walker books discussion guide - chaos walking

THE NOVELS BEHIND THE MAJOR MOTION PICTURE

WALKER BOOKS DISCUSSION GUIDE

patricknessbooks • www.patrickness.com

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

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1. PatrickNesschosetowriteTodd’svoiceinthevernac-ular, as Todd actually speaks, with grammatical andspellingerrors.Forinstance,onpage4,Toddthinks,“The plans are being planned, the preparayshunsprepared,itwillbeaparty,Iguess,thoI’mstartingtogetsomestrangepicturesaboutit.”Hisvoicereflectsthingsabouthisenvironmentandhowhewasraised.What,inparticular,doesNess’suseofthevernacularshow us about Todd? About Hildy? Wilf? Look formoreexamplesofNess’suseofthevernacularinThe Knife of Never Letting Go.

The first book in the CHAOS WALKING series Winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize

ABOUT THE BOOK

ToddHewittistheonlyboyinatownofmen.EversincethesettlerswereinfectedwiththeNoisegerm,Toddcanheareverythingthementhink,andtheyheareverythinghethinks.Toddisjustamonthawayfrombecomingaman,butinthemidstofthecacophony,heknowsthatthe town is hiding something from him – somethingsoawful thatTodd is forced tofleewithonlyhisdog,whosesimple,loyalvoicehehearsaswell.Withhostilemen from the town in pursuit, the two stumble uponastrangeandeerilysilentcreature:agirl.Whoisshe?Whywasn’tshekilledbythegermlikeall thefemaleson New World? Propelled by Todd’s gritty narration,readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which aboyonthecuspofmanhoodmustunlearneverythingheknowsinordertofigureoutwhohetrulyis.

“I look at the knife again, sitting there on the moss like a thing without properties, a thing made of metal as separate from a boy as can be, a thing which casts all blame from itself to the boy who uses it.”

2. Thinkaboutthetitleofthebook:The Knife of Never Letting Go.Onpages83–84,Toddsays,“Butaknifeain’tjustathing,isit?It’sachoice,it’ssomethingyoudo. Aknifesaysyesorno,cutornot,dieordon’t.Aknifetakesadecisionoutofyourhandandputsitintheworldanditnevergoesbackagain.”Todddescribestheknifeonpage341bysaying,“AslongasIholdit,aslongasIuseit,theknifelivesinordertotakelife,butithastobecommanded,ithastohavemetotellittokill,anditwantsto...butIhavetowantittoaswell,

Walke r Books D i scus s ion Gu ide

Chaos Walking Patrick Ness

TWICE CARNEGIE WINNER

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE


mywillhastojoinwithitswill.”Whatdoestheknifesymbolise?WhatdoesTodddo,andnotdo,withtheknife?ThinkabouttheSpackle,theturtle,andAaron.Whathappensto theknife intheend?Whatdoyouthinkthissignifies?

3. Onpage8,Toddtalksaboutthe“crocs”intheswamp.Whenyoureadhisdescriptionofthecrocs,yourealisetheyarenotlikethecrocswemightbefamiliarwith.Theyare“easilybigenoughtokillanalmost-manandhis dog.Thefins on their backs look just like a rowofrushesandifyougettooclose,WHOOM! –outtathe water they come, flying at you with their clawsgrasping and their mouths snapping.” In The Knife of Never Letting Go, Ness imagineswhat itmightbeliketosettleanewworld.InaJuly2009interviewatyareads.com,he said, “I started thinking,howwouldsettlersreallybe?Whatwouldtheyreallydo?IthoughtthattheywouldtakenamesfromEarthandstickthemonwhateverseemedclosest.Somepeopledon’trealizethey’reonanotherplanetforahundredpages,whichIlike.Toddhasalwayslivedthere,soit’snotanotherplanet, it’s home. I really like that kind of worldbuilding.”Whatcluesdidyoupickupearlyonthatledyoutotheconclusionthatthebookisset inaworlddifferent fromourown?Look forwordsandphrasessuchasgrublets,cassors,crestedpine,fissionbike,andPackyVines.Whatdotheseunfamiliartermsreferto?

4. Toddtellsusonpages18and19thathehashadlittleeducation. In fact, readingandwritingare forbiddenbytheMayorofPrentisstown.Onpage51,BentellsToddthat“knowledge isdangerous.”Atonepoint inthe story (page 142), Todd realises, “The world’s adangerousplacewhenyoudon’tknowenough.”Howdoes Todd’s lack of education and knowledge affecthisjourney,especiallyintermsofhisinabilitytoreadBen’snoteandmaporhismother’sjournal?Howdoesthedenialofeducationallowtotalitariangovernments(likethatinPrentisstown)tocontroltheircitizens?

5. On pages 20–22, Todd refers to the Noise that fillshislife.TheauthorindicatesNoisethroughtheuseoffont.DoyouthinkthiseffectivelycommunicateswhatNoisemightlookandfeellike?WheredidthisNoisecome from? On page 391, Todd describes Noise as“Informayshun,all thetime,neverstopping,whetheryouwant itornot. . . .Andtoomuchinformayshuncandriveamanmad.”Andonpage42,hesays,“TheNoiseisamanunfiltered,andwithoutafilter,amanisjustchaoswalking.”(Notethatthislastphrase,Chaos Walking,isthetitleofthetrilogyofwhichThe Knife of Never Letting Goisthefirstbook.)Dystopiannovels–onesthatdescribeafuturethatisbleak,dark,andoftenfearful–offertheauthorachancetocomment

onpresent-daysociety.WhatinourcontemporarylivesmightweconsiderNoise?WhatpositiveandnegativeimpactdoyouthinkthisNoisehasonourlives?

6. Onpage26,ToddtellsusthatOldWorld(Earth)wasfullof“corrupshunandsin.”Onpage163,Hildysays,“OldWorld’smucky,violent,andcrowded,a-splittingright into bits with people a-hating each other anda-killing each other, no one is happy till everyone’smiserable.”IsPatrickNessmakingastatementaboutthe world in which we currently live? What do youthinkofhisassessment?IfthepeopleofPrentisstownhavecometotheNewWorldtofindaparadise–“anewwayoflife,onecleanandsimpleandhonestandgood, one different from Old World in all respects,wherepeoplecouldliveinsafetyandpeacewithGodasourguideandwith loveofour fellowman” (page414)– havetheybeensuccessfulandchangedtheirways?Explain.

