shivery.īecause they spend most of this novel apart, this becomes a novel about faith. but as viola and todd are separately coached under questionable authority figures, which are shaping their character, but still managing to retain their individual sparks that make them such strong characters, and while trying so hard just to get back to each other - the tiny reveals that pepper this story as they bildungs their roman are genuinely surprising and so devastating. not even the big game-changing events, although those are phenomenal. The best moments in these books are the small revelations, the tiny realizations. the first book starts out as a sort of smalltown pastoral with creepy-dark religious/cultish overtones, while this one expands to re-emphasize the earlier themes of colonialism and clannishness but to build upon those themes with the politics of war and love and betrayal and sacrifice (oh, the sacrifices.) and helplessness and growth and trust and - just all of it, all leading up to the most amazing cliffhanger of tolkien-esque proportions.

ness can actually write! viola and todd sound like two different characters! and fully developed characters with insights and psychologies all their own, at that! and i love them both so much. and this book is a split-narrative between the two of them, as they are pursuing their individual paths to selfhood under extreme duress and uncertainty.īut it is so well-handled. The action of this book takes place after a colossal thing happens which separates viola and todd. I will try to avoid saying anything too specific, because this book is such a gem, i want everyone to sort of discover its folds and depths for themselves.īecause there is a great deal of depth up in here. Oh, jeez, i am afraid i am just going to write a gushing fangirl review here.

Okay, so i loved the knife of never letting go but this one was somehow even better.

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness