road at the big chain Waterstones store. She's told me that we're not the reason they've closed although we certainly didn't help but I still feel bad about it all. Anyway, this was the last proof she had received there and they allowed for her to keep it.
The thing about Patrick Ness is that his books have that habit of bringing people together. It was actually this friend that told me to read his Chaos Walking series all those years ago when I'd just become friends with her. I read the first page of The Knife of Never Letting Go, looked at my friend with an expression that read 'Really?' until she assured me I should carry on. And I did. And I realised HOW good his books were. How much I loved reading in general and most of all, that I finally had friends that appreciated reading at the same level I did. It was brilliant. So when my friend handed me this book, it brought together all that.

Synopsis: In one shocking yet chaotic moment, Seth drowns. He is dead. Yet in the confusing moments afterwards, he wakes up in the village he grew up in. Yet the village is now deserted. Houses abandoned, electricity vanished and no traces of people who disappeared a long time before Seth arrives. This is a type of hell, Seth is sure. Until he meets two other young people - Regine and Tomasz - who help try to come to terms with the events that have let them to this moment and discover the mystery behind this abandoned world they now live within.

Review: There are two definite things I love about Patrick Ness.
1) As many, I LOVE his writing, his fluid writing that really puts you in the moment with Seth; the mix of the present and past woven together through the narrative mixed with the different styles of language from the three protagonists that give that distinctive originality of character - there aren't many writers that have the power to that all, and all done incredibly well too.
2) One of the reasons I really love Patrick Ness' writing and himself as a person is his understanding. It's so clear that he understands teenagers and young people and many people will agree with me in saying that there needs to be more people like that around. I've known about Ness' books since I was about 14 and throughout that difficult period of adolescence, it's remarkable how much I can say his books teach you in becoming your own person. Patrick Ness truly made me find friends, the same two people who are my best friends even now, and helped me realise that loving to read wasn't all that bad and that I shouldn't hide it. Anyway, basically, Patrick Ness gets young people. And there are so many party poppers I want to let loose at that statement.

MORE THAN THIS is quite something. There are plenty of issues within this book - sexuality, suicide, depression - which I'm sure some single-minded adult will pick it out as 'reasons why teenagers shouldn't read' or whatever but that is exactly why I liked this book. It's hard to define a genre really for MORE THAN THIS with it being clearly contemporary yet also dabbling in science fiction and mystery to create a novel that is utterly compelling and becomes quite an addictive read. I'll say it now that this book is LONG and for me the first part when Seth is alone, it dragged on a little bit for me. Although soon the narrative starts up and I got kind of hooked on the plot, desperately wanting to know what would happen next.

This book is a lot of things. It means a lot to me for different reasons than others. But apart from that, this is a book that deserves to be tried by everybody, regardless of your normal tastes, walks of life - whatever. This is a book that just needs to be read and shared and read again and shown the love it deserves.

I give it a 5 out of 5


Related Reviews: 
The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness
The New World - Patrick Ness (short story)

The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness (#1)

I've been meaning to write this review for some time. I read The Knife of Never Letting Go for the first time a few months before I started blogging so when I wrote reviews for the others ensuing (links at the bottom).

So, as part of the Chaos Walking week in Loving Books, I thought I should finally add my own to Rebecca-Books to celebrate. Check her site out, it's really good. (If you want to join in with the week, click here for the starter post)

This is simply a mini-review as I read it so long ago and am basing some of my thoughts on the next two books.

Synopsis: Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives. 


Review: This book is a killer for someone trying to sleep at night. That is, not in a creepy scary way. But if you read before bed, this book is going to be unputdownable. 


This, for me on reflection, is the UK's answer to the Hunger Games series. The Chaos Walking series was something that really introduced me to the dystopia and science-fiction world that I never quite knew much about. 
The story is set in the near future where a group from another land who have landed on (I think) Earth. However, this is a place with a difference. For starters, there are no women. And the remaining men and animals (such as Todd's dog Manchee) have a disease where their thoughts can be heard aloud for anyone to hear - this condition was not in women, however. From the start, you can sense the corruption and the depth of the secrets hidden from both Todd and the reader. Patrick Ness successfully feeds information to the reader of the underlying secrets of Prentisstown and the world Todd is in. 


