Better for Foundation Tier!!!, 07 Apr 2008
This book is quite light-hearted, and as another review says, probably contains everything you need to pass- get a C grade. It doesn't, however, contain the information i would personally say you need for the A*-B Therefore is better for foundation. I have now bought the York Notes revision book, which is much better for higher grades!!!

A must have!, 17 Oct 2007
If you are studying this book for GCSE, I would 100% recommend you get this book. It is a fantastic resource and will definitely help you with your analysis and understanding of the book.
The guide goes into great detail and depth, some of which is not needed but interesting to read anyway. The guide is written in a way where many quotations from the book are incorporated into the guide. This helps you remember the quotations, and helps you in understanding how to use quotations effectively.
This guide provides everything you need to know about Of Mice and Men, including historical context and a fantastic comic-style summary which will aid you greatly in remebering when each event occured. A must have for every student studying this book, no matter what grade you are aiming for or which exam board you are on.

Great for GCSE!, 13 Apr 2007
This is a very good text guide to help with An Inspector Calls at GCSE level. It gives you a great insight into the play and explains things very well. But sometimes it doesn't go into a deeper analysis and description which is required if you want to get the higher marks. But it has greatly helped me with the understanding and knowledge that I have of the play.

why is this book so good?, 28 Mar 2004
this book is fab. Because it is not a "york notes" which is fab for studying books, plays and poetry. this book tells you how to write. basically! it helps with reading skills, writing skills and essential english. it even tells you how to do a speaking and listening!! if you do not have the english skills, doesnt matter how many york notes you've memorized you wont do well... if you cant write an essay you wont do well... i learnt alot from this book. its great.

CGP books are great as they give you good solid facts with funny comic-like pictures. most of the pics are silly but they will make you smile! GCP also uses bright colours to make these books fab to look at. it doesn't matter how good the books are if they are 100 pages of black and white notes you wont want to pick them up and read it.

You Need This!, 25 Jan 2004
If You are studying this book for GCSE and care about passing, then get this book... JUST STOP WHAT YOUR DOING, RIGHT NOW & GET THIS BOOK! it gives you everything you need to pass, the door is right infront of you, you just have to walk through it!

Better for Foundation Tier!!!, 07 Apr 2008
This book is quite light-hearted, and as another review says, probably contains everything you need to pass- get a C grade. It doesn't, however, contain the information i would personally say you need for the A*-B Therefore is better for foundation. I have now bought the York Notes revision book, which is much better for higher grades!!!

A must have!, 17 Oct 2007
If you are studying this book for GCSE, I would 100% recommend you get this book. It is a fantastic resource and will definitely help you with your analysis and understanding of the book.
The guide goes into great detail and depth, some of which is not needed but interesting to read anyway. The guide is written in a way where many quotations from the book are incorporated into the guide. This helps you remember the quotations, and helps you in understanding how to use quotations effectively.
This guide provides everything you need to know about Of Mice and Men, including historical context and a fantastic comic-style summary which will aid you greatly in remebering when each event occured. A must have for every student studying this book, no matter what grade you are aiming for or which exam board you are on.

Great for GCSE!, 13 Apr 2007
This is a very good text guide to help with An Inspector Calls at GCSE level. It gives you a great insight into the play and explains things very well. But sometimes it doesn't go into a deeper analysis and description which is required if you want to get the higher marks. But it has greatly helped me with the understanding and knowledge that I have of the play.

why is this book so good?, 28 Mar 2004
this book is fab. Because it is not a "york notes" which is fab for studying books, plays and poetry. this book tells you how to write. basically! it helps with reading skills, writing skills and essential english. it even tells you how to do a speaking and listening!! if you do not have the english skills, doesnt matter how many york notes you've memorized you wont do well... if you cant write an essay you wont do well... i learnt alot from this book. its great.

CGP books are great as they give you good solid facts with funny comic-like pictures. most of the pics are silly but they will make you smile! GCP also uses bright colours to make these books fab to look at. it doesn't matter how good the books are if they are 100 pages of black and white notes you wont want to pick them up and read it.

You Need This!, 25 Jan 2004
If You are studying this book for GCSE and care about passing, then get this book... JUST STOP WHAT YOUR DOING, RIGHT NOW & GET THIS BOOK! it gives you everything you need to pass, the door is right infront of you, you just have to walk through it!

LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT!, 09 Sep 2008
A brilliant book! Highly recommended! You'll laugh, you'll cry and you will absolutely identify with the main character, Emma, on her journey in this book. One of my all time favourites, couldn't put it down!

A wonderful feelgood story, 02 Sep 2008
I've read all Sophie's shopaholic books, and I'm happy to report this is just as good. As usual with her books, it has it's share of laugh out loud moments, and my only complaint about it, is that it's too short, I didn't want it to end. This is chick lit romantic comedy at it's best.

what can i say??, 31 Aug 2008
what can i say?? BEST. BOOK. EVER!!
i picked it up. i read it. i loved it!!!
im 15 years old and i read this when i was 14. personally, i am not a huge fan of romantic novels but one day when i was bored and need a book to read for english i picked this one up simply because it looked nice. it is a good book because it is great for the teenage gap: it has a good balance of romance and comedy without being to over the top ans is generally just an enjoyable read. sophie kinsella's style of writing is light and easy to understand so makes this book a great choice for anyone who is looking to be entertained without having to take in too much.

I can't believe the overall rating for this book!, 13 Jun 2008
I have always been a lover of chick lit, Marian Keyes, Jane Green, love 'em all for a bit of light reading. So I've been eyeing the Sophie Kinsella books for a while and finally picked up 'Can You Keep a Secret?'...oh dear. Unfortunately I cannot keep the secret of how much I hated this book! Sadly I am the sort of person who cannot leave a book once I've started it and so I stayed until the bitter end.

I have never written a negative review (I would simply stay silent) so I'm very sorry Ms Kinsella. However, I have had to suffer an entire book where the plotline is so painfully obvious and the heroine was such an utter moron that if I were to meet someone like that I would shake her by the shoulders and tell her to stop being such an idiotic wimp! As the reader, I am generally meant to feel some sort of sympathy or empathy with the main character in these types of book, not so in this case. Emma Corrigan is an imbecile and the type of 'friend' one would tend to avoid at all costs. Nothing the character does is remotely realistic and the only reason I give this book 1 star is because if Emma can end up with a rich successful boyfriend AND a promotion, then there is hope for us all! Although I really think this is stretching the meaning of 'fiction' to it's outer limits, maybe it should be reclassified under 'fantasy'.

Usually I share my books with my friends and family or give them to the charity shop when I've finished with them. This time I simply left it on the bus and walked away. Now I'm off to pick up some Aldous Huxley in attempt to get some of those brain cells back...

Just Brilliant, 08 Jun 2008
This book is fantastic, I read it in a day I just couldn't put it down, it's really touching and moving in parts. I think Sophie Kinsella is a fantasic author, one of my favorites, Im not one for reading but I ordered her whole collection and i'm getting though them pretty quick.....

