A review by 17eoakes
Checkmate by Malorie Blackman

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

For the first half of this book I didn’t want it, I didn’t enjoy reading what it was and I wished for something different, something to make me feel better, to give me a clean cut happy ending. But as I got closer to the end I started to appreciate the rough edges, the pain and anger and messiness of the characters and story, it wasn’t happy or pretty but it was real, it was their story and I learned to understand it, to accept it, to see it for the pain and flaws and downs. Jude’s development from a complicated villain to a cold hearted (with traces of a lost love) killer and manipulator were hard to grasp but so familiar at the same time. I’m so thankful to have peace of mind over Callum’s relationship to sephy and I can honestly say I am excited for the next book and to complete this series, whatever tough truths and grey and imperfect endings it may throw at me.