Noughts and Crosses Books in Order: How to read Malorie Blackman’s series?

Coming from British author Malorie Blackman, Noughts & Crosses is a series of young adult novels. It’s an alternative history in which native African people colonized the European people. It’s speculative fiction about two star-crossed lovers fighting for a more just world. Sephy is a Cross. Callum is a nought. She’s dark-skinned and lives a life of privilege. He’s pale-skinned and poor. Their love will lead both of them into terrible danger.

How to read the Noughts and Crosses Series in Order?

1. Noughts and Crosses – Sephy is a Cross – a member of the dark-skinned ruling class. Callum is a nought – a ‘colourless’ member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. The two have been friends since early childhood. But that’s as far as it can go. Until the first steps are taken towards more social equality and a limited number of Noughts are allowed into Cross schools… Against a background of prejudice and distrust, intensely highlighted by violent terrorist activity by Noughts, a romance builds between Sephy and Callum…
2. An Eye for An Eye (novella) – Can two wrongs ever make a right? Sephy is a Cross – the daughter of a top politician and a member of the ruling class. She is also six months pregnant. But Sephy’s baby will be a mixed-race child, its father a nought – in a world where the two classes are divided by colour and never treated as equals.
3. Callum (novella) – This novella changes the ending of Noughts and Crosses and was published for World Book Day 2012.
4. Knife Edge – Where there has been love, now there is hate. Two families have been shattered by the divided and violent society they live in. Sephy Hadley – a Cross, supposedly powerful and privileged – has bound herself forever to her nought lover Callum McGregor’s family. But Jude McGregor blames Sephy for all the tragedies his family has suffered. And he is determined to force her to take sides, and destroy her life . . . just like she destroyed his. . .
5. Checkmate – Sixteen years have passed since Sephy Hadley first met Callum McGregor. For Callie Rose, growing up mixed race in a world where bitter prejudice divides Noughts and Crosses has meant she’s an outsider wherever she turns. Enter Jude McGregor. Jude teaches Callie about her real family history, and the more she learns the more he persuades her where her loyalties really lie. But soon Callie is caught in a trap she can’t get out of – one which will have deadly consequences.

6. Double Cross – Tobey wants a better life – for him and for Callie Rose. He wants nothing to do with the violent gangs that rule the world he lives in. But when he’s offered the chance to earn some extra money, how much could it hurt to just this once say ‘yes’? Callie Rose knows all about the danger of saying ‘yes’. She knows about terrible mistakes, and violence and family feuds, and the fierce divide between Noughts and Crosses.
7. Nought Forever (novella) – Dan is on the run – hiding from a ruthless gang who wants him dead. Eva just wants to be left alone to mourn her daughter. But when a badly wounded Dan crosses her path, she’s compelled to help.
8. Crossfire – Society appears to be very different now. For the first time ever, a Nought Prime Minister – Tobey Durbridge – is in power. Race and class don’t divide people anymore. But things are never really that easy. Because Tobey’s just been framed for murder, and the only way to free himself is to turn to his oldest friend – Callie-Rose. Their families’ divisions run deep, and when two young people are kidnapped, their lives and everything they’ve fought for are put in the firing line.
9. Endgame – The first Nought Prime Minister, Toney Durbridge, is about to go on trial for the murder of notorious ganglord, Dan Jeavons. Tobey insists he is being framed. There were ten seats at Dan’s dinner party the night he was killed and each guest had their own reasons for wishing him dead. Sephy Hadley was one of the guests that night. Haunted by the idea that she didn’t do enough to stop the death of her first love, Callum McGregor, Sephy will not sit quietly and wait for accusations to fall on her now. She has her children to protect.

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