The Ask and the Answer Audiobook By Patrick Ness cover art

The Ask and the Answer

Chaos Walking, Book 2

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The Ask and the Answer

By: Patrick Ness
Narrated by: Angela Dawe, Nick Podehl
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The riveting Chaos Walking trilogy by two-time Carnegie Medalist Patrick Ness.

“Grim and beautifully written.... Superb.... This is among the best YA science fiction novels of the year.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

Reaching the end of their flight in The Knife of Never Letting Go, Todd and Viola did not find healing and hope in Haven. They found instead their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss, waiting to welcome them to New Prentisstown. There they are forced into separate lives: Todd to prison, and Viola to a house of healing where her wounds are treated. Soon Viola is swept into the ruthless activities of the Answer, while Todd faces impossible choices when forced to join the mayor’s oppressive new regime. In alternating narratives the two struggle to reconcile their own dubious actions with their deepest beliefs. Torn by confusion and compromise, suspicion and betrayal, can their trust in each other possibly survive?

©2010 Patrick Ness (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc. Difficult Situations Dystopian Family & Relationships Fantasy Fiction Friendship Literature & Fiction Science Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Violence

Critic reviews

"Science fiction lovers will be looking for the next installment in this fast-paced and imaginative series." ( School Library Journal)

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A Monster Calls Audiobook By Patrick Ness cover art
A Monster Calls By: Patrick Ness
Engaging Characters • Original Concept • Emotional Depth • Surprising Plot Twists • Immersive Performance
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The story is so grand I can't wait to start the 3rd in the series

Wonderful

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Even better than the first. Loved it and couldn’t wait to finish the story. Very Divergent/Hunger Games, so if you enjoyed those this is for you.

Such a good story

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I don’t like how Mr. Ness enjoys leaving his books end on cliffhangers. Very annoying.

As good as the first book

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The Knife of Never Letting Go was a brilliant and tragic exploration of the hard choices of life and personal struggle between trying to be good and trying to survive.

Book 2 explores further what it means to be human, what it means to feel out of control. It's well written and takes an interesting and good twist when book 2 adds the voice of Viola, the female protagonist. It's all a bit too real when it comes to the horrors of war, the unfairness of life, and the weakness of men. It gives some insight into how well-intentioned people can become monsters. war, slavery, rape, masogeny, genocide. all things you must suffer through when reading this book.

the ending, however, becomes a long-winded diatribe from the villain and the decision our idiot main character makes at the last moment of the book can only be justified by the need for a third book in the trilogy.

The author is brilliant, the story and characters depthful and engaging (well, the female characters are a little flatter than the male characters, but I'll forgive the author for this), but the ending of book two - a book which spends all of its time dragging your heart and soul through the muck of the very worst of human action - after this ending, I'm so annoyed that I don't think I'll be reading book 3.

the first book was great, but this one . . .

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Patrick Ness was brilliant in this book he read everything with such passion and really made you feel as if you were there. I enjoyed this book thoroughly can't wait to start the next book Monsters of Men

loved it!!!

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I only have a few moments to write this, but I want to say how important this book is. Ness sensitively tackles the issues of racism, colonialism, sexism, war, and the essence of humanity. The topics are huge, but the author has a gift for communicating his ideas and drawing out empathy from his readers. We should be teaching this series in literature classes. That's all. Every middle grade/high school student in America (but why stop there, really?) needs to read this trilogy. I can't wait to get my hands on Monster of Men.

Five Well-Deserved Stars

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The main character is whiny, codependent, obsessed with a very narrow definition of what it means to be a good person, and meanwhile engages in and is complicit in terrible acts, but it's all okay because the heroine still likes him. He's terrible.

Terrible protagonist

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The story was quite immersive but there were points in the story where Todd would call the horse's name and it would be a totally different sound from the rest of the narration. It was quite distracting.

Some parts were redubbed and it was distracting.

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Angela Dawe whispered WAY too much throughout this audio. Even when hushed tones are required it doesn’t mean you speak into your mic so softly that entire paragraphs are missed.

Aside from that the books was excellent

Great book

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Nick Podehl did a great job and he did amazing with the first book, that's why I got the second book. But the second book introduced a female voice Angela and she was terrible. I had to push through her parts just so I could get back to the male story. Sadly she was so bad that I will not be getting the next in the series. I'll have to go to the library and actually read the book because it's a great story and I want to find out what happens next.

One narrator was great

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