9/13/2020 0 Comments CheckMate by Malorie BlackmanCheckmate is the third book in Malorie Blackman’s Noughts & Crosses series taking place in an alternative universe, where people of color called “Crosses” are the dominant rulers, with “Noughts”, people of European origin, as a despised underclass. I loved the first book, it really blew me away with the way it turned history around and the dramatic, gripping, emotional, shocking and tragic and with the beautiful love story, and had such hopes for this third book to make up for the disappointment with the second book. But sadly not. It was even harder in this book to get into the story and to root for the characters. The story was not only told from different POVs, but also through the past and present with glimpses into Callie Rose’s upbringing and Sephy’s struggle to tell her about her father. All this switching back and forth in time, made it very fragmented, and it felt like every time the story was about to get interesting, it switched to another character or timeline. And just like in the second book, the story and characters were all so bitter, twisted and full of hate. They all kept making bad decisions and messing any chance to happiness up. Jude was still such a two-dimensional character, and Sephy still felt very childish and selfish and not behaving like a mother. It was interesting with Callie Rose though and I would have loved for the whole, or at least most part, of the story to be told from her POV. Also, the ending was hopeful, which was a big plus.
I still hope that I will finish the series one day and that I will like the two remaining books better, but for now I will need to take a break from it. Which feels so sad, because I loved the premises so much going into this series and I still believe the main theme is an important and unique one. So, I’m generously giving this book a 2.5 stars rating, rounding up to three based on the overall way this series turns history on its head, and pinpoints racism and injustice. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Bookshop.org Amazon Book Depository Author info: Malorie Blackman
0 Comments
6/17/2020 0 Comments Knife Edge by Malorie BlackmanKnife Edge is the second book in Malorie Blackman’s Noughts & Crosses series taking place in an alternative universe, where people of color called “Crosses” are the dominant rulers, with “Noughts”, people of European origin, as a despised underclass. The story in the first book follows teenagers Sephy (a Cross) and Callum (a Nought) as their childhood friendship turns into a forbidden love with all the attendant difficulties that a racially divided world presents. In this second book Sephy is left alone, with her and Callum’s daughter, and with Callum’s brother, Jude, blaming her for the terrible losses his family has suffered. I really loved the first book, which was so dramatic, gripping, emotional, shocking and tragic and with the beautiful love story against everything between Callum and Sephy. With Callum gone, this second book focuses on the parallel stories of Sephy and Jude instead. I never liked Jude, and with so much focus on him and his bitterness and hatred, this book unfortunately is much weaker and less addictive than the first one. At first, the story showed a more human side of Jude and I really hoped that his character would develop, but sadly not. He continued to be such a two-dimensional character, and his never-ending hatred for the Noughts just got so tiring and uninteresting about halfway into the book.
I also wasn’t so keen on the format of this one and the song lyrics and the newspaper clippings, that just slowed the story down. And it really didn’t need that, as it was slower in itself compared to the first book, with Sephy suffering from depression, and just behing too much inside her head mulling over whether she loves her baby or not. But even though I wasn’t too fond of this book, it’s well written and I’m still invested in the series and its unique and thought-provoking story. So, I’ll give this book 2.5 stars rounding up to a 3 stars rating based on the overall way this series turns history on its head, and pinpoints racism and injustice. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Bookshop.org Amazon Book Depository Author info: Malorie Blackman Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman is a dramatic, gripping and heart-breaking story that turns history on its head, and pinpoints racism and injustice in such a telling way. This thought-provoking story is set in an alternative universe, where people of color called “Crosses” are the dominant rulers, with “Noughts”, people of European origin, as a despised underclass excluded from the best schools and work, even seen as nothing or “Blankers”. The story follows teenagers Sephy (a Cross) and Callum (a Nought) as their childhood friendship turns into a forbidden love with all the attendant difficulties that a racially divided world presents. The narrative switches between the two perspectives as they both try to make sense of the world they live in.
The story is so dramatic, gripping, emotional, shocking and tragic. There are many moments of happiness between Callum and Sephy, but there are also so many dangerous events occurring against a rising tide of Nought militarism and so many things happening to them that are just heart-breaking. The characters are so realistic and complex, with flaws and likeable and less likeable traits. I immediately rooted for Callum and his wish to change the world, whereas still being realistic about the limitations and risk for violence when challenging the current order. Sephy irritated me at times for being so childish and naïve, even though she tries her best to see Callum’s perspective. What I really liked about them both was how fair and unprejudiced they were, despite the values they’d been raised with and the judgement and bias they’d been surrounded by all their lives. (On a side note, the book has been adapted for the screen in an HBO series that I actually think is better than the book in certain aspects, especially when it comes to Sephy. In the series she is much more likable and the role of her parents are better portraited. The love story between Sephy and Callum also makes much more sense as they are older when they really fall for each other and more aware of the consequences. On the other hand, the book provides more background to Sephy’s and Callum’s friendship, which I really enjoyed.) All in all, Noughts & Crosses is a well written, unique and powerful story that really makes you think. I can’t wait to continue the whole series, especially after the very unexpected ending! Rating: 4 stars Get your own copy: Bookshop.org Amazon Book Depository Author info: Malorie Blackman |
CategoriesAll 1 Star 2 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars 5 Stars Abbi Glines Abdi Nazemian Adam Silvera Adib Khorram Aiden Thomas Aisha Saeed Aislinn Brophy AJ Collins Alexandra Christo Alex Beltran Alexene Farol Follmuth Alexis Hall Alex Kelly Alex Sanchez Alice Dolman Alice Oseman Ali Hazelwood Alison Cochrun Al Riske Alwyn Hamilton Amanda Ferreira A. Meredith Walters Amy Aislin Amy Harmon Amy S. Foster Amy Spalding André Aciman Andy V Roamer Angie Thomas Annabeth Albert A. Poland Ashley Poston Ashley Woodfolk Ashlyn Kane Audrey Coulthurst Ban Gilmartin Becca Fitzpatrick Becky Albertalli Benjamin Alire Saenz Beth Bolden Bill Konigsberg B.L. Maxwell Briar Prescott Bri Spicer Brooke Skipstone Cale Dietrich Cara Dee Casey McQuiston Cassandra Clare C.F. White C.G. Drews Charlie Adhara Charli Meadows Chasten Buttigieg Chris Bedell Christina Lauren Ciara Smyth Clarissa Pattern C.L. Beaumont Colette Davison Colleen Hoover Courtney Kae Crystal Frasier C.S. Pacat Dallas Smith Daven McQueen David Biddle David Yoon Dean Atta Debbie McGowan Debbie Rigaud Debbie Schrack Deborah Harkness Delia Owens D.G. Carothers Dhonielle Clayton D.N. Bryn Douglas Stuart Dustin Thao Elisa A. Bonnin Elizabeth Acevedo Elizabeth Arroyo Elle Kennedy Elle Wright E.L. Massey E. Lockhart Emery Lee Emily M. Danforth Emily Mims Erin Watt Ernest Cline Evan J. Corbin Eve Morton Everina Maxwell Evie Dunmore Felice Stevens F.T. Lukens Grace Williams Gwen Martin Hannah Grace Hanya Yanagihara Hayden Stone Heather Truett H.E. Edgmon Hettie Bell Holly Black Hope Irving H.S. Valley Hudson Lin Ingrid Sterling Jacqueline Lee Jacqueline Woodson James L. Sutter Jamie Deacon Jandy Nelson Jax Calder Jay Hogan Jeanette Winterson Jeff Zentner Jen Bailey Jenna Evans Welch Jenn Burke Jennifer E. Smith Jennifer G. Edelson Jennifer Gilmore Jennifer Iacopelli Jennifer Kropf Jennifer Niven Jenny Downham Jenny Han Jeremy Ray Jesse H. Reign Joelle Lynne John Green Jonny Garza Villa Julianne Donaldson Julian Winters Kacen Callender Kami Garcia Kara Leigh Miller Kasie West Kate Larkindale Katharine McGee Kathleen Mareé Kathy Anderson KD Casey Kendall Grey Kevin Van Whye Kiley Reid Kim Fielding Kim Holden Kim Liggett Kitty Bardot Kris Ripper K.S. Marsden Laura Hall Laura Pavlov Laura Silverman Lauren James Lauren Shippen Laurie Frankel Leah Johnson Lee Matthew Goldberg Leigh Bardugo Leylah Attar Lisa Henry Lisa Williamson Lisa Wingate Liv Rancourt Liz Plum Lola Noire Lynn Michaels Mackenzi Lee Madeline Miller Magdalena Di Sotru Maggie Doolin Maggie Stiefvater Malin Persson Giolito Malorie Blackman Margaret Stohl Marie Lu Mary E. Pearson Mason Deaver Matthew R. Corr Melina Marchetta Meredith Russo Miel Moreland Mila Gray Miranda Kenneally Moa Backe Astot Morgan James M. Tasia Nancy Garden Natalie Haynes Nathaniel Shea Nicholas Sparks Nicola Yoon Nic Starr Nic Stone Nina Kenwood Nita Tyndall Nora Sakavic N.R. Walker Nyla K. Owen Lach Penny Aimes Phil Stamper Quinn Anderson Rachael Brownell Rachael Lippincott Rachel Hawkins Racquel Marie Rainbow Rowell Ray Stoeve Renée Dahlia Rhiannon Wilde Riley Hart River Braun Roan Parrish Robin Gow Roseanne A. Brown Rowan MacKemsley Ruby Moone Ruta Sepetys Ryan La Sala Sally Green Sally Rooney Sarah J. Maas Sarah Waters Sarina Bowen Sasha Laurens Saundra Mitchell Saxon James Serena Bell Shannon O’Connor Sidney Bell Simone Elkeles Siryn Sueng Sophia DeRise Sophia Soames Sophie Gonzales S.R. Lane Stephen Chbosky Stephenie Meyer Steven Salvatore Susan Mac Nicol Suzanne Collins Tahereh Mafi Tal Bauer Tamara Girardi Taylor Jenkins Reid Teagan Hunter Terry J. Benton-Walker Tiffany D. Jackson Timothy Janovsky T.J. Klune T.L. Bradford Tobly McSmith Tomasz Jedrowski Tomi Adeyemi Tracy Deonn Tucker Shaw Val Wise Veronica Rossi Veronica Roth V.E. Schwab Wesley Chu Victor Dixen Victoria Aveyard V.L. Stuart Xan Van Rooyen Yamile Saied Méndez Archives
May 2023
|