Black & White - Softcover

Blackman, Malorie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1416900179 ISBN 13: 9781416900177

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2007

Synopsis

True enemies. False hope,

Sephy is part of the ruling class. Callum is considered a second-class citizen. They have been friends all their lives, since before there were barriers and boundaries. Now, things are different -- they have to meet in secret, as hate and violence seethe dangerously close to the surface of their society's fragile order.

Once, Sephy and Callum thought they had to proect their love; now, they must defend their very lives....

About this title

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

Review:

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

About this edition

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1416900179
• ISBN 13: 9781416900177
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 512