The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking, #2)

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The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking #2)

4.23 of 5 stars 4.23 · rating details · 18,393 ratings · 2,330 reviews

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 en...more

Hardcover, 536 pages

Published May 4th 2009 by Walker Books Ltd.

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Apr 05, 2012 K.D. Oliveros rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to K.D. by: Ace

Shelves: ya, series, sci-fi, populist

I read the first book of this series last year. I really liked it (4 stars). My main reason was the imagination of the author to think of something like people hearing another people's thoughts. It found it very fascinating as I never heard of that before. Also, he used this in weaving a very engaging dystopian tale of a small post-apocalyptic town with very memorable characters.

There is nothing similar to that fascinating concept in this second book. There are endless violence similar to The Hu...more I read the first book of this series last year. I really liked it (4 stars). My main reason was the imagination of the author to think of something like people hearing another people's thoughts. It found it very fascinating as I never heard of that before. Also, he used this in weaving a very engaging dystopian tale of a small post-apocalyptic town with very memorable characters.

There is nothing similar to that fascinating concept in this second book. There are endless violence similar to The Hunger Games. However, underneath the story is the faith between two young lovers, Todd and Viola who got separated in the first book and still separated for the bulk of this book. However, as they live their separate lives, as they decide on things, they always think of each other and dream of seeing and being with each other again some day. It's a story of faith (for each other), hope (for that everything will turn out right in the end) and love (or the possibility of it).

And those underlying themes, for me, make this book a worthwhile read. I am too old for violence and plot that is composed of too much coincidences. There is a TV trailer being shown at Star World nowadays that I've been seeing since I follow this season's American Idol. This trailer has Zooey Deschanel (Fox Series' The New Girl) answering an interview: "Do you know this thing in horror movies? Something wrong in the basement!?! I have to check than in my underwear! What's wrong with you? Call the police! But it's too late, your friend is getting murdered."

This book is like that in many ways. President Prentiss knows that Todd does not believe in him and yet he accepted him like a son. Todd wants to live and he has to compromise his belief as he thinks this will ensure Viola's life. But when push comes to shove, he shows his true color. Yes, just like going to the basement in his underwear President Prentiss ignores the treachery and continue to keep him alive and worse, part of his team. I know that some powerful men do this: keep your enemies at bay, but I don't find this realistic since this is between a powerful president and a 16-y/o boy. I am not sure if this will be explained in the next book but I thought that it was an unanswered question when I finally closed the book.

Still, the book is worth spending time on reading. It's just that most series are not intended to become series and the author is just trying to strike while the iron is hot. So, the book becomes long and long as money keeps coming to the bank.

Since I have with me Ace's copy of the third book, I will be reading it as it might have the answer to my question. If it does have it, I will change this book's rating to 4. That's a promise.

To explain the title, "The Ask" is the counter-intelligence unit that President Prentiss created as part of his response to the rebellion called Sparkle War or "The Answer."

Thank you, Ace for lending me this book for almost 2 years now! Thank you, Maria for being my reading buddy! I will make it up to you for Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter.

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May 28, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

**Some spoilers for those who have not read the first book**

I just wrote an exhausting review of this novel, but Goodreads screwed me and lost the entire thing. Pissed does not even begin to cover what I feel right now. All of that brilliance, now lost to the cyberspace void forever.

I didn't so much read the first book in this series, The Knife of Never Letting Go, as inhaled it. Original and disturbing, Ness is not afraid to take some risks as he tells the story of Todd Hewitt, a boy about to...more **Some spoilers for those who have not read the first book**

I just wrote an exhausting review of this novel, but Goodreads screwed me and lost the entire thing. Pissed does not even begin to cover what I feel right now. All of that brilliance, now lost to the cyberspace void forever.

I didn't so much read the first book in this series, The Knife of Never Letting Go, as inhaled it. Original and disturbing, Ness is not afraid to take some risks as he tells the story of Todd Hewitt, a boy about to become a man in Prentisstown--a town inhabited only by men. As we read, we find out that Todd lives on a colony planet so distant from Earth that it takes decades to get there. Upon arrival, the first colonists went to war with the indigenous inhabitants, the Spackle. In a desperate effort to defeat the invaders, the Spackle release a germ that kills all of the women. The men survive, but with a strange side-effect: they can hear each other's internal monologue. At least this is the story Todd was always told, but when he discovers a real girl in the swamp Todd is forced to flee for his life and learns that everything he thought was true is a lie.

The Ask and the Answer picks up where The Knife of Never Letting Go left off. Todd and Viola, whose uneasy truce forged a devoted friendship, are separated when Mayor Prentiss (the antagonist from the first novel) names himself President, quarantines the women from the men, and establishes martial law in New Prentisstown. As Mayor Prentiss exerts his power, a female rebel force known as the Answer rises against him, and Viola finds herself swept up into the Answer. Meanwhile, Todd is forced to do President Prentiss' bidding in order to keep Viola safe. He's put in charge of managing the enslaved Spackle workforce being used to build the New Prentisstown envisioned by the President.

What is so fascinating about the novel is how Ness explores the brainwashing and mind games employed by each side as they use Viola and Todd as expendable pawns in their quest for victory. Viola struggles with the terroristic tactics used by the Answer against innocent civilians in the name of their cause, while Todd is forced to face his shame in killing a Spackle in the first novel as he witnesses the dehumanizing treatment of the thinking and feeling alien race. As Viola and Todd try to navigate the labyrinthine truths, loyalties, and beliefs that are relics from a war that occurred before either of them were born, they begin to question themselves and their trust in each other. This psychological complexity is heightened by the fact that the reader still isn’t sure who the bad guys and who the good guys are—if, in fact, there are any good guys. There are no easy answers and Ness forces readers to think through the complex issues of war, justifiable violence, and racism.

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Oct 11, 2012 sanshow rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club, ya, dystopia

"If you ever want to see how small you are in the plan of God, just stand at the edge of an ocean" ~ Mistress Coyle

This book is an ocean. And you are very small. No character is too big for Ness to spare, no reader too large for him to be considerate of their emotions. It's easy to think he's doing things to characters to simply further the plot, to milk us of reactions, and to a certain extent that might be so. But on the other hand I felt this condensed version of what comes from people's inse...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Izzy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: amazing-man, did-not-see-that-coming, don-t-break-my-heart, faves, good-pov, great-characters, just-the-best, kickass-heroine, strong-characters, ultimate-cliffhanger

“So who are you then, Todd Hewitt? What makes you so special?”
Where to start, where to start? In that first chapter, I was just so proud of you Todd. I feel like we’ve come a long way and it just never stops for you does it?

But seriously, where to start? I thought the last book was good. This one is better. Like, sell your aunt and your soul to the devil kind of good. It's just so full of stuff.

First off, despite my many attempts, I could never guess what would happen. When I gave up trying and...more

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Dec 04, 2010 Isamlq rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: hunger games lovers; shusterman lovers; YA dystopian

Recommended to Isamlq by: paolo ramirez (mwah-mwah,) tina, aaron vincent

I imagine Viola, reluctant healer, the worst in fact, bumbling around; Todd working, slaving away. And I imagine their growing closeness despite everything that’s going on around them; despite the forced physical distance between them.

This book is a such a visceral experience. And it's more. I read it and I see everything in my mind’s eye. Not stills; I have a movie playing in my head. I sort of gag when I think of the stench from the Spackles’ corner in the morning. I can almost catch a whiff...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Anushka rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone.

Shelves: authors-i-love, awesome-heroines, bitchin, ebook, sci-fi-post-apocalyptic-dystopia, favorites, holy-cow-that-was-awesome, me-likey, wishlist, reviewed, too-much-feels, books-that-must-be-on-everyone-s

One of the best books I have ever read.
I am not the kind of person to throw around the title of ‘best-book-ever’ casually. I’ve read almost 330 books but only 40 of them are my favourites. So when I say this is one of the best books ever I mean it.

Ask and The Answer is the 2nd book in Chaos Walking trilogy. It picks up right where the first one, Knife of Never Letting Go left off. There is a lot of planning, plotting, bombing in this instalment along with some horrific revelations to...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Aly (Fantasy4eva) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed-from-library, action-packed, digging-the-premise, fast-paced-and-engrossing, favourites, had-me-at-hello, lets-be-mates

"Todd," I say again, a catch in my voice. "On the ledge, under the waterfall, do you remember what you said to me? Do you remember what you said to save me?"
He's shaking his head slowly. "I've done terrible things, Viola. Terrible things-"
"We all fall, you said." I'm gripping his hand now. "We all fall but that's not what matters. What matters is picking yourself up again.”

I have a question before I get into the review. Are Viola and Todd too young to have all that's going on between them? (ro...more

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Dec 21, 2009 Heather rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, 2009, dystopian, loathed

Ugh, I just can't do it. This book is contrived and ridiculous. The characters of Todd and Viola have reached a level of stupidity that I didn’t think was possible. I was put off by the first chapter, but continued to read for another 50 pages before I finally chucked it. Enough is enough. I had already ignored my instincts by picking this book up in the first place. Having read and been let down by book one, I was hoping that Ness would redeem himself. But alas, no such luck. Not only has Ness...more

26 likes · like · see review

Feb 25, 2012 Rachel Hartman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Most of the things I had issues with in the first book aren't a factor here, except for one. And it's kind of a big one. I'm going to have to meditate upon this for a time before I can write a proper review. Over all, though, I liked this one much better. Ness does relentlessly horrible like nobody else, and I say that with all the love and respect in the world.

*****************

AVAST, YE SCURVY DOGS, THAR WILL BE SPOILERS! Yaaarrr! I don't know why I hate the Global Spoiler Warning, I just do. I...more

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May 10, 2013 Kirstine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, fantasy, young-adult

"It's not that you should never love something so much it can control you. It's that you need to love something that much so you can never be controlled."

Oh, Viola and Todd. You break my heart, you really do.

I was so slow to begin this book, because I... well. I had a bad feeling about it. Viola and Todd are separated from the beginning of it and everything is just as bad as it possibly could be. It was the separation of the two that got to me. For these two, who found strength and hope and gui...more
"It's not that you should never love something so much it can control you. It's that you need to love something that much so you can never be controlled."

Oh, Viola and Todd. You break my heart, you really do.

I was so slow to begin this book, because I... well. I had a bad feeling about it. Viola and Todd are separated from the beginning of it and everything is just as bad as it possibly could be. It was the separation of the two that got to me. For these two, who found strength and hope and guidance in each other, to be torn away and kept from even knowing if the other one is safe. I just didn't want to read it, because how could it end well?

Todd is in the hands of the Mayor, who's taken over Haven and decided to become its president, Viola ends up in the claws of the resistance and what ensues is 500 pages of confusion, pain, manipulation, torture and grief. It's ugly, guys. It's uncomfortable. To watch these two falter and doubt - not just themselves - but the loyalty of the other. To see them scramble for any ground to make a stand on. To witness Todd, who fought so hard to hold onto his identity, slowly lose it again, bit by bit.

