Review: Noughts & Crosses

      
    

Title: Noughts & Crosses
Author: Malorie Blackman 

Series: Noughts & Crosses #1
Pages: 479

Publisher: Corgi
Release Date: Released
Source: For Review
Rating: 5 stars
100 Book challenge: #86

Sephy is a Cross – a member of the dark-skinned ruling class. Callum is a nought – a ‘colourless’ member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. The two have been friends since early childhood. But that’s as far as it can go. Until the first steps are taken towards more social equality and a limited number of Noughts are allowed into Cross schools… Against a background of prejudice and distrust, intensely highlighted by violent terrorist activity by Noughts, a romance builds between Sephy and Callum – a romance that is to lead both of them into terrible danger…

I have read Noughts & Crosses countless times as well as studying the novel in school so when I was offered the opportunity to reread the series I just couldn't say no. It is a novel that never fails to move me, even seven years later from reading it originally. It is a novel which contains both hatred and hope and love and loss.

The reversal of the racial hierarchy that was, and is, present in society is an intriguing idea that still has the power to make me think hard about our society. One scene from the book really stood out when I read it for the first time and upon second, third and fourth readings it still hits me hard. A nought (white) is wearing a plaster and Sephy comments on how it stands out for the colour of the plaster is a dark brown because they don't make plasters to blend in with noughts' skin tones. It was this scene that really made me think about things that I didn't even know I needed to be thinking about.

Noughts & Crosses is ultimately about race but the heart of the story is centered around love. Both Callum and Sephy love so strongly, not only for each other but for those that they love, yet they have such different ways of loving. Sephy's actions are always out of love but she makes a lot of bad choices because she doesn't think through the consequences. Callum's upbringing has made him a lot more reserved in his actions.

Noughts & Crosses is a novel that has the power to really make you think and move you in ways that you didn't know you could be moved. If you haven't read this series I highly recommend it.