Some Final 2009 Book Reviews: The Ask and The Answer by Patrick Ness

A Book Review, you ask?? Well, duh. This IS a book blog!! Yeah, I know. It's been awhile. It's the beginning of a new year, and where are all my wrap-up posts? I'll probably be finishing all my wrap-up posts soon. I finished 2009 without reviewing at least 5 books. I've always said, I will review (or at least discuss) all the books I've read, so I still need to do that. And while some will have to wait, I could hardly finish up any 2009 wrap-ups without reviewing one of the books that will undoubtedly make my Top 5 Reads!! So, I give you The Ask and The Answer - Chaos Walking Book 2 by Patrick Ness (528 pgs, Candlewick, 2009). Read for the YAC 2009, the YA Dystopian Challenge, and basically because after reading The Knife of Never Letting Go, there was NO WAY I could NOT read this book!!

"Your noise reveals you Todd Hewitt." A voice -- In the darkness. I blink open my eyes. Everything is shadows and blur and it feels like the world's spinning and my blood is too hot and my brain is clogged and I can't think and it's dark -- I blink again. Wait. No, WAIT -- Just now, just NOW we were in the square -- Just now SHE was in my arms.

As with Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, it will difficult to review this book without giving anything away. First, I don't want to spoil anything for people who haven't read The Knife of Never Letting Go. Because really....you NEED to read that book. And secondly, I don't wait to spoil anything from THIS book. So, basically this is going to be a non-review of a book that I LOVED.

What can I say then about The Ask and The Answer? The book begins almost immediately from the point that The Knife of Never Letting Go ended. Todd awakens to find that they have indeed made it to Haven, although it seems that the Army has made it there before him and Viola. Haven, now called New Prentisstown, is under the control of Mayor Prentiss. And Todd has no idea where Viola is or what happened to her.

In this book enemies become friends and friends become enemies. Although the pace of this book is not quite as neck-breaking as the first, it is equally gut-wrenching. Todd is forced to do things he would never have done before. And he loses himself because of it. The once-innocent Todd learns the ways of the "New" world. And shatters himself in the process. Things are not always black and white now. And the shades of gray can be very dangerous. But one thing we know about Todd....he's strong. And good. And nothing can possibly change that. Or can it??

I don't know if it's possible, but I would have to say this book is better than the first. I wasn't quite as dizzy reading it. But my heart-strings were pulled and manipulated just as much. I have a new character I love: "boycolt, boycolt". (that is just for you Nymeth and Maree!) Once again, we are sucked completely into the lives of Todd and Viola. We see a glimpse into the psyche that is Mayor Prentiss and we see lots of darkness. We see what it is like for his son, Davy, growing up with such a man as a father. And we find a new enemy out there. So many questions as well. Is the Answer enemy or friend?? And what will happen when the settlers reach the New World?

I, for one, am having a hard time waiting for all the answers to come. Book 3, Monster of Men will not be available in the US until May. I'm already chomping at the bit to get it! (pun, definitely intended!) As far as I'm concerned, this is a Must Read Series for anyone that wants to be completely and totally drawn into a dystopian world. It almost physically HURTS to read it, the intensity is so high. But again, isn't that the sign of a fantastic book?? Most definitely given a 5 Star review!!

The Knife of Never Letting Go - Is it as Good as the Hype??

And that certainly is a fair question to ask. For this seems to be the "year of the Hype". At least for me. I've been enthralled by both The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. Entranced by The Graveyard Book. Underwhelmed by the first few Fablehaven books. And blown away by the awesomeness of Looking for Alaska. And since I always seem to be just one step behind everyone else, I find myself reading books that have already gone viral across the net. And as such, I always brace myself for disappointment. I always fear that a book that has been toted by everyone and their brother will leave me with just a so-so feeling. And I HATE disappoint. I'm not sure where I'm going to go with this review, but I can tell you this: The Knife of Never Letting Go: Chaos Walking, Book One by Patrick Ness (496 pgs, Candlewick, 2008) most certainly did NOT disappoint! I'm using this book as a selection for both the RIP IV Challenge and the YA Dystopian Challenge.

The first thing you find out when yer dog learns to talk is that dogs don't got nothing much to say. About anything.