The whole book might appear less profound than it really is. But it tackles some huge issues in a way that is entirely realistic and shows, in a simple, but nonetheless horrifying manner the terrible things one can be driven to do under the right circumstances. No matter who you are and what your intentions might be. This is where the manipulation comes in, because information is key and with only bits of it you are easily guided to believe exactly what someone wants you to.

I have nothing bad to say about this book, I loved the whole damn thing, but one of my favorite things is the split narrative, because it shows us, much the same way Days of Blood & Starlight did, that there are always two ways to look at a war and neither of them have to be right. We do not root for any one side, we root for Viola and Todd. We hope they have the strength to overcome the ridiculous odds that are against them. And that in the end they're forgiven in the eyes of each other, and that the world is redeemed.

I can't wait to begin the third and final volume. (less)

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Oct 09, 2011 Michelle. Tsunami. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: loved, gotta-love-those-guys, books-i-own

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What is there to say-
except that this book was amazing-
the characters-
the setting-
the plot-
the ending-
this book made me cry-
laugh-
shout for joy-
although, there were some moments-
when I wasn't sure-
what to do-
I have to say-
the saddest part-
was when Viola left-
after she promised-
they would leave together-
it tore Todd up-
from the inside and out-
made him feel like nothing-
was worth living for-
and that-
for sure made me cry-
but-
there were times when I smiled-
like how Todd-
always says Viola's name-
even...more

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Nov 26, 2009 Lisa (lisaisbusynerding) added it · review of another edition

Shelves: own-it

(this is the second book in the Chaos Walking trilogy. there will be spoilers for the first book, "The Knife of Never Letting Go", but not for "The Ask and the Answer".

in a sentence or so: Todd and Viola finally arrive to Haven, only to discover that Mayor Prentiss has beat them there, and taken over the town. they are immediately separated, the town is divided over whether to trust the new leadership or to revolt...and then the bombing begins.

this book begins right where the first book left off...more (this is the second book in the Chaos Walking trilogy. there will be spoilers for the first book, "The Knife of Never Letting Go", but not for "The Ask and the Answer".

in a sentence or so: Todd and Viola finally arrive to Haven, only to discover that Mayor Prentiss has beat them there, and taken over the town. they are immediately separated, the town is divided over whether to trust the new leadership or to revolt...and then the bombing begins.

this book begins right where the first book left off. like, within seconds of the first book. Todd and Viola finally arrive at Haven, a place they weren't even sure actually existed, just to have their hope and their victory snatched out from beneath them and forced - yet again - into a painful, confusing existence. the antagonist of the first book, Mayor Prentiss, has made himself president of Haven and changed the name to New Prentisstown (a bit of an ego, that guy).

within moments of their capture, Todd and Viola are separated and questioned. told from first person perspective in alternating chapters between Viola and Todd, we learn that Todd is forced to work alongside Davy (president's son, shot Viola, not the best friend of Todd) managing the Spackle, the world's native population. Todd is faced with constant challenges to who he is, how he will treat these slaves, and what choices he will make in order to stay true to the man he has become and the man Viola knows him to be. however, being bullied by Davy and managing a silent work force come with extreme challenges...and that's on top of the loss of Viola and the uncertainty of what the heck is going on in New Prentisstown and what big plans the president seems to have for him.

Viola is sent to a healing center where Mistress Coyle cares for her, and begins to train her as a healer. during her time there, Viola learns that Mistress Coyle has a history of rebellion and fighting against unruly authority. when Mistress Coyle disappears and the bombings start in New Prentisstown, Viola not only connects the dots but is also pursued by Mistress Coyle from the outside of town. eventually, Viola chooses to join the resistance - called The Answer - and reluctantly leaves her broken Todd behind.

to describe this book as heavy and violent is an understatement. President Prentiss is relentless in his desire to rule, manipulate, and gain information from the people of New Prentisstown. however, he is sneaky and manipulative in his methods and seems to have mastered his Noise and the art of influencing other's Noise. perhaps that is why the President is able to slowly get away with segregating the men from the women, enforcing strict curfews, and - when things really start to heat up - banding the women with ID tags used for livestock and torturing potential informants.

the middle book of a series has a tough job - advancing the story, sustaining interest, and being a solid stand alone read. the ask and the answer does that and more. this is highly character driven, emotive, heavy, bursting with hard choices and broken characters where even the good guys aren't squeaky clean. there is a bit of a holocaust-ish feel with the numbering and the torture and the slow acceptance of the people in New Prentisstown to just accept the leadership to stay alive, but this alternate reality created by Ness is original and creative and his characters are so raw and so real that, despite being the middle book of a trilogy, i found myself learning new things about them and wanting to keep reading and keep learning more. the true intentions of others are difficult to determine and deliberately revealed.

i cannot WAIT for the conclusion of this series due to excellent writing, heartfelt characters, and a solid cliffhanger. may 2010 cannot come soon enough.

fave quote: "They treat me as if I'm a little dangerous. I'm slightly surprised to find I kind of like it" (Viola, 257)

fix er up: this is a big ole hunk of a book. at just over 500 pages, this was no easy quest. that may turn some readers off - but if you are into the kind of story that Ness weaves (and believe me, you would be) then clear your schedule and make this happe(less)

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Jan 30, 2013 Addie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is an unforgiving story. Trail of Tears overtones with some Holocaust sprinkled on top? Count me the fuck in! The characters don't feel safe or tethered at all, and that's something that I don't encounter very often. I can love and enjoy a "safe" story just as much as the next girl, when nothing is a surprise and everyone acts the way that they should, but when something like this creeps in it is enjoyment on a different level. A higher level.

