#35

#35 The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (Book two Chaos Walking trilogy)

I've put off writing this review for a day because I wasn't sure what to say. This book took me on an unexpected emotional rollercoaster ride. This book pulled me in, gripped me tight, made me mad, pulled me in again, made me mad again, and kept me hooked until the very last page, where I got mad again. I had to finish it just to give myself some relief.

If you are a fan of recording the titles you read (I'm sure I'm not the only nerd I know), you may want to check out http://www.goodreads.com. If you do, look for me: goodreads.com/amontgomery. I mention this seemingly off topic comment because on the site, when you finish a book, you have the opportunity to rank it on a scale of 1-5 stars. I normally rank books in the 3-4 star range, reserving the 5 star ranking for those most special books. I gave this book 5 stars without hesitation. I don't want to go overboard with this title and make you believe this is the book everyone in the world has been waiting for, but it just really struck a cord with me. And isn't that what reading books is all about anyway? Finding books that really hit you?

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT!

In this second book in the trilogy, we begin with Todd and Viola. The chapters are written from their alternating points of view, which I enjoyed. The two have been separated upon reaching the town of Haven where Mayor Prentiss is in full control and purposefully keeping Todd and Viola apart. As in book number one, The Noise continues to be a battle for the townspeople. Todd learns about the native people living in New World, the Spackle, and what has happened to them in Haven. The Mayor's true character is revealed when we learn of his ability to control The Noise and what he is doing with that ability. A quote that stuck out to me comes from Mayor/President Prentiss (evilevilevilevil!), "'I have two maxims that I believe...One, if you can control yourself, you can control others. Two, if you can control information, you can control others.'" This book is all about control; control of self, control of others, lack of control. Viola and Todd are on opposite sides of this "control" and each must decide how far they are willing to go to do what they believe to be right.

Read the first one, The Knife of Never Letting Go, and prepare yourself for The Ask and the Answer. I've got the third book on hold at the library, Monsters of Men and I'm planning to pick it up today. Go find a copy for yourself and share a comment with me about what you think!