7. WhenNewWorldisdescribedas“awholenewEden”onpage26,thisisanexampleofanallusion.PatrickNessassumesthatthereaderwillhaveheardofEdenand know what it means. Ness also makes allusionstoNaziGermany,AlQaedaandterrorism,andsoon.LookforadditionalallusionsthroughoutThe Knife of Never Letting Go.

8. Prentisstown is characterised by a complete lack ofprivacy.PatrickNesssaid,speakingaboutcontempo-rary life inan interviewatwww.bookdepository.com,“No one’s allowed a private life, because even yourfriendsmightsellyoutothepapersifyou’veallegedlydone something ‘shocking.’Andwith cameraphonesandFacebook,suddenlyeveryaction,evenonesmeantfor just close friends, canbebroadcast to the entireworld. . . . I think it’s robbingusof something.”Doyou agree or disagreewithNess?Dowe suffer fromalackofprivacy?Whataresomeexamples?Whatarethecostsoflackofprivacy?Arethereanybenefits?

9. Inchapter1,“TheHoleintheNoise,”ToddmentionsSpackles and uses the racial slur “Spacks.” Hedescribes them on page 69. What is a Spackle? Onpages413–419,ViolareadstoToddfromhismother’sjournal.Hismotherwrites thatAaronhas said somethingsshedoesn’tagreewith“aboutthenativesofNewWorld.Whicharecalled theSpackle . . .andwhichwere a BIG surprise, since they were so shy at firstneither the original planners back on Old World orourfirstscoutshipsevenknewtheywerehere!They’revery sweet creachers. Different and maybe primitiveandnospokenorwrittenlanguagethatwecanreallyfind but I don’t agree with some of the thinking ofthe people here that the Spackle are animals rather


thanintelligentbeings.”HowisthetreatmentoftheSpackle reminiscent of the treatment of the Jewsduring Hitler’s regime and the treatment of NativeAmericans by European colonists? In chapter 25(pages271–280),whydoyouthinkNessdecided toshowtheparticipationoftheheroofthestory,Todd,inthedegradationanddestructionofaSpackle?HowdotheseactionschangeTodd?HowdotheseactionschangeViola’s feelingsaboutTodd?DotheychangeyourfeelingsaboutTodd?

10.Throughout The Knife of Never Letting Go, Nessexploresgenderroles.InaFebruary10,2010,inter-viewatpresentingLenore.blogspot.com,hesaid,“Thegenderrolesweremoreawayofexploringmytheoryabouthowbadweareasaspeciesathandlingdiffer-ence. If something is different, it’s either better (inwhichcaseweneedtodestroyit)orworse(inwhichcaseweneedtoexploit it).Thatwasmoreaplea toaccept difference as merely difference.” How wouldyourespondtoNess’scomments?

11.Onpages68–72,whenToddseesagirl for thefirsttime,he’ssurprisedthatsheisnotwhatheexpectedagirltobelike.Hesays,“Girlsaresmallandpoliteandsmiley.Theyweardressesandtheirhairislong....Theydoalltheinsidechores....Theyreachwoman-hood when they turn thirteen . . . and then they’rewomenandtheybecomewives.”ViolatellsToddwhenthey are in Carbonel Downs that the women there“cleanandtheycookandtheymakebabiesandtheyallliveinabigdormitoryoutsideoftownwheretheycan’tinterfereinmen’sbusiness”(page362).WhatdoyouthinkofTodd’s description?Think aboutNess’suseofgenderrolesinthenovel.HowdoesTodd,throughViola,eventuallyseewomenandtheirroles?(Checkoutpages380and408ifyouaren’tsure.)

12.In The Knife of Never Letting Go, Todd faces manyethicaldilemmas,inwhichhehastochoosebetweenwhatisright(andusuallymoredifficult)andwhatiswrong (andusually easier). In somecaseshemakestherightdecision.Inothers,hedoesnot.Forinstance,onpage79,herealises that thegirlhehas found isconsidered a “sign” and iswantedby the citizens ofPrentisstown to be sacrificed. He considers givingherover toAaronand theMayor: “Theycouldhavewhat they want and leave me alone and I could gobackandeverythingcouldbelikeitwas...itmightsaveme.”Whatdoesheultimatelydecidetodo?Why?LookforadditionalexamplesofethicaldilemmasthatTodd faces. What is the ethical dilemma that BenandCillian face inhowtheyraiseTodd? (Seepages393–397ifyouneedhelp.)

13.Follow the relationship between Todd and his dog,Manchee. At the beginning of the book, Todd tells usthat Manchee was an unwanted birthday present. Onpage333Toddsays,“Irubtheearsofmy...ruddygreatdogthatIneverwantedbutwhohungaroundanyway...andwho’srighttherewhenIneedpullingbackfromthedarknessIfallintoandwhotellsmewhoIamwheneverIforget.”Thetwobecometruefriendsandcompanions.List theways inwhichMancheeshowshisdevotiontoTodd.ExplainManchee’spartinTodd’sethicaldilemma.

14.Inthelasthundredpagesofthebook,thereismuchtalkofhope.BentalkstoToddandViolaabouthope.Inherjournal,Todd’smother says, “Let me tell you about the place you’ve been born into, son. It’s called New World and it’s a whole planet made entirely of hope”(page414).LaterToddsays,“Ithinkhowhope...maybethethingthat keeps yougoing, but that it’s dangerous, too, thatit’spainfulandrisky.” (page423).ForToddandViola,hopeliesinwhattheythinktheywillfindinHaven.Itiswhatallowsthemtocontinuetheirjourneyandnotgiveup.Dotheyfindwhattheyhopetofindattheendoftheroad?Explain.

15. InThe Knife of Never Letting Go,thoughthemencanhearoneanother’sthoughtsviaNoise,dotheyreallyknowoneanother?Toddsaysonpage308,“thelessonofforeverand ever is that knowing a man’s mind ain’t knowingthe man.” Though Todd cannot hear Viola’s Noise, heeventuallyisstunnedtorealizethatheknows“whatshe’sthinkingandfeelingandwhat’sgoingoninsideher....Icanreadher”(pages419–420).Thinkaboutthedevelop-ment of their relationship. How is it that Todd knowsthesethingsinthemidstofViola’ssilence?

16.OneofthethemesofThe Knife of Never Letting Goisthat“war makes monsters of men”(page430).Whatoccursinthe story thatproves this tobe true?Canyou thinkofpresent-dayexamples thateithersupportornegatethisidea?

