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Noughts and Crosses #4.5
Nought Forever
A powerful new Noughts & Crosses story from legendary author Malorie Blackman, written for World Book Day 2019
I've never been shot before. It's dark but I keep seeing white flashes before my eyes like spots of lightning jabbing at me. Am I going into shock? Must be. But I can't pass out, not now. Then I'll be dead for sure.
Dan is on the run - hiding from a ruthless gang who want him dead.
It's one of those nights. One of those nights where I sit alone and watch the world go by. One of those nights when if my hatred were fuel, I would happily light a match and watch the whole world burn.
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.
Both are hiding dark secrets from their past. Both have reasons to fear the other. But they are both connected to each other too, and before the night is over, Eva will be forced to choose: betray Dan, or protect him - whatever the cost.
I've never been shot before. It's dark but I keep seeing white flashes before my eyes like spots of lightning jabbing at me. Am I going into shock? Must be. But I can't pass out, not now. Then I'll be dead for sure.
Dan is on the run - hiding from a ruthless gang who want him dead.
It's one of those nights. One of those nights where I sit alone and watch the world go by. One of those nights when if my hatred were fuel, I would happily light a match and watch the whole world burn.
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.
Both are hiding dark secrets from their past. Both have reasons to fear the other. But they are both connected to each other too, and before the night is over, Eva will be forced to choose: betray Dan, or protect him - whatever the cost.
112 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2019
28 people are currently reading
1419 people want to read
About the author
Malorie Blackman
156 books4,514 followersAn award-winning children's author, Malorie Blackman was honoured with an OBE in 2008. Her work has been adapted for TV and stage.
More information available at:
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British Council: Contemporary Authors
British Council: Encompass Culture
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More information available at:
Myspace
British Council: Contemporary Authors
British Council: Encompass Culture
Channel 4 Learning: Book Box
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
February 13, 2021
A very short story that adds to the noughts and crosses series, which was released as part of world book day.
This was probably better at the time but doesn’t really add much.
This was probably better at the time but doesn’t really add much.
December 13, 2019
These world book day books are great for getting my reading challenge done 😀
March 10, 2019
An interesting enough story but it's incomplete and does not stand alone. It isn't really a short story, but more a fragment of a longer story. It may be good for people who have read the rest of the series but, for someone who hasn't, it is frustrating.
Furthermore, the 'story' only takes up half of the book and the rest of composed of tasters - snippets of other books.
Very disappointing.
Furthermore, the 'story' only takes up half of the book and the rest of composed of tasters - snippets of other books.
Very disappointing.
March 17, 2019
‘Nought Forever’ (2019) – one of the World Book Day free books – is a short story by Malorie Blackman and is the latest addition to her ‘Noughts and Crosses’ series.
‘Nought Forever’ tells the story of Dan and Eva (neither of whom we have met before in previous Noughts and Crosses instalments) and how their troubled paths cross. This is a perfectly adequate Noughts and Crosses related story and relatively engaging – but ultimately not greatly fulfilling or satisfying.
Indeed upon reaching the end of ‘Nought Forever’ we are provided with a ‘sneak preview’ of Blackmans’ next book in the Noughts and Crosses series – ‘Crossfire’ (out summer 2019) which does rather feel like ‘Nought Forever’ is little more than an extended advertisement or marketing device to promote ‘Crossfire’. That being the case, but nevertheless – I’m sure that fans of the world of Noughts and Crosses will enjoy this short story addition to the series.
As a footnote: Let’s hope that ‘Crossfire’ is a worthy successor to the previous Noughts and Crosses novels – it is now more than a decade since ‘Double Cross’ – itself an unexpected successor to the original, groundbreaking and excellent trilogy.
‘Nought Forever’ tells the story of Dan and Eva (neither of whom we have met before in previous Noughts and Crosses instalments) and how their troubled paths cross. This is a perfectly adequate Noughts and Crosses related story and relatively engaging – but ultimately not greatly fulfilling or satisfying.