Better for Foundation Tier!!!, 07 Apr 2008
This book is quite light-hearted, and as another review says, probably contains everything you need to pass- get a C grade. It doesn't, however, contain the information i would personally say you need for the A*-B Therefore is better for foundation. I have now bought the York Notes revision book, which is much better for higher grades!!!

A must have!, 17 Oct 2007
If you are studying this book for GCSE, I would 100% recommend you get this book. It is a fantastic resource and will definitely help you with your analysis and understanding of the book.
The guide goes into great detail and depth, some of which is not needed but interesting to read anyway. The guide is written in a way where many quotations from the book are incorporated into the guide. This helps you remember the quotations, and helps you in understanding how to use quotations effectively.
This guide provides everything you need to know about Of Mice and Men, including historical context and a fantastic comic-style summary which will aid you greatly in remebering when each event occured. A must have for every student studying this book, no matter what grade you are aiming for or which exam board you are on.

Great for GCSE!, 13 Apr 2007
This is a very good text guide to help with An Inspector Calls at GCSE level. It gives you a great insight into the play and explains things very well. But sometimes it doesn't go into a deeper analysis and description which is required if you want to get the higher marks. But it has greatly helped me with the understanding and knowledge that I have of the play.

why is this book so good?, 28 Mar 2004
this book is fab. Because it is not a "york notes" which is fab for studying books, plays and poetry. this book tells you how to write. basically! it helps with reading skills, writing skills and essential english. it even tells you how to do a speaking and listening!! if you do not have the english skills, doesnt matter how many york notes you've memorized you wont do well... if you cant write an essay you wont do well... i learnt alot from this book. its great.

CGP books are great as they give you good solid facts with funny comic-like pictures. most of the pics are silly but they will make you smile! GCP also uses bright colours to make these books fab to look at. it doesn't matter how good the books are if they are 100 pages of black and white notes you wont want to pick them up and read it.

You Need This!, 25 Jan 2004
If You are studying this book for GCSE and care about passing, then get this book... JUST STOP WHAT YOUR DOING, RIGHT NOW & GET THIS BOOK! it gives you everything you need to pass, the door is right infront of you, you just have to walk through it!

LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT!, 09 Sep 2008
A brilliant book! Highly recommended! You'll laugh, you'll cry and you will absolutely identify with the main character, Emma, on her journey in this book. One of my all time favourites, couldn't put it down!

A wonderful feelgood story, 02 Sep 2008
I've read all Sophie's shopaholic books, and I'm happy to report this is just as good. As usual with her books, it has it's share of laugh out loud moments, and my only complaint about it, is that it's too short, I didn't want it to end. This is chick lit romantic comedy at it's best.

what can i say??, 31 Aug 2008
what can i say?? BEST. BOOK. EVER!!
i picked it up. i read it. i loved it!!!
im 15 years old and i read this when i was 14. personally, i am not a huge fan of romantic novels but one day when i was bored and need a book to read for english i picked this one up simply because it looked nice. it is a good book because it is great for the teenage gap: it has a good balance of romance and comedy without being to over the top ans is generally just an enjoyable read. sophie kinsella's style of writing is light and easy to understand so makes this book a great choice for anyone who is looking to be entertained without having to take in too much.

I can't believe the overall rating for this book!, 13 Jun 2008
I have always been a lover of chick lit, Marian Keyes, Jane Green, love 'em all for a bit of light reading. So I've been eyeing the Sophie Kinsella books for a while and finally picked up 'Can You Keep a Secret?'...oh dear. Unfortunately I cannot keep the secret of how much I hated this book! Sadly I am the sort of person who cannot leave a book once I've started it and so I stayed until the bitter end.

I have never written a negative review (I would simply stay silent) so I'm very sorry Ms Kinsella. However, I have had to suffer an entire book where the plotline is so painfully obvious and the heroine was such an utter moron that if I were to meet someone like that I would shake her by the shoulders and tell her to stop being such an idiotic wimp! As the reader, I am generally meant to feel some sort of sympathy or empathy with the main character in these types of book, not so in this case. Emma Corrigan is an imbecile and the type of 'friend' one would tend to avoid at all costs. Nothing the character does is remotely realistic and the only reason I give this book 1 star is because if Emma can end up with a rich successful boyfriend AND a promotion, then there is hope for us all! Although I really think this is stretching the meaning of 'fiction' to it's outer limits, maybe it should be reclassified under 'fantasy'.

Usually I share my books with my friends and family or give them to the charity shop when I've finished with them. This time I simply left it on the bus and walked away. Now I'm off to pick up some Aldous Huxley in attempt to get some of those brain cells back...

Just Brilliant, 08 Jun 2008
This book is fantastic, I read it in a day I just couldn't put it down, it's really touching and moving in parts. I think Sophie Kinsella is a fantasic author, one of my favorites, Im not one for reading but I ordered her whole collection and i'm getting though them pretty quick.....

Brilliant, 02 Jun 2008
I just finished this in a day after having last read it years ago when it first came out. It isn't as good as the first or last book in my opinion but it's important for the trilogy.

As a book in its own right, I'm impressed with how well Malorie Blackman manages to convey the feelings of Sephy and Jude. I really feel like I can empathise with the characters and it's extremely moving.

I read this straight after re-reading the first in the trilogy, "Noughts & Crosses", and I found that that helped the understanding and enjoyment of "Knife Edge". I'm not sure why but I just remember not enjoying it as much the first time I read it. It might be because there's not much of a main plot in "Knife Edge".

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed "Noughts & Crosses".

Brilliant, 08 Jun 2007
Many people say that this book isn't as good as the first one, and I agree it isn't, but still, this book is a truly amazing read. This sequel concentrates more on character developement, rather then storylines and twists, but I quite enjoyed this technique. The story telling method is the same as lost time and not only varies between the main characters (Sephy and Jude), but moved onto to less important characters like Meggie and Jasmine, which is very effective at showing how they feel about Jude and Sephy.

Not only does this book show the struggle that sephy suffers as a single black woman with a mix raced baby, but it also high lights the hardship that young parents go through. I found this book just as emotional as the last, especially for Sephy, who is struggling to sort her life out after the events from the last book. I felt great sympathy for her throughout the book and felt as desperate as Meggie to help her.

Although Sephy's the main character in this book, I found Jude's character devlopement to be more interesting. I found that I was able to feel for a character I had disliked and hated through Noughts and Crosses. Jude goes through alot in this book and after all his actions the reader is left feeling disappointed that he can't change his views. This books again brings up themes of racism, prejudism and class. Malorie writes this book amazingly and somehow manages to make you love and hate Sephy and Jude at the same time. Although the book does seem to be considerably empty without Callum, but that's the way it's supposed to feel.

A definete read for anyone who enjoyed the first book and is interested to see how Sephy and Jude will cope after the loss of Callum.




Not as good as 'Noughts and Crosses', 21 Jan 2007
This was the sequel to 'Noughts and Crosses', but it was a different type of book; less of an adventure story / page turner, and more of a study in relationships.

