This is Todd's story-his birth from innocent boy to terrified fugitive to a young man who has gained an understanding of good and evil (his own and others) the hard way. Secondary characters are also interesting and add dimension (especially the character of Viola) but only in the sense that they add to Todd's journey of discovery. It may take readers a few chapters to settle into Todd's voice and into the rules of his world, but once he hooks a reader, he never lets go. Semi-educated, loyal, and afraid of the things he discovers about himself and his world, Todd's journey to manhood and the definitions he accepts and rejects about what manhood means, is fascinating and disturbing all at once. The character of Todd is one of the most unique voices I've come across in YA literature. Readers will find a gold mine of thematic depths to parse, but will be so carried away by the unrelenting conflict and suspense that it may surprise them to find they've also been deeply challenged and unsettled once they turn the last page. It's also a look at colonization, racism, and what happens when men deviate from a society's accepted moral code and create their own. At its core, the story is a coming of age tale with some elements of the Chosen One motif. Told in the distinct semi-educated vernacular of the hero Todd, THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO is at once gritty, heartbreaking, compelling, and thought-provoking.
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