Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Candlewick (2014), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 480 pages
Description
Science Fiction & Fantasy. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: From two-time Carnegie Medal winner Patrick Ness comes an enthralling and provocative new novel chronicling the life�??or perhaps afterlife�??of a teen trapped in a crumbling, abandoned world. A boy named Seth drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments, losing his life as the pounding sea claims him. But then he wakes. He is naked, thirsty, starving. But alive. How is that possible? He remembers dying, his bones breaking, his skull dashed upon the rocks. So how is he here? And where is this place? It looks like the suburban English town where he lived as a child, before an unthinkable tragedy happened and his family moved to America. But the neighborhood around his old house is overgrown, covered in dust, and completely abandoned. What's going on? And why is it that whenever he closes his eyes, he falls prey to vivid, agonizing memories that seem more real than the world around him? Seth begins a search for answers, hoping that he might not be alone, that this might not be the hell he fears it to be, that there might be more than just this. . .… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
The one thing about all of Patrick Ness’ novels is that his characters are alive in ways not usually seen in characters in books. More Than This and the main character Seth are perfect examples of this. His loneliness and isolation is the reader’s. His doubts and his endearing habit of
Another theme Mr. Ness likes to use in his novels is the idea of perception versus reality. In More Than This, Seth – and the reader – is left pondering just that. Everything he thought he understood about the world, including the permanence of death, is undone in the moment he wakes up and recognizes his surroundings. What he knows and what he sees often lead to very different answers with the truth buried only so far as one is willing to dig. The questions Mr. Ness raises about perception versus reality are timely, especially as people spend more of their time interacting online versus in person. Mr. Ness provides no easy answers, but as is the case in all of his novels, More Than This is about the process of finding answers more than the answers themselves.
More Than This may be labeled as a young adult novel, but to limit the novel to one particular generation is to miss the point of the story. Seth is indeed young and therefore the right demographic for young adult novels, but it is his experiences and growth that finally allow him to gain the answers he desperately seeks. He must let go of his child-like faith in black and white and embrace the shades of gray that make up most an adult’s life. Young adult readers can and will appreciate Seth’s determination to survive, while adult readers can and will appreciate Seth’s search for more, for his unwillingness to accept his fate, and for his determination not just to survive but to seek answers and thrive. More importantly, his characters never feel young. The angsty, self-obsessed teenagers at the heart of most young adult novels would never be allowed to survive in Mr. Ness’ worlds. As such, his characters may be young in years but wise with experience and need, making them characters that stand up well under scrutiny and with appeal to a wide variety of readers.
At what point does virtual reality become reality? If you perceive something, does it therefore exist? Such philosophical questions are normal for fans familiar with Mr. Ness’ work. He packs a lot of introspective material into a genre typically seen as lighter fare for younger readers. More Than This makes no apology for forcing readers to think deep thoughts and take leaps of faith to upon reaching the ending. In fact, given its ambiguous ending, Mr. Ness embraces contemplative reading of the type that can only help prepare readers for future real-life ambiguities of any kind.
More Than This solidifies Mr. Ness’ place as a stellar writer regardless of genre or category into which his works are placed. His characters are three-dimensional and alive, and his worlds are vibrant and evocative. Sam is an easy character to like, given his loneliness and his confusion that mirrors a reader’s own. Yet, it is in his asking of the tough questions – about life, happiness, and reality – wherein the story hits its stride. No longer a coming-of-age story, it is a philosophical treat buried under suspense and action that allows for greater crossover appeal, making More Than This a story which truly will be a unique experience for every reader and upon every re-read.
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considering everything a movie plot is exactly the same suspicions held by the reader. Because of this tendency to create some of the most vibrant emotions on the written page, the reader becomes an active participant in the story. However, Mr. Ness does not stop there. He further enmeshes a reader through the active learning process. As Seth remembers key details, like his name and his death, the reader learns about them as well. A reader and the main character become cognizant at the same time. It is a brilliant method of creating empathy and breathing life into what could easily be a one-dimensional character.Another theme Mr. Ness likes to use in his novels is the idea of perception versus reality. In More Than This, Seth – and the reader – is left pondering just that. Everything he thought he understood about the world, including the permanence of death, is undone in the moment he wakes up and recognizes his surroundings. What he knows and what he sees often lead to very different answers with the truth buried only so far as one is willing to dig. The questions Mr. Ness raises about perception versus reality are timely, especially as people spend more of their time interacting online versus in person. Mr. Ness provides no easy answers, but as is the case in all of his novels, More Than This is about the process of finding answers more than the answers themselves.
More Than This may be labeled as a young adult novel, but to limit the novel to one particular generation is to miss the point of the story. Seth is indeed young and therefore the right demographic for young adult novels, but it is his experiences and growth that finally allow him to gain the answers he desperately seeks. He must let go of his child-like faith in black and white and embrace the shades of gray that make up most an adult’s life. Young adult readers can and will appreciate Seth’s determination to survive, while adult readers can and will appreciate Seth’s search for more, for his unwillingness to accept his fate, and for his determination not just to survive but to seek answers and thrive. More importantly, his characters never feel young. The angsty, self-obsessed teenagers at the heart of most young adult novels would never be allowed to survive in Mr. Ness’ worlds. As such, his characters may be young in years but wise with experience and need, making them characters that stand up well under scrutiny and with appeal to a wide variety of readers.