Todd himself is someone I continued to like the whole way through the books - he is someone you want as a friend. Viola, I think, is and always be my favourite - perhaps because she is a girl but I just like the way she is presented and how despite losing her family, she kind of gets on with it. The relationship between these two main characters is superb in the way they were written and this is developed and continued throughout the series. 


Written beautifully and originally, this is a book I would recommend to everyone. The lovely characters and plot should give most people a good enough reason to put this up. With twists and turns, this book spits you out at the end, still on the edge with the annoying cliffhanger - making me HAVE to read on. 
There are hilarious moments, heart-wrenching moments (Manchee!) and moments which I cannot describe well for this review. If you haven't read this already, don't doubt it - just go for it and I assure you will be pleased with the outcome!


I give it a 5 out of 5


Author's Website: http://www.patrickness.com/
Pages: 479
Publisher: Walker


Book #2 - The Ask and The Answer
Book #3 - Monsters of Men
Book #0.5 (prequel) - The New World 

THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO is also being made into a film, the rights sold to Liongate who recently made the Hunger Games. 

Patrick Ness Signing

Firstly, can I say that I love Foyles. Seriously have a passion for that bookstore.
I do have a special love for Waterstone's but wow. Foyles.


The Patrick Ness event was at Foyles in Central London and while browsing the shelves in the Fiction section beforehand, I kept finding all these books that I know about that I am desperate to read BUT CAN NEVER FIND. Like the whole Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, I want to read these American books but I don't have access to them here in England. But THEY'RE ALL IN FOYLES. That's where they keep them!
Sorry. Moving on. 


Anyway, I went to a signing with Patrick Ness and other authors in July 2010 and loved it as my first favour of a book signing (Click here for my post on that).
I know he does a lot of signings so I was keeping an eye out for any ones in London. I live on the outskirts of London so it only takes 20/30 minutes to get to the Central London. However, despite LIVING HERE, he does a lot of book events for festivals in places like Bath, Oxford and Edinburgh - not so close to London. 


So you can imagine my surprise and excitement when I found out he was launching the paperback of A Monster Calls at Foyles in...Central London. I reserved tickets within a day and was ready to go.


So on the 1st February, I went up to London after college and went to this event...with my dad (only person available to accompany me - he didn't mind - he found it entertaining). The event was incredibly interesting and it was great to find out about how Patrick Ness writes and thinks of his books. Jim Kay, the illustrator for A Monster Calls was also there and I found him equally interesting to hear what he had to say about his extraordinary drawings. 

The stage - the frames hold the drawings from the book by Jim Kay

After the interview and a few questions from the audience, Patrick Ness and Jim Kay started to sign the books from those in the audience. It's funny because in the queue when I was watching the people taking pictures, gushing over how much they love the book/drawings, I could tell which ones were bloggers, which ones just love books and especially Patrick Ness and those who would later write a story on the event. Exhibit A: the lady who was in front of me asked me to take a picture on her iPhone with both Patrick Ness and Jim Kay and I thought to myself as I pressed the shutter button 'I bet she's a blogger'. The next day whilst browsing Patrick Ness' Twitter, I found her photograph with him, followed the link to her own Twitter page and *dun dun dun* found her blog link. Off the subject but it was just funny to look at people and know what they're going to do afterwards. 

Anyway, back to the event. I am nervous when I am by myself talking to people I don't really know personally. So an author and illustrator aren't exactly the scariest people alive, it's still weird talking to them thinking 'They write/draw?' I don't know, authors to me don't look like authors. 

Patrick Ness asked me if I'd read the book (which I hadn't...yet) and I said no but that I'd read his other books and thought this was justification to come. So he replied he was glad I liked his other books and hope I enjoyed my evening. And that was it. 

I liked that he appreciated my appreciation for him. I really like it when authors are modest. 

