Reviews

Knife Edge by Malorie Blackman

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goldenauer's review against another edition

2.0

Six months to finish and what a downgrade compared to book one.

Knife Edge was boring for about 80% of the book. NONE of the characters were likeable at all and by the end I just didn’t care. Will I continue the series? Yes because of the overarching story. Will I continue it right away? Definitely not….

gth's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.75

beckyyreadss's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I decided to read this book because I brought a poster with 100 books to read in your lifetime. The first book was brutal and ended on a cliffhanger that I wanted to carry on with the series and read this one. This book was brutal as well and really freaking infuriating.

This book has two points of views. The first is Persephone Hadley AKA Sephy. She is a Cross who has had her life turned upside down for fighting what was right. She has had a child with a Callum McGregor who was her one true love and has been hanged for crimes of terrorism. Sephy is now raising Callie on her own in a world where she is getting abused from both sides of the community. The Crosses are stunned she kept a Nought’s child and think she’s infected or not worth anything. The Noughts are questioning her motives and still don’t trust her since her father got Callum killed. The second point of view is Jude McGregory. He is a Nought that is being watched for the terrorist acts his brother took the fall for. He is very angry and has a deep hatred for one person – Sephy Hadley. He believes that everything began because of Sephy. She is the reason for all the tragedies Jude has gone through he is determined to force her to pick a side and destroy her life, just like she destroyed his. He is not going to stop until Sephy is no longer a problem.

This book is still brutal, yes, it is supposed to be a dystopian and fictional book, but it didn’t feel like it at all. This shows the way that society still is, and it made my blood boil. It just frustrates me like how can people still be like this? This book has a strong storyline which moves along very quickly. This is a powerful book. I think the news articles and the split with the colours and the dual POV. I feel like everyone in high school should read this. This book shows what hate does to a person and how lonely it can be when it feels like everyone is against you. I liked that we got the additional POVs from the mums as they were also affected by the events.

I felt like half of the book was repeating the actions of the first book and between the dual POVs, it was quite slow at times and then quite fast at times. I would have liked less repeating more plot or even a POV from Jasmine. I still personally believe this book should have been one book and maybe this one and at the end of every book I am questioning how she is going to carry on with this series. I am now assuming it’s going to be from Callie’s perspective being a mixed child growing up.

Content Warnings

coops456's review against another edition

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3.0

Sephy's story continues, as she gives birth to Callum's daughter and tries to raise her mixed-race child in peace. But Callum's brother Jude, on the run from both the state and the Liberation Militia, holds Sephy responsible for his family's troubles and wants revenge.

Knife Edge is quite downbeat, with Sephy suffering from post-natal depression and with Jude's deep anger and bitterness leading to an horrific act of violence. May the conclusion to this trilogy bring some hope and a better world for noughts and crosses alike.

jeefburger's review against another edition

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5.0

short but effective. really amazing work here guys!!!

tash95's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

roseslibrary2023's review against another edition

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4.0

4.5 stars
This was a really enjoyable read and in my opinion is on par with noughts and crosses. When I was 16, I did not enjoy knife's edge because I found it too boring. Now that I am older (in my 20s) and have re-read the two, I like them both equally.
I think the reason I struggled with this book as a teen was because this book has a more mature tone with real life adult struggles, which is helped by the fact that Sephy is no longer a young teen so the world is depicted in a less childish perspective. I can now appreciate the direction this book took with the psychological struggles Sephy was going through, political struggles and strained family dynamics.

This book shows us Jude's character in much more detail, the author did a great job at portraying Jude's character in a way that the reader sympathises with at the start. Of course later on in the novel this sympathetic perspective changes, however Jude's actions overall were consistent with his character and therefore was an overall well written character. I really don't like him and what he did, but it made sense to his character and his own traumas.

I would recommend this book.