Unfortunately we lost one of the best characters in the previous book, and although Jude and Sephy are interesting, it wasn't quite the same without Callum. I also felt there wasn't much interaction between the two, their lives run parallel in time, but they don't meet up until near the end. The tension of Jude trying to seek revenge on Sephy doesn't really build either.

All in all a bit disappointing after 'Noughts and Crosses', lets hope the final book in the trilogy, 'Checkmate' lives up to the standard of the first.

Powerful sequel, 16 Jan 2007
In the sequel to the excellent Noughts and Crosses, Knife Edge follows the lives of the second class citizen, Nought Jude, and his life after the tragic events of his family that he now has to live with. Likewise for Sephy, a Cross who has to deal with many problems, her main priority her new born baby Callie-Rose.

It's another fantastic novel from Blackman who delivers an in-depth emotional spin on racism, parenting and social problems. Its detailed, it's realistic, it's powerful it's simply a great sequel. However the reason Noughts and Crosses worked so well was because of the great relationship between the two central characters Callum and Sephy, plot twists and a focused but only occasionally powerful focus on racism.

Knife edge differs with, in my view, a too much focus upon the issue of racism. I admire Blackman's writing style to get her main point across but the constant `she is a Cross' `he is a nought' appears as if the author of Pig Heart Boy is trying just a little too hard. Its minimal criticism but it at times was stressed too much and it is remarkable to see the division in this world.

Having the story told from Jude and Sephy's point of view worked well. In comparison to the award winning first book, Knife Edge is told from a Nought and from a Cross point of view which allows audiences to interpret the opinions from people on both sides of society. The division in this world made by Blackman is fantastic. It's emotional and emphasises that certain things such as discrimination are wrong in society.

Sephy's parenting is very interesting to read. As a young woman it certainly was breathtaking to see her contend with her baby of a mixed race, trying to raise her in a devised world of Noughts and Crosses. The emotional struggle is sensational reading.

Jude's life is also emotional, which is somewhat ironic considering his type of character.

The story isn't a patch on the first with fewer twists and an over the top focus on racism. However it's always an emotional audience capturing drama with emotion and desperation from the very first page, it's a sensational book with one of the most powerful attention grabbing endings I have ever read.

read it

Just as good as the first!, 04 Aug 2006
The second installment in the Noughts and Crosses trilogy was definately as good as the first.

I loved every minute of it because of the adventure and the struggles and the emotions of the characters.

This book deals with life after Callumn's death and how everyone is dealing with it. Malorie Blackman is especially good at conveying the charcter's emotions to the reader and she makes the book seem so real and believable.

This book is definately a must have if you have already read the first book - Noughts and Crosses. If you haven't read the first book then I suggest you do so and if you like it get this one because its just as good and in some places, I feel, even better.

Better for Foundation Tier!!!, 07 Apr 2008
This book is quite light-hearted, and as another review says, probably contains everything you need to pass- get a C grade. It doesn't, however, contain the information i would personally say you need for the A*-B Therefore is better for foundation. I have now bought the York Notes revision book, which is much better for higher grades!!!

A must have!, 17 Oct 2007
If you are studying this book for GCSE, I would 100% recommend you get this book. It is a fantastic resource and will definitely help you with your analysis and understanding of the book.
The guide goes into great detail and depth, some of which is not needed but interesting to read anyway. The guide is written in a way where many quotations from the book are incorporated into the guide. This helps you remember the quotations, and helps you in understanding how to use quotations effectively.
This guide provides everything you need to know about Of Mice and Men, including historical context and a fantastic comic-style summary which will aid you greatly in remebering when each event occured. A must have for every student studying this book, no matter what grade you are aiming for or which exam board you are on.

Great for GCSE!, 13 Apr 2007
This is a very good text guide to help with An Inspector Calls at GCSE level. It gives you a great insight into the play and explains things very well. But sometimes it doesn't go into a deeper analysis and description which is required if you want to get the higher marks. But it has greatly helped me with the understanding and knowledge that I have of the play.

why is this book so good?, 28 Mar 2004
this book is fab. Because it is not a "york notes" which is fab for studying books, plays and poetry. this book tells you how to write. basically! it helps with reading skills, writing skills and essential english. it even tells you how to do a speaking and listening!! if you do not have the english skills, doesnt matter how many york notes you've memorized you wont do well... if you cant write an essay you wont do well... i learnt alot from this book. its great.

CGP books are great as they give you good solid facts with funny comic-like pictures. most of the pics are silly but they will make you smile! GCP also uses bright colours to make these books fab to look at. it doesn't matter how good the books are if they are 100 pages of black and white notes you wont want to pick them up and read it.

You Need This!, 25 Jan 2004
If You are studying this book for GCSE and care about passing, then get this book... JUST STOP WHAT YOUR DOING, RIGHT NOW & GET THIS BOOK! it gives you everything you need to pass, the door is right infront of you, you just have to walk through it!

LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT!, 09 Sep 2008
A brilliant book! Highly recommended! You'll laugh, you'll cry and you will absolutely identify with the main character, Emma, on her journey in this book. One of my all time favourites, couldn't put it down!

A wonderful feelgood story, 02 Sep 2008
I've read all Sophie's shopaholic books, and I'm happy to report this is just as good. As usual with her books, it has it's share of laugh out loud moments, and my only complaint about it, is that it's too short, I didn't want it to end. This is chick lit romantic comedy at it's best.

what can i say??, 31 Aug 2008
what can i say?? BEST. BOOK. EVER!!
i picked it up. i read it. i loved it!!!
im 15 years old and i read this when i was 14. personally, i am not a huge fan of romantic novels but one day when i was bored and need a book to read for english i picked this one up simply because it looked nice. it is a good book because it is great for the teenage gap: it has a good balance of romance and comedy without being to over the top ans is generally just an enjoyable read. sophie kinsella's style of writing is light and easy to understand so makes this book a great choice for anyone who is looking to be entertained without having to take in too much.

I can't believe the overall rating for this book!, 13 Jun 2008
I have always been a lover of chick lit, Marian Keyes, Jane Green, love 'em all for a bit of light reading. So I've been eyeing the Sophie Kinsella books for a while and finally picked up 'Can You Keep a Secret?'...oh dear. Unfortunately I cannot keep the secret of how much I hated this book! Sadly I am the sort of person who cannot leave a book once I've started it and so I stayed until the bitter end.

I have never written a negative review (I would simply stay silent) so I'm very sorry Ms Kinsella. However, I have had to suffer an entire book where the plotline is so painfully obvious and the heroine was such an utter moron that if I were to meet someone like that I would shake her by the shoulders and tell her to stop being such an idiotic wimp! As the reader, I am generally meant to feel some sort of sympathy or empathy with the main character in these types of book, not so in this case. Emma Corrigan is an imbecile and the type of 'friend' one would tend to avoid at all costs. Nothing the character does is remotely realistic and the only reason I give this book 1 star is because if Emma can end up with a rich successful boyfriend AND a promotion, then there is hope for us all! Although I really think this is stretching the meaning of 'fiction' to it's outer limits, maybe it should be reclassified under 'fantasy'.