Todd Hewitt is a twelve-year-old boy living in Prentisstown in the New World. The New World is a another planet that was settled years ago by people who wanted a simpler way of life. But when they reached the New World, they encountered an alien race known as the Spackle. And there was war. A war in which a germ was released that caused the "noise". This germ not only killed all the women in the New World, but most of the men. Only the men of Prentisstown are left. And they have the "Noise" disease. They can hear each others thoughts, or noise as its called. And although this sounds pretty cool in theory, being able to read eveyone's thoughts makes for a big jumbled mess most of the time. So many thoughts coming at you in all directions is enough to drive a person crazy. But this is the only world Todd has ever known.

Both his mother and father died during the war. Todd lives with friends of his mother's, Ben and Cillian, and his dog, Manchee. Prentisstown is the only settlement left from when the settlers arrived on the New World. But just 30 days before Todd's 13th birthday (the one that means he's a "Man"), something happens on his walk through the swamp. Something that causes him to go on the run from everyone and everything he has ever known. And, boy is his world turned upside down!

That's about all I can say about this book without giving away any part of the plot. And I think going in blind is the best possible way to read this book. Now...on to what *I* thought of it:

I had to give myself a day or two's time to let the story sink in before I could write this review. Is it at all possible to love a book and hate the same book all at once? Because if it is, that's how I feel about it! I know I read a couple of reviews that said this could possibly be a new favorite of all time. I'm not going to go that far. No way this book is going on the list past The Stand or To Kill a Mockingbird. I may change my mind when I'm done reading the Trilogy. But as a stand alone book, not a chance. I need closure in my life. I really HATE when a book leaves you with a huge cliff-hanger ending. And that is exactly what Ness does at the end of this one.

Reading The Knife of Never Letting Go is like riding on a roller coaster. It starts off at a real nice pace, then BAM! It kicks into high gear and doesn't stop until the final page. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. But there is no chance to catch your breath. It is so intense that you can almost feel your heart beating at times. It is an emotional read. It will absolutely tear at your heart-strings. And it is very violent and extremely graphic.

And there is another thing: I actually felt physically exhausted when I had finished reading this book. I can not remember the last time that happened to me. There is at least one scene in the book that left me so drained, I could barely get out of my chair. I felt like I had been kicked in the gut, my heart ripped from my chest and stomped on. I was so angry I wanted to throw the book out the door! And yet, I picked it up again and continued reading.

All of the things I've said sound really negative. And I don't mean it exactly like that. Those are a few of the reasons I said I hated this book. Some of the reasons I loved the book: the wonderful characters. Characters that were written so well, I could picture them vividly in my head. Characters that were so real to me I cried and screamed when something happened to them (and trust me, there is a LOT that happens). Protagonists so human that it's impossible not to completely empathize with them. A dog that could possibly be the greatest character ever written. (I now see why I could never be a cat person. Dogs are just too loyal and sweet!) And a villain that was so evil, it made me see red each time I even stumbled across his name.

There is also a fantastic story to go along with the great characters. It is dystopian in nature, which I love anyway. But the world Ness created is just incredible. The whole concept of the "noise" is unique. You would think it would be impossible to keep secrets in a world where everyone can read each others minds, but in fact, this world has MORE secrets than anywhere I know! And it's written in such a way that it is completely believable. Take this quote:
"Cuz knowledge is dangerous," he says, as serious as I've ever seen him and when I look into his Noise to see what he's hiding, it roars up and slaps me back.

But don't kid yourself. This is not a fun, light read. There is a stab-you-through-the-heart intensity that is hard to like. It is gritty and violent. And sometimes you are so overwhelmed with sadness that you physically ache. But if the sign of a good book is the fact that the author has made you feel something, then this is a great book because it engulfs you with FEELING. Even with the portions of the book that I hated, I'm still giving it a 100% 5 star rating. It was that good. Will it ever surpass my favorite books? Probably not. But I do reserve the right to revisit the topic when I complete the trilogy! 5/5

Round 2: Dylan Fontaine Vs. City in the Lake

Again...I just want to apologize to Renay for not posting this sooner. But at least I let you know what you were to be reading!! :)


For my Round 2 as a Judge for the Nerds Heart YA Tournament of Books, I was giving the tasking of choosing the best book between 2 really DIFFERENT books. Although the choice wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be (because one book totally stood out), they were really different types of books. One is a "coming of age" type of book; the other a Fantasy tale.

First: The reviews:
The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine by April Lurie (224 pgs., Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2008).

I can tell you from experience that a jail cell is not a place you'd like to visit. Now, I'm no Papillon, and the police station serving the Sixty-eighth Precinct in Brooklyn, New York, is no Devil's Island, but it sucks just the same.

