Review Detail

How could I not give this series five stars across the board?? I feel kind of ridiculous doing it, but the fact is that it's hands down brilliant. So 5 stars it is.

I was psyched to read a book series about a world where you get to hear all the characters' thoughts and feelings. All the stuff they're not saying aloud. I thought it had so much potential. But then I was annoyed when I realized 100 or so pages into the first book that most of the thoughts and feelings are worthless, rambling slop-more harm than good. Why, I thought, would the author waste the potential of such a cool idea? I mean, the story/plot was enough to keep me reading, but I was flummoxed by all the stupid thoughts (except for Manchee's. I LOVE THAT DOG!!!). I finally realized that Patrick Ness is trying to make a point. The vast majority of our thoughts are worthless, rambling slop. At least mine are. I too am Chaos Walking. Once I began riding that thematic wave, the book took on new meaning. It wasn't just a rip roaring hold onto your arse thrill ride. It was simultaneously sending a deep eastern philosophical message. And Ness doesn't stop there. He also tackles subjects like suicide bombing, genocide, and the complexities of deciding whether or not to go to war (just to name a few). The thought level is profound. The characters well drawn. The dialogue LOL hilarious, poetic, original, smart, and, at times, frickin scary. Ness tackles so much in this series that he left my head spinning and my soul nourished. Get Smarter. Become more humane. Yearn for a dog named Manchee. Read all 3 books in The Chaos Walking series.