Checkmate

Title: Checkmate

"If you're naive- which means immature,
inexperienced or a bit
thick- you get eaten alive."

Author: Malorie Blackman

First Published: 2005

Series: Noughts & Crosses Sequence, followed by Double Cross

Available As: Paperback, ebook

My Rating: 8/10

Callie Rose, daughter of Sephy and Callum, has grown up. She's 16, and dealing with a stressful life. But she's not as normal as the average teenage girl. She was secretly helping the Liberation Militia and training to be a bomber with the help of her uncle, Jude. Also piled on her plate is her love life troubles. Such a confusing life for a teenage girl.

Checkmate is told in different perspectives, ranging from Callie Rose's, Sephy's, Jude's, Meggie's, and Jasmine's. All the characters are in conflict with another. Callie Rose is on bad terms with her mother, Sephy. Their relationship had gone downhill ever since Callie found out that Sephy had been lying to her about her father's true identity. Jasmine is determined to put an end to Jude's reign. Violence and pain is filled in these pages.

Callie Rose takes after both Sephy and Callum. She's sweet, loving, and a fighter. She knows what's right, although she doesn't realise this until she's older. However, she's blinded by her fantasies most of the time to realise what is going on in the real world.

Checkmate is a game position in chess, the final move. It suits the book very well. It's practically a game for the characters. Especially for Jude. To solve their conflicts and to win at the same time. Unfortunately, not everyone can have a happy ending; not everyone can win.

For every game, there has to be someone who wins, and someone who loses

Knife Edge

Title: Knife Edge

"When did we stop being people, being human?"

Author: Malorie Blackman

First Published: 2003

Series: Noughts & Crosses Sequence, followed by Checkmate

Available As: Paperback, ebook

My Rating: 8/10

Following the events of Noughts & Crosses, Sephy is trying her best to raise Callie Rose alone, with little to no help. Until Meggie offers to let Sephy move in with her so Meggie could help Sephy cope.

In the meantime, Jude is running from the police. He's filled with hate and grief for Callum. His hatred for Crosses is stronger than ever. He's determined to kill.

Sephy is so different from the old her in Noughts & Crosses. She's still grieving, and struggling to take care of her daughter single-handedly. Then there's all these other Crosses who are scorning her, telling her that she is a 'blanker-lover', someone who loves Noughts. Everyone disapproves of her mixed-race daughter and it's hard on Sephy. She also joins a band as the lead singer, and she runs into a lot of people in clubs. She's the only Cross in the band, which was taken badly by the others.

Jude on the other hand, is struggling to deal with his anger. He meets a Cross girl called Cara, who he falls slightly in love with, but freaks out when he finds out. Cara was completely the opposite of what Jude saw Crosses as, and it scared him.

Knife Edge is split into 4 different parts: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green. Each symbolises a part in the book. At first, it starts with Red, meaning that hate, anger and grief is everywhere. It's also like a traffic light; everyone is stuck where they are- they won't move on. The the story slowly moves on, and finally in Green, the story reaches it's peak and it finishes.

The tone of Knife Edge is different from Noughts & Crosses, especially because this book is more harsh and filled with more remorse and rage. It's a great sequel to Noughts & Crosses and it's a fantastic read.

Noughts & Crosses

"Things go unsaid soon get forgotten"

Title: Noughts & Crosses

Author: Malorie Blackman

First Published: 2001

Series: The Noughts & Crosses Sequence, followed by Knife Edge

Available As: Paperback, ebook

My Rating: 8/10

The world is different than the way it is today. It's like it's gone back in time, with a twist. Society is separated into two: Noughts and Crosses. The Crosses are superior, while the Noughts are inferior. What's their key difference? Skin colour. The Crosses are black, while the Noughts are white.

Callum is a Nought, living in a world that despises his race. Sephy is a Cross, the daughter of one of the richest and most powerful man in the country. Callum and Sephy have been best friends since they were children, and their relationship starts to grow into something more. But their society is a tough one, one that is bent on keeping the two apart.

I loved the idea of the story, don't get me wrong! I don't support racism, but the idea was just so interesting on paper and words. It's a complete twist on history, where everything is reversed. The white people are hated on, the black people are powerful.

Callum and Sephy's relationship was like a light switch. They were on and off at times, sometimes they were mad at each other and stayed away from one another. At other times, they were best buddies and shared secrets.

Callum is a strong-willed guy who does what he thinks is right. He's also quite protective over Sephy, and wants what's best for her. A sweet guy, who made a couple of mistakes. Sephy? She's the kind of girl that thinks before she acts (most of the time).

The ending was just painful. It was just so sad! And it just made me freak out. I just had to read the next book! Though I was a bit disappointed a certain someone's POV will never appear again. (Cue the waterworks!)

This book is an amazing book, and it deals with all kinds of things. Racism, love, friendship, standing up for what's right. The story will be sure to stick in my heart for a long time.