***Page 99 Test*** Checkmate (Noughts and Crosses #3 by Malorie Blackman

What’s the Page 99 Test?

Well the page 99 test was created by Ford Maddox Ford as a way to test the quality of a book you may want to read. Apparently page 99 is the point in the book where the author should have hit their stride and hopefully we’re not so far in we hit spoilers.

On the Back of the Book

Can the future ever erase the past? Rose has a Cross mother and a nought father in a society where the pale-skinned noughts are treated as inferiors and those with dual heritage face a life-long battle against deep-rooted prejudices. Sephy, her mother, has told Rose virtually nothing about her father, but as Rose grows into a young adult, she unexpectedly discovers the truth about her parentage and becomes determined to find out more. But her father's family has a complicated history - one tied up with the fight for equality for the nought population. And as Rose takes her first steps away from Sephy and into this world, she finds herself drawn inexorably into more and more danger. Suddenly it's a game of very high stakes that can only have one winner . . .

The Test Paragraph

“I couldn’t bear to read anymore.

Sephy Scared...

Is that how Sonny saw me? Is that what I was? I put down the sheet of paper which was suddenly burning my fingers. I picked up my bag, stood up and, after one last look at Sonny, walked quietly out of the room.

My Thoughts

I thought that to celebrate Malorie Blackman Month, which I'm doing with the lovely Amy BookWorm I'd do a special page 99 test in her honour. Woo!!! Banner time: 

 

Okay, so let’s start with the synopsis: The synopsis tells me that this takes place a while after the events of the previous two stories in the ‘Noughts and Crosses’ series. It just recaps the past couple of books and says pretty much the same as the others except this is from Callie Rose’s POV.

The cover: Well you know me, I judge covers for fun. The black and white theme is continued with ‘Checkmate’ This is just checks though and for me it lacks the main focal point of the previous books.

The paragraph: This paragraph is from about half way down page 99. It’s a pretty depressing paragraph. Saying that though it’s a very short paragraph and aside from feelings it doesn’t really give much away. If I was reading this on the basis of that paragraph I wouldn’t pick it up. It’s a good job that this is book 3 of a series!!

What do you guys think of the sound of Checkmate?

Let me know in the comments!