2007 50 Book Challenge: Book Two - Checkmate by Malorie Blackman

ahhhh... finally got to the last book of the Noughts and Crosses trilogy.

A mighty fine series. This one didn't have the incredibly sad ending of book one, Noughts and Crosses, or the cliffhanger ending of the second book, Knife Edge. It was a very good ending to the series though.

I really enjoy the twist the entire series puts on the racism issue. At times I really had to think to remember just what colour the skin of Crosses and Noughts were supposed to be and was pleased at the realization that it didn't really matter. As a young adult novel the series highlights the relevant issues regarding racism quite effectively by switching the roles of the minority.
I also really felt a deep empathy for the lead character, Sephy (short for Persephone - my absolute favourite name for a girl since I was in grade school and had learned about mythology). I couldn't help but notice that everything Sephy felt and every way she reacted to situations was exactly how I would have. It was eerie in a way.

Blackman did a nice job of the telling of this last chapter. It was excellent how she went back and forth in time without it being confusing and it was a great technique for bringing out all the details of the story. I'm just a little disappointed that not all the questions were answered. well, all the important questions were answered, just the silly ones regarding the men in Sephy's and Callie's futures are the ones I'm still curious about.
and of course, there was the usual amount of blubbering going on when I read Callum's first letter. Fantastic. Just so good. Thanks Patty! I really appreciate you putting me onto this series. I really enjoyed it!
oh, and I'm so glad that I could get through it so quickly!

Next up: The Birth House by Ami Mckay