At what point does virtual reality become reality? If you perceive something, does it therefore exist? Such philosophical questions are normal for fans familiar with Mr. Ness’ work. He packs a lot of introspective material into a genre typically seen as lighter fare for younger readers. More Than This makes no apology for forcing readers to think deep thoughts and take leaps of faith to upon reaching the ending. In fact, given its ambiguous ending, Mr. Ness embraces contemplative reading of the type that can only help prepare readers for future real-life ambiguities of any kind.
More Than This solidifies Mr. Ness’ place as a stellar writer regardless of genre or category into which his works are placed. His characters are three-dimensional and alive, and his worlds are vibrant and evocative. Sam is an easy character to like, given his loneliness and his confusion that mirrors a reader’s own. Yet, it is in his asking of the tough questions – about life, happiness, and reality – wherein the story hits its stride. No longer a coming-of-age story, it is a philosophical treat buried under suspense and action that allows for greater crossover appeal, making More Than This a story which truly will be a unique experience for every reader and upon every re-read.
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LibraryThing member Stormydawnc
Opening Line: Here is the boy, drowning.
An opening line that will haunt me for a while. There is something about this line, and the story it comes to represent. It could have been so many things, “I am drowning,” or even, “The boy is drowning”, but the Here is the boy, drowning came to
And yet. . . Not here. This book is a case study in Messing With Your Mind 101. At the end, can I even really tell you what happened? Yes and no. I remember the story, but I’m not sure I can put in words the significance of it. More Than This is a very different book. When it comes to Patrick Ness, I expect some weirdness, but I think this surpassed my expectations for weird. It’s the type of book where I can’t talk about anything that happens without giving it all away, so I’m just focusing more on my final impression in this review and how absolutely jaw-dropping and mind-twisting this book was on so many occasions.
The difference between reality and non-reality(and what constitutes reality) is a HUGE theme in this book, the driving force, and as such, there’s a lot of questioning of “Is this real?” Both Seth, the main character, and I asked that question a LOT. And, as expected, not everything gets wrapped up in the end. The ending leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but also leaves a little bit of clarity, just enough to keep me up for an extra hour after I finished this book thinking about it’s implications.
Ness’ characters feel like real people, which is a little disconcerting when you’re not really sure what’s real and what’s not. I enjoyed the exploration of Seth’s backstory–well, enjoyed is a bit of a strong word, seeing as it’s rather depressing–but I was engrossed in the story from the minute he died at the beginning. Why was he drowning? What drove all the characters to the point where they’re in this . . . afterlife thing? There’s a river of depression that runs through this book(though really, I don’t expect anything else from Ness) but a whole lot of the more than this mentioned in the title.
If you’re reading this review and now more confused about this book than ever, well, good. Because that’s basically what reading this book amounts to. And don’t get me wrong, it was a trip of confusion that I really loved and totally made me think, but this isn’t a light read by any means. It’s the type of book where you’re constantly jumping from your impression from chapter to chapter. At the beginning, it looks like an after-life story. Then for a few chapters it’s survival. Then science fiction. Then more survival. Then. . . you don’t know what anymore.
Everyone has a story. But what does it mean? By the end of the book, the answers to those big questions still seemed far away, but in a way that made you totally not even care that you didn’t KNOW. Except maybe I did care, because it kept me up for a few hours afterwards.
Final Impression: The book that messes with your mind SO, SO much. I really enjoyed The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, and I’m sure I’ll enjoy the rest of the Chaos Walking trilogy once my emotions recover from the first book enough to continue, but this book is(dare I say it?) Better. By a long shot. I can’t exactly call it a satisfying read, but just know it’s one of the weirdest books I’ve ever read, I’m still slightly confused, and yet I’ve come to LIKE being slightly confused. I recommend this book, but I hope you’re comfortable with ambiguity before you pick it up.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
An opening line that will haunt me for a while. There is something about this line, and the story it comes to represent. It could have been so many things, “I am drowning,” or even, “The boy is drowning”, but the Here is the boy, drowning came to
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represent this book for me. It’s a little more detached, a little more like a piece of a story being served up directly to the reader. . . Here is the boy. Here.And yet. . . Not here. This book is a case study in Messing With Your Mind 101. At the end, can I even really tell you what happened? Yes and no. I remember the story, but I’m not sure I can put in words the significance of it. More Than This is a very different book. When it comes to Patrick Ness, I expect some weirdness, but I think this surpassed my expectations for weird. It’s the type of book where I can’t talk about anything that happens without giving it all away, so I’m just focusing more on my final impression in this review and how absolutely jaw-dropping and mind-twisting this book was on so many occasions.