17.Intheclimaxofthebook(startingonpage440),Toddmustfacehisfinalethicaldilemma.WhatistheethicaldilemmathatAaron forceshimtoconfront?HowdoesthistieinwithAaron’spreachingthat“ifoneofusfalls,weallfall,”whichisstatedseveraltimesthroughoutthestory?HowdoesViolahelpToddresolvethisdilemma?

18.Todduseswhatsomeconsiderobscenities inthebook.WhydoyouthinkPatrickNessmadethechoicetohaveTodduse these terms?Does itadd to,ordetract from,his characterdevelopment?WhydoesTodd sometimesuseeuphemismslike“effing”inplaceoftheobscenitiesthemselves?Whatdoesthattellyouabouthim?


19.In an interview at www.yareads.com, Patrick Nesssays that the books in the Chaos Walking series are“probablymostabouthowhopeliesinthepeoplewelove,thatifyoucanfindsomeonetocountonandwhocountsonyou,thenthat’sprobablythebestmeaninglife is going to get.Ahopefulmessage.”How is thisideacommunicatedinThe Knife of Never Letting Go?Whatdoyoupredictwillhappen inThe Ask and the Answer, thesecondbookintheChaosWalkingseries?

20. Publishers WeeklyconductedaninterviewwithPatrickNessinOctoberof2009inwhichhesays,“Teenagersare a terrific audience. You have to respect them orthey’ll put you down immediately. There’s no senti-mentalityaboutit;iftheydon’tlikeyou,theyjustwon’tread you. . . . If you can keep their respect and getthemtocomewithyou, they’rewilling to followyouanywhere,muchfartherthananadultaudience.”HasNessearnedyourrespectasawriter?Whyorwhynot?




1.WhatisthefirstquestionthatMayorPrentissasksToddwhenhewakesupatthebeginningofthebook?Eventhough the Mayor already knows the answer to thequestion,whydoeshepersist inmakingToddanswerit?WhydoesToddrefusetoanswerthequestion?Whatdoesitsymbolisewhen,onpage19,hefinallyanswersthequestion?

2.Authorsoftenusefigurativelanguagetodescribepeople,places,andevents intheirstories. InThe Ask and the Answer, Patrick Ness uses similes, metaphors, andpersonificationtohelpussee,smell,hear,taste,andfeel

The second book in the CHAOS WALKING series Winner of the Costa Children’s Book Award

ABOUT THE BOOK

AsThe Ask and the Answerbegins,ToddandViolahavereachedtheendofthejourneythatbeganinThe Knife of Never Letting Go. But they do not find healing andhopeinthetownofHaven.Instead,theyfindtheirworstenemy,MayorPrentiss,waitingtowelcomethemto“NewPrentisstown”,wheretheyarepushedintoseparatelives:Todd faces impossible choiceswhen forced to join theMayor’soppressivenewregime, theAsk,whileViola issweptintoMistressCoyle’sruthlessactivitiesandthoseofthemysteriousAnswer.Inalternatingnarrations,ToddandViola,tornbytheconflictingmessagestheyreceivefrom those they interact with, struggle to understandwhatitmeanstobehumanandwhatitmeanstolove.Asthecloudsofwarbegintogather,ToddandViola’sfaithand trust ineachotherwillbe testedagainandagain.InaBookliststarredreview,IanChipmansays,“IfKnifeprovidedthecut,thisfollow-upprovidesthefester.”

“It’s not that you should never love something so much it can control you. It’s that you need to love something that much so you can never be controlled.”

whatthecharactersexperience.Belowaresomeexam-plesoffigurativelanguagefromThe Ask and the Answer.Asyouarereading,lookforadditionalexamplesofeach.WhatimpactdoesNess’suseoffigurativelanguagehaveonyouasareader?

• A simile uses “like” or “as” to compare two things.

Page 307: “The blackness starts to overwhelm me, starts to fall over me like a blanket, like water rising above my head.”

Page 152: “Her expression is solid as stone.”






• A metaphor is an implied comparison between two things.

Page 443: “The snake of the army slithers up the hillside.”

• Personification gives human qualities to something that is not human.

On page 214 Corinne says, “There’s so much life here, Viola. So much, in every corner of every forest and stream and river and mountain. This planet just hums with it.”

3.PatrickNesswritesTodd’svoiceinthevernacular.HewriteslikeToddactuallyspeaks,witherrorsingrammarandspelling.Forinstance,onpage9ToddsaystoMayorPrentiss,“Iain’tafraidofyou....Iain’tafraidtodie.”Onpage260,Todddescribestheworkonthemonasterylikethis:“We’venearlydugallthetrenchesandblocksfor the foundayshuns to be poured, something DavyandIaresposedtosupervizeeventhoit’sgonnabetheSpacklewhoknowhowtodoit.”WhatdoesTodd’suseofpoorgrammarandspellingtellusabouthim?

4.TheconceptoftheNoiseagainplaysasignificantroleinThe Ask and the Answer.AuthorPatrickNess talksfrequentlyaboutthefactthatweliveinanoisyworld,a world in which teens have less privacy than theyhave everhad.As thebookopens,Toddnotices rightaway thatMayorPrentiss and someof theothermenof Prentisstown have no Noise. On pages 26–27, theformermayorofHaven,ConLedger,tellsToddaboutthecurefortheNoiseandhowitwasdeveloped.Whotakesthecureandwhodoesnot?MayorPrentisstellsToddonpage286,“AmanwhocancontrolhisNoiseisamanwithanadvantage.”HowdoesMayorPrentissuseNoiseand thecure tocontrol thoseunderhispower?Howdoothercharacters likeToddandWilfusetheirNoise?Canteenstodaycontrolthenoisearoundthem?What impact can the ability to control noise, or not,haveonyoupersonally?

5.Howdoestheadditionofasecondfirst-personnarratorimpactThe Ask and the Answer?HowwouldthestoryhavebeendifferenthadonlyToddtoldit?Inthethirdbook of the Chaos Walking trilogy, Monsters of Men, a third narrator is added. Any guesses as to who thatmightbe?

6.The relationship between Todd and Viola drives thisstory. When Todd wakes up at the start of the book,hisfirstthoughtisaboutViolaandwheresheis.WhenViola wakes up at another location, her first word is“Todd?”BothMayorPrentissandMistressCoyleunder-stand the power of this relationship.Todd realizes onpage118thatMayorPrentisshasusedthisrelationshiptohisadvantage.Hethinks,“MayorPrentisshasusedher to control me. Duh. Any effing idiot would knowit. If Idon’tdowhat theysay, theykillher. If I try toescape,theykillher.IfIdoanythingtoDavy,theykill

her.”DescribetherelationshipbetweenToddandViola.What makes it special? What makes it enduring? Inwhatotherwaysdoestheirrelationshipallowotherstomanipulatethem?

