The Ask and the Answer
Second book in the Chaos Walking series.
The Ask and the Answer is a young-adult science fiction novel from 2009 by Patrick Ness, a British-American author. It is the second installment in the Chaos Walking series, following *The Knife of Never Letting Go* and preceding *Monsters of Men*. The story centers on thirteen-year-old Todd Hewitt, who is being held prisoner by the mayor of New Prentisstown.
After being captured by the mayor’s army in Haven—renamed New Prentisstown—Todd is forced to live in the town’s clock tower with the former mayor, Ben Moore. Moore tells Todd that a cure for Noise was discovered in Haven, but President Prentiss has taken it for his own leaders, separated men from women, and imprisoned all domestic Spackle in the town. Meanwhile, Viola wakes up in a clinic run by female healers, recovering from a gunshot wound. She meets Mistress Coyle, the head of the facility, who has a history of political activism.
Todd is made to work alongside the enslaved Spackle with Davy Prentiss, fearing for Viola’s safety if he refuses. Todd is horrified by the Spackle’s treatment, while Davy enjoys his authority. The Spackle communicate through Noise, but the cure has been added to their food to prevent this. Viola recovers and becomes a healer’s apprentice. One night, Coyle and other healers disappear, leading some women out of the city to form a resistance group called The Answer, which carries out bombings. Davy and Todd are ordered to brand the Spackle with metal bands; during this, Davy strangles one to death, shocking Todd.
During a bombing in the Spackle reserve, Todd saves a Spackle branded 1017, who is ungrateful. Prentiss creates The Ask, a counter-intelligence unit that tortures suspected Answer members for information, and promotes Todd and Davy into it. Coyle recruits Viola into The Answer, and she feels compelled to join, knowing about the torture. Viola befriends Lee, an older teenager seeking revenge for his family taken by The Ask. After another bombing, Todd discovers all Spackle except 1017 have been killed in a genocide; 1017 attacks Todd and escapes. Believing The Answer responsible, Todd willingly joins Prentiss, who teaches him a chant to calm his Noise.
Todd and Davy form a tentative friendship, and Davy returns Todd’s mother’s stolen diary. Viola learns of a planned bombing that could harm Todd, so she and Lee go to the tower to rescue him. Moore appears, armed
- published
- 4 May 2009
- publisher
- Walker Books
- genre
- Young-adult science fiction
- series
- Chaos Walking, book 2
- author_nationality
- British-American
- preceded_by
- The Knife of Never Letting Go
- followed_by
- Monsters of Men
Lore & Background
The story begins with Todd Hewitt captured by the Mayor's army in Haven, renamed New Prentisstown. He is forced to live in the town's clock tower with the previous Mayor, Ben Moore, who reveals that a cure for Noise has been confiscated by President Prentiss. Viola, recovering from a gunshot wound in a clinic, meets Mistress Coyle, who leads a resistance movement called The Answer. Todd is made to work with enslaved Spackle and is horrified by their treatment, while Davy Prentiss takes pride in his authority over them. The Answer carries out bombings in the city, and Prentiss establishes The Ask, a counter-intelligence unit that tortures suspected members. Todd eventually betrays Viola's location under torture, then formulates a plan to stop Prentiss with dissenters from the army. The novel ends with a second scout ship appearing above New Prentisstown, setting up the conflict for the next book.
Reader's Guide
The Ask and the Answer received largely positive reviews from critics, with Publishers Weekly praising its brilliant cast and including it among the best YA science fiction novels of 2009. The Independent on Sunday noted that the ambition of the first book was matched by powerful prose and tight plotting. Kirkus Reviews described the plot as breathless with heartbreakingly real characters, and the Costa Book Awards 2009 judges recognized the novel as a strikingly original and compelling work. The book deepens the dystopian world of the Chaos Walking series, exploring the costs of war, the nature of power, and the moral dilemmas faced by its young protagonists. Its legacy lies in its unflinching portrayal of violence and resistance, and its contribution to the YA science fiction genre.
Did You Know?
- The Ask and the Answer was published on 4 May 2009 by Walker Books.
- The novel features a counter-intelligence unit called The Ask, which tortures suspected members of The Answer.
- President Prentiss reveals he has never taken the cure for Noise, instead training his Noise via a chant to silence and control others.
- The book ends with a Spackle army marching toward New Prentisstown seeking revenge for genocide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Ask and the Answer?
It is a 2009 young-adult science fiction novel by British-American author Patrick Ness, released by Walker Books on 4 May 2009. It serves as the second installment in the Chaos Walking trilogy, slotting between The Knife of Never Letting Go and Monsters of Men.
What is the main plot of The Ask and the Answer?
Thirteen-year-old Todd Hewitt is seized by the mayor's soldiers and dragged to New Prentisstown (the renamed Haven), where he is locked in the town's clock tower alongside former mayor Ben Moore. Moore insists a cure for Noise has been found and pressures Todd into helping him reach President Prentiss.
Who is holding Todd prisoner in The Ask and the Answer?
The current mayor of New Prentisstown keeps Todd captive in the clock tower, using him as leverage in his own political schemes. Todd is forced to share the cramped space with Ben Moore, the town's displaced former mayor, who is equally trapped but pushes a different agenda.
What book comes after The Ask and the Answer?
Monsters of Men is the third and final novel in the Chaos Walking series, picking up Todd's story after the events in New Prentisstown and resolving the trilogy's larger political and scientific mysteries.
Why is The Ask and the Answer important to the Chaos Walking series?
It shifts the story from Todd's personal survival in the first book to a broader conspiracy involving Haven's leadership and the truth behind Noise. The clock-tower confinement and the rival agendas of the mayor and Ben Moore set up the power struggles that drive the trilogy's climax.
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