Usually I share my books with my friends and family or give them to the charity shop when I've finished with them. This time I simply left it on the bus and walked away. Now I'm off to pick up some Aldous Huxley in attempt to get some of those brain cells back...

Just Brilliant, 08 Jun 2008
This book is fantastic, I read it in a day I just couldn't put it down, it's really touching and moving in parts. I think Sophie Kinsella is a fantasic author, one of my favorites, Im not one for reading but I ordered her whole collection and i'm getting though them pretty quick.....

Brilliant, 02 Jun 2008
I just finished this in a day after having last read it years ago when it first came out. It isn't as good as the first or last book in my opinion but it's important for the trilogy.

As a book in its own right, I'm impressed with how well Malorie Blackman manages to convey the feelings of Sephy and Jude. I really feel like I can empathise with the characters and it's extremely moving.

I read this straight after re-reading the first in the trilogy, "Noughts & Crosses", and I found that that helped the understanding and enjoyment of "Knife Edge". I'm not sure why but I just remember not enjoying it as much the first time I read it. It might be because there's not much of a main plot in "Knife Edge".

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed "Noughts & Crosses".

Brilliant, 08 Jun 2007
Many people say that this book isn't as good as the first one, and I agree it isn't, but still, this book is a truly amazing read. This sequel concentrates more on character developement, rather then storylines and twists, but I quite enjoyed this technique. The story telling method is the same as lost time and not only varies between the main characters (Sephy and Jude), but moved onto to less important characters like Meggie and Jasmine, which is very effective at showing how they feel about Jude and Sephy.

Not only does this book show the struggle that sephy suffers as a single black woman with a mix raced baby, but it also high lights the hardship that young parents go through. I found this book just as emotional as the last, especially for Sephy, who is struggling to sort her life out after the events from the last book. I felt great sympathy for her throughout the book and felt as desperate as Meggie to help her.

Although Sephy's the main character in this book, I found Jude's character devlopement to be more interesting. I found that I was able to feel for a character I had disliked and hated through Noughts and Crosses. Jude goes through alot in this book and after all his actions the reader is left feeling disappointed that he can't change his views. This books again brings up themes of racism, prejudism and class. Malorie writes this book amazingly and somehow manages to make you love and hate Sephy and Jude at the same time. Although the book does seem to be considerably empty without Callum, but that's the way it's supposed to feel.

A definete read for anyone who enjoyed the first book and is interested to see how Sephy and Jude will cope after the loss of Callum.




Not as good as 'Noughts and Crosses', 21 Jan 2007
This was the sequel to 'Noughts and Crosses', but it was a different type of book; less of an adventure story / page turner, and more of a study in relationships.

Unfortunately we lost one of the best characters in the previous book, and although Jude and Sephy are interesting, it wasn't quite the same without Callum. I also felt there wasn't much interaction between the two, their lives run parallel in time, but they don't meet up until near the end. The tension of Jude trying to seek revenge on Sephy doesn't really build either.

All in all a bit disappointing after 'Noughts and Crosses', lets hope the final book in the trilogy, 'Checkmate' lives up to the standard of the first.

Powerful sequel, 16 Jan 2007
In the sequel to the excellent Noughts and Crosses, Knife Edge follows the lives of the second class citizen, Nought Jude, and his life after the tragic events of his family that he now has to live with. Likewise for Sephy, a Cross who has to deal with many problems, her main priority her new born baby Callie-Rose.

It's another fantastic novel from Blackman who delivers an in-depth emotional spin on racism, parenting and social problems. Its detailed, it's realistic, it's powerful it's simply a great sequel. However the reason Noughts and Crosses worked so well was because of the great relationship between the two central characters Callum and Sephy, plot twists and a focused but only occasionally powerful focus on racism.

Knife edge differs with, in my view, a too much focus upon the issue of racism. I admire Blackman's writing style to get her main point across but the constant `she is a Cross' `he is a nought' appears as if the author of Pig Heart Boy is trying just a little too hard. Its minimal criticism but it at times was stressed too much and it is remarkable to see the division in this world.

Having the story told from Jude and Sephy's point of view worked well. In comparison to the award winning first book, Knife Edge is told from a Nought and from a Cross point of view which allows audiences to interpret the opinions from people on both sides of society. The division in this world made by Blackman is fantastic. It's emotional and emphasises that certain things such as discrimination are wrong in society.

Sephy's parenting is very interesting to read. As a young woman it certainly was breathtaking to see her contend with her baby of a mixed race, trying to raise her in a devised world of Noughts and Crosses. The emotional struggle is sensational reading.

Jude's life is also emotional, which is somewhat ironic considering his type of character.

The story isn't a patch on the first with fewer twists and an over the top focus on racism. However it's always an emotional audience capturing drama with emotion and desperation from the very first page, it's a sensational book with one of the most powerful attention grabbing endings I have ever read.

read it

Just as good as the first!, 04 Aug 2006
The second installment in the Noughts and Crosses trilogy was definately as good as the first.

I loved every minute of it because of the adventure and the struggles and the emotions of the characters.

This book deals with life after Callumn's death and how everyone is dealing with it. Malorie Blackman is especially good at conveying the charcter's emotions to the reader and she makes the book seem so real and believable.

This book is definately a must have if you have already read the first book - Noughts and Crosses. If you haven't read the first book then I suggest you do so and if you like it get this one because its just as good and in some places, I feel, even better.

Great introduction to Fairy Stories, 10 Aug 2008
I have twin girls. One adores this book for the beautiful stories and illustrations and the other who normally runs riot during story time cant get enough of duck spotting! Sounds strange but I take my hat off to the person who thought of hiding a little yellow duck on every page. AT last there is peace at story time and their ability to find socks, toys etc has improved too! I acquired this book second hand but would happily pay full price for another copy should our current one end in tatters.

Absolute family favorite, 09 Jul 2008
I bought this book when my eldest was 2 to introduce him to fairy tales. I had tried reading him some of my old fairy tale books, but the language was simply too difficult, the stories too long and the pictures too complex (as was the style then, I suppose). So I ordered this book and it was a hit from day 1.

It contains the classic childhood fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella etc. and tells them in a very summarised form. The more touchy issues are left out or skimmed over (e.g. the wolf falls through the chimney into the 3 pigs' pot of boiling water, then the pigs are shown eating soup saying they will live together) and the sentences are kept simple and understandable. They are even printed big enough for early-readers and indeed it was the first book my eldest started reading.

Each page (i.e. each sentence or two) is accompanied by a lovely colourful and yet simple picture which the kids love to use to point out the things I am reading to them. About 5-6 pages make up a story, which is the perfect match to a 2-year-old's attention span, and as the children get older, you can even read the whole book without overdoing the bed-time reading time slot.

This book has accompanied us whereever we go for over 2 years now, and although it is often and ungently fought over by my boys, is still in good shape. 5 stars on all fronts for this one.

Perfect to introduce pre-school children to classic fairy tales, 09 Nov 2007
I agree with the earlier reviewers that this book is great. The classic fairy tales (which I always remembered in Ladybird Book format) are too complex for toddlers and pre-school children. But the classic stories are so good you want to start sharing them with your little ones as soon as possible. This book makes it possible.