Jim Kay had a equally thrilling conversation with me (I make my point that I don't know how to speak to authors/illustrators). He asked me how I was and excused his inky hands. I found them quite funny actually, the ink looked more like pen ink that print ink so it looked like he should be Patrick Ness...
His drawings are stunning I admit, I love a certain picture of a clock - it's just so detailed and looks to real on paper. 

So that was my signing with them. It was a great, funny evening. I really love books. And authors. And Foyles...

Please ignore my lovely red face - it was a bit hot in there &
had been awake since 6.30am

The paperback of A Monster Calls comes out the 2nd February 2012. 

Click here for Patrick Ness' website. 

Click here for Jim Kay's website

Click below for the links to my reviews of the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness

    - A New World (#0.5)

  - The Ask and the Answer (#2)

  - Monsters of Men (#3) 

The New World - Patrick Ness

As some of you know, I am a fan of Patrick Ness. He is one of my favourite authors and I even met him last summer at a book signing (See here).
For those of you who have NO IDEA who this man is. Well. He wrote the Chaos Walking trilogy, considering of The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer & Monsters of Men, which are all pretty big over here in the UK. He also recently penned A Monster Calls which was based on a plot summary by the late YA author, Siobhan Dowd, who died of cancer a few years ago. This book is winning a lot of awards at the moment. Haven't read it yet, but it's supposed to be good. 
Anyway, this book is the prequel to the Chaos Walking trilogy which features Todd and Viola looking to help the future of Prentisstown and find out the truth. They are an amazing set of books and I would recommend anyone to read them, they're long but they are worth every word.

Synopsis: In this short story prequel to the Chaos Walking trilogy, this story details Viola's past life, of which readers know little about. It shows her journey to the New World and what events occurred just before she meets Todd in The Knife of Never Letting Go.

Review: My reason for getting this book was largely because...it was free. It is a free e-book available at all good online bookshops, such as Amazon and Waterstone's. Firstly, I would say you don't have to read the Chaos Walking series to understand it, it just means some of the events that happen are a surprise for you, as these events are mentioned in the trilogy. So, no spoilers really for the book series.

The story is told from Viola's point of view, about their descent to the New World with flashbacks over their long journey from the ship, her past life and how they were picked to go. The book is set before anything in the Chaos Walking series happened so it is a clean slate, for those (like me) who can't remember everything that happened in that series.
Being a prequel, having read the series before, you know what happens ultimately because we know from reading the series. But there are still surprises and a side to Viola I had never seen before or learnt of in the books. It is worth reading if you have read the series, it does show this other side to her relying on her parents and wanting desperately to get away from them.

This book is written in the style of typical Patrick Ness which I love. Those short sentences followed by a beautiful description where you just read and read and then. WHOA. Big shock that you're not expecting. As the ship is descending, I was so focused. I read this on an 11 hour flight from San Francisco to London so I was tired and supposed to be asleep but I woke up so much when reading the last 10 or so pages. I felt the fear, the excitement, the anticipation of Viola as the events happened with a sadness as I has knowledge of what happens when they do reach ground. Through this sequel, I could see the future Viola that Todd and I love mixed in with this unusual side to her.

My only problem was I would have liked it to be a big longer. Okay, so I'm bias as I have a love for Patrick Ness' books but I would have liked just a couple more pages. Just until she meets Todd perhaps, even end it on that. With all that excitement, sadness and anticipation, I, and Viola, felt throughout, the way it ending just kind of 'happened'. I pressed a button on my Kindle and it was the end. I think that was the point as I was left there, thinking of what happens afterwards. And it is sad but knowing the end of Viola's story, it is also happy and I appreciated her as a character more.

This book can be read by anyone but enjoyed differently. I think for non-Chaos-Walking-readers it will be surprising and perhaps these readers will enjoy and anticipate it more. For readers such as me, this is still enjoyable and you get incredibly involved in Viola and her situation and enjoy reading of her past life, but I think these readers will be expecting more than they get - if that makes sense. Patrick Ness has once again produced a short story that is so exciting and hides every secret until the last possible minute. Oh. I love Todd and Viola...I loved this insight into her life, while knowing her future. Very original.
Verdict: May be a disappointing ending for some, but it's worth every word you read.

