The Ask and the Answer

The Ask and the Answer is a 2009 young-adult science fiction novel written by British-American author Patrick Ness. It was published on 4 May 2009 by Walker Books. It is the second book in the Chaos Walking series, preceded by The Knife of Never Letting Go and followed by Monsters of Men. The story follows Todd Hewitt, a 13-year-old boy held captive by the mayor of New Prentisstown.

Plot summary
Todd Hewitt is 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, Con Ledger. Ledger explains that Haven discovered a cure for Noise, but Mayor Prentiss (now President Prentiss) has confiscated it for sole use by leaders of New Prentisstown. He has also separated the males and females, and imprisoned all domestic Spackle who live in the town.

Viola awakens in a 'clinic' staffed by female healers for her gunshot wound. She meets Mistress Coyle, the head of the facility, who also has previous political and activist ties. Viola also meets the apprentices Corinne Wyatt and Maddy as she recovers.

Todd is made to work with the enslaved Spackle of New Prentisstown with Davy Prentiss. Todd is disgusted at the treatment of the Spackle, yet Davy is proud of his authority. As the Spackle speak via Noise, cure has been placed into the Spackle's food to prevent communication.

Meanwhile, Viola recovers enough to help Mistress Coyle and begins an apprenticeship as a healer. However, one night Mistress Coyle and other healers disappear. They have led some women out of New Prentisstown to form a resistance movement, reconvened from the time of the Spackle War, known as "The Answer", to carry out bombings in the city.

Davy and Todd receive orders to brand the Spackle with numbered metal bands. During the branding, Davy strangles a Spackle with a band, killing it, to the disgust of Todd. However, Todd continues the task without argument, hoping it will ensure Viola's safety.

One of several bombings occur in town and the Spackle reserve. Todd, trying to redeem himself, saves a Spackle banded with the number 1017, who is ungrateful. Mayor Prentiss sets up "The Ask", a counter-intelligence unit. He promotes Todd and Davy into this unit, where New Prentisstown residents are captured and tortured for information on The Answer. The next morning, Viola finds that the clinic is almost completely empty. The rest have gone to join the Answer. Mistress Coyle returns to recruit Viola, who feels forced to join, knowing about Mayor Prentiss' tortures.

Viola eventually participates in an attack. An older teenager, Lee, befriends her. He is intent on avenging his family, who have been taken by The Ask.

A bombing occurs outside of town, and Todd finds that all the Spackle were killed in a mass genocide - the only Spackle to survive is 1017, who attacks Todd before leaving. 1017 can freely use his Noise and has been starving himself to prevent taking the cure. Horrified at the genocide, the perpetrator still unknown, the Mayor teaches Todd a chant that calms his Noise.

Todd is surprised to find that he and Davy now share a friendship. Davy returns Todd's mother's stolen diary. Meanwhile, Viola learns of a planned bombing in New Prentisstown that could harm Todd. Viola and Lee arrive at the tower to rescue him. Noticing that there is something darker to his personality, Viola still urges Todd to leave with them, warning that the attack will come from the south. Ledger then appears, armed, revealing his secret loyalty to Prentiss. While threatening them, he finds a self-arming bomb in Viola's bag. Ledger attempts to throw it away, but it explodes, killing him and injuring Todd, Viola and Lee.

Prentiss captures the three. Viola is interrogated and tortured, with Todd watching from a soundproof room. Mayor Prentiss wants to know where The Answer will attack from, drowning Viola, who refuses to answer. Unable to watch, Todd screams that the Answer is attacking from the south. Prentiss thanks Todd, and leaves to organise his army. Todd formulates a plan to stop Prentiss with the help of Ivan and other personnel.

Ivan and the guards agree to help Todd rescue Lee and Viola. Lee hurries back to the Answer, while the others go to stop Prentiss. At the cathedral, Prentiss disables the entire group with his Noise and captures Viola. Prentiss still wants Todd to join him despite his betrayal; he reveals that he has never taken the cure, instead training his Noise via the chant to silence, which also allows him to control others with his mind. Davy arrives to tell his father that the Answer army is coming, and requires orders. A second scout ship, like the one Viola crashed in, then flies in near New Prentisstown. In desperation, Todd holds Davy at gunpoint, threatening to kill him if Prentiss does not release Viola. Prentiss drops Viola and fires his gun, killing Davy. Davy reveals that he had accidentally shot Ben, Todd's guardian. He begs for forgiveness but dies before Todd can answer.

In anger, Todd uses his own Noise as a weapon with Viola's name to overcome Prentiss. He ties him up in the cathedral while Viola goes to meet with the scout ship. A horn sounds to warn of an army of Spackle marching towards the city, seeking revenge for the genocide. With no alternative, Todd releases Prentiss to enlist help. Released from his bonds, Prentiss claims that what has come to New World is what men are born for: war.

Reception
The Ask and the Answer received largely positive reviews from critics. Publishers Weekly praised the brilliant cast, and believed it to be "among the best YA science fiction novels of the year", including it in their best books of 2009, while Anita Barnes Lowen from Children's Literature labelled the book "a stunning not-to-be-missed science fiction adventure." The Independent on Sunday said that "... it is every bit as ambitious as the first book but the ambition is easily matched by the execution, with powerful prose and tight plotting that pull the reader on at a terrifying speed."

Kirkus Reviews noted that the plot was "breathless... with heartbreakingly real characters" and the Costa Book Awards 2009 judges recognised the novel as "a strikingly original and compelling work."

Awards

 * 2009 Costa Children's Book Award
 * Runners up
 * 2009 Teenage Book of the Year Award shortlist
 * 2009 Booktrust Teenage Prize longlist
 * UKLA Children's Book Award longlist