It contains the well known stories of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Cinderella, Rumplestiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood and several others. The stories are heavily abridged to make them accessible to toddlers but are still there in essence.

The best feature of all the Usborne series of books is their staging of language. At the top of each page is the simplest possible text summarising what is happening. This is great for 2 year olds with basic language skills. At the bottom of each page, suitable for 3-4 year olds, is a small expansion of the story. In this way this book grows with your child, taking them up to the more grown up and fuller versions of the fairy tales.

Another aspect of the Usborne series that I and my children love is the "hunt the duck" game. Every page of every story incorporates a small yellow duck who your child can search for. This sometimes gets forgotten when my little ones are really engrosed in the story. At times like this we often have to go back through the pages just to look for the duck!

I can heartily recommend this book.

We love this book, 20 Nov 2006
This book is great for 2-4 year olds

The stories are short, simple and beautifully illustrated. I've read this book thousands of times to my daughter who can recite many of them.

If anyone from Usbourne reads this then PLEASE do a sequel of more fairy stories....

A great collection of fairy stories, 14 Oct 2005
This book has been a favourite with all of my children.

The pictures are lovely, and are by the same illustrator as Farmyard Tales.

It's a real treat having a favourite book with so many great stories. All too often the children only like one or two of the stories in a collection.

Recommended for 2 year olds who will sit still, but better still for those closer to 4!

Better for Foundation Tier!!!, 07 Apr 2008
This book is quite light-hearted, and as another review says, probably contains everything you need to pass- get a C grade. It doesn't, however, contain the information i would personally say you need for the A*-B Therefore is better for foundation. I have now bought the York Notes revision book, which is much better for higher grades!!!

A must have!, 17 Oct 2007
If you are studying this book for GCSE, I would 100% recommend you get this book. It is a fantastic resource and will definitely help you with your analysis and understanding of the book.
The guide goes into great detail and depth, some of which is not needed but interesting to read anyway. The guide is written in a way where many quotations from the book are incorporated into the guide. This helps you remember the quotations, and helps you in understanding how to use quotations effectively.
This guide provides everything you need to know about Of Mice and Men, including historical context and a fantastic comic-style summary which will aid you greatly in remebering when each event occured. A must have for every student studying this book, no matter what grade you are aiming for or which exam board you are on.

Great for GCSE!, 13 Apr 2007
This is a very good text guide to help with An Inspector Calls at GCSE level. It gives you a great insight into the play and explains things very well. But sometimes it doesn't go into a deeper analysis and description which is required if you want to get the higher marks. But it has greatly helped me with the understanding and knowledge that I have of the play.

why is this book so good?, 28 Mar 2004
this book is fab. Because it is not a "york notes" which is fab for studying books, plays and poetry. this book tells you how to write. basically! it helps with reading skills, writing skills and essential english. it even tells you how to do a speaking and listening!! if you do not have the english skills, doesnt matter how many york notes you've memorized you wont do well... if you cant write an essay you wont do well... i learnt alot from this book. its great.

CGP books are great as they give you good solid facts with funny comic-like pictures. most of the pics are silly but they will make you smile! GCP also uses bright colours to make these books fab to look at. it doesn't matter how good the books are if they are 100 pages of black and white notes you wont want to pick them up and read it.

You Need This!, 25 Jan 2004
If You are studying this book for GCSE and care about passing, then get this book... JUST STOP WHAT YOUR DOING, RIGHT NOW & GET THIS BOOK! it gives you everything you need to pass, the door is right infront of you, you just have to walk through it!

LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT!, 09 Sep 2008
A brilliant book! Highly recommended! You'll laugh, you'll cry and you will absolutely identify with the main character, Emma, on her journey in this book. One of my all time favourites, couldn't put it down!

A wonderful feelgood story, 02 Sep 2008
I've read all Sophie's shopaholic books, and I'm happy to report this is just as good. As usual with her books, it has it's share of laugh out loud moments, and my only complaint about it, is that it's too short, I didn't want it to end. This is chick lit romantic comedy at it's best.

what can i say??, 31 Aug 2008
what can i say?? BEST. BOOK. EVER!!
i picked it up. i read it. i loved it!!!
im 15 years old and i read this when i was 14. personally, i am not a huge fan of romantic novels but one day when i was bored and need a book to read for english i picked this one up simply because it looked nice. it is a good book because it is great for the teenage gap: it has a good balance of romance and comedy without being to over the top ans is generally just an enjoyable read. sophie kinsella's style of writing is light and easy to understand so makes this book a great choice for anyone who is looking to be entertained without having to take in too much.

I can't believe the overall rating for this book!, 13 Jun 2008
I have always been a lover of chick lit, Marian Keyes, Jane Green, love 'em all for a bit of light reading. So I've been eyeing the Sophie Kinsella books for a while and finally picked up 'Can You Keep a Secret?'...oh dear. Unfortunately I cannot keep the secret of how much I hated this book! Sadly I am the sort of person who cannot leave a book once I've started it and so I stayed until the bitter end.

I have never written a negative review (I would simply stay silent) so I'm very sorry Ms Kinsella. However, I have had to suffer an entire book where the plotline is so painfully obvious and the heroine was such an utter moron that if I were to meet someone like that I would shake her by the shoulders and tell her to stop being such an idiotic wimp! As the reader, I am generally meant to feel some sort of sympathy or empathy with the main character in these types of book, not so in this case. Emma Corrigan is an imbecile and the type of 'friend' one would tend to avoid at all costs. Nothing the character does is remotely realistic and the only reason I give this book 1 star is because if Emma can end up with a rich successful boyfriend AND a promotion, then there is hope for us all! Although I really think this is stretching the meaning of 'fiction' to it's outer limits, maybe it should be reclassified under 'fantasy'.

Usually I share my books with my friends and family or give them to the charity shop when I've finished with them. This time I simply left it on the bus and walked away. Now I'm off to pick up some Aldous Huxley in attempt to get some of those brain cells back...

Just Brilliant, 08 Jun 2008
This book is fantastic, I read it in a day I just couldn't put it down, it's really touching and moving in parts. I think Sophie Kinsella is a fantasic author, one of my favorites, Im not one for reading but I ordered her whole collection and i'm getting though them pretty quick.....

Brilliant, 02 Jun 2008
I just finished this in a day after having last read it years ago when it first came out. It isn't as good as the first or last book in my opinion but it's important for the trilogy.

As a book in its own right, I'm impressed with how well Malorie Blackman manages to convey the feelings of Sephy and Jude. I really feel like I can empathise with the characters and it's extremely moving.

I read this straight after re-reading the first in the trilogy, "Noughts & Crosses", and I found that that helped the understanding and enjoyment of "Knife Edge". I'm not sure why but I just remember not enjoying it as much the first time I read it. It might be because there's not much of a main plot in "Knife Edge".

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed "Noughts & Crosses".

