Review: Checkmate by Malorie Blackman

Set after the events of Knife Edge, the series shifts its focus from Sephy to her daughter Callie Rose. Growing up is tough, especially when Callie Rose's mother is keeping secrets from her, and when no one will tell her what happened to her father. Her friendship with Tobias from next door often seems to get her into trouble. And then of course there is the general dysfunction that surrounds her family--Sephy's inability to be close to anyone, even the man that she should marry, the vast difference in the circumstances of her two grandmothers, and the secretive Uncle Jude who very quietly spoils her. But Uncle Jude's attentions come at a huge price as he carefully grooms Callie to become a suicide bomber for the Liberation Militia. 

This novel very much gets to the heart of how and why children agree to become suicide bombers. The narrative is quite complex in places, and like the two previous novels in the series, is most definitely aimed at readers on the more mature end of the YA spectrum. Although I found some parts of this novel distressing on a personal level, I found the story to be quite compelling and extremely well written. 

Recommend.

To date, there are two more books in this series to, Double Cross and Crossfire and a television series made by the BBC will air sometime in 2020 in the UK. Hopefully an Australian air date will follow. There are also rumours of a sixth novel to be released in the future, though I have no evidence that this will happen.

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