Malorie Blackman's Nought's and Crosses

Now this is an interesting book which has a very serious and powerful message in its undertone despite it being a young adult novel. I was not sure I would enjoy this book originally, but it is in fact an exciting and meaningful tale. I read it in a day and immediately bought the sequels after finishing it. Yes, it is that good.

Blackman has written a ground-breaking novel that separates the population into the Noughts (white, more oppressed citizens) and the Crosses (black and who are perceived to be the superior race). The story is one of a forbidden love between a Nought boy (Callum) and his best friend a Cross girl (Stephy) from an influential political family. This kind of love is frowned upon by society and if made public would create a large downfall for her family but also waves of violent discrimination from both races. Even Callum’s own father and brother despise Crosses and join the Liberation Militia, a white terrorist organisation who want revenge for the way they are treated by the Crosses.

This is a powerful novel which does an effective job of creating a racial role reversal in a dystopian society. It highlights how systematic racism is an issue without going too far with it and making it a political novel, overshadowing Blackman's original intensions. It’s the perfect balance. Although fictional, the entire novel feels familiar, which makes sense since Blackman takes inspiration from history from all over the world. Although it’s a young adult book it does pave a way for young people to think about racism and start conversations about equality. I first read this book when I was 14 and I shocked and felt embarrassed by one part in the book. The scene in question was one in which a Nought girl gets injured and she is given a black plaster which stands out hugely on her white skin. This is something I had never thought about as I’ve never experienced having to put a plaster on that wasn’t sort of close to my skin colour. Now there are multiple colours of plasters (even ones with cute cartoon pandas on) but when I read that I was embarrassed that I’d never thought about that.

Blackman does a superb job in making this role reversal novel work. It’s a love story which isn’t atypical of young adult novels and it provides an intertext of Romeo and Juliet who’s love was forbidden due to family hatred, but in this narrative it is due to race. I suppose some narrow-minded individuals won't enjoy the book due to the narrative plot and believing its racist, but if Virginia Woolf’s Orlando and Oscar Wilde’s Picture of Dorian Gray were published in their narrow-minded society then this book deserves to be read by many people.

It might be an uncomfortable read, I can see why some people may find it difficult due to its racist basis but honestly don’t get put off by that, it is written beautifully.

Although there is a BBC's adaptation of the novel, the series does the book no justice and overshadow the storyline slightly. Basically read the book before you watch the series.

Noughts and Crosses is a compelling narrative of love against all odd and as well as being beautifully written, Blackman cleverly shows racial prejudice from another perspective.