Indeed upon reaching the end of ‘Nought Forever’ we are provided with a ‘sneak preview’ of Blackmans’ next book in the Noughts and Crosses series – ‘Crossfire’ (out summer 2019) which does rather feel like ‘Nought Forever’ is little more than an extended advertisement or marketing device to promote ‘Crossfire’. That being the case, but nevertheless – I’m sure that fans of the world of Noughts and Crosses will enjoy this short story addition to the series.
As a footnote: Let’s hope that ‘Crossfire’ is a worthy successor to the previous Noughts and Crosses novels – it is now more than a decade since ‘Double Cross’ – itself an unexpected successor to the original, groundbreaking and excellent trilogy.
May 28, 2020
I remember reading Noughts and Crosses when I was in high school and to be honest, not really enjoying it very much. At the time, the story-line was very dark and brutal at points which didn't sit well with me. I did find this short story however from the series and fancied giving it a try. Nought Forever follows Dan who is on the run and ends up being attacked, collapsing in the lawn of Eva's house and she drags him in and debates whether to hide him and lie to authorities or betray his arrival. Very fast-paced, I liked the duel POV aspect. I'm still not convinced that the series is something I would enjoy now, even as an older reader.
November 30, 2019
A short story from the Nougths and Crosses series, feautring Dan who works for the notorious McCauley. This can be read in one sitting, it is suspenseful and really spoke out to me despite it's length.
"We need to be able to make our own wealth and to function independently."
"We need to be able to make our own wealth and to function independently."
September 19, 2021
Very short and not wholly satisfying tbh
March 3, 2019
It's been several years since I read the Noughts and Crosses series, but as it was one of the first YA series I ever read, it holds a special place in my heart. I had to read a recap on the series to remember who the characters were. Malorie Blackman delivers yet another powerful story about racial issues. This short story has made me want to reread the series in preparation for the fifth book coming out this year.
November 3, 2021
A short, in-between story from the Noughts and Crosses series; this one was literally 50 pages long so it was very short and sweet, and gave me the chance to get to know a few of the characters on a deeper level.
March 21, 2019
In this mini world book day book focusing back on the nought vs cross world, we meet criminal of the nought gang, Dan as he gets injured and relies on cross, Eva an ex nurse to take care of him after all she knows loss after her daughter committed suicide.
In this action packed mini story to go along with the bigger more well known books, anyone can enjoy the story as we delve back into the world of nought vs cross. With mild violence it is more suited to readers in their early teens and beyond but shows how social divide can cause harm in the world.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
In this action packed mini story to go along with the bigger more well known books, anyone can enjoy the story as we delve back into the world of nought vs cross. With mild violence it is more suited to readers in their early teens and beyond but shows how social divide can cause harm in the world.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
June 16, 2019
Dit is duidelijk onderdeel van een serie wat het behoorlijk frustrerend maakt. Op zich was het een aardig verhaal, maar te kort en ik miste een hoop informatie. Toen ik er net lekker in zat, was het afgelopen. Jammer!
March 5, 2020
I’ve not ready anything from this author before but I’ve heard she is good. I wasn’t lied to. There was a good build up of suspense with a few surprises until the cliff hanger ending! What did Eva do!!! This book really left me wanting more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2023
I mean I'm putting three stars because you can't really rate this, it was literally like 60 or 70 pages long and it was a short piece that didnt really add to the story, regardless I still liked remembering the story because I haven't read this series for a long time.
May 5, 2019
I'm not sure if I should give this a 2.5 stars or round up to three.
September 4, 2024
Pointless
April 27, 2019
A nice little taster and reminder of Malorie Blackman's Noughts & Crosses world before the release of Crossfire this summer!
June 30, 2019
Quick, easy, gold storyline, easy to follow, just wish it a longer!
April 4, 2019
I love the characterisation of Eva developed in only a few pages. I would love to hear a continuation of this short story! It got me back in the mindset of noughts and crosses and I am so excited for the next book in this fantastic series!
April 18, 2019
2.5 stars
Sadly the nought forever story was incredibly short and didn't even have a conclusion. This book then goes into a preview of the next book my Malorie Blackman called Crossfire.
Sadly the nought forever story was incredibly short and didn't even have a conclusion. This book then goes into a preview of the next book my Malorie Blackman called Crossfire.
October 21, 2020
3/5 stars. Though I did enjoy this read, I haven't read the Noughts & Crosses series. If had prior to starting this then I would have most likely enjoyed this more.
