Title: Monsters of Men
Author: Patrick Ness
Series: Chaos Walking
Publication date: September 2010
Rating: Four stars!
This book was so packed with action that I'm not even sure where to begin. It quite graphically presents the real terror and contradiction of war. The fight for peace is rendered obsolete whilst both the Mayor and Mistress Coyle fight for their own personal cause. Which ties perfectly into the phrase repeated numerous times throughout the story: don't make war personal.
Of course this is difficult when Todd and Viola are constantly faced with saving each other or ending the war. This does lead to some moments that made me facepalm a little, because I felt like they constantly got sidetracked in a way that was a little whiny and irresponsible. But also very human. I thought the development of their relationship in this book was more gratifying, because despite all the mistrust and trouble that brews between them they both still see the love the other has for them, which I thought was really sweet.
I loved the input of the Spackle voice, in fact it was probably my favourite thing in the entire trilogy. Their lives are so complex and alien, but made understandable as 1017/The Return tries to make sense of himself and his feelings of loneliness despite being surrounded by his own kind.
There were so many moments in this book where I though "yay it's all going to end well" only for shit to hit the fan AGAIN, but I think,despite slowing the whole thing down for me during the middle section of the book, the ending was really worth while. The bonus story I got in my edition of the book though really, really cleared something that would have killed me not to know up. So overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed this trilogy and Patrick Ness is now one of my favourite authors. His characters shone through so vividly for me, even the bad ones, that it has really been an emotional roller coaster.
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