Noughts and Crosses: A Series

After studying English Literature for 2 years during my A-Levels, then for a further 3 years at University, I thought it would be a while before I decided to start reading again.  I have tried but every time I picked up a book I would find myself falling into 'work-mode' and start to read it as though I was writing an essay rather than reading for my own enjoyment.  It is only recently that I have started to read again, and although I am still reading between the lines, so to say in terms of looking beyond what the words depict, I have decided to start writing book reviews. 

Now by this, I do not mean that I will say 'oh this book is good because..' or give it a rating...okay maybe I will but my sole purpose is to give people another insight into the love of reading in terms of looking beyond what the author has written on the page and to read from another perspective.  I also own a lot of books, and this way I can combine my degree with my hobby: the best of both worlds, so to say.  I have always been told throughout my time in education that my ideas are very unique and that what I come up with is something the teachers have never thought of before, in terms of how I perceive meanings in books.  

Nearly 10 months later I have finally rekindled my love of reading with one of my favourite book series of all time:

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman. 

I have always had a fascination with the race issue in America (in particular the 1950s), so much so that in each semester of University I made sure to make at least one of my modules relevant to this topic.  The book focuses on the segregation between black and white people, and how the role would have been reversed if the black people led more of a privileged life than the whites during a time when the race issue was a major concern.  

My friend recommended this book to me at least 6 years ago and it still remains a favourite of mine to this day, as I find that it is always going to be relative to what is happening in the 'real world'.  I don't want to explain the plotline of this book in a lot of detail as one of the main things I found was the vague description did the book justice.  You see, if I described the main plot then it would be a major spoiler to the rest of the book.  Some people may not agree with me but hey, this is my opinion and I liked being in the dark as it made you relate to the characters and gave you a sense of what they were going through.  

The two main characters, Sephy and Callum, belong to 2 different races: the Noughts (white people) and the Crosses (black people).  Whilst growing up together they start to develop a feeling of belonging to one another and ultimately want to start a relationship, something that is strictly forbidden in this world.  As they start to create a plan on how to escape from this world, something happens that changes the entire course of the book.  Noughts and Crosses is not just a romantic book.  It is a book that is full of metaphors and is a scary depiction of what is really happening to us in the 21st century.  

I almost gave up on this book as the writing style at the beginning was very cringey and childlike, but as the book progressed I realised that the text was written in a way to show the vulnerability of the characters as they grew into young adults, and depicted how naive they both were at the beginning of the novel at believing anything was possible, in a world where everything seems to be impossible.  As noted in the book there are several connotations linking to the real world.  For example, at one point the names of famous historians are listed who are not taught in the school as they were 'Noughts'.  This happened to Malorie Blackman as she noted that when she was in school, they were never taught about any famous black people, only white.  

*Spoilers ahead*

In order to give a more in-depth review of the book, I have decided to talk about some spoilers.  If you are not interested or do not want to spoil things for yourself, then please do not read on.

The perspectives of both characters give the reader an insight into how the other world lives.  As Sephy lives in a more privileged world she doesn't see things the same way as Callum.  It seems to me that she lives in a childlike mind through the book due to not having to face the realities of life.  Callum, on the other hand, has to deal with his fair share of family issues, segregation and racial insults in school and even how to cope with his family members belonging to a terrorist organisation.  I feel like this is metaphoric for the real world, as it is clear that the world is divided into 2.  However, more so into the rich and the poor.  Just look at the news.  Whilst those living a good life are worrying about silly things such as which celebrity is dating who, there has been a rising issue of the way the homeless people are being treated by the government, and how they are being banished from the streets when there is nowhere else to go.  So what are we doing? The privileged, what are we doing? We are making a stand against the government to protect the homeless people, and to make changes as to how the homeless are being treated. The rich helping the poor. The black people assisting the white people.  The Crosses assisting the Noughts.  This is the main thing that both Sephy and Callum are fighting for in the book. Equality.  

Equality is the main theme in this book that is always going to be related to the real world.  Which is why this book remains my favourite to this day.  It is never going to be outdated, and no matter when you read it you will always be reminded of an issue that is happening at the present time.  It is a reminder not to give up on wanting to achieve equality.

Going back to the writing style of the book, in short, this is the only book that has ever made me cry.  For example, in the climax of the book when Callum's fate is revealed I found that my heart had already started fluttering because despite knowing what was on the next page, the style of the writing transports you into Callum's shoes (literally).  It's as though it's showing us that both reader and character knows what is going to happen next, and there is nothing that either of us can do about it.  The words have been written.  The page is going to be turned.  So just get it over with.  By the last page, you find yourself crying without even realising due to the powerful impact of words and imagery used in those last few pages.  Then you realise that there are 3 more books, and start to wonder how Blackman is going to carry on the story without one of the main characters...

So do I recommend this book? Yep. 

Beckora x