More Than This (novel)
 | |
| Author | Patrick Ness |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult novel |
| Publisher | Candlewick Press |
Publication date | 10 September 2013[1] |
| Media type | Print, ebook |
| Pages | 480 pp (first edition) |
| ISBN | 978-0-7636-6258-5 |
More Than This is a young adult novel by Patrick Ness, published by Candlewick Press in 2013. It follows a teenage boy named Seth who, after drowning in the ocean, wakes up alone on a desolate suburban English street in what he believes to be hell.
Plot
The book begins with an account of a 16-year old boy, Seth Wearing, drowning to death. Afterwards, he finds himself in what he assumes to be hell, made for him. The place resembles the English town he grew up in before moving to America. On exploring the place, he finds that it is completely abandoned. Whenever he falls asleep, he has recollections of certain events in his life.
The recollections reveal more of who he is. They remind him of the reason behind his family moving to America. One day when Seth was eight, he was left alone in his house with his four-year-old brother, Owen. An escaped convict from a nearby prison kidnapped Owen. Although he was found within three days, the event still left Owen with psychological damage. The recollections also show that Seth is gay and in a relationship, though he and his boyfriend are forced to break up when their parents come to know. Outside of these events, Seth cannot recall much.
Meanwhile, Seth keeps looking around. He realizes that the first few moments after he died and woke up in the new place, he was actually in his bedroom in his old house. Going back there, he finds an open coffin there, containing bandages and tubes. He theorizes that he woke up in the coffin and ripped off the bandages and tubes attached to him.
Seth keeps walking around the town, when he sees a moving black van. Seth tries to catch its attention when suddenly he is dragged by a girl and a boy to a small cave, telling him that they must hide from what they call the Driver, who is the being that rides the van. They introduce themselves as Regine and Tomasz. They too died and later found themselves in coffins.
Regine tells Seth her theory of the place they are in. She believes that this is the real world, but people like being "online" so much that they decided to stay online permanently. The coffins were designed to carry out bodily functions. The reason they woke up in their coffins in the real world is because all of them died when they hit a particular spot on their head, which disconnected them. Seth further adds to her theory that everybody else's coffins are in the prison near his house, and is determined to go there. Regine and Tomasz are opposed to this, out of fear of the Driver, but Regine allows Seth go on his own.
On entering the prison, Seth's theory is confirmed: there are thousands of people inside coffins in the prison, including his parents, but not Owen, which puzzles him. The Driver spots Seth in the prison and comes after him, but Tomasz saves him. On waking up the next day, Seth remembers everything. In reality, Owen had been found dead three days after being kidnapped. His parents, unable to bear it, voluntarily choose to enter the online world permanently, in a process called Lethe. Although major events like Owen's kidnapping could not be wiped from their memories, his death could be and they could resume their lives believing he was found. Soon, however, the entire world collapsed and all of human race entered Lethe. Seth also reveals that his death was not accidental, and that he had committed suicide.
While they are talking, the Driver appears and takes Regine's body away after nearly killing her. Seth and Tomasz follow him to the prison, where they find the Driver reconnecting her to her coffin, placing her back in life a few minutes before her death, so that she can die properly. Seth and Tomasz save her. Once rescued, Regine tells them that she remembered this life when she was back in her online life. Seth theorizes that the gas from a particular tube is Lethe, and if they do not inhale it, they still remember the real world. If they can choose what time to enter their online life, Seth could get in before his death. That way, he could travel between both worlds, and tell people the truth. Although unsure of the plan succeeding, Regine and Tomasz agree to his plan.
They set out to his coffin, but are stopped by the Driver. A violent fight follows, by the end of which Seth is stabbed by the Driver. Inexplicably, the Driver himself heals Seth. Tomasz, who does not realize this, uses the Driver's baton to kill him. The three return to their plan to put Seth back. Seth takes his coffin, and finally says, "I'm ready."
Reception
More Than This was reviewed favorably by critics and readers. Martin Chilton of The Telegraph describes the novel as "an impressively challenging and philosophical book for young adults," capturing "ambiguity and bewilderment of being young and the uncertainty of what will happen to any of us next in life."[2] Tony Bradman of The Guardian concurred, writing: "Seth is a terrific exemplar of the eternal teenage desire for there to be, in the words of the novel's title, "more than this"".[3] As of early March 2015 the book scores 4.04 out of 5 stars on the social reading site Goodreads.[1] John Green's review of More Than This is printed on the front cover of the book. John comments, "Just read it."
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "More Than This by Patrick Ness". Goodreads. Retrieved 2014-01-02.
- ↑ Chilton, Martin (2013-10-14). "More Than This, by Patrick Ness: review". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2014-01-02.
- ↑ Bradman, Tony (September 7, 2013). "More Than This by Patrick Ness – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 February 2014.