7.When “President” Prentiss first addresses the citizensofHaven/NewPrentisstown,hetellsthemonpage40,“Youareconquered.Youaredefeated.AndIreadtoyouyourdoom....ButitisnotIwhoconqueredyou....ItisnotIwhohasbeatenyouordefeatedyouorenslavedyou....Youareenslavedbyyouridleness....Youaredefeatedbyyourcomplacency.”Whatdoeshemeanbythisstatement?Doyouagreewithhim?WhatoptionsdidthepeopleofHavenhaveintermsoftheirresponseto the arrival of Mayor Prentiss and his army? Whatwouldtheprosandconsofthesedifferentoptionshavebeen?WhatcanwelearnfromthepeopleofHavenbytheiractions,orlackthereof,whenMayorPrentissandhisarmyarrive?

8.InThe Knife of Never Letting Go,theboysofPrentisstownbecomemenwhen they kill anotherhumanbeing. Inthatbook,ToddkillsaSpackle.ThepeopleoftheNewWorlddonotregardtheSpackleashuman.WhatdoesitcostToddwhenhekillstheSpackle?EventhoughhetellsMayorPrentissonpage10hehaskilled, isToddreally capable of taking a human life? He claims tohavekilledAaron,oneoftheantagonists inThe Knife of Never Letting Go, whenhesaysonpage11,“IdonewhatAaronwanted!Imurderedhim!Ibecameamanbyyerownlaws.”Whydoeshemakethisclaim?SpeakingaboutToddonpage421,Violasays,“Buthecouldn’t,couldhe?Hecouldn’tandstillbehimself.Hecouldn’tand stillbeToddHewitt.Theboywhocan’t kill.Themanwhocan’t.Weare the choiceswemake.” In theend,isToddakiller?Howdoyouseehimasaresultofhischoices?

9.MayorPrentissrepeatedlytellsToddthatheiscapableofleadingothers.Onpage18,hetellsTodd,“Youcouldbealeaderofmen,Todd.Youhaveprovenyourselfveryspecial.”Doyouagreewiththisassessment?Whatqual-itiesdoesToddhavethatwouldmakehimaneffectiveleader? What qualities does he have that might deterhimfrombeingsuccessfulinthisrole?Doyoubelievethat Mayor Prentiss is sincere when he makes thesestatements?Onpage49MayorPrentiss says, “Come,Todd....Readytobealeaderofmen?”Atthispoint,isToddready?As thestoryprogresses,dohis feelingsaboutbeingaleaderchange?

10.WhatistheroleofgenderinThe Ask and the Answer?Formuchofthebook,menandwomenareessentiallyseparated.WhydoyouthinkPatrickNesshaschosentoseparatethem?Dothemenandthewomeninthestoryoperate in thesameway?Explain.Thinkabout


howMayorPrentiss,theleadersofNewPrentisstown,andDavytreatwomen.HowdoesMayorPrentissusethetreatmentofwomentomanipulateboththewomenandthemeninthestory?

11.InThe Knife of Never Letting Go,ToddhadadognamedManchee.Describethatrelationshipandhowitdevel-oped.InThe Ask and the Answer,MayorPrentissgivesToddahorsenamedAngharradfromhisprivateherd.In the beginning Todd has no knowledge of horsesandisveryskittishaboutridingher.Describehowtherelationship between Todd and Angharrad developsthroughoutthesecondbook.HowdoesitparallelhisrelationshipwithManchee?

12.ThinkaboutMistressCoyleandMayorPrentissintermsof their leadershipstyles.Compareandcontrasthowthey lead.Whoismoreeffective?Why?Onpage95,CorinnesaysthataccordingtoMistressCoyle,“beingaleaderismakingthepeopleyoulovehateyoualittlemoreeachday.”Isthistrue?Ifso,areMistressCoyleandMayorPrentisssuccessful?Giveexamples.MayorPrentiss tells Viola on page 129 that “Leadershipisn’tgrown.. ..It’staken.”Isthistrue?DoMistressCoyleandMayorPrentissdevelopintoleaders,ordotheysimplyseizecontrol?WhataboutToddandViola?Explain.Lookupthewordstotalitarianismandtyranny.Howdotheyrelate to the leadershipstylesofMayorPrentissandMistressCoyle?

13.ToddandViola constantlywonderwhoorwhat theycantrustandhavefaithin.BothMayorPrentissandMistress Coyle claim that they are trustworthy. Onpage50,ToddasksMayorPrentisshowhecanknowwhethertheMayoriskeepinghispromisenottoharmViola.MayorPrentisssays,“Youdon’t....Iwantyourfaith inme,Todd,andfaithwithproof isnofaithatall.”Doyouagreeordisagreewiththisstatement?Howdoyoupersonallydefinefaith?Onpage331,MistressCoylesays,“Eitheryoutrustme,Viola,oryoudonot....Whichwillitbe?”Thinkaboutexamplesfromyourown life inwhichyouhavebeenasked tohave faithwithoutproof.

14.To redeem means to reform or make amends. DavydoesandsaysmanycruelthingstoTodd,theSpackle,and the women of New Prentisstown. On page 54,Davy’sfathersaysofhim,“Iknowmysonisaliar....IknowheisabullyandabruteandignorantofthethingsIholddear.Butheismyson....AndIbelievein redemption.”What is the irony in this statement?ObservehowDavygrowsandchangesthroughoutthebook.DoyoubelievethatDavydeservestoberedeemedbytheendofThe Ask and the Answer?Explain.DoesTodddeserveredemptionfortheterriblethingsthathefeelshehasdone?Onpage393,Violatellshim,“We

all fall, you said. . . .Weall fall but that’snotwhatmatters.Whatmattersispickingyourselfupagain.”Ifweallfall,dowealldeserveredemption?

15.ToddstrugglesthroughoutThe Ask and the Answer withthequestionofwhatitmeanstobehuman,especiallyinregardtotheSpackle.WhenheandDavyarefirstassigned tooverseeing the imprisonedSpackle,Toddthinksonpage59,“There’ssomanyof ’em,somanylongwhitefaceslookingbackatme,theireyestoobig,theirmouths too small and toothyandhighon theirfaces,theirearslookingnothinglikeaman’s.Butyoucanstillseeaman’sfaceinthere,can’tyou?Stillseeafacethatfeelsandfears—Andsuffers.”Toddrecog-nisestheirhumanityandvowsthathewilltreatthemwellandprotectthem.WhataresomeexamplesofthelessthanhumanewaystheSpacklearetreatedbytheguards,Davy,andTodd?DotheSpackledoanythingatanytimeto“deserve”thistreatment?HowisitthatToddgetsthroughthesesituations?Thinkofinstancesfromhistoryinwhichcertaingroupshavenotbeentreatedhumanely.Whathavebeentheconsequencesoftheseevents?Whyisitthatsuchinhumanitycontinues?