Brilliant, 08 Jun 2007
Many people say that this book isn't as good as the first one, and I agree it isn't, but still, this book is a truly amazing read. This sequel concentrates more on character developement, rather then storylines and twists, but I quite enjoyed this technique. The story telling method is the same as lost time and not only varies between the main characters (Sephy and Jude), but moved onto to less important characters like Meggie and Jasmine, which is very effective at showing how they feel about Jude and Sephy.

Not only does this book show the struggle that sephy suffers as a single black woman with a mix raced baby, but it also high lights the hardship that young parents go through. I found this book just as emotional as the last, especially for Sephy, who is struggling to sort her life out after the events from the last book. I felt great sympathy for her throughout the book and felt as desperate as Meggie to help her.

Although Sephy's the main character in this book, I found Jude's character devlopement to be more interesting. I found that I was able to feel for a character I had disliked and hated through Noughts and Crosses. Jude goes through alot in this book and after all his actions the reader is left feeling disappointed that he can't change his views. This books again brings up themes of racism, prejudism and class. Malorie writes this book amazingly and somehow manages to make you love and hate Sephy and Jude at the same time. Although the book does seem to be considerably empty without Callum, but that's the way it's supposed to feel.

A definete read for anyone who enjoyed the first book and is interested to see how Sephy and Jude will cope after the loss of Callum.




Not as good as 'Noughts and Crosses', 21 Jan 2007
This was the sequel to 'Noughts and Crosses', but it was a different type of book; less of an adventure story / page turner, and more of a study in relationships.

Unfortunately we lost one of the best characters in the previous book, and although Jude and Sephy are interesting, it wasn't quite the same without Callum. I also felt there wasn't much interaction between the two, their lives run parallel in time, but they don't meet up until near the end. The tension of Jude trying to seek revenge on Sephy doesn't really build either.

All in all a bit disappointing after 'Noughts and Crosses', lets hope the final book in the trilogy, 'Checkmate' lives up to the standard of the first.

Powerful sequel, 16 Jan 2007
In the sequel to the excellent Noughts and Crosses, Knife Edge follows the lives of the second class citizen, Nought Jude, and his life after the tragic events of his family that he now has to live with. Likewise for Sephy, a Cross who has to deal with many problems, her main priority her new born baby Callie-Rose.

It's another fantastic novel from Blackman who delivers an in-depth emotional spin on racism, parenting and social problems. Its detailed, it's realistic, it's powerful it's simply a great sequel. However the reason Noughts and Crosses worked so well was because of the great relationship between the two central characters Callum and Sephy, plot twists and a focused but only occasionally powerful focus on racism.

Knife edge differs with, in my view, a too much focus upon the issue of racism. I admire Blackman's writing style to get her main point across but the constant `she is a Cross' `he is a nought' appears as if the author of Pig Heart Boy is trying just a little too hard. Its minimal criticism but it at times was stressed too much and it is remarkable to see the division in this world.

Having the story told from Jude and Sephy's point of view worked well. In comparison to the award winning first book, Knife Edge is told from a Nought and from a Cross point of view which allows audiences to interpret the opinions from people on both sides of society. The division in this world made by Blackman is fantastic. It's emotional and emphasises that certain things such as discrimination are wrong in society.

Sephy's parenting is very interesting to read. As a young woman it certainly was breathtaking to see her contend with her baby of a mixed race, trying to raise her in a devised world of Noughts and Crosses. The emotional struggle is sensational reading.

Jude's life is also emotional, which is somewhat ironic considering his type of character.

The story isn't a patch on the first with fewer twists and an over the top focus on racism. However it's always an emotional audience capturing drama with emotion and desperation from the very first page, it's a sensational book with one of the most powerful attention grabbing endings I have ever read.

read it

Just as good as the first!, 04 Aug 2006
The second installment in the Noughts and Crosses trilogy was definately as good as the first.

I loved every minute of it because of the adventure and the struggles and the emotions of the characters.

This book deals with life after Callumn's death and how everyone is dealing with it. Malorie Blackman is especially good at conveying the charcter's emotions to the reader and she makes the book seem so real and believable.

This book is definately a must have if you have already read the first book - Noughts and Crosses. If you haven't read the first book then I suggest you do so and if you like it get this one because its just as good and in some places, I feel, even better.

Great introduction to Fairy Stories, 10 Aug 2008
I have twin girls. One adores this book for the beautiful stories and illustrations and the other who normally runs riot during story time cant get enough of duck spotting! Sounds strange but I take my hat off to the person who thought of hiding a little yellow duck on every page. AT last there is peace at story time and their ability to find socks, toys etc has improved too! I acquired this book second hand but would happily pay full price for another copy should our current one end in tatters.

Absolute family favorite, 09 Jul 2008
I bought this book when my eldest was 2 to introduce him to fairy tales. I had tried reading him some of my old fairy tale books, but the language was simply too difficult, the stories too long and the pictures too complex (as was the style then, I suppose). So I ordered this book and it was a hit from day 1.

It contains the classic childhood fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella etc. and tells them in a very summarised form. The more touchy issues are left out or skimmed over (e.g. the wolf falls through the chimney into the 3 pigs' pot of boiling water, then the pigs are shown eating soup saying they will live together) and the sentences are kept simple and understandable. They are even printed big enough for early-readers and indeed it was the first book my eldest started reading.

Each page (i.e. each sentence or two) is accompanied by a lovely colourful and yet simple picture which the kids love to use to point out the things I am reading to them. About 5-6 pages make up a story, which is the perfect match to a 2-year-old's attention span, and as the children get older, you can even read the whole book without overdoing the bed-time reading time slot.

This book has accompanied us whereever we go for over 2 years now, and although it is often and ungently fought over by my boys, is still in good shape. 5 stars on all fronts for this one.

Perfect to introduce pre-school children to classic fairy tales, 09 Nov 2007
I agree with the earlier reviewers that this book is great. The classic fairy tales (which I always remembered in Ladybird Book format) are too complex for toddlers and pre-school children. But the classic stories are so good you want to start sharing them with your little ones as soon as possible. This book makes it possible.

It contains the well known stories of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Cinderella, Rumplestiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood and several others. The stories are heavily abridged to make them accessible to toddlers but are still there in essence.

The best feature of all the Usborne series of books is their staging of language. At the top of each page is the simplest possible text summarising what is happening. This is great for 2 year olds with basic language skills. At the bottom of each page, suitable for 3-4 year olds, is a small expansion of the story. In this way this book grows with your child, taking them up to the more grown up and fuller versions of the fairy tales.

Another aspect of the Usborne series that I and my children love is the "hunt the duck" game. Every page of every story incorporates a small yellow duck who your child can search for. This sometimes gets forgotten when my little ones are really engrosed in the story. At times like this we often have to go back through the pages just to look for the duck!

I can heartily recommend this book.

We love this book, 20 Nov 2006
This book is great for 2-4 year olds

The stories are short, simple and beautifully illustrated. I've read this book thousands of times to my daughter who can recite many of them.

If anyone from Usbourne reads this then PLEASE do a sequel of more fairy stories....

A great collection of fairy stories, 14 Oct 2005
This book has been a favourite with all of my children.

