Monsters of Men (YA/Adult)

Monsters of Men. Patrick Ness. 2010. September 2010. Candlewick Press. 608 pages.

"War," says Mayor Prentiss, his eyes glinting. "At last."
"Shut up," I say. "There ain't no at last about it. The only one who wants this is you."
"Nevertheless," he says, turning to me with a smile. "Here it comes."

Monsters of Men is the third in the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness. The first two are Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and The Answer. It continues the intense adventures of Todd and Viola as they risk everything to save everything.

Has there ever been a better villain than Mayor Prentiss? For better or worse, Todd feels that Prentiss is a necessary evil. Of course, Prentiss is now President--a title that he may or may not be able to hold onto much longer. Depending on who wins this war. And depending on Prentiss' other enemies. Is peace even possible so long as Prentiss still breathes?

Is this what war is?
Is this what men want so much?
Is this sposed to make them men?
Death coming at you with a roar and a scream so fast you can't do nothing about it-- (56)

I'm not sure how much it's even possible to say in a review of Monsters of Men. It goes ugly, dark places. It stays there. Through this intense journey--this dark, dangerous, ever twisting-and-turning journey--you've got two people who love each other so dearly. But is this love worth risking everything for? Can war become too personal? How well do you know yourself? How well do you know the person you love? Can anyone ever be trusted so completely? Can Todd and Viola (and friends) find a way to make peace? lasting peace? Or will this war lead to the end of the new colony...

Choices may be unbelievably hard but they're never impossible. (181)

It's been obvious since the beginning that wars make no sense. You kill people to tell them you want to stop killing them. Monsters of men, I think. And women. (287)

Monsters of Men is complex and compelling. The storytelling is incredible. Especially the way Ness has created these all-too-human, oh-so-flawed characters. The way Ness makes you care about everything so very deeply. Todd and Viola's story is so personal, so intense. He keeps you turning pages, that's for sure. And there are more than a few surprises.

I would definitely recommend reading this series. Not that I think it is for every single person. NO book is right for every reader. But this series is so well-written, so complex, so intense, so compelling. The second book restored my faith in reading. And this third did not disappoint.

Other reviews: Things Mean a Lot, Stuff As Dreams Are Made On, Vulpes Libris, Bart's Bookshelf, Fluttering Butterflies, The Hungry Readers.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews