The Ask and The Answer Review

The Ask and The Answer

Author: Patrick Ness

Series: Chaos Walking

Book #: 2 out of 3

Read: August 8, 2012 - August 10, 2012

My Rating: 5 stars

Author's Synopsis:

We were in the square, in the square where I'd run, holding her, carrying her, telling her to stay alive, stay alive till we got safe, till we got to Haven so I could save her - But there weren't no safety, no safety at all, there was just him and his men...

Fleeing before a relentless army, Todd has carried a desperately wounded Viola right into the hands of their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss. Immediately separated from Viola and imprisoned, Todd is forced to learn the ways of the Mayor's new order. But what secrets are hiding just outside of town? And where is Viola? Is she even still alive? And who are the mysterious Answer? And then, one day, the bombs begin to explode...

"The Ask and the Answer" is a tense, shocking and deeply moving novel of resistance under the most extreme pressure. This is the second title in the "Chaos Walking" trilogy.

Jenkies' Review:
**contains spoilers

This book was one that I wasn't able to put down. It is 519 pages and it felt like it was too short with as much that happens during the entire book. I've always found the second books in trilogies to not be as exciting as the first or even the last, but this book was fantastic. 

The two main characters want to be with each other and they don't hold back trying to get just that. This story is basically about everyone trying to keep them apart. This book had very few moments where I could guess what was going to happen. In fact, I think there was only one! If I had to describe this book in two words I would choose Surprising and Suspenseful.  

In my review for the first book, I admitted that I cried during it. I'm proud to say that I didn't cry in this book at all. There were still emotional moments, but I felt because the story-line kept moving it was hard to focus on any one scene for too long. So, I'm tear-free in this book! Now, I certainly can't guarantee that for the third book I won't cry, but we'll see...