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21 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An outstanding piece of literature, 10 July 2008
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Programme (What's this?)
This has to be one of the best books I have read in a long time even if it is billed as childrens literature.
What a concept..........settlers land on a new plant and become infected with a virus called Noise. Can you imagine being able to hear everyones thoughts and they yours and how do you cope with animals that also speak? However this 'Noise' does not affect the women folk so they die or at least this is what Todd who is our hero is told. The virus is blamed on the Spackles or aliens who are indigenous to the planet but it is not they who are contagious but of course they are blamed, hunted down and killed. Shades of Xenophobia here!
At the age of 13, Todd will become a man but before that happens he wanders into the swamp and suddenly hears nothing........no Noise.....what is happening? Viola is what is happening. She is also a settler whose ship crashed leaving her the sole survivor.
So when the army of Prentisstown start to hunt Todd his dog Manchee and Viola down we start to wonder why and why does the so called Preacher Aaron so want to kill Todd?
This story rips along keeping the reader enthralled at all times and I was very sad when it ended so abruptly. I can hardly wait for the sequel now.
To summise then, this is a story of mans inhumanity to man and other species, downright cruelty, madness, deep sadness and a boy and a girls sheer determination to try and do what is right.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough as an adult and I think older children will also find it enjoyable. Well done Mr. Ness.
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20 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow!, 8 July 2008
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Programme (What's this?)
Imagine living in a world surrounded by 'noise' - a world where you can hear everyone's private and secret thoughts - as well as their words. Imagine that, not only can you hear the people - you can also hear all the other creatures around you ... even your dog!
OK - so his speech is much more limited - but he talks! 'Pooh, Todd, Pooh!'. The crocs talk as they try to get you, and the squirrels talk as they encourage your dog to chase them.
Well, this is how the novel opens - gripping you as it does so.
Imagine that you are the only boy in the town. All the others have reached their 13th birthday and have become 'men'. Your turn is coming - but you don't know what it involves. there are no women - they have all died - and there are no girls, so there are no chances of any other children appearing. You are destined to be 'The last boy'.
Now imagine that you make an amazing discovery. You find a patch of silence. You don't know what it means or what it's about. Straight away, you return to tell your guardians - only to find yourself on the run - running away from everyone and everything that you have ever known. Your only comapnion is your talking dog until ...!
Well, I'll leave you to find that out for yourself!
Although a book for 12 year olds plus, I foresee that this will be a book read by adults as well as children - one with universal appeal. The cover is attractive and interesting.
My only frustration (or should that be 'frustrayshun') is with the spelling which is very colloquial at times. However, it fits with the idea of a 'new world'. Over the generations, other authors have greeted this idea in a range of ways - including whole new languages, so I suppose it's just the teacher in me that gets irritated by this sort of thing! My red pen is itching ...!
However, i have to say ... enjoy! This book should prove to be a great summer read for many people - from 11 to 111! It certainly has a lot to offer!
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23 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding, 16 Jun 2008
This book is amazing and it was a big surprise for me as to how much I enjoyed it; it's a good cross-over children's book that will work with a range of audience ages. I want to start with the cover of the hardback book. The yellow colouring depicts what I expect the fields/forests in Prentisstown to be like, whilst the opaque dust jacket has lots of words written all over it, which within minutes of reading you discover is Noise. The concept of Noise is difficult to imagine. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts - any living creature experiences thoughts in a constant never-ending stream, including images. By creature, I mean exactly that; it isn't just humans. Now whilst I'd love to know what my cat makes of her day to day life I can't possibly imagine never having privacy or being able to keep a secret. Welcome to Todd Hewitt's world.
Todd is the last boy in Prentisstown, a town of men. When boys become men something powerful happens. Todd is just one month away from this event when he comes across something he has never experienced before - a spot of silence, a block of nothing. What has he come across and what will he do about it? The race is on and Todd has to run for his life. He doesn't really know what he's running from and at times the reader isn't entirely sure, there is no dramatic irony at all. With a made up vocabulary in places, the novel can be challenging but entertaining. The running did become a little too long and 50 pages could have been cut out to give it more of an impact but I was definitely there with Todd all the way. Some stunning narrative makes this a roller-coaster of a ride. There are a few heart-breaking moments and a thrilling ending, making Chaos Walking Book One a non-stop adventure that I would recommend.
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