I read this installment so much faster and thoug...more

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Dec 21, 2009 Tatiana rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, ya, tres-annoying

I won't lie, I am really disappointed in and exhausted by this novel. "The Ask and the Answer" is very little like the first book in the trilogy "The Knife of Never Letting Go."

If the first one is a fast-paced chase kind of story, which keeps you hooked by gradual revelation of the New World's mysteries of Noise, Haven, Viola's origin, etc., this book is basically an account of a civil war between Mayor Prentiss's army and the resistance called here the Answer. The book raises various issues of...more I won't lie, I am really disappointed in and exhausted by this novel. "The Ask and the Answer" is very little like the first book in the trilogy "The Knife of Never Letting Go."

If the first one is a fast-paced chase kind of story, which keeps you hooked by gradual revelation of the New World's mysteries of Noise, Haven, Viola's origin, etc., this book is basically an account of a civil war between Mayor Prentiss's army and the resistance called here the Answer. The book raises various issues of genocide, war ethics, torture, and holding onto one's identity under pressure.

All issues are interesting, but I find myself surprisingly uninterested in them, mainly because in this book I am strangely detached from Todd and Viola. In these tough circumstances they are nothing more than naive petulant children used as pawns in various evil plans. They are described as so strongly attached that they are willing to do almost anything for one another and yet they are so easily led to mistrust each other.This mistrust constantly gets them and people around them in trouble, it's painful to read. I think pretty much in this book you simply can't find even one likable person. Todd is the one I dislike the most at this point. No matter how hard the author tries to make us believe that Todd still holds on to his innocence and thus is better than everybody else, it's pretty hard to swallow when you know what Todd has done for no good reason other than his dear girlfriend left him.

In addition, there are the same plot holes as in the first book. I still don't understand the "specialness" of Todd, there is still a lot of build-up and allusions to various secrets that end up being not that interesting or important.

I have to give Ness some credit for skillfully creating an atmosphere of urgency in his books and showing that nobody is truly innocent in war, but unfortunately, this just isn't enough for me. Gray shades are great in theory, but I would like to see some clearer morality in my books, especially in the books written for young adults. I find that at this point the only side I would want to succeed in the story is Spackle. Not sure if Ness meant it this way though...

Reading challenge: #1 - N.
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Jun 06, 2011 Jo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: of-epic-proportions, ya, my-favourites, hometown-glories-uk, when-can-i-move-in, things-are-rotten-in-the-state-of-d, you-got-a-friend-in-me, hometown-ya

SOUND THE ALARM: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SLIGHT SPOILERS FOR THIS BOOK AND ALSO 'THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO'.

You have been warned.

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
SPACKLEARGH.

High Point.
THE RETURN OF TODD. Seriously, I missed him in like the two days between finished the first one and starting this one. ~~Mayor~~ ....President Prentiss. VIOLA! The Answer. Sympathy for the devil. Welcome to the dark side. Mmm, I love the smell of a love triangle in dystopia. The Holy Trinity- Oppression, Betrayal and F...more

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Nov 29, 2010 Jessica Vitela rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, dark-and-creepy, fierce-ladies, guts-you, otp, sci-fi, ya, dystopian, war, shed-some-tears, reviewed-books, aliens, pretty-prose

Ness has done it again! <3

Let's get the one "complaint" out of the way, unlike the first book in the trilogy, narration alternates between Todd and Viola (spoiler: she lives, but you knew that already because it says it on the back of the book). As much as I understand we needed to see the other side of the story, the female side, and Viola and Todd were separated, I can’t help my preference for Todd’s voice over Viola’s (and in general I just hate it when authors change the storytelling styl...more
Ness has done it again! <3

Let's get the one "complaint" out of the way, unlike the first book in the trilogy, narration alternates between Todd and Viola (spoiler: she lives, but you knew that already because it says it on the back of the book). As much as I understand we needed to see the other side of the story, the female side, and Viola and Todd were separated, I can’t help my preference for Todd’s voice over Viola’s (and in general I just hate it when authors change the storytelling style in sequels). Todd’s gorgeous voice is so heartbreaking and true, Viola just can’t live up to it (although she isn’t “bad” by any means). Todd is the most dynamic character I have had the pleasure of reading in a long time, and I have fallen in love with his surprising insight, poetic illiteracy, and all of his lovely effings. Can I get an amen?

REGARDLESS, I drove out of my way to get this book and I devoured it in a day spent in my pajamas, so you know it’s good. I’ll admit, the breakneck pace wasn’t really there (until the end), but this book is a different beast altogether. I couldn’t help but compare it to the LOTR trilogy. This is definitely your Two Towers equivalent, all buildup to the epic war you know is coming with lots of meaty character study and growth. I was literally bug-eyed and sputtering at the crazy insane ending and I just know Monsters of Men, the final book, will shatter my understanding of the world and I’ll be shoving the books in to all of my friends’ hands with a gun to their heads shouting, “LOVE IT OR I LEAVE YOU!” (jk! If I learned anything from these books, it’s that violence is baaaaad.).

