Reviews

I have wanted to read this one for ages. Many years ago I took it home and couldn't get into it, then one day the audio book version was sitting on the shelf at the library and I thought I'd give it another go. It started off good but before long I found myself getting a little bored. The idea of an alternate world where dark-skinned people govern over the pale-skinned people was really interesting and gave lots of insight into racism and prejudice in society. I enjoyed the main story line but I didn't connect with the characters and I felt they weren't that well developed. Sephy was really irritating in the beginning and she didn't get any better towards the end. Callum was likable, I think because you can really feel what he's going through.

I felt like the romance between Sephy & Callum wasn't there, there was no spark and I didn't get any of those butterfly in the tummy feelings. The adventure was also lacking, a few things were a bit predictable and usually I don't pick up on things. Overall, it was a little bit of a let down.

The ending of the book was really disappointing, I'm a sucker for a happy ending and that's not what I got. I get that maybe the book was trying to show that society can be really backward and that you can't get away with doing bad things in your past, But I wasn't expecting that ending at all. I understand what the book was trying to achieve but for me I didn't really fall in love with this.

I had such mixed feeling after reading this, I didn't know what to think then and I don't know what to think now. I'll still read the next one to see what happens next mainly because I'm curious where the story will go.

{I'm probably not the best person to review this and I hate to say anything bad about a book that an author worked so hard to write but this is just my opinion, you should still give the book a go to prove me wrong}

Also on my blog

esthersedition's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman. What a book - but it just didn’t grab me the way the author intended it to grab its readers. I know its in an alternate society where black people are the majority and white people the minority but I just could mot mentally picture it like that because its so far fetched from reality that, that could never be the case. Or, maybe I am just way too entirely pessimistic.

However, the storyline was engaging with lots of surprises and plot twists throughout, so I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I do feel like the ending was not fulfilling at all but i’m know it was the only reasonable ending to the book.

I am fairly interested in reading the other books in the series but I can’t help but feeling the storyline could be dragged out and become really boring and messy.

All things considered, Malorie Blackman takes an interesting and unique take on the race tensions in modern society with an adrenaline filled storyline laced around two protagonists - Callum the nought and Sephy the cross and how the world comes against them, time and time again.

djryan's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

yellowchairreader's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional sad

5.0

I put off reading this for so long. I thought I wouldnt enjoy it. However, it was amazing! Engaging, fast paced, reflective, emotional and very thought provoking.

amallard's review against another edition

Go to review page

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No

2.0

I remember when we were in school and they told us (repeatedly) that this was The Best Book For Kids To Read About Racism.

I wish they'd recommended something else. This just wasn't well written. I'm happy for all my White teachers who felt they learned something, though. Wild that the victims of racism had to be White before they could understand it.

jwsg's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional tense fast-paced

4.0

I came across Malorie Blackman when I happened to be browsing the British Library website and saw that they were organising an exhibition about her. Noughts and Crosses provides an interesting take on racism and prejudice, set as it is in an alternate society where the dark skinned Crosses are the elite and the light coloured Noughts (insultingly referred to as "blankers") are the oppressed underclass. Noughts and Crosses live in a segregated society - they go to different schools (where Noughts are traditionally not allowed to access higher education), shop in different shops, live in different neighbourhoods. The dark skin, dark hair and full figures of Cross women serve as the standard of beauty. Noughts are regarded as either dim-witted or up to no good. But Callum, a Nought, and Sephy, a Cross, have grown up together and are best friends. While Callum does recognise that society doesn't view relationships between Noughts and Crosses kindly, Sephy, with her privileged (read blinkered) is slow to understand societal realities and why Crosses, including her own family, are so invested in preserving the status quo. An interesting fictional treatment of race issues.

esile_22's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

More...