In a dystopian world where women have disappeared and men are afflicted by "the Noise" – a force that puts all their thoughts on display – a young man named Todd Hewitt has grown up believing that the indigenous aliens of the planet, known as the Spackle, are responsible for the chaos. Todd lives in the settlement of Prentisstown on the planet New World, a place overrun by men who cannot escape the endless stream of their own thoughts. The Noise creates a cacophony that prevents privacy and complicates life in profound ways, making Todd yearn for quiet he’s never known.

Todd's understanding of his world is thrown into question when he stumbles upon a mysterious girl named Viola, whose ship has crash-landed on the planet. Viola is the first woman Todd has ever seen, and, mysteriously, she does not emit "the Noise." Her arrival signals the potential for change and sparks a chain of events that forces Todd to confront the dark truths about his town, the role of its leader, Mayor Prentiss, and the history of New World. As Todd vows to protect Viola, the two embark on a perilous journey that uncovers the real story behind the disappearance of the women and the true cause of the Noise, pushing them to question everything they have been led to believe.