The difference between reality and non-reality(and what constitutes reality) is a HUGE theme in this book, the driving force, and as such, there’s a lot of questioning of “Is this real?” Both Seth, the main character, and I asked that question a LOT. And, as expected, not everything gets wrapped up in the end. The ending leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but also leaves a little bit of clarity, just enough to keep me up for an extra hour after I finished this book thinking about it’s implications.
Ness’ characters feel like real people, which is a little disconcerting when you’re not really sure what’s real and what’s not. I enjoyed the exploration of Seth’s backstory–well, enjoyed is a bit of a strong word, seeing as it’s rather depressing–but I was engrossed in the story from the minute he died at the beginning. Why was he drowning? What drove all the characters to the point where they’re in this . . . afterlife thing? There’s a river of depression that runs through this book(though really, I don’t expect anything else from Ness) but a whole lot of the more than this mentioned in the title.
If you’re reading this review and now more confused about this book than ever, well, good. Because that’s basically what reading this book amounts to. And don’t get me wrong, it was a trip of confusion that I really loved and totally made me think, but this isn’t a light read by any means. It’s the type of book where you’re constantly jumping from your impression from chapter to chapter. At the beginning, it looks like an after-life story. Then for a few chapters it’s survival. Then science fiction. Then more survival. Then. . . you don’t know what anymore.
Everyone has a story. But what does it mean? By the end of the book, the answers to those big questions still seemed far away, but in a way that made you totally not even care that you didn’t KNOW. Except maybe I did care, because it kept me up for a few hours afterwards.
Final Impression: The book that messes with your mind SO, SO much. I really enjoyed The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, and I’m sure I’ll enjoy the rest of the Chaos Walking trilogy once my emotions recover from the first book enough to continue, but this book is(dare I say it?) Better. By a long shot. I can’t exactly call it a satisfying read, but just know it’s one of the weirdest books I’ve ever read, I’m still slightly confused, and yet I’ve come to LIKE being slightly confused. I recommend this book, but I hope you’re comfortable with ambiguity before you pick it up.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member 4sarad
I finished this book weeks ago and just couldn't bring myself to review it. I really like Patrick Ness, but this book was awful. The beginning was really slow and I really had to force myself to keep reading. I made it to the end, but it was nothing new or interesting. If you've watched The Matrix
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then please don't read this book; it's just more of the same. Show Less
LibraryThing member JBD1
My goodness, what a surprisingly powerful book. A fascinating meditation on the power of life, and what it means to be alive. Hard to describe, in many ways, but entirely worth a read for that very reason.
LibraryThing member delphica
This is one of those books that I liked a lot, and I was very, very into when I was reading it, but I still have some issues (hmmm) with some major aspects of the story.
One weird thing (unrelated to my issues) is that I was debating whether to start this, or The Goldfinch first, and I ended up with
In this book, the main character, a teenage boy named Seth, wakes up after an accident (essentially, whatever) in a bizarre version of his childhood home, and then has to cope with that and figure stuff out. For a while, the story cranks along alternating between his strange new world and his memories of what was going on with his life up to that point.
My other comments are more deeply entwined with the plot twisty parts.
Starting with the end ... I'm a fan of the open ending, but this was challenging for me because it also had a very open middle. I would have preferred less openness somewhere in the book. I felt like Ness was trying to spin out some different interesting possibilities for Seth's reality, but the effect was only moderately successful for me because it was hard to get too emotionally connected to any particular possibility because it just didn't seem to matter. I needed a little more to hang my hat on.
I was also a little surprised that the plot was so Matrix-y, in a way that made me keep waiting for more of either an obvious homage OR a huge departure, neither of which happened. I almost feel that the most likely scenario is that the author has never actually seen The Matrix, and one day he will watch it, and be mortified.
On a much more basic plot level, I was confused about the very, very tiny number of coffins located outside the facility. I get that there wasn't enough room, but only two? That seems like it wouldn't even be worth the effort to run the infrastructure out to the homes. Something like 5% would make more sense.
And a plus, I found a lot of it super, super suspenseful! I would literally gasp at the end of a chapter. The atmosphere was extremely creepy. I liked the world, and I liked almost all of the characters.
One weird thing (unrelated to my issues) is that I was debating whether to start this, or The Goldfinch first, and I ended up with
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The Goldfinch, so when I read this it was awesomely surprising to find another Polish character, this time a little kid, which was like encountering another manifestation of Boris. Although in a completely different book. I'm always mystified when that happens, when I end up reading two very unrelated books that share something that I would otherwise find very unique. In this book, the main character, a teenage boy named Seth, wakes up after an accident (essentially, whatever) in a bizarre version of his childhood home, and then has to cope with that and figure stuff out. For a while, the story cranks along alternating between his strange new world and his memories of what was going on with his life up to that point.
My other comments are more deeply entwined with the plot twisty parts.