The Ask and the Answer (aren’t the titles completely brilliant?) deals with issues of trust, love, leadership, xenophobia, female emancipation, genocide, and war (the themes of death and the moral implication of murder continue as with the first book). War takes the forefront, how inescapable it is in our society even as it strips us of our humanity.

Grammar Nazis will once again have a field day with this work, but it is Ness’ unorthodox approach to spelling and sentence structure that makes him so brilliant. This is how we speak, this is how we think, this is how we waver between the two, how we contradict ourselves. People are not all good or all bad, and the complexity of Ness’ characters will make you rethink what truly makes a villain and a hero.

I didn’t bawl like a baby during this book like I did with the first one, but I did shed a manly tear and I did have my heart broken quite a bit. This book is much more a tense study of human nature and what it takes to break someone then it is a race to survive like Knife. And did I mention that the “villain,” President Prentiss, is absolutely fantastic and sets a new standard? Well, he does.
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Feb 21, 2010 Lawral rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Oh.My.Gosh. I finished this book a week ago, and I still feel like I haven't had enough time to really process it in order to write a review. There is just so much going on with Todd, with Viola, with Wilf(!), with the people of what used-to-be Haven, with Davy Prentiss (who you'll actually CARE about by the end), just so much going on.

It was practically impossible to put down.

Character development did not waste away in the face of SO MUCH plot either. Viola and Todd both have to really grow up...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-gold-star-award-winner, trt-posted-reviews, ebook-at-media-mall, series-bk-2, teen, apocalyptic-dystopian

Reviewed by Karin Librarian for TeensReadToo.com

It is important to read the first book in the CHAOS WALKING trilogy, THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO, before beginning THE ASK AND THE ANSWER. Patrick Ness doesn't leave anything out when he begins book two of the trilogy; THE ASK AND THE ANSWER picks up exactly where THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO leaves off.

Todd, after being captured by Mayor Prentiss' men, wakes up with thoughts of Viola. He is beside himself with worry since Viola was dying in his...more

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Oct 17, 2010 Melody rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia

10/2010 Stet.

10/2009: Even though Ness has ended book #2 with another cliffhanger, I forgive him. Taut, suspenseful, engaging- everything you want in a dystopian novel, including the unexpectedly poignant talking horses.

Todd and Viola are a duo to be reckoned with, even when they are forced apart by circumstances and evil people. I enjoyed this book mightily, and am eager for the final volume to come out, whereupon I will begin again with number one and just schedule a weekend to read straight t...more

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May 26, 2011 Priscilla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Seriously. One of THE best series I've read...and I'm not even done reading it yet. Why are you so awesome Patrick Ness?

First thoughts:

1) Love Todd.
2) Love Viola.
3) Love Todd and Viola.
4) The writing style is AMAZING.
5) Fully developed characters, plot, and concepts.

Check out my full video review here!

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Nov 29, 2011 Regina rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of dystopia

Shelves: ya, space-travel-new-world, science-fiction, audio-also-listened-to, listened-to-audio-only, have-from-library, have-in-audio, favorites, favorite-authors

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What I loved about this book:

The amazing world that is created.
It is completely unique. Space travelers, nonhuman beings, new world order. Good intriguing stuff.

The pacing and intenseness of this book. I listened to the audio version and the manner in which the story is delivered left me breathless. I never wanted the book to end.

The strong affection and love the characters have for each other.

Their tie is almost tangible. Todd and Viola never lose sight that the survival and happiness of the

...more What I loved about this book:

The amazing world that is created.
It is completely unique. Space travelers, nonhuman beings, new world order. Good intriguing stuff.

The pacing and intenseness of this book. I listened to the audio version and the manner in which the story is delivered left me breathless. I never wanted the book to end.

The strong affection and love the characters have for each other.

Their tie is almost tangible. Todd and Viola never lose sight that the survival and happiness of the other person is their goal.

The questioning of people in authority. Showing their intentions behind their action. I love this.

The questioning of whether desiring a certain right outcome justifies doing wrong things to make the right thing come about. If a righteous rebel group wants to overthrow a fascist dictator, is it okay to use brutal force on the civilians to do so? Is it okay to sacrifice innocents? Where is the line of morality if an innocent was never intended to die, but does?

The drawing of characters and situations that show how easy it is for people to be co-opted and encouraged to do hurtful evil things to other living creatures in order to save themselves or others they love. Or perhaps the motive of the co-opted is just to get a long. But isn’t this still wrong?

Beautifully writing the slippery slope of morality and submission. Tiny steps taken in following orders and swallowing discomfort lead to grander choices down the road.

The heroine. Viola is an amazing heroine. She is brave, self-sacrificing and she never loses sight of what is right. Ness wrote Viola in such a way that she is truly inspiring, I loved having her point of view in this book.

I loved the mysteries and the slow reveals. I loved not knowing who I could believe or should believe.

The violence served a purpose; it was not all just for entertainment. Instead, Ness was leading the readers down a path of questioning people’s choices and questioning those in power.

Problems with this book:

The morality represented in the book. I do not accept that feeling bad or guilty about one’s bad acts redeems the actor.

A future (moral and good) leader would never submit to immoral acts as easily as Todd did.

People who love each other are not so easily misled about each other.

The ending is frustrating. Very frustrating.

Todd still keeps making the same stupid choices.

Poor Davey. In a way Davey was this book’s Manchee. I feel bad for how, as I assume, that Davey was emotionally neglected and abused by his father. He still did some really bad stuff. Asking for forgiveness and feeling bad, again I don't think it makes it all okay.