16.Ivan isamanthatToddandViolamet inFarbranchin The Knife of Never Letting Go. On page 62 ofThe Ask and the Answer,hetellsTodd,“Yougowherethe power is. . . . That’s how you stay alive.” He isreferringtothefactthatheisnowworkingforMayorPrentiss.Thinkofinstancesfromhistorywherepeoplehave gone “where the power is” in order to survive.Haveyoueverdonethisinyourownlife,eventhoughyou disagreed with the person in power? Does IvanredeemhimselfattheendofThe Ask and the Answer?

17.MistressCoyletellsViolaonpage91that“informationispower.”Onpage453,MayorPrentisstellsTodd,“Ifyoucancontrolinformation,youcancontrolothers.”One way those in power can control others is byrestrictingtheflowofinformation.ThinkofallthewaysMayor Prentiss and Mistress Coyle control the flowof information.For instance, theywillnotgiveToddand Viola information about each other. By control-ling this information, they are able to control ToddandViola.Also,Toddcannotread,sotheinformationandadvice left tohimbyhismother ismeaningless.Give someexamples ofways theflowof informationis controlled inbothThe Ask and the Answer and inourworld,andtheimpactthishas.Whatmightbetheauthor’s message about information, knowledge, andeducation?

18.Onpage430ofThe Knife of Never Letting Go, BentellsToddthat“Warmakesmonstersofmen.”Onpage102ofThe Ask and the Answer,MistressCoyle tells


Viola,“Ifyoueverseeawar...you’lllearnthatwaronlydestroys.Nooneescapesfromawar.Noone.Noteventhesurvivors.Youacceptthingsthatwouldappallyouatanyothertimebecauselifehastemporarilylostallmeaning.”Doesthisholdtrueforthecharactersinthisseries?Giveexamplesfromhistoryandcontempo-rarytimesthatsupportandnegatethesestatements.

19.In chapter 11, Todd learns that his new job is to“number” the Spackle. Why and how is this done?HowdoesitimpactTodd?HowdoesitimpactDavy?Whataretherepercussionsofthisact?Inchapter30,we learn that the numbering does not end with theSpackle.Explain.Howdotheseeventsparalleleventsinourownhistory?Whataretheconsequencesofsuchactions?

20.Both Todd and Viola are orphaned. Review whathappenedtoeachoftheirparents.Onpage148,MayorPrentisstellsViola,“Iknowhowlonelyyoumustbe,andnothingwouldpleasememore than if,oneday,maybe,youcouldconsidermeasyour—”Howdoyouthinkhemeanttofinishthisstatement?Onpage382,hesaystoTodd,“Icameintothistownwithoneson...butithasblessedmewithanother.”Ishesincereinthesestatements?DescribeMayorPrentiss’srelation-shipwithhisownson,Davy.Whatdoeshewantfromhisson?WhatdoesDavywantfromhisfather?Ifhehashisownson,whydoeshewantorneedViolaandToddtobehischildren?

21.“Wearethechoiceswemake”isMistressCoyle’smotto.ThisstatementisrepeatedseveraltimesinThe Ask and the Answer.Whatdoyouthinkthisstatementmeans?Howisitsupportedbytheactionsofthecharacters?Consider the character of Corinne. Review pages296–299. Does Corinne’s fate support or negate thebeliefofsomecharactersthat“wearethechoiceswemake”?Isthisstatementtrueinyourownlife?Explain.

22.In chapter 19, Viola meets Lee, who is part of theAnswer.Discusshisbackground.Reviewtheirconver-sation on pages 271–273 and 331–332 as they talkaboutweapons,war,andkilling.HowdoesLeerespondwhenViolacries?Whatdoesthisshowusabouttheirrelationship?WhatdoyouthinkNess’spurposewasincreatingthecharacterofLee?

23.Describe 1017. How is he different from the otherSpackle? How is Todd’s relationship with 1017differentfromhisrelationshipwiththeotherSpackle?Whathappens to1017?What impactdoes thishaveonTodd?

24.Definegenocide.Givesomeexamplesofhistoricalandcontemporary genocides. See pages 305–310. WhocommitstheactofgenocideinThe Ask and the Answer?What is thepurposeof thegenocide?Whatmessagedoesthissendtothereader?Whosurvivesthisgeno-cide?Howandwhydoesthischaractersurvive?

25.How did the Answer and the Ask get their names?Compareandcontrastthetwointermsoftheirpurposeandtheiroperation.

26.TherearemanyscenesoftortureinThe Ask and the Answer.Inchapter29,MayorPrentissforcesToddandDavy towitness the tortureofawoman.What ishispurposeinmakingthemwatch?Whatdoesheclaimisthepurposeofusingtorture?Doesthetortureaccom-plish anything? How do Todd and Davy respond towhattheywitness?Howdidyouasareaderrespond?Whatdoyouthinkthelessonishere?

27.Discuss thedevelopmentof therelationshipbetweenTodd and Davy, from Davy calling Todd “pigpiss” toDavy calling Todd a friend and a brother. What doyouthinkcausesDavy’sfeelingsforToddtochange?IsthereevidencethatTodd’sfeelingsaboutDavyalsochangeas thestoryprogresses?Whatareusualwaysthat friendshipsmaydevelopbetweenpeoplewhodonotlikeoneanother?

28.Do the members of the Answer and Mistress Coyledeservethemoniker“terrorists”?Defendyouropinion.

29.“Never love something so much it can be used tocontrol you,” Mayor Prentiss tells Viola and Toddonpage484.Later, onpage492,Viola thinks, “TheMayor’s wrong—He’s wrong forever and ever—It’snotthatyoushouldneverlovesomethingsomuchitcancontrolyou.It’s thatyouneed to lovesomethingthat much so you can never be controlled.” How dothesestatementsapplytoToddandViola?Howdotheypertaintoyourownlife?