September 13, 2021
I loved this short story and I cannot wait to properly dive back into this world when Crossfire is released. After that ending, I need Crossfire now!
October 20, 2024
Dan has never been shot before, but now he's reeling from the pain, surrounded by flashes of white light. Is he going into shock? Probably. But he can't afford to pass out—if he does, he’s as good as dead. Dan is on the run, hunted by a dangerous gang determined to kill him.
Eva is in a dark place, grieving her daughter and wanting nothing more than to be left alone. But when Dan, badly injured, stumbles into her life, she can't bring herself to turn away. Both of them are hiding deep, painful secrets, and neither trusts the other. But they’re linked in ways they can’t ignore, and as the night unfolds, Eva is faced with a choice: betray Dan or risk everything to protect him.
Dan was a new character for me, and since I haven’t read the fourth book in the Noughts and Crosses series yet, this novella helped me prepare for it. I’ve really enjoyed the first three books, though they’re intense, which is why I haven’t gotten around to the fourth one yet. In this story, Ava is a grieving mother who wants to help, but she’s unsure if Dan is safe or a threat.
As they navigate their difficult world and their relationship with it, I found the novella to be thoughtfully written. I really appreciated the depth of the characters and their struggles. I’m looking forward to continuing my journey in the Noughts and Crosses universe.
Eva is in a dark place, grieving her daughter and wanting nothing more than to be left alone. But when Dan, badly injured, stumbles into her life, she can't bring herself to turn away. Both of them are hiding deep, painful secrets, and neither trusts the other. But they’re linked in ways they can’t ignore, and as the night unfolds, Eva is faced with a choice: betray Dan or risk everything to protect him.
Dan was a new character for me, and since I haven’t read the fourth book in the Noughts and Crosses series yet, this novella helped me prepare for it. I’ve really enjoyed the first three books, though they’re intense, which is why I haven’t gotten around to the fourth one yet. In this story, Ava is a grieving mother who wants to help, but she’s unsure if Dan is safe or a threat.
As they navigate their difficult world and their relationship with it, I found the novella to be thoughtfully written. I really appreciated the depth of the characters and their struggles. I’m looking forward to continuing my journey in the Noughts and Crosses universe.
June 3, 2019
Noughts & Crosses was the very first series I became obsessed with as a kid. Funnily enough, it was the World Book Day “An Eye For An Eye” that I read first, and from that moment on I was hooked. I’ve read all of the books in this series numerous times, and when I heard Malorie Blackman was releasing a new book in the series I could not wait!
Nought Forever is a super quick short, standing at around 50 pages, it catches up with Dan, Tobey’s friend from the previous book. I really enjoyed it. It was so great to be back in that world, even if just very briefly. There’s not much to say about it as it’s over pretty quickly, and then we are treated to part of the next novel, Crossfire. I CANNOT WAIT!!! Bring it on!!!
Nought Forever is a super quick short, standing at around 50 pages, it catches up with Dan, Tobey’s friend from the previous book. I really enjoyed it. It was so great to be back in that world, even if just very briefly. There’s not much to say about it as it’s over pretty quickly, and then we are treated to part of the next novel, Crossfire. I CANNOT WAIT!!! Bring it on!!!
March 13, 2021
Not good at all. The book was comprised of three excerpts. I haven’t read the original noughts and crosses series and I had to google most of the background. This is not a stand alone.
The first excerpt “Nought forever” was okay but had cringey dialogue and a terrible cliffhanger.
The second was a preview for Blackman’s next book which was disappointing to say the least because I did not care at all given I hadn’t read the rest of the series.
The third excerpt isn’t even written by Blackman, and is written by Emily M. Danforth. I will continue reading this book because I found it very intriguing and hopefully it is decent.
The first excerpt “Nought forever” was okay but had cringey dialogue and a terrible cliffhanger.
The second was a preview for Blackman’s next book which was disappointing to say the least because I did not care at all given I hadn’t read the rest of the series.
The third excerpt isn’t even written by Blackman, and is written by Emily M. Danforth. I will continue reading this book because I found it very intriguing and hopefully it is decent.
