Review: The Ask and The Answer by Patrick Ness

Title: The Ask and The Answer
Author: Patrick Ness
Series: Chaos Walking (2)
Publisher: Walking
Release Date: 4 May 2009
Date Read: March 2012
Rating: ★★★★☆

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...
(from Goodreads)


As a second installment of the Chaos Walking trilogy, I enjoyed reading The Ask and The Answer. It was well written and there were lots of character development. You really start to understand each and every character as they face countless of adversities, Todd and Viola, especially. But I really liked reading about Davy the most. As you read on, you really start to sympathize with him. He's only a teenage boy; trying to impress his father, to be acknowledged, to feel the love a father should have for his son. (He kind of reminded me of Draco, at this point) As the story progressed, I liked him a lot more than Todd and Viola. Their voices got really annoying, really fast.

On the down side, it took a long while for the plot to really pick up and I was getting frustrated with the book because it was taking so long to get page-turner-interesting. I was already half way through the book and it was becoming such a big challenge for me to finish it. If it wasn't for my friend's constant reassurance that the book does get better, I wouldn't have finished it. But when the plot picked up, it really picked up. The pace completely changed to the point that it seemed like it was a completely different book. There were lots of action and suspense that will keep you turning the pages. I was emotionally exhausted by the end of it.

But, I must say that the cliffhanger isn't enough to get me to want to read the last book of the trilogy. My interest quickly died after finishing it and I really don't like Todd and Viola anymore. The only reason I gave it a four-star rating was because I got such a big emotional response towards the end of it. I was blubbering and crying and I have to give credit to the author for that.