Starting with the end ... I'm a fan of the open ending, but this was challenging for me because it also had a very open middle. I would have preferred less openness somewhere in the book. I felt like Ness was trying to spin out some different interesting possibilities for Seth's reality, but the effect was only moderately successful for me because it was hard to get too emotionally connected to any particular possibility because it just didn't seem to matter. I needed a little more to hang my hat on.
I was also a little surprised that the plot was so Matrix-y, in a way that made me keep waiting for more of either an obvious homage OR a huge departure, neither of which happened. I almost feel that the most likely scenario is that the author has never actually seen The Matrix, and one day he will watch it, and be mortified.
On a much more basic plot level, I was confused about the very, very tiny number of coffins located outside the facility. I get that there wasn't enough room, but only two? That seems like it wouldn't even be worth the effort to run the infrastructure out to the homes. Something like 5% would make more sense.
And a plus, I found a lot of it super, super suspenseful! I would literally gasp at the end of a chapter. The atmosphere was extremely creepy. I liked the world, and I liked almost all of the characters.
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LibraryThing member ElizabethBevins
"A book...it's a world all on its own. A world made of words...where you live for a while."
This is a beautiful story of life and death and hope. It questions what it means to BE alive. I found myself fully immersed in this dystopian world. I was fully engaged with the characters. I lived for a
One of the best YA of 2013.
This is a beautiful story of life and death and hope. It questions what it means to BE alive. I found myself fully immersed in this dystopian world. I was fully engaged with the characters. I lived for a
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while in this book!One of the best YA of 2013.
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LibraryThing member Brainannex
I don't even know how to review this book. There's a lot here to examine what it means to be human, what it means to be alive, what it means to have faith. However, there is something about Ness as an author that doesn't ring entirely true with me. I'm pretty sure this is just me, not any fault
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with him or his writing, just me. This should not dissuade you from picking up any of his titles. Show Less
LibraryThing member ewyatt
The twists and turns of the plot line kept me on guessing! I still had questions at the end of the book, but it really turned into a meditation about what it means to be alive and finding meaning in one's life.
Seth dies at the beginning of the book and soon after it is clear that it was his
Seth's life then and now is revealed in a series of dreams and flashbacks. The book is dark, compelling, and thoughtful and one that doesn't have any easy answers.
Seth dies at the beginning of the book and soon after it is clear that it was his
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decision to end his life. When he awakes back in England in his childhood home, he's convinced that he is in a personal version of hell. But the burned out city and appearance of others brings that all into question. Seth's life then and now is revealed in a series of dreams and flashbacks. The book is dark, compelling, and thoughtful and one that doesn't have any easy answers.
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LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Seth killed himself. he knows he did, but is wakes up alone, alive in a dead town. Finding two others, he attempts to discover what the truth is, and why a mysterious being is trying to capture them.
LibraryThing member SandDune
'Here is the boy, drowning' begins the new novel by Patrick Ness, and the boy who is to be the hero of the novel does indeed drown. Or perhaps it would be more correct to say he is killed instead by the massive injuries he recieves as the waves smash him into the rocks just as he is about to drown
So it's surprising to find that by the middle of the second chapter the boy (Seth) wakes up to find himself lying on a concrete path leading to the front door of a house. And seemingly not dead at all, which he is as surprised about as the reader. And he is not in the coastal Californian town where he has spent his teenage years, he is in a street that is clearly English, and outside the house that he has not seen since he was eight years old when his parents emigrated. But it's not a happy homecoming: there are clearly memories buried in that house which are best left undisturbed, something to do with his brother which he can't remember clearly. And the England in which he finds himself is very different to the one he remembers: empty of people and clearly abandoned, and with everything just left. Even the climate has changed. So is this his own personal hell or something else entirely?
This was an enjoyable an thought provoking read: one of those where you're never entirely sure if you know what is going on. There was one point where I thought 'Oh no, it's (insert name of well known film) all over again, but it didn't turn out quite like that. So recommended.
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anyway. Either way by the end of the first chapter he is well and truly dead. So it's surprising to find that by the middle of the second chapter the boy (Seth) wakes up to find himself lying on a concrete path leading to the front door of a house. And seemingly not dead at all, which he is as surprised about as the reader. And he is not in the coastal Californian town where he has spent his teenage years, he is in a street that is clearly English, and outside the house that he has not seen since he was eight years old when his parents emigrated. But it's not a happy homecoming: there are clearly memories buried in that house which are best left undisturbed, something to do with his brother which he can't remember clearly. And the England in which he finds himself is very different to the one he remembers: empty of people and clearly abandoned, and with everything just left. Even the climate has changed. So is this his own personal hell or something else entirely?
This was an enjoyable an thought provoking read: one of those where you're never entirely sure if you know what is going on. There was one point where I thought 'Oh no, it's (insert name of well known film) all over again, but it didn't turn out quite like that. So recommended.
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LibraryThing member bluepigeon
Ness has done it again. It should not surprise me, but it is still something that brings awe. The writing is brilliant, the characters are bloody good, and the plot... Well, if you are going to have issues with the book, you'll most likely have them with the plot.