I give it a 4.5 out of 5

The New World is available only in e-book form from all online book sellers. I got mine from Amazon.

Author's Website: http://www.patrickness.com/
Pages: 24
Publisher: Walker
Challenges: BBC

Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking trilogy into a movie!?

Okay, so I'm casually going on to Patrick Ness' Diary because I do a lot to check if there's a signing in London for me and my crazy-obsessed-with-him-but-still-not-meet-him friend. AND THIS IS WHAT I FIND.

YES. I KNOW.

THE CHAOS WALKING SERIES (The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer, Monsters of Men) are being made into movies but none less than the Hunger Games makers themselves.

Personally, I don't quite know what to think. This is great and whatever, but well, will it ruin the magic and danger of these books that a lot of us readers will love? Will it be absolutely amazing and we well all wonder why we worried? I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO BE WORRIED OR HAPPY.

Anyway, well done Patrick Ness - they deserve this kind of recognition and I WILL be going to see all three movies regardless of if I agree with the making of them or not....Nice surprise for a boring Monday.

A-Z Authors - N

I found out about this through Phanee from funny wool and is hosted by Heather at Proud Book Nerd. I thought it looked quite fun so this month, I shall be doing a post every day (except Sundays) where I shall tell you about amazing authors that have surnames beginning with that letter. I hope you enjoy and tell me if you know any more with that letter and I'll add it to the post! Thanks.

NOTE: As I am doing my exams at the moment, I may miss days so shall combine letter together, I'll say if I do in the title - Thanks.

Here we go....

N

Patrick Ness

I actually love and cherish this guy. He is also one of the nicest authors I have met. I met him last year at a book launch for 'Losing It' in which he had contributed a mini-story to. I was introduced to his books by two of my best friends who being reading junkies like me, told me about them and REALLY recommended them - like 'Read now or we will hate you' recommendation. So I did. I had seen the books but I had never approached them - they looked too boyish and action packed for my girly liking. Anyway I'm glad I did. I fell in love with the characters, the setting, the story - everything. They are the type of books people I know kind of see and walk away from, not sure what they're like. But READ THEM if you see them. He makes you love Todd and Viola. Hate the Mayor and the other baddies. He makes you sad, happy, angry in one book and he writes really well and like Todd or Viola is talking directly to you. My friends and I all agreed that he makes you feel like their characters are your personal friends and you're going through the plot with them. And that's what I love about reading books.

His Books: The Chaos Walking series - The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer, Monsters of Men, The New World. A Monster Calls

Other Honourable Mentions: 

- Jandy Nelson

Losing It book launch with Patrick Ness, Mary Hooper and Sophie McKenzie

So, last night....I was on Cloud 9. Basically. As anyone that actually reads this knows or has seen, I was going to the Losing It book launch in London last night to see Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking Series), Mary Hooper (Newes from the Dead), Sophie McKenzie (Girl, Missing), Bali Rai and Keith Gray. Losing It is about well...losing your virginity. Not my favourite topic but I didn't know that when I booked the tickets, did I?
   They had a discussion about the book and the things in it which was well....disturbing for four teenagers at the back,  in the age range they're talking about. I must admit that most of them got it wrong on what teenagers think.

76% of all teenagers want more sex education classes. NO WE DON'T!
I think some people won't like this being out there. Believe me, I've read much worst books than that. Some that didn't even mention the word 'Sex' in their blurb.
I think Patrick Ness, personally, got it most right about teenagers but by the looks of it, he was the youngest out of the writers...I think.

