Book Review: "The Ask and The Answer" by Patrick Ness


(Chaos Walking #2)
My Rating: 

Plot Tease
Todd and Viola did no find healing and hope in Haven. They found instead their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss, waiting to welcome them to New Prentisstown. There they are forced into separate lives: Todd to prison, and Viola to a house of healing. Soon Viola is swept into the ruthless activities of the Answer, while Todd faces impossible choices when force to join the mayor's oppressive new regime. Torn by confusion and compromise, suspicion and betrayal, can their trust in each other possibly survive?

Book Review
From a character development view, The Ask and The Answer does a lot less than The Knife of Never Letting Go. The first book of Chaos Walking was about growth and discoverey. The second installment is focused on endurance. Honestly, compared to the first, I thought this one was a little disappointing. Why?

I was frustrated with the narrative multiple times. This world lost its magic touch for me in the second book. If it is possible, The Ask and The Answer seems to focus on human degradation more than the last. What was fine social commentary in the first book became heavy handed and blunt in the second.

Meanwhile, the characters are largely static and floundering. There was something special about Todd and Viola in the beginning, because they were an unstoppable force. I felt like they were defeated for most of The Ask and The Answer. That's not what I was hoping for in this book.

Viola seems to have lost some of her surliness/industry since the last book, which I don't think she really regains until near the end. She is trapped in her circumstances. Here and there, chances for bravery are presented and she responds adequately, but not remarkably. (Before Ask and The Answer, she always felt remarkable!)

On the other hand, Todd is at the point of maturity he reached at the end of the last book. He actively tries to help others on multiple occasions, but the violence he is surrounded with seems to overwhelm things at times.

Poignantly, Todd once again chooses Viola over his own life. If I had to pick something in this book that grabbed me the most, it would be this. The relationship between Viola and Todd remains strong. They demonstrate adult emotional maturity in being able to hold on to one another even while parted, and to remain true under pressure. Todd's words about Viola are usually touching - even if I'm not always convinced he knows what he's saying.

The biggest change is the introduction of another viewpoint. Now you get to hear from both Todd and Viola - which allows for a fuller story to be told. Because they have essentially reached their 'destination', the main characters stay planted in New Prentisstown for the majority of the story. It was overly campy for me. There was too much wavering, for too long, from all of the 'good' guys.

I try to always finish whole series, but I'm questioning whether or not I'll pick up the third part of Chaos Walking.

What Do You Think?
Have you ever quit in the middle of a series? Why?
What role does violence play for you in novels?
Have you read the 3rd part of Chaos Walking? Does it redeem the series?
If you enjoyed this book, why? What do you see differently?
"'You notice that he does not ask, Where am I?' says the Mayor's voice, moving out there, somewhere. 'His first words are, Where is she? And his Noise says the same. Interesting.'" - The Ask and The Answer
Cost: New $10.00/Used $2.95 (Available on Kindle and Nook.)
Buy this book from Amazon.com

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