30.DescribehowauthorPatrickNesssetsupthethirdandfinalvolumeoftheChaosWalkingtrilogy,Monsters of Men.Thefinalvolumeisastoryofwar.MayorPrentisssaysonpage517,“Finally,wecometotherealthing,thethingthatmakesmenmen,thethingwewerebornfor, Todd . . . War.” At the end of The Ask and the Answer,what factionsdoes itappearwillbe involvedinthiswar?Forwhatreason,andtowhatpurpose,willtheybeengaginginthiswar?




1.Publishers WeeklycalledMonsters of Men“oneofthemostimportantworksofyoungadult sciencefiction inrecentyears.”MichaelCart,aneditorialistforBooklistmagazine,namedMonsters of Menhistopyoungadultbookfor2010,anditwasalsohispickfortheMichaelL.PrintzAwardfor Excellence in Young Adult Literature. In addition,Monsters of Men receivedseveralstarredreviews.Asyoubeginreadingthefinal instalment in theChaosWalkingtrilogy, look for evidence that the book is deserving oftheseaccolades.Discusswhatqualitiesmakethisbookanaward-winningbook.

The third book in the CHAOS WALKING series Winner of the Carnegie Medal

ABOUT THE BOOK

In Monsters of Men, the final instalment of the ChaosWalkingtrilogy,ahorrificwarsurgesaroundToddandViola,andit forcesthemtofacemonstrousdecisions.Theindig-enousSpackle,thinkingandactingasone,havemobilizedtoavengetheirmurderedpeople.TheruthlesshumanleadersoftheAskandoftheAnswerpreparetodefendtheirfactionsatallcostsasaconvoyofnewsettlersapproaches.Asisoftentrueinwar,theprojectedwillofthefewthreatenstoover-whelmthedesperatedesireofthemany.Theconsequencesofeachactionareunspeakablyvast:Tofollowatyrantoraterrorist?Tosavethelifeoftheoneyoulovemost,orthou-sandsofstrangers?Tobelieve in redemption,orassume itis lost?Becomingadultsamidtheturmoil,ToddandViolaquestion all they have known, racing through horror andoutragetowardashockingfinale.AsRobertDunbarwritesinThe Irish Times, Monsters of Men“triumphantlyconcludeswhat will almost certainly come to be seen as one of theoutstandingliteraryachievementsofthepresentcentury.”

“What a sad thing men are. Can’t do nothing good without being so weak we mess it up. Can’t build something without tearing it down.”

2.IntheopeninglineofMonsters of Men,MayorPrentisssays,“War....AtLast.”Manyhavecalledthebookawarstory.InThe Knife of Never Letting GoandThe Ask and the Answer,Todd’s caretaker,Ben, tells him that “Warmakesmonstersofmen.”Monsters of Menclearlydemon-stratestheuglinessofwar.Whichcharactersinthisfinalbookofthetrilogycouldbeconsidered“monsters”whodomonstrousthingsinthemidstofwar?Doeswarmakethem monsters, or are they monsters to begin with?MayorPrentissdisagreeswithBen’sstatementwhenhesaysonpage11,“It’swarthatmakesusmeninthefirst






place.Until there’swar,weareonlychildren.”DoyouagreeordisagreewithMayorPrentiss?Explain.

3.Onpage10,TodddescribestheNoiseoftheAsk’sarmyas“amonstrousthing,tunedtogetherandtwistedrounditself,roaringasasinglevoice,likealoudandangrygiantpoundingitswaydowntheroad.”Thisisanexampleofwhattypeoffigurativelanguage?Explain.

4.Examinethefourfactionsinvolvedinthiswarandtheirleaders:theAsk(MayorPrentiss),theAnswer(MistressCoyle), the Spackle (the Sky), and the newcomers(SimoneWatkinandBradleyTench).Whatarethesimi-laritiesanddifferencesintheirmilitarytacticsandlead-ershipstyles?Whatarethestrengthsandweaknessesofthesedifferenttacticsandstyles?HowdotheseleadersprepareTodd,Viola,andtheReturnforleadership?DoTodd,Viola,ortheReturnwanttherolesthatarebeingthrustuponthem?Explain.

5.Todd continuously repeats, “I am the Circle and theCircleisme.”Wheredoesthelinecomefrom,andwhatisitssignificance?TheMayortellsToddmanytimesthatifhe controlshisNoise,he cancontrol theworld.Onpage75,Toddthinks,“IfIcancontrolmyNoise,Icancontrolmyself.And if Icancontrolmyself—MaybeIcan control him.” Describe how Todd’s Noise changesthroughout Monsters of Men. How does he learn tocontrolhisNoise?DoesheeveruseittocontrolMayorPrentissorothers?Whataretheconsequences?

6.Keep track of the ways war is described throughoutMonsters of Men.Findexamplesinthestorythateithersupport or negate these descriptions. For instance, onpage 37, Mistress Coyle says, “War makes ugly neces-sity.” On page 49, Todd thinks, “There ain’t no timefornothinginwarexceptwar.”Onpage62,Toddsays,“That’s the nasty, nasty secret of war. . . . When yerwinning, it’seffing thrilling.” Onpage85, theSky tellstheReturn,“Todaywasabattle....Butawarismadeofmanybattles.”BradleyrepeatedlytellsViolathatwarcan’tbepersonal.MayorPrentisstellsToddonpage190,“That’showwargoes.Youhavetomakeimpossibledeci-sions.”Violathinksonpage287,“Warsmakenosense.Youkillpeopletotellthemyouwanttostopkillingthem.”Whatdothesestatementsmean?Doyouthinkthereistruthineachstatement?Howdotheyrelatetoourlivesingeneral?Explain.

7.On page 580, Viola says, “It’s a hell of a thing to killsomeone—Evenwhenyouthinktheydeserveit.”IsViolaa killer ornot? IsTodda killer ornot?Both are facedseveraltimesinthiswarwiththeneedtokillorbekilled(seepage35,forexample).Whathappensineachsitua-tionwhentheyarefacedwiththismoraldilemma?Intheend,when theyareperhaps ready tokill,howare theysavedfromthisdilemma?HowareToddandViolaandtheReturnalikeinthissense?

8.DiscussTodd’srelationshipwithAngharrad,Viola’srela-tionship with Acorn, and Mayor Prentiss’s relationship

with Morpeth and Juliet’s Joy. How is the personalityofeachoftheseanimalssimilartothatoftheirhumancounterparts?Whatisthefateofeachoftheseanimals?