December 22, 2019
Noughts and Crosses has been on my reading list for a long time, so when I got a book token I thought I'd get this short story and dip my toe into this world.
The politics is interesting. The idea of Noughts (I'm assuming white people) and Crosses (darker skinned people?) being opposing gangs? Sounds really interesting. It also seems interesting that the social politics is kind of reversed, with light skinned people being oppressed? Also I'm curious to see if it's only England?
This little teaser has raised alot of questions, so I'm super excited to get through the actual book 😊
The politics is interesting. The idea of Noughts (I'm assuming white people) and Crosses (darker skinned people?) being opposing gangs? Sounds really interesting. It also seems interesting that the social politics is kind of reversed, with light skinned people being oppressed? Also I'm curious to see if it's only England?
This little teaser has raised alot of questions, so I'm super excited to get through the actual book 😊
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2022
i think this would have been a great short story as an addition to the series if it wasn't incomplete. when downloading the book, i genuinely thought that the pages for the ending were missing because it's not entirely fulfilling. i think it would've been worth having their storyline followed through for longer so we could see how dan was able to turn himself into the man we see in the next book, rather than half of this book being the beginning of crossfire. it's not the best short story and kind of disappointing because eva's and dan's story definitely deserved more depth and continuation
January 18, 2025
Rating: 3/5
Nought Forever was an interesting read, but I didn’t feel fully engaged because Dan and Eva, two new characters, were suddenly introduced into the Noughts & Crosses-series. I didn’t feel any connection to them and wasn’t sure who they were, which made it hard to care about their story.
Personally, I would have preferred more focus on Callie and Tobey, who feel much more central and compelling to the series. While the book is short, I was hoping for something more closely tied to the main narrative.
Nought Forever was an interesting read, but I didn’t feel fully engaged because Dan and Eva, two new characters, were suddenly introduced into the Noughts & Crosses-series. I didn’t feel any connection to them and wasn’t sure who they were, which made it hard to care about their story.
Personally, I would have preferred more focus on Callie and Tobey, who feel much more central and compelling to the series. While the book is short, I was hoping for something more closely tied to the main narrative.
April 23, 2025
I would definitely have rated this higher, had I read more of this series, but I picked this up just thinking it was a short story, not a novella in the middle of a 6 book series. I do now want to read the rest of it. It's intriguing for sure. Also read the excerp from the 5th book and I'm hooked.
I like the concept and haven't seen much else like it. The writing style is very casual, but it fits the story.
I'll reread it if I do end up reading the rest of noughts and crosses.
Why is it 3 stars you may ask? I don't like open endings.
I like the concept and haven't seen much else like it. The writing style is very casual, but it fits the story.
I'll reread it if I do end up reading the rest of noughts and crosses.
Why is it 3 stars you may ask? I don't like open endings.
March 21, 2019
Nought Forever explores how loyalty shifts as Eva discovers Dan, a young man injured and hiding, in her back garden. He is a member of a terrorist organisation she doesn’t approve of, and yet as a mother she cannot leave Dan alone and without help.
This World Book Day short is a beautiful glimpse into a moment we will all face at some point in our lives; whether to do what is right or what is easy, especially when it interferes with our own sense of morality.
This World Book Day short is a beautiful glimpse into a moment we will all face at some point in our lives; whether to do what is right or what is easy, especially when it interferes with our own sense of morality.
February 22, 2020
NOUGHT FOREVER by MALORIE BLACKMAN
I adored the Noughts and Crosses series when I was younger and I was so excited when this book and Crossfire came out last year.
I’ve put off reading them both because I didn’t want to shatter the nostalgia, but I have to say I really enjoyed this little snippet and I can’t wait to read Crossfire now!
It’s got plenty of action and tension and ends with a wonderfully timed cliffhanger!
Big love for Malorie!
I adored the Noughts and Crosses series when I was younger and I was so excited when this book and Crossfire came out last year.
I’ve put off reading them both because I didn’t want to shatter the nostalgia, but I have to say I really enjoyed this little snippet and I can’t wait to read Crossfire now!
It’s got plenty of action and tension and ends with a wonderfully timed cliffhanger!
Big love for Malorie!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews