LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
Shortlisted for the Costa Children's Book Award 2019
Former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman makes a brilliant return to her best-selling Noughts and Crosses series with an all-guns-blazing story of prejudice, love, ambition, politics and violence. In the series launch title, Sephy, a Cross, and Callum, a Nought, challenged the divisions in their society. They paid a heavy price for doing so but they did make changes; racial and class barriers were brought down and the future would be brighter. Or so they thought. But a generation on, while superficially things look better, the prejudices are never far away and where they are, violence follows. When the first Nought Prime Minister is framed for murder he turns to his old friend Callie Rose, daughter of Sephy and Callum to defend him. But crossing the racial divide is still unpopular and both have ruthless enemies. As corruption spills into violence the next generation, Troy and Liberty, are terrifyingly caught up in the conflict. Malorie Blackman’s scope is huge in terms of characters and time- frames in this hard hitting socio-political commentary which has obvious resonance for today.
Julia Eccleshare M.B.E.
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Crossfire Synopsis
Crossfire is the long-awaited new novel in legendary author Malorie Blackman's ground-breaking Noughts & Crosses series - perfect for fans of The Handmaid's Tale and The Power.
Thirty-four years have passed since Sephy Hadley - a Cross - first met Callum McGregor - a nought. Their love was forbidden, powerful - and deadly. Life is seemingly very different now for noughts and Crosses - including for Sephy and Callum's families. But old wounds from the past are hard to heal, and when you're playing a game as dangerous as they are, it won't be long before someone gets caught in the crossfire.
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Press Reviews
Malorie Blackman Press Reviews
Praise for Noughts & Crosses:
'The Noughts & Crosses series are still my favourite books of all time and showed me just how amazing story-telling could be' - Stormzy
'The most original book I've ever read' Benjamin Zephaniah
'Blackman gets people . . . she gets humanity as a whole, too' Guardian
'Powerful' Sunday Times
Blackman gets people . . . she gets humanity as a whole, too - The Guardian
Powerful - The Sunday Times
Packs some powerful political punches...But Blackman never compromises the story, which is dramatic, moving and brave - Guardian
Blackman's absorbing but alarming novel deals with themes of racism and prejudice . . . Unforgettable - Independent
Author
About Malorie Blackman
Children's Laureate 2013-2015
Malorie Blackman had a variety of jobs before she became a full time writer and spent many years working as a Database Manager for Reuters travelling extensively within Europe and the United States.
After 82 rejection letters, her first novel, Not So Stupid!, was a selected title for the 1991 Feminist Book Fortnight, and Malorie participated in the first BBC TV Black Women’s Screenwriting Workshop in 1991. She has written a number of books for young readers including the Whizziwig series, which have been dramatised successfully for children’s television.
Her dystopian novel series Noughts and Crosses has won the Children’s Book Award, and she has twice won the Young Telegraph/Gimme 5 Award (for Hacker and Thief!) – the only author to have done so. Malorie writes across a range of subjects for children and teens, addressing diverse and sensitive issues.
In her spare time, Malorie likes going to the cinema, the theatre and watching TV, enjoys playing computer and board games, and reads absolutely everything...except Westerns.
In the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2008 Malorie received an OBE for her contribution to children’s literature and was awarded the prestigious Eleanor Farjeon award in 2005.
Malorie was selected as the Waterstones Children's Laureate in June 2013 taking over from Julia Donaldson. She will remain in the post for the next 2 years. The title of Children’s Laureate is awarded to an acclaimed author or illustrator in acknowledgment of their outstanding contribution to their field, and Malorie is the eighth recipient of this honour.
She lives in South London.
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