Ness, Patrick. The Ask and the Answer.

Ness, Patrick. The Ask and the Answer.
Candlewick Press 2009 519 18.99 978-0-7636-4490-1 ms/hs This sequel to The Knife of Never Letting Go continues the story of Todd and Viola, as they are separated, each with an uneasy allegiance to warring sides in this devastating look at ideology and psychological domination. Confusing, at first, to those who have not read The Knife of Letting Go, this novel soon takes on its own relentless personality, fast becoming a such a compelling story that readers will not be able to put it down. It ultimately proves difficult for teens Todd and Viola to decide where the allegiance lies, except to each other. Two opposing charismatic leaders use the teens’ unyielding desire to find and care for each other to disastrous advantage. The Mayor, a sociopath, from whom the teens were fleeing, coerces Todd into believing him and, at times, committing horrendous acts. Viola begins to believe in the cause of Mistress Coyle, and begins bombing sites as part of the Answer. Both finally realize that they are being used, as the novel rushes headlong to a cliff-hanger ending. Brilliant, dark and unrelenting, this title is definitely for more mature readers. Fans of dystopic fiction will want to read the entire series. Nominated for 2010 ALA Best Books for Young Adults. Note: I had conflicted ideas about recommending this book because we only received an advance reading copy. However, the story and the characters were so compelling that I felt that it should be nominated for Books of Note.
Naismith, Pat