Viola and Todd’s belief that love conquers all. It doesn’t. And I guess, the ending of this book demonstrates that. Love is great and solves a lot of problems, but it doesn’t conquer all.

(view spoiler)[Manchee was missed. (hide spoiler)]

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Jun 13, 2013 Radostina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Honestly, the Chaos Walking trilogy is something I hadn’t encountered in a long time. Despite being classified as a children’s book, it tackles openly adult issues from all parts of the societal spectrum. War, slavery, genocide, politics and its dynamics (democracy vs. authoritarian rule), terrorism and guerilla warfare, and to top it off, the eternal power struggle between the genders—the list goes on forever.

Let me start off by saying that this series as whole reads quite quickly. Ness is very...more Honestly, the Chaos Walking trilogy is something I hadn’t encountered in a long time. Despite being classified as a children’s book, it tackles openly adult issues from all parts of the societal spectrum. War, slavery, genocide, politics and its dynamics (democracy vs. authoritarian rule), terrorism and guerilla warfare, and to top it off, the eternal power struggle between the genders—the list goes on forever.

Let me start off by saying that this series as whole reads quite quickly. Ness is very skilled at creating suspense, drama building up so masterfully that it literally had me gasping for air when things started falling into place. The novelty here, as compared to the first part of the series, is the shifting perspective, with the story being told by the alternating voices of Todd and Viola. This serves the story well, because as it unfolds and the psychological implications get more profound, it helps add perspective to the narrative, even if neither of the sides sounds completely right and justifiable.

There are a few things I would like to dwell on briefly. Firstly—and it’s a topic that started with the first book from the series—is the topic of information and the easy-- even involuntary in this case—access to it, and how it impacts decision making. "It’s information, all the time, never stopping, whether you want it or not.” We can easily see in this information overflow a reference to our own modern era. Be it the Noise, as in this book, or the Internet for us, information readily available, difficult to filter, impossible to resist, shaping who you are whether you realize it or not. So how do you keep your identity in this sea of information, how do you FIND this identity to begin with, if you are a young person like Todd? And, in a world of false signals, lies and betrayal even by those closest to you, where small truths serve to mask greater lies, how do you sift right from wrong? Too much information can baffle, but when carefully served and masterfully manipulated, it can actually drift a genuinely good person away from their own conscience.

“Let your neighbor know he is watched. Only then we are truly safe.” How awful does that sound? And how familiar in that? Remember 1984? Remember Communist regimes from our own history? How about Nazi Germany? All oppressive regimes are alike in that they all aim at full control over the individual, over every aspect of life. Turning people against each other, actually making them spy on one another, is a typical tool that’s been used over and over again. President Prentiss, whom both Todd and Viola insist upon calling Mayor (talking about defiance here), is a full-blooded tyrant of the classic kind, closing schools, burning books, eliminating any circles of enlightenment and dissent, segregating social groups and then gradually eliminating them. He’s awful, alright. He is capable of any despicable crime that has ever been perpetrated, and demonstrates such lack of repentance and such willingness to pursue power for its own sake, that he hardly even looks human. With his extraordinary power of mind control, like devil incarnate, he’s just systematically destroying all good in this New World, one step at a time, all the while claiming he is after prosperity, peace and a harmonious new society. And at some point, he actually sounds almost sincere… Until the next time he does something awful, that is. But… he has this air around him that I presume a lot of real-life dictators might have had, the attractiveness and the charisma that make people follow him, not simply because they are Noise-controlled and have to, but because they actually want to. And what about the resistance? Led by another power-hungry opportunist, blowing up buildings and people alike, these “freedom fighters” are not much different from modern terrorists. I truly feel for the people of New World… These are some crappy options to choose from.

“We are the choices we make,” says Mistress Coyle, but sometimes all the choices we are given are impossible. Impossible situations somehow blur the boundaries between good and evil, don’t they? When all they give you is bits and pieces, filtering the information available, forcing you to choose your actions and determine right from wrong based on that limited and purposefully skewed information, you don’t have much of a choice, do you? When forced to choose between two evils, how do you settle for the lesser one? Especially knowing that your decision can be outright disastrous for too many people? Is the life of one person worth more than the safety of all? Aren’t we all precious? Being able to choose implies a moral responsibility, but whether the restrictions of your circumstances wash off some of this responsibility—that is a matter of personal and subjective understanding.

And we see both Todd and Viola slowly changing their determination, uncertain whom to trust, their belief in each other dwindling despite what their hearts crave. The necessity to pick sides despite their gut feeling is heart-breaking. Viola wants to believe Todd is still the same while seeing him ride side by side with her enemies. Todd must believe Viola is unchanged even as he sees her as part of a terrorist group blowing up buildings and killing off people. It’s a battle of trust and suspicion, in a world where realities are changing by the hour, and allegiance is hard to pledge without seriously compromising your conscience. The dilemmas and the moral imperatives posed by this absurd situation to both young characters are tremendous. This is a quest, an epic battle which, unlike most epic battles, has no clear purpose. An epic battle calls for a hero, but how can you possibly be a hero if your quest is morally wrong in your own head? In this respect, Todd and Viola are both reluctant heroes.