9.Onpage68,ViolatellsBradley,“Ifyoueverdoubtanythinghere,ifyouevernotknowwhattothinkorwhototrust,youtrustTodd,okay?Yourememberthat.”ThoughToddand Viola say they trust each other and that they willalwaystelleachotherthetruth,therearemomentswhentheyexperiencedoubtandarenotentirelytruthfulwitheach other. This is partly due to Mayor Prentiss’s andMistress Coyle’s manipulations, and partly a matter oftheirownchoosing.Whatarethesecretstheywithholdfromeachother?Whydotheywithholdthetruthintheseinstances?Whatimpactdoeswithholdingthetruthhaveon them and their relationship? Once they supposedlyrevealthetruthtoeachother(seepages260–261),theyassureeachotherthateverythingisundercontrol.Isit?

10.PatrickNess introduces a thirdnarratoronpage77ofMonsters of Men.Whoisthisnarrator?Reviewthisnarra-tor’s storyonpages194–199.Doyou feel theadditionofthisvoiceisnecessary?Howdoestheadditionofthisvoice add to or detract from the story? This narratortalksoftheSky,theLand,theClearing, theBurden,theReturn,andtheKnife.What is themeaningofeachoftheseterms?

11.How is the language of the Land different from thelanguageoftheBurdenandoftheClearing?Whatimpactdoesthishaveonthemembersofeach?Whatdoesthelanguageofeachgrouptellthereaderabouttheirbeliefsystem?

12.TheReturnspeaksofhis“oneinparticular.”Whatdoesthis phrase mean? Who is this? Describe the develop-mentoftheirrelationship,howitended,andtheimpactthishadontheReturn.Readpages268–270.Aretheredetails that surprise you? The Source tells the Returnabouthisown“oneinparticular”onpage426.Howaretheirsituationssimilar?

13.TheReturntalkstotheSkyabouttheKnifeonpage84.HetellstheSkythattheKnife“isworsethantheothers....Heisworstofallofthem....Becauseheknewhewasdoingwrong.Hefeltthepainofhisactions....Therestareworthasmuchastheirpackanimals. . .butworstistheonewhoknowsbetteranddoesnothing.”Whatisyourresponsetothisstatement?TheReturn’smotivationinthiswarseemstobetoavengetheactionsoftheKnife.Why?Explainhowhismotivationsshiftasthebookgoeson.

14.Violawearsabandwiththenumber1391onit.Whydoesshewearthisband?Howdoesitimpacther?Whatmightthe band be symbolic of? The Return wears a similarband.Whydoeshewear it?What impact does it haveonhim?Whatdoesitsymbolize?Whoelsewearsbands?What is the fateof thosewhowear theband?Explain.


How is this eventually resolved? When Mayor Prentisssaysonpage565,“Andthat...ismypartinggifttoyou,Viola,”towhatishereferring?

15.Onpage114, theReturn thinks, “TheLand isallone,isitnot?Thelandhasnoothers,ithasnotheyorthose.ThereisonlyoneLand.”ComparethisphilosophytothethinkingoftheMayor,MistressCoyle,Todd,andViola.Do these characters value separateness or unity more?Howdoesthisinfluencetheiractions,especiallyintermsofthewarthatisbeingwaged?Aretherethosewhoareseenas“others”inourculture?Howdoesthisthinkingaffectusall?

16.Whichcharactersadvocateforapeacefulsolutiontothewar?What is their reasoning for this solution?Do youfeelthat,evenintheend,peaceisactuallypossibleforthoseonNewWorld?HowaboutforhumansonEarth?Explainyourreasoning.

17.ToddandViolaarecompletelydevotedtoeachother.Intheirconversationonpage164Violasays,“Ifthey’dhurtyou,ifthey’dkilledyou...I’dhavekilledeverylastoneofthem.”Toddreplies,“I’ddothesame,Viola...withouteventhinkingtwice.”Onpage166,Violawonders,“Doesitmakeusdangerous?”Whatdoyou thinkshemeans?Whatspecificactiononherpartcauseshertoaskthis?OthercharactersrecognizethepowerofToddandViola’sdevotiontoeachotheranduseittomanipulatethem.Doyouthinkthismakesthemdangerous?Explain.

18.Mistress Coyle says to Viola on page 175, “Ideals, mygirl. . . .Always easier tobelieve in than live.”Bradleyrespondsbysaying,“But ifyoudon’tat least try to livethem...thenthere’snopointinlivingatall.”Whatisthedefinitionof ideal?Whatarethe idealsbeingdiscussedhere?DoyouagreewithMistressCoyleand/orBradley?Explain.

19.Choice is discussed many times throughout the ChaosWalkingtrilogy.Forinstance,inThe Ask and the Answer,MistressCoyletellsViola,“Wearethechoiceswemake.”(page98).Onpage182ofMonsters of Men, BradleytellsViola,“Tosayyouhavenochoice is toreleaseyourselffrom responsibility and that’s not how a person withintegrity acts.” What are some good choices and somepoor choices that Todd, Viola, and the Return make?Whatimpactdothesechoiceshaveontheirlivesandthelivesofothers?Thinkofsituationsinyourlifewhereyouhavemadechoices thathavesignificantly impacted thecourseofyourlife.Didyouordidyounottakeownershipofthesechoices?Whatweretheconsequencesoftheseactions?

20.Onpage183,Todd looks throughhismother’s journalandcanonlyreadthewords“My dearest son.”Hethinksthe pages of her journal contain “my ma, talking andtalking.AndIcan’thearher.”Thefactthatheisilliteratehaunts him. Author Patrick Ness continues to remindus of Todd’s illiteracy through Todd’s use of misspell-ings (“projeckshun,” “impayshuntly,” “emoshunal”) and

poorgrammar(“ain’t,”“speechify”).Onpage249,MayorPrentissoffers to teachToddto read.The irony is thatMayor Prentiss is the reason that Todd can’t read. Intheend,isthisanhonestoffer?ExplainhowtheMayoruses books and education to manipulate Todd and theothers. What might we learn from Todd’s experienceswitheducationandreading?

21.The concept of redemption is a key theme inMonsters of Men. On page 190, Mayor Prentiss tells Todd thatbefore his son’s death Todd had redeemed Davy: “Youchangedhim,ToddHewitt. . . .Hewasawastrel, andyounearlymadehimaman.”DoesToddredeemDavy?Give examples to support your response. The Mayor isdescribedbyMistressCoyleonpage393asa“terrible,savage,brutalgenius.”However,theMayorsaysonpage396,“You’veredeemedme,ToddHewitt.Redeemedmewhennooneelsewouldhavethoughtitpossible....Orevendesirable.”However,Toddsaysonseveraloccasionsthat Mayor Prentiss is not redeemable. For instance,onpage374hesays,“I lookathisface,hiscompletelyuntrustworthy, unredeemable face.”Does Todd changeandredeemMayorPrentiss?Thinkoftheeventsthattakeplaceat theendof thebook. Is theMayorcapableofredemption?Doeshedeserveredemption?Explain.

