Reviews

Knife Edge by Malorie Blackman

annabelreadsandwrites's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

sophie______a's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • 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

4.0

finedandy's review against another edition

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

5.0

namullis_'s review against another edition

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3.0

As Malorie Blackman states in the cover of this book: 'Knife Edge' is a book about hate.

Leading on from the first novel 'Noughts and Crosses', 'Knife Edge' explores the horrific consequences of prejudice. Following the lives of Jude, Callum's older brother and Sephy, Callum's ex-lover, the novel reveals how damaging prejudice can be, to both the perpetrator and the victim.

Jude, an avid racist and cold-blooded killer, seeks nothing but revenge. Through Malorie's writing, she explores how this involves denying his humanity over and over again. Despite anger and darkness consuming him, he still has to fight to let go of all forms of love in his life. In his own words, caring is vulnerability. Even when faced with the reality that his views are incorrect, he forces himself to continue hating, to see nothing but artificial differences. Overall, his hatred and anger is his downfall. Despite getting away in the novel, he still loses the potential love of his life, Cara, and through his own brutal actions. He had an opportunity to be understood, loved and protected, but instead he chose darkness and ignorance.

Sephy, on the other hand, is the victim of her own self-loathing - blaming herself for Callum's death - and also from the public who hate her for having an inter-racial relationship. Her daughter Callie Rose, a mixed-race child, goes on to be the reception of similar abuse. Sephy and Callie Rose fall into a unique position because they are unaccepted in any circle of society. They are no longer accepted by Crosses, and they aren't Noughts, even if Callie is “in part”.

Throughout the novel, Malorie Blackman explores the issues of a society where people are grouped under labels. She traverses the catastrophic damage this does to not only those inside the forced boxes but also those who don't fit in said boxes.

This book is hard to read in places. However, it explores important topics, still clearly (and sadly) relevant in our British society today.

booksandcwtches's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

sarah_and_duck's review against another edition

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slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.5

rosehtaylor's review against another edition

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3.0

2.5 stars

kitayers's review against another edition

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

4.25

This was surprisingly dark for a young adult novel. I find one of the characters really frustrating but otherwise was very gripped by this one, possibly more so than the first

angsgc's review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

kerry2046's review against another edition

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5.0

cant wait for the next one!!