Speaking of Todd and Viola, I don't want to focus on their relationship as much as other reviewers probably would, because, although I do realize that their love was supposed to be the pivotal point of the story, the most significant and profound weapon they have, I still think it’s quite far-fetched a premise to have Todd’s powers mastered and summoned by the mere thought of Viola. It is clear that Todd is special and that he has power, but is it really Viola that sets this power free? Or is it David Prentiss? I tend to side with the latter option. Besides, the topic of love as a savior has been explored before to such lengths that I do not really care to dwell on it here. I do appreciate the strong connection between Todd and Viola, and I can understand how others would focus on it, but I personally view this story more as a power struggle--between the individuals and the societies, but mostly an internal power struggle within each of us.

Sometimes the dark side wins. Just so, just in the nick of time, just when Todd and Viola finally seem to have found their path, the world changes again, and humankind faces an unthinkable danger. And that right there shifts the evil-good axis once again, setting off an entirely new set of moral challenges, and presumably another set of necessary compromises and mistakes to follow, all done for the sake of a greater purpose. “War makes monsters out of men,” this is the ugly truth in its entirety. This book is awfully upsetting, horrific in being so damn realistic, in depicting the actual atrocities mankind has been committing for ages. It is nasty and graphic, and sobering: the realities of war are devastating, and the fact that people out there do indeed want to wage war for its own sake, delirious by their desire for power and control, is really unnerving. The way this has been portrayed in The Ask and the Answer is remarkable. A profound, mind-blowing and emotionally-draining book that just has to be read by everyone. Patrick Ness, you’re a genius!
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Apr 04, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Laura by: Jo

6 Stars!
I can give six stars if I wanna! (shut up) ;)

“That’s when I think getting thru it ain’t enough.
Staying alive ain’t enough if yer barely living.
They’ll play me as long as I let ‘em.”

People tend to believe because I pick, crawl, and remain in a book for weeks that I am struggling or not enjoying the story. It’s actually the complete opposite. I don’t want the book to end. I can’t and don’t want to leave the pages. The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness became one of those reads for me. A...more

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Feb 01, 2011 Hope rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi, dystopian-utopian, 2011-reads, reviewed, heroines-i-love, heroes-i-love, favorites

***CAUTION: Before you read this review, you must be aware that today is one of my “rambling days." Proceed at your own risk. ;) ***

I am officially entranced with this series. I tried not to be, because it freaks me out to no end, and it doesn’t exactly feel right being so enthralled with something that scares me so much.

But there it is…I am entranced.

And, therefore, my library has officially made it onto my hit list, for not having Monsters of Men. This is the last straw! *scowling*
Basically...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who read the first book, even if you didn't like it.

Shelves: action-packed, dark, disturbing-moments, grrl-power, little-romance, love-geometry, love-the-protag, multiple-narrators, sci-fi

Picking up right where the plot of The Knife of Never Letting Go left off, I found that The Ask and the Answer far surpassed it in terms of quality-- or, at least, its ability to engage me.

Todd and Viola have been separated. That is the heart of the novel. They each have their own half of the plot that we see through alternating perspectives, each of the protagonists finding themselves caught up in part of a messy, interconnected political power struggle. While both halves of the plot were compl...more Picking up right where the plot of The Knife of Never Letting Go left off, I found that The Ask and the Answer far surpassed it in terms of quality-- or, at least, its ability to engage me.

Todd and Viola have been separated. That is the heart of the novel. They each have their own half of the plot that we see through alternating perspectives, each of the protagonists finding themselves caught up in part of a messy, interconnected political power struggle. While both halves of the plot were completely necessary for the story to work, I personally found Todd's section much more intriguing. That being said, Viola's connection to the rebellion was fascinating as well. Maybe this is a stretch, but I thought Mistress Coyle was reminiscent of President Coin from Mockingjay, in that she was the leader of a worthy cause, but as an individual she was difficult to fully trust. The political back-and-forth of Mistress Coyle and Mayor Prentiss was intriguing as can be.

In addition, I really appreciated the exploration this book gave to some of the secondary characters from the first book, especially Mayor Prentiss and his son. The character arcs here were masterfully done (view spoiler). The relationships Todd had with these characters changed dramatically from the beginning of the novel to the end, but these changes were so authentic that I hardly noticed them happening.

Even more than that, my absolute favorite aspect of this book was the inclusion of the Spackle. They are prisoners-of-war, and treated even worse than that-- stripped of their voices and rounded up like cattle. The exploration of war ethics, of how quickly and brutally people can project their own failings and insecurities onto helpless, victimized others, was by far the most compelling part of the story for me. Oh, 1017, what will you do next? (I'm trying to hold it together but I'm flailing on the inside.) I just can't put into words how flipping excited I am for whatever will happen with the Spackle-- and with Todd-- in the next book.

The only potential negative I can think of was Todd's character arc. He went through a lot of very intense changes throughout the story, and while I see what Ness was doing, I'm not completely sure I buy into the way he executed his plan. That being said, this book is totally worth re-reading someday, so maybe the second time around I'll appreciate his arc better.

All in all, this book stands head and shoulder above the crowd. Compelling characters with unique voices, intense themes that respect the intelligence of its audience, complex villains, and an explosive ending all combine to make The Ask and the Answer a book that was totally worth skipping the Super Bowl for. No regrets. (less)

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Apr 28, 2011 Kritika rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi, dystopia, british-author, five-star-books

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod that book was amazing! I admit that at first I was skeptical because the book was a little slow at the beginning, but the last 100 pages were brilliant and powerful and suspenseful. I can't think of enough adjectives that capture the essence of this series, but I think brilliant, powerful, and suspenseful do a pretty good job.