The pictures are lovely, and are by the same illustrator as Farmyard Tales.

It's a real treat having a favourite book with so many great stories. All too often the children only like one or two of the stories in a collection.

Recommended for 2 year olds who will sit still, but better still for those closer to 4!

Very exciting if you're 1, 08 Sep 2004
Simple touchy feely book, with big thick board pages and a different texture on each double page and the cover. Each page has a different bear on it (2 pandas, a koala on the cover, a polar bear, honey bear and grizzly) as well as the little mouse to look for every time. The text reads, for example "That's not my bear!.... Its tongue is too scratchy!" until the last page, when you finally find your own bear!!

My 1 year old enthusiastically feels each texture and turns the pages, and wants to read this one over and over again. His first word? "Bear"........

When you get bored of this one (which will happen way way before your baby does), try one of the others in the series. We also have "That's not my dinosaur" and "That's not my tractor". You can get a Dolly one, plus Teddy, Car, Kitten, and several others.

Better for Foundation Tier!!!, 07 Apr 2008
This book is quite light-hearted, and as another review says, probably contains everything you need to pass- get a C grade. It doesn't, however, contain the information i would personally say you need for the A*-B Therefore is better for foundation. I have now bought the York Notes revision book, which is much better for higher grades!!!

A must have!, 17 Oct 2007
If you are studying this book for GCSE, I would 100% recommend you get this book. It is a fantastic resource and will definitely help you with your analysis and understanding of the book.
The guide goes into great detail and depth, some of which is not needed but interesting to read anyway. The guide is written in a way where many quotations from the book are incorporated into the guide. This helps you remember the quotations, and helps you in understanding how to use quotations effectively.
This guide provides everything you need to know about Of Mice and Men, including historical context and a fantastic comic-style summary which will aid you greatly in remebering when each event occured. A must have for every student studying this book, no matter what grade you are aiming for or which exam board you are on.

Great for GCSE!, 13 Apr 2007
This is a very good text guide to help with An Inspector Calls at GCSE level. It gives you a great insight into the play and explains things very well. But sometimes it doesn't go into a deeper analysis and description which is required if you want to get the higher marks. But it has greatly helped me with the understanding and knowledge that I have of the play.

why is this book so good?, 28 Mar 2004
this book is fab. Because it is not a "york notes" which is fab for studying books, plays and poetry. this book tells you how to write. basically! it helps with reading skills, writing skills and essential english. it even tells you how to do a speaking and listening!! if you do not have the english skills, doesnt matter how many york notes you've memorized you wont do well... if you cant write an essay you wont do well... i learnt alot from this book. its great.

CGP books are great as they give you good solid facts with funny comic-like pictures. most of the pics are silly but they will make you smile! GCP also uses bright colours to make these books fab to look at. it doesn't matter how good the books are if they are 100 pages of black and white notes you wont want to pick them up and read it.

You Need This!, 25 Jan 2004
If You are studying this book for GCSE and care about passing, then get this book... JUST STOP WHAT YOUR DOING, RIGHT NOW & GET THIS BOOK! it gives you everything you need to pass, the door is right infront of you, you just have to walk through it!

LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT!, 09 Sep 2008
A brilliant book! Highly recommended! You'll laugh, you'll cry and you will absolutely identify with the main character, Emma, on her journey in this book. One of my all time favourites, couldn't put it down!

A wonderful feelgood story, 02 Sep 2008
I've read all Sophie's shopaholic books, and I'm happy to report this is just as good. As usual with her books, it has it's share of laugh out loud moments, and my only complaint about it, is that it's too short, I didn't want it to end. This is chick lit romantic comedy at it's best.

what can i say??, 31 Aug 2008
what can i say?? BEST. BOOK. EVER!!
i picked it up. i read it. i loved it!!!
im 15 years old and i read this when i was 14. personally, i am not a huge fan of romantic novels but one day when i was bored and need a book to read for english i picked this one up simply because it looked nice. it is a good book because it is great for the teenage gap: it has a good balance of romance and comedy without being to over the top ans is generally just an enjoyable read. sophie kinsella's style of writing is light and easy to understand so makes this book a great choice for anyone who is looking to be entertained without having to take in too much.

I can't believe the overall rating for this book!, 13 Jun 2008
I have always been a lover of chick lit, Marian Keyes, Jane Green, love 'em all for a bit of light reading. So I've been eyeing the Sophie Kinsella books for a while and finally picked up 'Can You Keep a Secret?'...oh dear. Unfortunately I cannot keep the secret of how much I hated this book! Sadly I am the sort of person who cannot leave a book once I've started it and so I stayed until the bitter end.

I have never written a negative review (I would simply stay silent) so I'm very sorry Ms Kinsella. However, I have had to suffer an entire book where the plotline is so painfully obvious and the heroine was such an utter moron that if I were to meet someone like that I would shake her by the shoulders and tell her to stop being such an idiotic wimp! As the reader, I am generally meant to feel some sort of sympathy or empathy with the main character in these types of book, not so in this case. Emma Corrigan is an imbecile and the type of 'friend' one would tend to avoid at all costs. Nothing the character does is remotely realistic and the only reason I give this book 1 star is because if Emma can end up with a rich successful boyfriend AND a promotion, then there is hope for us all! Although I really think this is stretching the meaning of 'fiction' to it's outer limits, maybe it should be reclassified under 'fantasy'.

Usually I share my books with my friends and family or give them to the charity shop when I've finished with them. This time I simply left it on the bus and walked away. Now I'm off to pick up some Aldous Huxley in attempt to get some of those brain cells back...

Just Brilliant, 08 Jun 2008
This book is fantastic, I read it in a day I just couldn't put it down, it's really touching and moving in parts. I think Sophie Kinsella is a fantasic author, one of my favorites, Im not one for reading but I ordered her whole collection and i'm getting though them pretty quick.....

Brilliant, 02 Jun 2008
I just finished this in a day after having last read it years ago when it first came out. It isn't as good as the first or last book in my opinion but it's important for the trilogy.

As a book in its own right, I'm impressed with how well Malorie Blackman manages to convey the feelings of Sephy and Jude. I really feel like I can empathise with the characters and it's extremely moving.

I read this straight after re-reading the first in the trilogy, "Noughts & Crosses", and I found that that helped the understanding and enjoyment of "Knife Edge". I'm not sure why but I just remember not enjoying it as much the first time I read it. It might be because there's not much of a main plot in "Knife Edge".

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed "Noughts & Crosses".

Brilliant, 08 Jun 2007
Many people say that this book isn't as good as the first one, and I agree it isn't, but still, this book is a truly amazing read. This sequel concentrates more on character developement, rather then storylines and twists, but I quite enjoyed this technique. The story telling method is the same as lost time and not only varies between the main characters (Sephy and Jude), but moved onto to less important characters like Meggie and Jasmine, which is very effective at showing how they feel about Jude and Sephy.