The story is bleak. It's never
Recommended for those who like Polish accents, foxes, and Knight Rider (I dunno, the descriptions of the technology somehow made me think of this old TV show!)
The story is bleak. It's never
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happy-go-lucky. The plot is twisted back and forth and back again. Some things become clear as the adventure unravels; some, never do. In the end, it is the journey that counts, for the characters, and perhaps, for the reader. I do warn those who have to have to have to have everything neatly explained by the end of a book, though; you won't get that here. What you'll get is a great adventure, a page-turner, a great coming-of-age story, and three very likable characters, all in their own way. Recommended for those who like Polish accents, foxes, and Knight Rider (I dunno, the descriptions of the technology somehow made me think of this old TV show!)
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LibraryThing member StellaJay
A moving, haunting story that is both a mystery and a survival tale, More Than This draws readers in on the first page and hooks them until the very end. Ness' already popular reputation among teens grants this book an automatic audience.
I chose More Than This to booktalk for our assignment because
I chose More Than This to booktalk for our assignment because
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it has an easy and immediate hook, but also because it is a very dark tale that ultimately ends both realistically and, surprisingly, positively. It has several excellent take-aways for the reader, and I enjoyed reading it both for the story and for the gentle, understated lessons and observations it provides. Show Less
LibraryThing member nbmars
More Than This is an apt title for a book that is about more than it’s about. Because in the very beginning, Seth, a boy who is nearly 17, drowns in the ocean. He is dead, although his story is only beginning. But we don’t even know if Seth is actually dead, because what we learn is that there
"‘People see stories everywhere... That’s what my father used to say. We take random events and we put them together in a pattern so we can comfort ourselves with a story, no matter how much it obviously isn’t true. .. We have to lie to ourselves to live. Otherwise, we’d go crazy.”
But it’s not even that simple. Sometimes, the stories we tell ourselves are actually quite bad, because they too can fill some need we have. As Seth observes, “you can die before you’re dead....”
Yet, what Seth eventually discovers is that “there’s always beauty, if you know where to look.” When you think there must be more to life than the crappy circumstances that pull you down, it turns out, you are probably right: you’ve just have got to know how to reinterpret your reality.
So how do you know what is "real" and what isn’t? Or what story will work out best for you? Seth’s new friend Regine advises, “Know yourself and go in swinging.” And that’s what Seth tries to do.
Evaluation: It’s hard to say much about this book without spoiling it. The overriding theme seems to be that we don’t really know what is true in our lives, because we all filter our experiences through our fears, wants, needs, and what has happened to us in the past. It is more important in the end to figure out what matters.
But there is so much more to the story than this. What role does/will online time play in our desire to reframe reality? Will we act to ameliorate climate change, or will we just stop seeing it? Are the traditional definitions of gender, love, and family still valid? How do we know what is important and what isn’t?
There are some very beautiful parts to this book, and some frustrating parts as well, because truth is messy, and fuzzy, and we don’t always understand life. But if we figure out how to see more, then even the ambiguity or fear or hurt can be folded into it and just maybe, there will be a chance for redemption.
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are many stories and layers of stories that make up reality, and what you want to believe is critical to what you think you know. As one of the characters says:"‘People see stories everywhere... That’s what my father used to say. We take random events and we put them together in a pattern so we can comfort ourselves with a story, no matter how much it obviously isn’t true. .. We have to lie to ourselves to live. Otherwise, we’d go crazy.”
But it’s not even that simple. Sometimes, the stories we tell ourselves are actually quite bad, because they too can fill some need we have. As Seth observes, “you can die before you’re dead....”
Yet, what Seth eventually discovers is that “there’s always beauty, if you know where to look.” When you think there must be more to life than the crappy circumstances that pull you down, it turns out, you are probably right: you’ve just have got to know how to reinterpret your reality.
So how do you know what is "real" and what isn’t? Or what story will work out best for you? Seth’s new friend Regine advises, “Know yourself and go in swinging.” And that’s what Seth tries to do.
Evaluation: It’s hard to say much about this book without spoiling it. The overriding theme seems to be that we don’t really know what is true in our lives, because we all filter our experiences through our fears, wants, needs, and what has happened to us in the past. It is more important in the end to figure out what matters.
But there is so much more to the story than this. What role does/will online time play in our desire to reframe reality? Will we act to ameliorate climate change, or will we just stop seeing it? Are the traditional definitions of gender, love, and family still valid? How do we know what is important and what isn’t?
There are some very beautiful parts to this book, and some frustrating parts as well, because truth is messy, and fuzzy, and we don’t always understand life. But if we figure out how to see more, then even the ambiguity or fear or hurt can be folded into it and just maybe, there will be a chance for redemption.
