Unlike most of Patrick Ness's books, I found this book got off to a slower start than other books he's written. I wasn't quite sure what was going on with the book, and I think I was a little put off by this. With each sentence brimming with suspense and mystery, I think this, however, was what ultimately kept me turning the pages.
Not everyone has to be the chosen one. What if you didn't want to worry about soul-eating ghosts or zombies, or when the next time your school would be blown up? Mikey doesn't want to be the comic book hero. He wants an ordinary life. What if all he wants is to graduate, to live a normal life, to get away to college and his parents, and escape the stresses of life? What if all he wants is to find extraordinary in the ordinary?
I love this concept personally, the metaphor this seems to represent and how it reflects on day to day life. We may not be extraordinary – but we have our own stories and our lives. We have our own dramatic events and that is no less meaningful than events that threaten the world. We can't change the world like a story-book hero – but we have control over our own lives.
This is the type of book I've been wanting to read for a long time, and I've never come across it. When finally the book of my dreams popped through my letter box I was quite anxious to see if Ness had managed to pull off such an intricate storyline. Despite the beginning lacking somewhat, I was soon sucked into another perfectly executed book by one of my favourite authors. I only have one regret with this book – I really wish I'd written it myself.
Patrick Ness portrays a mixture of characters and emotions brilliantly, all of this adding up to a book that once again I've fallen in love with. Another thing I wasn't expecting him to incorporate in this book: mental health issues. He handles this topic wonderfully, subtly feeding it into the storyline in a way that I almost missed it completely. He covers it extremely well, exploring how it both impacts on those around it and the person it affects.
I think it is worth noting that this is nothing like Ness' other books – and I'm pretty much sure there will be some fans of his others books that will absolutely hate it. It's quite an acquired taste, if you know what I mean. However, I feel once the plotline and characters began to develop I just lost myself in another of his expertly crafted masterpieces – and it was there I found myself again. When it ended I almost felt like curling up and crying in a dark corner. I loved this so much. I even found myself reading the acknowledgments at the end of the book, which is a rare occurrence, believe me. Once the book had finished I just felt myself gasping for more of Ness's writing.
I admit this book isn't for everybody. However, as soon as you get your hands on it, I urge you to read this book. Try it, and you might just find one of the best books of the year.
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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