Book Club Choice #2: Noughts And Crosses
by Barbara Felix // 30 November 2008, 07:00
Following the success of our previous book club discussion, I am pleased to announce the second F-Word book club choice. This months choice was nominated by Lindsey:
"I'd like to nominate Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses, a YA [novel] re-imagining of life based on reveresed race relations. It follows the story of a rich black daughter of a politician and a poor white boy whose family get involved in terrorism, and how the dynamics of their society complicate their feelings for each other. It's a great text for exploring ideas of privilege."You can still nominate books for the f-word book club, and you will be most welcome to do so.
***SPOILER ALERT***
Noughts and Crosses is the first in a series of (so far) three books, and a fourth book is due to be published any day now. The full series (so far) in order is: Noughts and Crosses, Knife Edge, Checkmate, and (soon) Double Cross.
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Hazel // Posted 30 November 2008 at 17:18
No need to publish this - just a note to say that Double Cross was published on 06/11/2008.
Maggie // Posted 30 November 2008 at 17:30
I would love to read this book as well. I second the choice.
Lindsey // Posted 03 December 2008 at 08:46
Ok I'll start:
One of the themes that interested me was physical appearance. Most of the white people in this novel are uncomfortable in their own skin - even one of the terrorists is said to use tanning products. I think this really high-lights the way that a privileged group can have power over an unprivileged one without being aware of it, or actively reinforcing it with anything other than higher status.