Noughts & Crosses

This epic tome packs some powerful political punches to which readers will undoubtedly respond. But Blackman never compromises the story, which is dramatic, moving and brave. * Guardian *A stimulating and emotionally satisfying novel, set in an alternate reality where racial stereotypes are turned upside down. * Financial Times *An inspired take on Romeo and Juliet, Blackman’s absorbing but alarming novel deals with themes of racism and prejudice without ever coming across as didactic. Unforgettable. * The Independent *This modern love story has everything. It is one of the best stories I’ve ever read and you never know what is going to happen next. * Books for Keeps *A stimulating and provocative plot line that often leaves the reader chilled to the bone… Noughts and Crosses is written with the passion of an author who has a personal, chilling vision of the past, present and future. Blackman cuts to the bone, turning the preconceived ideas of racial prejudice upside down, ensuring tht her point is well and truly made in a deeply disturbing and totally absorbing novel with a shocking climax that packs an unforgettable punch. * Amazon.co.uk *A gritty read for older children… A times this is a beautiful love story; at other times it is a harrowing and moral tale. Narrating believably through the voices of two teenagers, Malorie Blackman has written an incredible novel that is as heart-rending as it is provocative. I had to read it all in one sitting, and I challenge any reader not to do the same * Bookseller *’…a bruising tome and her most ambitious novel to date. An author who has worked hard not to be identified too closely with any particular genre, she has built a complex and challenging novel around an alternative version of apartheid.’ * The Scotsman *‘With its powerful theme of racial injustice, Noughts and Crosses engages the reader at a greater depth and in a more demanding way than any of Blackman’s previous work.’ * Books For Keeps *’…is an ambitious big novel about human rights, with a clever twist that keeps readers engrossed simply because - disturbingly - one finds it hard to come to terms with the premise that in this world the crosses, with their dark skin, are the dominant race.’ * Glasgow Sunday Herald *“A gripping, very thought-provoking story. … Readers are warned that some of the scenes are quite upsetting and shocking, but this gives the book an even more realistic feel.” * LiteraTour *

Malorie Blackman has written over seventy books for children and young adults, including the Noughts & Crosses series, Thief and a science-fiction thriller, Chasing the Stars. Many of her books have also been adapted for stage and television, including a BAFTA-award-winning BBC production of Pig-Heart Boy and a Pilot Theatre stage adaptation by Sabrina Mahfouz of Noughts & Crosses. There is also a major BBC production of Noughts & Crosses, with Roc Nation (Jay-Z’s entertainment company) curating the soundtrack as executive music producer. In 2005 Malorie was honoured with the Eleanor Farjeon Award in recognition of her distinguished contribution to the world of children’s books. In 2008 she received an OBE for her services to children’s literature, and between 2013 and 2015 she was the Children’s Laureate. Most recently Malorie wrote for the Doctor Who series on BBC One, and the fifth novel in her Noughts & Crosses series, Crossfire, was published by Penguin Random House Children’s in summer 2019.