For Dylan Fontaine, the summer of his fifteenth year is not going so well. His mother left the family to move in with her former art professor. His father, a doctor, spends more time at the hospital than at home in an effort to avoid the hole his wife left in the family. Dylan's older brother smokes way too much pot and spends all his time with his band. His best friend Angie is dating a real jerk. Oh yeah....he's also secretly in love with her. Getting arrested for stealing underwear AND holding his brother's pot is just the final kick in the teeth.

Then Angie decides she wants to make a short film about Dylan, as part of her summer film course at NYU. Entitled The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine, it gives Dylan a chance to do things he normally would never consider. Take chances instead of playing it safe. And grow in ways he never realized he could. Can Dylan survive the summer AND keep his family entact?

What's not to love about Dylan Fontaine? He's funny, smart, sensitive and wise beyond his years. He's a loyal brother and friend. He's a basketball player that could be star; a classical guartist that could be fantastic; an artist that is gifted, but always plays it safe. And he really wants to make things right with his family. This is a wonderful coming-of-age type of book, and I loved it! April Lurie has created a fantastic story for the teen set and adults alike. (I don't think it would be a great book for the younger set, mostly because of slight sexual content and the drug use). Dylan is a fantastic character, with lots of layers. He's a boy trying to become a man in a really trying time. He does the best he can with the cards he has been dealt, and it's admirable the way he tries to keep his family together.

Randy, Dylan's older brother, is also a great character. On the outside, he's this tough guy, playing in a band and trying hard to get past his mother abandoning the family. But deep down, he's just a boy that's insecure and lost without her.

A quick read, The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine, is definitely a page-turner. Lurie makes you care what happens to the people on the pages. And that is the sign of a great writer. 4.5/5

Book Number two:

The City in the Lake by Rachel Neumeier (304 pgs, Knopf Books, 2008).

The City is beautiful at sunset, almost as beautiful as the Lake itself. The waters of the Lake run with the crimson and flame-orange and deep lavender as the sun sinks beyond its farther shore, colors pouring across the water all the way to Tiger Bridge.

This fantasy tale set in an unknown time and place, is the story of a kingdom. When Prince Cassiel disappears from the Kingdom, the King is devastated. And not only that but the Kingdom seems to be dying because it. You see, Cassiel is the heart of the King. And that makes him the Heart of the Kingdom. Without him, things seem to be falling apart. His half brother, Neill, or "The Bastard" is taking a lot of heat for his disappearance. Many people think he might have something to do with it, maybe having set his sights on the throne.

In another part of the Kingdom, Timou is learning magecraft from her father, Kapoen. Growing up the daughter of a mage has never been easy for Timou, especially since she doesn't know her mother. And Kapoen has never been open about her birth. But when Kapone goes to the City to help find the Prince, and disapears as well, Timou is forced to learn about her mother, Lelienne. Lelienne, who just happens to be Neill's mother as well. She holds dark powers that are encompassing the Kingdom. Now that she has returned, Timou and Neill are becoming pawns in a game bigger than either of them understand.

First of all, I will be the first to admit I love fantasy. And while this book is right up my alley, I do realize it will not be suited for everyone. It's a bit confusing at times, and although Neumeier has weaved a very intricate story, there is a lot of philosophical babble that will go WAY over the heads of a lot of readers. For example:

We say it is a reflection of our City, we think of ours as the true City. But it is not so. The Lake holds -- it holds the eternal City, which the mage Irinore and the first King, Castienes, used to build our City. Ours is the reflection. The true City lies in a different layer of truth and dreams. But it is an aspect of eternal truth. It is more real than this ordinary City can be. Sometimes we dream of it -- of the truth that lies beyond our own City.

See? Not exactly easy reading. Much of the book reads like this. And as much as I liked Timou and especially Neill, I had a hard time figuring out exactly what was going on. That being said, I did enjoy the storyline. I just think the execution of it was a little confusing. I also thought it finished off nicely with all the loose-ends tidied up.

In my opinion, for those of you that love Fantasy, I'm pretty sure will appreciate the story this book tells. Otherwise, I really think you are in for some difficult reading. 3.5/5

My Choice for Winner of Round 2:

Hands down it goes to The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine!!

Now....The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine will go up in the next round against either Cracked up to Be or The Screwed Up Life of Charlie the Second (not sure who won that bracket yet!)

The other two bracket winners are:

My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger vs. Stop Me if You've Heard This One Before by David Yoo.

Thanks again for allowing me to be a judge. Sheesh. At least the pressure is over!!