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Noughts and Crosses
 
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Noughts and Crosses (Paperback)

by Malorie Blackman (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (270 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Corgi Childrens; New edition edition (1 April 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0552546321
  • ISBN-13: 978-0552546324
  • Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 13 x 2.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (270 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 48,065 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
Malorie Blackman is a fine, award-winning author whose work is always inclined to provoke debate amongst her readers, and indeed her peers. With Noughts and Crosses she surpasses expectation not only with her subject matter, but with the execution of a stimulating and provocative plot line that often leaves the reader chilled to the bone.

Sephy and Callum have been best friends since childhood, and now they are older and they realise they want more from each other. But the harsh realities of lives lived in a segregated society are beginning to take their toll: Callum is a nought--a second-class citizen in a world dominated by the Crosses--and Sephy is a Cross, and the daughter of one of the most powerful men in the country. The barriers they would have to cross to be together at first seem little more than minor obstacles to the two idealistic teenagers, but soon those barriers threaten not only their friendship but their lives.

Noughts and Crosses is written with the passion of an author who has a personal message about the perception of the past, present and future, and Blackman has used the clever device of turning preconceived ideas of racial prejudice upside down to make sure that her point is well and truly made. Deeply disturbing and totally absorbing this novel is intriguing from the outset, with a shocking climax that packs an unforgettable punch. (Age 11 and over) --Susan Harrison --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
" An incredible novel that is as heart-rending as it is provocative."
- "The Bookseller"

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Noughts and Crosses
81% buy the item featured on this page:
Noughts and Crosses 4.8 out of 5 stars (270)
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Customer Reviews

270 Reviews
5 star:
 (242)
4 star:
 (10)
3 star:
 (4)
2 star:
 (8)
1 star:
 (6)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (270 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Will turn your view of the world upside down, 13 Dec 2003
By Lisa L. Hansen (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews
"Noughts and crosses" is being marketed as a children's book but don't let that keep you from reading it - I'm in my mid-20'es and absolutely loved it. The story is thought-provoking to say the least and the characters stop being characters after about 15-20 pages and become real people who you will care for and root for till the very end.

It's equal parts suspense and love story and both will have you at the edge of your seat, turning page after page and needing to "just read one more chapter" until you are well into the wee hours of the morning.

Don't keep anything breakable nearby though as the unfairness of it all will have you wanting to hurl something heavy through the air quite a lot; instead, a box of tissues will come in handy as the ending is both incredibly sad and incredibly beautiful. All in all the book, its theme, its questions, and its people will stay with you for days after you've finished it and it is a book which you shouldn't cheat yourself of. This is the first book I've read by Marjorie Blackman but it definitely won't be the last.

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54 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!, 23 Mar 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Noughts and Crosses (Hardcover)
I bought this book because I'd read a lot of Malorie's other books and really liked them. But this book is like nothing I've ever read before. It's so class, I don't know what to say about it. It's a bit like Romeo and Juliet but tons and tonss better. I felt like I wasn't just watching Callum and Sephy but I was them. I could understand exactly why they behaved the way they did. And I actually started thinking of them as real people. I'm still thinking about them. They both made me laugh and - I admit it - they both made me cry. I'm glad no one knows who I am. It's a bit embarressing for a 15 year old boy to admit that a book made him cry but as long as my friends don't find out, that's okay. I loved this book. I'm going to read it again now. It made me think more about racism and prejudice where I live, in my school and even at home. I wish everyone could read it. It's so good, it deserves to get 5 and a half stars out of 5.
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32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Modern Youth Classic that just misses the mark, 2 Jul 2007
By Mr. T. COLEMAN (Coventry, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
This review is from: Noughts and Crosses (Noughts & Crosses Trilogy) (Paperback)
My wife is a teacher and is going through this book with her pupils. Call me snobbish, but despite her protestations that I really should read it, I was reluctant - I'm not a teenager, for one, and feared I'd find it tedious and craftless.

How wrong I was. Blackman's novel is superbly paced and stylistically clever. The dual first-person-narrative structure really works and showcases Blackman's excellent ability to write convincing voices that are diametrically opposed (13 yr old Sephy from the ruling class with her affluent but sheltered naivety, and 15yr old Callum - a young man brimming with anger and disaffection).

It's the contrast between these two protagonists that makes this novel so compelling. Blackman really fleshes out the basic morality tale of "Racism is bad / Equality is good", avoiding simplistic answers. There is no neat closure here. Heroes commit atrocities and villains make broken gestures of kindness. Ironically, there is no black and white. Such richness was thrilling, especially when you consider this is written for the teenage market.

More than this the plot unfolds with the timing of a thriller, and even though one can see developments and twists approaching from a mile away, Blackman writes it so well that I found myself hardly caring. The events that transpire might be predictable, but the complex and brave characterisation make the ride compelling.

On the down side, there are some clichés that trip the story up at times. It's not enough to cripple the narrative, but it does slow it down and I, for one, found myself annoyed at such small but noticeable setbacks. These clichés can be brushed over and you can still thoroughly enjoy the text, but for me it stopped the book becoming a bonafide classic.

In short, this is a great book, and the creative flair far out weighs the few stylistic hiccups. Blackman writes with such courage, conviction, and insight, I found myself challenged about my own innate world view. For what it matters, I'm a white middle class man, and this book caused me afresh to look at my own attitude to what I really believe about racism and equality. In this, the book is a roaring success, and if it causes more of us to honestly appraise our own hearts in regards to race, the better.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book ever!!!!
Buy this book. I first read naughts and crosses at primary school, now at high school I still love the book. You feel everything callum and stephy feel. Read more
Published 13 days ago by S. Davidson

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Quite sure
With over 200 five star reviews on this book it seemed promising to be near enough the best book I have read and will read in a long time. Read more
Published 15 days ago by Charleen

1.0 out of 5 stars Contrived
I was honestly looking forward to reading Noughts and Crosses, so it came as a fairly crushing disappointment when the opening pages immediately turned me off. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Sean Wills

2.0 out of 5 stars just okay
Interesting concept but I found it somewhat lacking in depth and struggled for that reason. To be fair to the author, the book is targeted at the younger reader which is fine.
Published 27 days ago by Romantic Soul

2.0 out of 5 stars ermmmm quite depressing
Erm noughts and crosses, well to be honest i wasn't that impressed it was pretty harsh but if you like that sort of thing... Read more
Published 1 month ago by T. Grotjahn-hanton

5.0 out of 5 stars a thrilling nd unexpected romance
When I first picked up this book I thought it was going to be another dead end romance with a fairy tale ending ... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ms. S. Morris

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant trilogy
I've read loads of Malorie Blackman's books, but this trilogy is her best by far. Very clever and moving, it will teach you about racial and social politics, whilst carrying you... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jo

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing

I loved this book, I thought it was amazing. I was ill when I got this book and finished it in a day it was that amazing!! Read more
Published 2 months ago by Jane Swan

4.0 out of 5 stars Gripping
This modern day Romeo and Juliet deals with a multitude of topics - love, hate, racism, terrorism and murder. I am now on Double Cross as had to keep reading. Read more
Published 2 months ago by C. Tyas

5.0 out of 5 stars Absoloute page-turner...Devastatingly sad!
As soon as I had opened the book, my eyes were fixed to the page and I was reading, chapter after chapter, trying but failing to tear myself away. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Susan Kalnitsky

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