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LibraryThing member Melodym1995
Wow. Just wow. I'm not sure where to start on this awesome book. I picked it up for the first time yesterday and now I'm done and I'm sitting here begging for more. The writing style was awesome. I loved the dreams the most. The secrets in there threw me for such a loop that I stopped reading and
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had to process my emotions. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire book. A Show Less
LibraryThing member FionaRobynIngram
Seventeen-year-old Seth drowns; in fact his action is deliberate. He wants to escape the horror of his existence. Racked with guilt over the fate of his younger brother, an event he feels is his entire fault, he doesn’t have much to live for. Then he wakes up, back in his old home in England, and
Despite the fantastic beginning, with a description that pulled me right into the ocean with Seth, I struggled to finish this book. Parts of it were incredibly exciting and then would grind to a halt with unnecessary introspective and philosophical meanderings on the part of the main character, meanderings which became boring and one had the urge to say, “Oh, just get on with it!” The plus side: an utterly riveting and plausible story premise that comes much later on (just when you are wondering what on earth this is all about and is he dead or not, and if everyone else is dead, then where are the bodies?); really wonderful descriptions that have the reader in the grip of the moment; action and tension to add to the positively bleak and hopeless situation; events that come out of nowhere that have a cinematographic and surreal feel to them; the depth of emotion Seth feels for the loss of his younger brother and his friends. In fact, Seth’s guilt is so palpable that one is consumed with curiosity to learn the truth. The two characters that join him are so different, so lost as well, and so eager to hide the circumstances of their lives/deaths. One feels the pain of the characters as they reveal the humiliating and tragic burdens they each carry.
What I did not enjoy: the flashbacks were sometimes jarring and intrusive, until I accepted them as part of the story-telling process; the fact that this world, while it began as an interesting construct, did not have enough to sustain the story and/or the last three inhabitants. I found the ending abrupt and it short-changes the reader in a way. There were many loose ends in the unfolding of this tale that I feel the author might have tried to answer. The characters were confused and, as a result, the reader becomes confused. It is as if the author didn’t bother to work things out to the last detail, which is possibly not the case, but feels that way. The reference to same sex love/relationships was dealt with sensitively and delicately, in an almost tender way. However, this might surprise readers who are not prepared for it, especially if the reader is younger than the protagonist’s age of 17. Ultimately, the characters’ thoughts on what constitutes life and death, and the option of living in a constructed world, avoiding the reality of a life too sad/tragic/hopeless to contemplate should give readers food for thought. However, I have no doubt that the intended audience of older teens and YA readers will love this book. Three stars.
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things start becoming very weird indeed. He is wrapped in silvery bandages, and his old street is deserted. The whole place is uninhabited and overgrown. He seems to be the only person left alive in the world. He must now forage and scrounge for clothing, food and water. He wonders if this is hell. His dreams don’t help because his previous life comes back to him in huge, unwelcome chunks of memory. Then he meets two other people, with their own unique and strange tales to tell.Despite the fantastic beginning, with a description that pulled me right into the ocean with Seth, I struggled to finish this book. Parts of it were incredibly exciting and then would grind to a halt with unnecessary introspective and philosophical meanderings on the part of the main character, meanderings which became boring and one had the urge to say, “Oh, just get on with it!” The plus side: an utterly riveting and plausible story premise that comes much later on (just when you are wondering what on earth this is all about and is he dead or not, and if everyone else is dead, then where are the bodies?); really wonderful descriptions that have the reader in the grip of the moment; action and tension to add to the positively bleak and hopeless situation; events that come out of nowhere that have a cinematographic and surreal feel to them; the depth of emotion Seth feels for the loss of his younger brother and his friends. In fact, Seth’s guilt is so palpable that one is consumed with curiosity to learn the truth. The two characters that join him are so different, so lost as well, and so eager to hide the circumstances of their lives/deaths. One feels the pain of the characters as they reveal the humiliating and tragic burdens they each carry.
What I did not enjoy: the flashbacks were sometimes jarring and intrusive, until I accepted them as part of the story-telling process; the fact that this world, while it began as an interesting construct, did not have enough to sustain the story and/or the last three inhabitants. I found the ending abrupt and it short-changes the reader in a way. There were many loose ends in the unfolding of this tale that I feel the author might have tried to answer. The characters were confused and, as a result, the reader becomes confused. It is as if the author didn’t bother to work things out to the last detail, which is possibly not the case, but feels that way. The reference to same sex love/relationships was dealt with sensitively and delicately, in an almost tender way. However, this might surprise readers who are not prepared for it, especially if the reader is younger than the protagonist’s age of 17. Ultimately, the characters’ thoughts on what constitutes life and death, and the option of living in a constructed world, avoiding the reality of a life too sad/tragic/hopeless to contemplate should give readers food for thought. However, I have no doubt that the intended audience of older teens and YA readers will love this book. Three stars.
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LibraryThing member Mirandalg14
I was mostly liking it until the end.
LibraryThing member lexmccall
This is, in some ways, a novel-length entry into the It Gets Better campaign, but it's also a pretty good sci-fi story.
LibraryThing member elizabeth.b.bevins
"A book...it's a world all on its own. A world made of words...where you live for a while."
This is a beautiful story of life and death and hope. It questions what it means to BE alive. I found myself fully immersed in this dystopian world. I was fully engaged with the characters. I lived for a
One of the best YA of 2013.