Ness is a tactical genius. He reminds me a lot of Orson Scott Card - he blurs the lines between good and bad, and creates such intelligent, frightenin...more Ohmygodohmygodohmygod that book was amazing! I admit that at first I was skeptical because the book was a little slow at the beginning, but the last 100 pages were brilliant and powerful and suspenseful. I can't think of enough adjectives that capture the essence of this series, but I think brilliant, powerful, and suspenseful do a pretty good job.

Ness is a tactical genius. He reminds me a lot of Orson Scott Card - he blurs the lines between good and bad, and creates such intelligent, frightening villains while also making some part of them human enough for the reader to empathize. All the characters are so complex and multi-layered, and even the protagonists don't get away being purely good human beings. They are shown as what they are - a mix of good and bad and everything in between. I think that takes an insane amount of skill on the author's part.

I loved getting to listen to Viola's side of the story. It was refreshing to hear from her, especially since she is a major character that you hardly hear from in the first book. Todd and Viola's voices were so distinct that even if the fonts weren't different, I could easily have told them apart. Their perspectives and thoughts about each other and their roles in the great tangle of events made the book very multi-layered.

The plot of this book, while a little slow at first, really picked up the pace in the second half. The give and take between The Answer and The Ask was frightening, because you didn't know which side to root for. You didn't know who did what, and who to believe. With Todd on one side and Viola on the other, the conflict was very intense and well-thought out. Both Mistress Coyle and the Mayor (or President, as he likes to be called) had their good and evil sides, and I really can't decide who the "good guys" are. I really liked that about this series - there's so much gray area between good and evil, right and wrong. You can do incredibly cruel things (view spoiler) and suffer for them (and subsequently, remain innocent and whole), like Todd; you can manipulate people through mind and body, lead people into and through a crisis, and somehow strive for the most good for the most people (utilitarianism, anyone?), like the Mayor; you can resort to the ways of war and brutality in the name of peace, betray those who trust you for the greater good of your people, and save lives with the same hand that kills them like Mistress Coyle. I also liked the minor characters, especially Lee and Wilf. Wilf was a surprising pillar of strength, as was Corinne. I really liked Lee as well - I felt so sad for him...not only did he lose his mother and sister, his one strong relationship was broken.

The rawness, the blood, and the fear of the first book was very much a component of this book as well. There is just as much death and violence and torture and conflict as before, more so even. The tactics of both the Ask and the Answer are brutal, and I feel so terrible for those who had to die. Especially cruel were the deaths of (view spoiler) And the end! I loved how everything seems to be on the verge of skyrocketing out of control, but hasn't quite gotten there. Two new forces of unimaginable importance and magnitude have been introduced to the delicate equation of the New World, and I can't wait to find out what happens next.(less)

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Dec 14, 2011 Martha added it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi

Undeniable brilliance, folks.

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Mar 31, 2009 flajol rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: junior, post-apocalyptic, science-fiction, young-adult, love-these-books, dystopia

If you loved The Knife of Never Letting Go, you won't be disappointed with The Ask and The Answer. It's just as brutal and uncompromising as the first in the Chaos Walking series, just as gripping, and now I'm left howling for book three! When's it coming out, Patrick?

Todd tries to hold onto his values as the Mayor manipulates and schemes and strips away those things that anchor Todd to his humanity. Once again, Ness isn't afraid to tackle big themes: war crime, terrorism, genocide, loyalty and...more

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Jun 16, 2013 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, fantasy, post-apoc, romance, middle-grade, kick-ass-character, i-could-eat-this, favourites, dystopian-utopian, action, aliens-and-other-creepy-creatures

Amazeballs.

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 31, 2012 Scott Pilgrim rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Knife of Never Letting Go and Science Fiction

Recommended to Scott by: Me!

Shelves: alternating-povs, dystopia-post-apocalyptic, must-read-2012, male-pov

WOW. The Ask and the Answer is a follow up to The Knife of Never Letting Go. Patrick Ness's second installment in the Chaos Walking trilogy is an action packed book and leads off where it's predecessor ended. Todd and Viola have gone back to New Prentisstown and are once again in the evil Mayor Prentiss's clutches. The Ask and the Answer is a real page turner that keeps you second guessing yourself about what is going to happen. This book delivers more character development than the Knife of Ne...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
1017's Gender	56	241	17 hours, 15 min ago
SPOILER ALERT**.......Davys death	19	90	Mar 22, 2013 12:04pm
The Ask? Or the Answer? (Spoilers)	8	37	Oct 14, 2012 11:15am
Favorite Character in the series	14	68	Sep 15, 2012 08:27pm
Johnson County Li...: True or false? How so? “I didn’t mean to hurt you,” I say. “I didn’t mean to hurt nobody—“ “Intentions do not matter, Todd. Only actions.”	5	10	Jun 13, 2012 08:04pm

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About Patrick Ness

Patrick Ness, an award-winning novelist, has written for England’s Radio 4 and Sunday Telegraph and is a literary critic for The Guardian. He has written many books, including the Chaos Walking Trilogy, The Crash of Hennington, Topics About Which I Know Nothing, and A Monster Calls.

He has won numerous awards, including the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, the Booktrust Teenage Prize, and the Co...more

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The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, #1)

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Quotes from The Ask and the Answer

“It's not that you should never love something so much that it can control you.
It's that you need to love something that much so you can never be controlled.
It's not a weakness.
It's your best strength.” — 589 people liked it

“In this world of numbness and information overload, the ability to feel, my boy, is a rare gift indeed.” — 199 people liked it

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The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking #2)

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