Review #68
In the freezing waters off the coast of Washington, a boy succumbs to the crashing waves. He dies, cold and alone. Then, he wakes up. He is naked, weak, and thirsty; but he is alive. He is entirely alone in a deserted and desolate place. As he struggles to understand what happens, he begins to question whether or not this is truly the end, and whether or not there is more to life after death.
This was the June pick for my monthly book club, and the theme was “dealing with the afterlife”. Considering that author Patrick Ness wrote the heart-breakingly beautiful A Monster Calls, I went into this novel fully expecting another tearjerker. Instead, More Than This defied all my expectations by journeying into the world of science fiction.
Seth wakes up to a world that has been abandoned. The neighborhood he finds himself in is covered in weeds, dirt, and silence. Since Seth clearly remembers drowning in the freezing waters of the Pacific Ocean, he comes to the conclusion that he is in a strange, lonely version of Hell. If this is Hell, it’s an oddly mundane version that seems to focus more on discomfort and isolation than fire and brimstone. Seth’s attempts to solve the mystery of his surroundings are what carries that bulk of Ness’ narrative.
Patrick Ness has always been a favorite author of mine because he tackles delicate issues with tact and sensitivity. Instead of beating his readers round the head with a “lesson” that needs to be learned, he tends to come at the situation sideways. By doing so, he avoids the proselytizing that can occasionally saturate novels that deal with death and dying. His characters manage to be vulnerable without being weak, and they are resourceful while still being immature enough to make mistakes.
I really enjoyed this novel. It continually managed to surprise me, and avoided coming across as preachy. I have always enjoyed a new novel by Patrick Ness, and More Than This continued the trend.
My rating: 4/5
You can find More Than this here on Amazon or here on Book Depository.
Happy reading everyone!
One Year, One Hundred Books 