This is a beautiful story of life and death and hope. It questions what it means to BE alive. I found myself fully immersed in this dystopian world. I was fully engaged with the characters. I lived for a
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while in this book!One of the best YA of 2013.
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LibraryThing member blakefraina
This is going to be the worst review I’ve ever written about one of the best books I’ve ever read.
Like a movie critic reviewing the latest Christopher Nolan film, I feel that to reveal almost anything about the storyline would absolutely destroy the pleasure of discovering the novel’s secrets
Suffice it to say, this one has it all – it’s thought-provoking, with amazing characters, nail biting suspense, humor, pathos, spirituality, and, ultimately, provides a moving, universal message. It’s incredibly sophisticated; I never felt as if I was reading something that’s written for a YA audience, despite the fact that it is.
And I think I can venture to say, without giving anything away, that in More Than This, author Patrick Ness has created probably the most unique and delightful literary character I’ve ever encountered. And despite its 480 page length, it seemed way too short. I was so sad to leave the amazing world he’d created. As a matter of fact, nine pages from the end, I stopped reading and took a long, hot bath just to forestall finishing it. Such was my enjoyment.
Kudos, Mr. Ness.
I hope this novel finds the huge audience it so richly deserves. I’d love to see it made into a film. I intend to pick-up his Chaos Walking trilogy and A Monster Calls post haste. I have a feeling I won’t be disappointed. Please, read this one.
Like a movie critic reviewing the latest Christopher Nolan film, I feel that to reveal almost anything about the storyline would absolutely destroy the pleasure of discovering the novel’s secrets
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as they unfold. I chose it based on the back cover copy, which only describes the action of the first twenty pages. That alone made it seem promising yet it barely scratches the surface of this novel’s myriad delights. Suffice it to say, this one has it all – it’s thought-provoking, with amazing characters, nail biting suspense, humor, pathos, spirituality, and, ultimately, provides a moving, universal message. It’s incredibly sophisticated; I never felt as if I was reading something that’s written for a YA audience, despite the fact that it is.
And I think I can venture to say, without giving anything away, that in More Than This, author Patrick Ness has created probably the most unique and delightful literary character I’ve ever encountered. And despite its 480 page length, it seemed way too short. I was so sad to leave the amazing world he’d created. As a matter of fact, nine pages from the end, I stopped reading and took a long, hot bath just to forestall finishing it. Such was my enjoyment.
Kudos, Mr. Ness.
I hope this novel finds the huge audience it so richly deserves. I’d love to see it made into a film. I intend to pick-up his Chaos Walking trilogy and A Monster Calls post haste. I have a feeling I won’t be disappointed. Please, read this one.
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LibraryThing member stormingsaar
So disappointed in this book! The cover design, introduction and recommendations seemed super promising but the book itself really didn't do much for me. Up till page 172 it's very calm and much the same and I had to push myself to keep reading. Then suddenly something big happens and the whole
The idea of a plot like this is great. But I feel like Patrick Ness has chosen the easy way out. No explanation, for none of those different parts of the story, quite predictable at a lot of moments, plus an open ending which left me feeling pretty bland about it all. So sorry, but pretty unsatisfactory... Maybe the target audience is just really much younger than me. I normally love reading YA books but this might just not been the right pick!
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feeling of the story changes - thats cool! But after that it kinds of just keeps going back and forth between the boring part and the super extreme part, which I think could have been done with more profundity in between. The idea of a plot like this is great. But I feel like Patrick Ness has chosen the easy way out. No explanation, for none of those different parts of the story, quite predictable at a lot of moments, plus an open ending which left me feeling pretty bland about it all. So sorry, but pretty unsatisfactory... Maybe the target audience is just really much younger than me. I normally love reading YA books but this might just not been the right pick!
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LibraryThing member WhitneyYPL
After having drowned, Seth wakes naked and covered in bandages. Where is he and where is everyone? Is this the afterlife? And why does he find himself back in his childhood home in England, far away from the coast of Washington where he drowned. Seth must make sense of this new world and figure out
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a way to survive. The book leaves the reader guessing about this new world that Seth finds himself in and what Seth’s ultimate fate will be. - SB Show Less
LibraryThing member amy.wesen
Personal Response-- I devoured this book in less than a week! It was very well written and talking about difficult subjects like suicide and homosexuality is not common in literature. I thought it brought up some good thoughts in how technology is over taking everything and that people are unaware
Curricular connections- This would be great for high school but some issues on the controversial subjects of a suicidal gay teenager probably wouldn't be acceptable in the regular classroom. I do see this as a valuable novel in recognizing individuality and letting go of the past.
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of so much that is going on around them. We must be aware of that we can impact others yet having assumptions can change everything. Relationships with parents and students are meaningful but only if they are truly aware of what their own specific impact they have towards a person. Curricular connections- This would be great for high school but some issues on the controversial subjects of a suicidal gay teenager probably wouldn't be acceptable in the regular classroom. I do see this as a valuable novel in recognizing individuality and letting go of the past.
