12/31/16

Nothing else was really grabbing me, you know? I saw an ad for the film Monsters of Men, which brought me to Ness and thinking it's been too long since I read it, because when I was recommending the series to Natasha as truly excellent sci fi, I couldn't remember much except lots of twists in the spaghetti. In fact, while I remembered that the series was Chaos Walking, I managed to choose the wrong title as first in the series three times in a row. There are only three novels in the series you understand.

personal copy

10/22/12
03/29/13
12/02/13
12/31/16

So...this is the last book of the trilogy, and it was good,i enjoyed the reading like i did with the other two. It was entertaining and it revolves around the war between the spakle and men.
I felt the same way as in book number two, when it seems the story is going somewhere,making progress or conclude, it comes back to square one...repeatedly, a vicious circle. I also found myself rooting for no one but i have to point out that none of the charachters were very likeable,except maybe for Viola and Wilf (Manchee still my fav).

Overall it was good and entertaining, and so was the trilogy, it was written in a way that despite the feelings i wrote above i HAD to keep reading!

I definitely LOVED this series as a whole. The themes are so powerful and my heart broke a million times throughout. That being said, I'm so conflicted over the ending. Just...that's it? I guess I want more because this series is so good. 

 

*Spoilers for book one and two*

 

An all out war begins between Mayor Prentiss, the Spackle and Mistress Coyle. Todd and Viola once again find themselves on either side of the war. This time, Violia's people and their ships have arrived. The fights begin and Todd and Viola continue to do whatever they can to keep the other alive. 

 

Whew, its definitely a long drawn out war in book three. I was never bored. So much happens throughout. And ugh, can we talk about Mayor Prentiss? I have never hated anyone more in a book. Thank goodness he didn't redeem himself (like I said, strong themes!). 

 

The only complaint I have about this series is the relationship between Todd and Viola does get a bit obnoxious at times. They're constant whining about not being able to see one another and the ever growing circle of them crying and worrying about one or the other being dead. 

 

Other than that, this series is pretty much perfect. And its so underrated. I will definitely be recommending this series like crazy and am already going to have my brother read it. 

Review

I have so much love for this series.  It shows just how awful people can be in the their determination to make things right.  But each person has a different idea of the way things needs to be done.

Monsters of Men picks up right after The Ask and The Answer.  Todd is at a complete lost with who to trust or how to go about things when they see the Spackle on the horizon.  Will the Mayor keep to his word or will he completely screw them over.  Viola is terrified she's losing the Todd she first met to the one that's stuck in the middle of this battle.  He's changing, and he doesn't even realize it.  We also have a new voice enter the fray, and he's not one happy with the men, or how they treat others.

While some parts of the story seem to slow down a bit, it's hard not to get lost in the story.  So many things happen in this book that set the course for how things will be handled from now on.  The Mayor thinks violence is the way to prove superiority, and Viola wants to find a peaceful resolution.  Both Todd and Viola have people trying to steer them in the directions they want, and they don't know how to handle the pressure without losing themselves in the process.

Seriously, I can't tell you much more without giving a ton of things away.  But Viola and Todd truly grow in this book.  When you think the circumstances are going to beat them down they do their best to rise up to the occasion.  The ending is excellent.  You have an idea of how things end, but nothing concrete. I am happy that there is a short story that kind of wraps things up a little better, and I'll definitely be reading that soon!

  This review was originally posted on Bookish Things & More

So I guess I can say April wasn't a big reading month for me, but with all the studying I've been doing it's still a lot. These are all the physical books I've read in April:

- Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth 5/5 (re-read)

- Monsters of Men (Chaos Walking #3) by Patrick Ness review series

- A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks 5/5 (re-read)

- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (still currently reading)

 

I read the last 200 pages in April, so that's why it is in this wrap-up as well. I also read the two novellas that comes along with the Chaos Walking trilogy on my laptop.

 

I decided to read a Roald Dahl novel and decided to read The Witches (review) and I read that one on my Ipad.

 

When I was reading Sense and Sensibility I got kinda in a reading slumb, because I had to study as well and the writing style in this novel is hard to follow when you have studies already. I really like the story though! I think I'm going to put this one down 'till after finals. Because I had to study and wanted to have a light read, I decided to re-read A Walk To Remember. It's my all time favorite story and I've never read this copy before so I re-read it. 

 

What have you read in April?