The support characters are largely archetypes. The alternating perspective means the reader understands a lot more than the characters do. As is only right for their characters, they are awful with communication. They are pieces in a chess game they want no part in and have no control over. The main characters are young, impulsive and act it. Decisions are made which are out of character. This leads to some serious flaws in the last maybe quarter of the book. Although honestly, it feels like the author wrote the end game and then figured out how she was going to get there after that. But it’s how they get there that was interesting. It hits a lot of the beats I excepted familial disapproval and drama, trauma for the mains that affects their relationship. Almost as a way to force caucasian readers to walk in the shoes of people of colour. It makes the whole thing feel more like a moral lesson rather than an enjoyable story at times. There is a direct correlation between our world and theirs with no complexity added. It is very black and white, good and bad. I can’t tell whom it’s intended readers are, I would suspect those in their earlyish teens given the simplistic nature of the writing. Simplistically put Noughts & Crosses is Romeo and Juliet meets race politics. Warnings: major character death, family violence, alcoholism, racism We’ll always find a way to mess up, doesn’t matter who’s in charge.
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