Checkmate: Book 3 (Noughts and Crosses)

by Malorie Blackman

Book Overview

Can the future ever erase the past? Rose has a Cross mother and a Nought father in a society where the pale-skinned Noughts are treated as inferiors and those with dual heritage face a life-long... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0552551945
• Release Date: August 2006
• Publisher: Corgi
• Length: 512 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.1" x 2.0" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

Fantastic

My order came super quickly, was exactly what I needed and was in fabulous condition. Would definitely use this seller again! Two thumbs waaaay up :)

A Great Third Installment

This is the third book in the brilliant Noughts & Crosses series. It follows Callie Rose, the daughter of Sephy and Callum, as she grows up and discovers her disturbing past. She meets her Uncle Jude, who is still consumed with rage and wants to use her for his own revenge. We meet Sephy again, but this time she's older and some what damaged by her past and finds it difficult to love again. We follow her through the different relationships with love interests and with Callie and find the answers to the cliffhanger of Knife Edge. The same format is used with characters alternating with each chapter and, as with the books preceding this one, the story sweeps you along and it's difficult not to get caught up in the lives of Sephy, Callie and the rest of the family. It reveals the difficultly growing up as a mixed race child and how prejudice from both sides leaves Callie with a feeling of not belonging anywhere. As Callie grows up and finds out that the ones closest to her have been lying she grows bitter and decides to follow Jude in his vendetta, even though her heart really isn't in it. This section of the story reaches a dramatic climax and the end for some of the characters. This is a cleverly crafted novel, and although it does not have the same impact as Noughts and Crosses, it's still a very tense and dramatic story that grips you and keeps you reading. The ending of the book is bittersweet. Verdict: Originally the final installment of a trilogy, Checkmate answers some of the questions that hovered after reading Knife Edge. The letter from Callum is explained in more detail and the relationships between the characters come to a satisfying conclusion. However, this novel didn't remain as the ending for this series and earlier this month a fourth book was released. I'm reluctant to read Double Cross as Checkmate was a perfect end to a thought-provoking and emotionally charged series which I thought was absolutely superb and cannot recommend enough. I'm not sure where Double Cross will take me, but I will find out as it's next on my list to read.

GREAT! but obviously not as breath-taking as the first one

(rating: 4 stars and a half) Personnally, as a teen, i loved Noughts and Crosses. It's my favorite book to date and Checkmate really ended the trilogy on a good note. It was great, though i suggest to not read this one first and really start with the first one (Noughts and Crosses). I do think the whole trilogy really goes deep and the whole series makes an amazing gift for a teen (not for younger children). Also, Checkmate makes you read at the tip of your page and always looking for an answer (which you do find by the way, this is not a loose-end book). Again, I loved it...i loved the whole series!

A perfect concluding novel

This was a beautiful end to the timeless trilogy and has probably even beaten its predecessor, Noughts & Crosses. Even without the tragic hanging scene, it made me cry the most. Checkmate tells the story of Carrie Rose and her childhood in dramatic flashbacks, about how had to fight the prejucides of being a 'halfer'. In these memories, Jude is back and is being haunted by the loss of his dead brother, but he neglects the power of love and lures his niece into his deadly trap. Meanwhile, back in the present, Sephy and Carrie are having problems of their own and struggle to have a strong, familial relationship so she does everything she can not to lose her. Throughout the book, I still felt that something was 'missing' and the absence of Callum really depressed me! I read the novel (I should say 'epic tome' - it's that brilliant) from start to finish in one whole day, and well after midnight I was still thoroughly compelled. Of course, you've probably got the jist of this review and realise that I would seriously recommend this book to you. If you've read the last two books (Noughts & Crosses and Knife Edge) and loved them, you'll love this book. Just make sure you have a year's supply of Kleenex ready for a tearfully thought-provoking read!

Noughts and crosses and Knife edge

Of all the books I have read Noughts and crosses was one of the most gripping aside from the fact that the third hasn't been released yet. This book focuses attention on a wide range of topics including slavery and racism. I think that this is a book everyone should have the oportunity to read.One of the most gripping books of our time and thank god for such talented authors as malorie blackman