22.The leaders of the different factions involved in thiswarbelievethatthedeathofoneorafewissometimesnecessaryinwartosavethewhole.Onpages209–210,whenapologizingtoViolaforthebombinthecathedralthatcouldhavetakenherlife,MistressCoyletellsViola,“Leaders must sometimes make monstrous decisions .. .andmymonstrousdecisionwasthat ifyour lifewaslikelytobelostonanerrandyouinsistedontaking,thenIwouldatleasttakethechance,howeverslim,tomakeyourdeathworth it. . . .Thenyouwouldhavebeenamartyrforthecause...andwewouldhavefoughtinyourname....You’dbesurprisedathowpowerfulamartyrcanbe.”Whatisamartyr?Howistheideathatmartyrshave great power borne out in Monsters of Men? AfterthedeathofseveralmembersoftheLand,theSkysays,“Necessary in small numbers only. . . . Necessary to save the entire body of the Land. And necessary to finish this was before the convoy arrives.” (page 235). Think ofmodern-daywarringfactions.Dotheyknowinglysacrificeindividuals for the sakeof thewhole?Explainandgiveexamples.Howdoyoufeelaboutthismilitarytactic?Canweconsidertheseindividualsmartyrs?

23.Onpages255–256,MayorPrentissandMistressCoyleeachdescribetheactionsoftheother.Reviewtheseaccu-sations.Doyoufeelthattheseaccusationsareaccurate?

24.Mistress Coyle says of Mayor Prentiss on page 300,“Usually when a man calls a woman a bitch . . . it’sbecause she’s doing something right.” What are yourthoughtsonthis?

25.The relationship between Mayor Prentiss and Todd ismultilayeredandcomplex,asistherelationshipbetween


MistressCoyle andViola.Describe these relationships.DoyoubelievetheMayorwhenherepeatedlytellsToddthings like,“You’rearemarkableyoungman,youknowthat?”(page325)?WhataboutMistressCoylewhenshesays things to Viola like, “You’re lucky, you know. Soyoung.Somanychancesaheadofyou.Youcouldturnouttobeabetterversionofme.Aversionofmewho’sneverforcedtobesoruthless”(page330)?ConsiderMistressCoyle’s and Mayor Prentiss’s final acts. Do these actssupport or negate the statements above? Explain. Howdo Todd and Viola see the Mayor and Mistress Coyle?DiscusshowToddandViola’sfeelingsfortheMayorandMistressCoylechangethroughoutthebook.

26.Atonepoint,whilelookingatBradley,theReturnrealisesthathe“isonlynewlyarrived,aforerunnerofall thosewho are still to come. Still to come to push the Landoutofitsownworld.StilltocometomakeallofustheBurden.Andmorewillnodoubtcomeafter.Andmoreafter that” (page 346). Why is it that Bradley’s andSimone’speoplecannotreturntotheirhomeland?Thinkof examples throughout history where a member of anindigenous group may have looked at a colonialist andthoughtthesesamethings.

27.“CanyoublamemeifI’mcuriousaboutnewtechnolo-gies?” the Mayor asks Todd on page 376. This is anexample of Ness’s use of foreshadowing. What eventsdoesthisstatementforeshadow?

28.WhichcharactermakesasurprisereturninMonsters of Men? Where has this character been? (See page 453.)

WhydoyouthinkauthorPatrickNessmadethechoicetobringthischaracterback?Whatimpactdoesthischar-acter’sreturnhaveontherelationshipbetweenToddandtheMayor,andonthestoryingeneral?Doyoufeelthatthereturnofthischaracterwasnecessarytothestory?

29.Onpage452,theSourcesaystoTodd,“That’sthesecretofthisplanet....Communication,realandopen,sowecanfinallyunderstandeachother.”Whatpreventshumansonearth fromhaving that “real andopen”communicationbeingtalkedabouthere?Couldthistypeofcommunica-tionbethesolutiontotheconflictsbetweencontempo-rarywarringfactions?Whyorwhynot?

30.TheMayortellsToddonpage532,“Somanyimportantthingshavehappenedtoyouinchurches...Ithoughtitonlyfittingtobringyoutooneforwhatiseitheryourlastchapter....Oryourfirst.”Later,onpage555,Violagetsa“sinkingfeelingofhowmanyterriblethingshavehappenedtomeandToddinchurches.”Whataresomeimportant events that have taken place in churchesthroughoutthethreebooksintheChaosWalkingtrilogy?In the present day, what important events often takeplace in churches? Have any significant events in yourown life takenplace inchurches?Doyoufeel thatanyof thecharacters in the series areparticularly religiousor spiritual?Whatdoyou think thechurches inChaosWalkingsymbolise?

31.WhatisyourinterpretationofthelastsectionofMonsters of Men, “Arrival”?Whatdoyou thinkwillhappenafterthe story ends? Is there hope to be found in the finalpagesofthetrilogy?


ALSO BY PATRICK NESS:

ThisdiscussionguidewaswrittenbyTerriEvans,mediaspecialistatChamplinParkHighSchoolinMinnesota.In2010,

PatrickNessvisitedChamplinParkHighSchooltospendthreedaysdiscussingThe Knife of Never Letting Gowiththe

nearly3,500studentsandstaffwhohadreadthebookoverthesummer.

patrickness.com • #PatrickNessBurn

Cover i l lustration by Alejandro Colucci

£7.99 U K O N LY

How does the world end?It ends in fire.

“On a cold Sunday evening in early 1957, Sarah Dewhurst waited with her father in the parking lot of the Chevron gas

station for the dragon he’d hired to help on the farm.”

This dragon, Kazimir, has arrived at the farm because of a prophecy. A prophecy that involves a

deadly assassin, a cult of dragon worshippers, two FBI agents – and somehow, Sarah Dewhurst herself.

From the bestselling author of the Chaos Walking trilogy comes a heart-stopping story of bravery, fanaticism and hope, set in a world on the brink of its own destruction.

“Clever, complex and completely engrossing.” The Times

“Gloriously original and unpredictable.” Observer

eBook Audiobook

available

“Mind-blowing and exhilarating.” Russell T Davies

I S BN 978-1-4063-9397-2

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