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LibraryThing member infjsarah
I have recently discovered Patrick Ness and I think he is a fantastic writer. I have read Chaos Walking and A Monster Calls which I thought were fabulous. I didn't like "More than this" quite so much but it was still a very enjoyable read with an interesting plot and a central character who's
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mental confusion you are dragged into. Ness is not afraid of real life themes and it's all the better for it. Show Less
LibraryThing member A_Reader_of_Fictions
After finally reading Ness' The Knife of Never Letting Go a month or so ago, I was very curious to try his forthcoming novel. What I'm sure of more than ever now is that Ness is a massive talent. I am also convinced that his books will not work for everyone, because they are daring and strange and
I find myself rather at a loss on how to review this book, given that practically anything would be a spoiler, since this is a book that opens up, revealing new layers. For the first hundred or so pages, all you know is what's revealed in the blurb, and talking about anything past that in any detailed way would be to reveal spoilers best left in the dark. Thus, this will probably be short and vague, but bear with me.
The storytelling of More Than This has a rather unique feel to it. Though told in what might seem like a fairly ordinary third person limited narrative, there's something cinematic about More Than This. The novel unfolds like a movie before the reader's eyes, a twisty movie like Memento or Inception that people need to watch several times over to have any sort of solid understanding of what's happening. Even more fascinating is that Seth seems to have a postmodern awareness of his role in the narrative, often calling situations before they even happened, as though he is the creator of his own story.
Seth dies in the prologue, drowns in icy waters. But then he awakens in his childhood home in England, the one his family moved away from after his brother was kidnapped by an escaped prisoner from the neighboring prison. He's thirsty, hungry, and weak. And dead? Seemingly alone, he gathers what food is unexpired and searches out clothing that fits to replace the bandages that covered his body. Whenever he rests, Seth dreams of his life, of his parents who never forgave him for what happened to his brother, of his friends who abandoned him, and his boyfriend who he maybe loved.
Of course, there's so much more to More Than This, rather appropriate no? Only I can't tell you about it. I could compare it to a particular film, but that would be a spoiler like whoa. Keeping things incredibly simple, I had some questions about the worldbuilding, serious ones, but I loved the message of the story, one of looking at the beauty in life and finding your more. I'm also not convinced it really needed to be quite so long.
For such a massive book, this review feels rather ineffectual book, but the book itself serves as a sort of metaphor for life and how we take it for granted. It's a journey to be undertaken by the reader.
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twisty and complex. More Than This is a cinematic, philosophical confusing novel, but one I ultimately found fascinating.I find myself rather at a loss on how to review this book, given that practically anything would be a spoiler, since this is a book that opens up, revealing new layers. For the first hundred or so pages, all you know is what's revealed in the blurb, and talking about anything past that in any detailed way would be to reveal spoilers best left in the dark. Thus, this will probably be short and vague, but bear with me.
The storytelling of More Than This has a rather unique feel to it. Though told in what might seem like a fairly ordinary third person limited narrative, there's something cinematic about More Than This. The novel unfolds like a movie before the reader's eyes, a twisty movie like Memento or Inception that people need to watch several times over to have any sort of solid understanding of what's happening. Even more fascinating is that Seth seems to have a postmodern awareness of his role in the narrative, often calling situations before they even happened, as though he is the creator of his own story.
Seth dies in the prologue, drowns in icy waters. But then he awakens in his childhood home in England, the one his family moved away from after his brother was kidnapped by an escaped prisoner from the neighboring prison. He's thirsty, hungry, and weak. And dead? Seemingly alone, he gathers what food is unexpired and searches out clothing that fits to replace the bandages that covered his body. Whenever he rests, Seth dreams of his life, of his parents who never forgave him for what happened to his brother, of his friends who abandoned him, and his boyfriend who he maybe loved.
Of course, there's so much more to More Than This, rather appropriate no? Only I can't tell you about it. I could compare it to a particular film, but that would be a spoiler like whoa. Keeping things incredibly simple, I had some questions about the worldbuilding, serious ones, but I loved the message of the story, one of looking at the beauty in life and finding your more. I'm also not convinced it really needed to be quite so long.
For such a massive book, this review feels rather ineffectual book, but the book itself serves as a sort of metaphor for life and how we take it for granted. It's a journey to be undertaken by the reader.
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LibraryThing member Banoczi_Henrietta
i read quite a lot of it, maybe half but i just didn't enjoy it
Awards
Oregon Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2016)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2015)
Independent Booksellers' Book Prize (Shortlist — Children's Fiction — 2014)
Blue Hen Book Award (Nominee — 2015)
The Flume: NH Teen Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2016)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2015)
The Kitschies (Finalist — 2013)
ALA Rainbow Book List (Selection — Teen Fiction — 2014)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2014)
CCBC Choices (2014)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Teen — 2013)
Language
Original publication date
2013-09-10
Physical description
480 p.; 5.25 inches
ISBN
0763676209 / 9780763676209
Other editions
More Than This by Patrick Ness (Paperback)