Anyway, the reason I was on Cloud 9 was that I got my copy of Monsters of Men signed by Patrick Ness who was really nice. But not only that. I'd posted a comment on his website saying I loved his books and that I was going to the launch of Losing It and when I said my name to him, he asked "Were you the Rebecca that posted a message on my website?"
So I'm standing there, smiling like the Cheshire Cat. And like normal Rebecca-style, started explaining myself. But it was the fact that he remembered my name that made me think that he really must like his fans if he would go through more than 900 comments one by one and read them. And remember them. Which is good. Very Good, in my opinion.
And I had a conversation with Mary Hooper who basically got me into Teenage novels when I was 11. I had looked at the Teen section at my library but was scared what might be in them. But then, I read The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose  by Mary Hooper and got into them...before the recommended age of 14. Whoops. So, in short,  I would say worship her but then I'd sound like a stalker. So, I love her :)

So I had the best evening.

The 'Losing It' book trailer. That was well made actually.

Mary Hooper, Patrick Ness, Sophie McKenzie. :)

Monsters Of Men - Patrick Ness

Just as a warning...Monsters Of Men is the third book in the Chaos Walking series so there may be spoilers in this if you cared....




OH MY GOD. If you have actually wade yourself through the older posts, you would know that I, like others, am a HUGE fan of the Chaos Walking series and of Patrick Ness in general. I loved the two books before, The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and The Answer. 
Those were amazing books...this is even more amazing....

First Sentence: "War," says Mayor Prentiss, his eyes glinting. "At last."

Todd and Viola are in New Prentisstown where the Spackle, the army,  the new settlers and the Answer have arrived all at the same time for battle and the only one who can save it is the Mayor....unfortunately. This book is about what happens in the end and how and most important if a) the war finally ends and b) WILL VIOLA AND TODD FINALLY KISS!
I have been waiting 2 long thick books for this....they better.

The book for me has everything a book could want. Love, Romance, War, Violence, Fantasy....it's just a great book. Everyone that's read it has said. It finally draws up conclusions to the mysteries that have been around since book 1 and we finally find out what was said in Todd's Ma's book. Well...it is obvious!
And the ending....was absolutely amazing. Such a good ending.
AND...if that isn't enough...guess what? I'm meeting Patrick Ness! I was on his website looking at something and saw that he was doing a book signing at Foyles, Charing Cross next Thursday and got places for me and 3 of my friends!
There will be, for anyone interested, him, Mary Hooper (!!!!), Anne Fine, Melvin Burgess, Bali Ali, Jenny Valentine and probably other people....I AM SO EXCITED!

Here is also a Monsters of Men trailer which I thought was really good. Enjoy.
Author's Website: www.patrickness.com/

Chaos Walking Trilogy: The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

Sorry I finished this book ages ago but it's Easter holidays here so I was away and then this week I was ill. First, if you haven't read the first book in the series, The Knife of Never Letting Go then, there's no point reading this review until you have. The book does refer to the first one, which was amazing and had me asking some of my friends what happened because I wanted to know so much. They never told me. :(

First Sentence: "Your Noise reveals you, Todd Hewitt."

The trilogy is about a young, nearly 13 year-old boy, Todd Hewitt and a young, about the same age girl from another planet, Viola. They've finally got to Haven, the place where Viola can contact her ships to help them, and as you know from the first book, come face to face with the person they were running away from: Mayor Prentiss. Haven has changed completely. The famous Noise echos again through the town which is full of secrets and violence under the new name of New Prentisstown. As they are separated, Todd is forced to learn the new ways of the Mayor's new order. But where is Viola? Is she alive? Is she under the new mysterious Answer?
Then. The bomb explodes and both are forced to keep their secrets under the most extreme pressure as their relationship seems to develop.
The last book was ended on a cliffhanger as is this book. It isn't as fast-moving as the first book but I liked that. It was less exhausting to read and I prefered it. You get to know Todd and Viola more and see their relationship develop. Which is nice. It isn't a book for those people who want happiness as there are some unhappy bits as well as gory, so you can't watch your thumb bleeding, maybe don't read it. The chapters have Viola's and Todd's point of view which I loved as the first book I think only had Todd's point of view and only near the end included Viola's.
Read it. They are great books. I can't wait for the next one :)

I give it a 4.5 out of 5
Author's Website: www.patrickness.com/