Not only does this book show the struggle that sephy suffers as a single black woman with a mix raced baby, but it also high lights the hardship that young parents go through. I found this book just as emotional as the last, especially for Sephy, who is struggling to sort her life out after the events from the last book. I felt great sympathy for her throughout the book and felt as desperate as Meggie to help her.

Although Sephy's the main character in this book, I found Jude's character devlopement to be more interesting. I found that I was able to feel for a character I had disliked and hated through Noughts and Crosses. Jude goes through alot in this book and after all his actions the reader is left feeling disappointed that he can't change his views. This books again brings up themes of racism, prejudism and class. Malorie writes this book amazingly and somehow manages to make you love and hate Sephy and Jude at the same time. Although the book does seem to be considerably empty without Callum, but that's the way it's supposed to feel.

A definete read for anyone who enjoyed the first book and is interested to see how Sephy and Jude will cope after the loss of Callum.




Not as good as 'Noughts and Crosses', 21 Jan 2007
This was the sequel to 'Noughts and Crosses', but it was a different type of book; less of an adventure story / page turner, and more of a study in relationships.

Unfortunately we lost one of the best characters in the previous book, and although Jude and Sephy are interesting, it wasn't quite the same without Callum. I also felt there wasn't much interaction between the two, their lives run parallel in time, but they don't meet up until near the end. The tension of Jude trying to seek revenge on Sephy doesn't really build either.

All in all a bit disappointing after 'Noughts and Crosses', lets hope the final book in the trilogy, 'Checkmate' lives up to the standard of the first.

Powerful sequel, 16 Jan 2007
In the sequel to the excellent Noughts and Crosses, Knife Edge follows the lives of the second class citizen, Nought Jude, and his life after the tragic events of his family that he now has to live with. Likewise for Sephy, a Cross who has to deal with many problems, her main priority her new born baby Callie-Rose.

It's another fantastic novel from Blackman who delivers an in-depth emotional spin on racism, parenting and social problems. Its detailed, it's realistic, it's powerful it's simply a great sequel. However the reason Noughts and Crosses worked so well was because of the great relationship between the two central characters Callum and Sephy, plot twists and a focused but only occasionally powerful focus on racism.

Knife edge differs with, in my view, a too much focus upon the issue of racism. I admire Blackman's writing style to get her main point across but the constant `she is a Cross' `he is a nought' appears as if the author of Pig Heart Boy is trying just a little too hard. Its minimal criticism but it at times was stressed too much and it is remarkable to see the division in this world.

Having the story told from Jude and Sephy's point of view worked well. In comparison to the award winning first book, Knife Edge is told from a Nought and from a Cross point of view which allows audiences to interpret the opinions from people on both sides of society. The division in this world made by Blackman is fantastic. It's emotional and emphasises that certain things such as discrimination are wrong in society.

Sephy's parenting is very interesting to read. As a young woman it certainly was breathtaking to see her contend with her baby of a mixed race, trying to raise her in a devised world of Noughts and Crosses. The emotional struggle is sensational reading.

Jude's life is also emotional, which is somewhat ironic considering his type of character.

The story isn't a patch on the first with fewer twists and an over the top focus on racism. However it's always an emotional audience capturing drama with emotion and desperation from the very first page, it's a sensational book with one of the most powerful attention grabbing endings I have ever read.

read it

Just as good as the first!, 04 Aug 2006
The second installment in the Noughts and Crosses trilogy was definately as good as the first.

I loved every minute of it because of the adventure and the struggles and the emotions of the characters.

This book deals with life after Callumn's death and how everyone is dealing with it. Malorie Blackman is especially good at conveying the charcter's emotions to the reader and she makes the book seem so real and believable.

This book is definately a must have if you have already read the first book - Noughts and Crosses. If you haven't read the first book then I suggest you do so and if you like it get this one because its just as good and in some places, I feel, even better.

Great introduction to Fairy Stories, 10 Aug 2008
I have twin girls. One adores this book for the beautiful stories and illustrations and the other who normally runs riot during story time cant get enough of duck spotting! Sounds strange but I take my hat off to the person who thought of hiding a little yellow duck on every page. AT last there is peace at story time and their ability to find socks, toys etc has improved too! I acquired this book second hand but would happily pay full price for another copy should our current one end in tatters.

Absolute family favorite, 09 Jul 2008
I bought this book when my eldest was 2 to introduce him to fairy tales. I had tried reading him some of my old fairy tale books, but the language was simply too difficult, the stories too long and the pictures too complex (as was the style then, I suppose). So I ordered this book and it was a hit from day 1.

It contains the classic childhood fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella etc. and tells them in a very summarised form. The more touchy issues are left out or skimmed over (e.g. the wolf falls through the chimney into the 3 pigs' pot of boiling water, then the pigs are shown eating soup saying they will live together) and the sentences are kept simple and understandable. They are even printed big enough for early-readers and indeed it was the first book my eldest started reading.

Each page (i.e. each sentence or two) is accompanied by a lovely colourful and yet simple picture which the kids love to use to point out the things I am reading to them. About 5-6 pages make up a story, which is the perfect match to a 2-year-old's attention span, and as the children get older, you can even read the whole book without overdoing the bed-time reading time slot.

This book has accompanied us whereever we go for over 2 years now, and although it is often and ungently fought over by my boys, is still in good shape. 5 stars on all fronts for this one.

Perfect to introduce pre-school children to classic fairy tales, 09 Nov 2007
I agree with the earlier reviewers that this book is great. The classic fairy tales (which I always remembered in Ladybird Book format) are too complex for toddlers and pre-school children. But the classic stories are so good you want to start sharing them with your little ones as soon as possible. This book makes it possible.

It contains the well known stories of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Cinderella, Rumplestiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood and several others. The stories are heavily abridged to make them accessible to toddlers but are still there in essence.

The best feature of all the Usborne series of books is their staging of language. At the top of each page is the simplest possible text summarising what is happening. This is great for 2 year olds with basic language skills. At the bottom of each page, suitable for 3-4 year olds, is a small expansion of the story. In this way this book grows with your child, taking them up to the more grown up and fuller versions of the fairy tales.

Another aspect of the Usborne series that I and my children love is the "hunt the duck" game. Every page of every story incorporates a small yellow duck who your child can search for. This sometimes gets forgotten when my little ones are really engrosed in the story. At times like this we often have to go back through the pages just to look for the duck!

I can heartily recommend this book.

We love this book, 20 Nov 2006
This book is great for 2-4 year olds

The stories are short, simple and beautifully illustrated. I've read this book thousands of times to my daughter who can recite many of them.

If anyone from Usbourne reads this then PLEASE do a sequel of more fairy stories....

A great collection of fairy stories, 14 Oct 2005
This book has been a favourite with all of my children.

The pictures are lovely, and are by the same illustrator as Farmyard Tales.

It's a real treat having a favourite book with so many great stories. All too often the children only like one or two of the stories in a collection.

Recommended for 2 year olds who will sit still, but better still for those closer to 4!

Very exciting if you're 1, 08 Sep 2004
Simple touchy feely book, with big thick board pages and a different texture on each double page and the cover. Each page has a different bear on it (2 pandas, a koala on the cover, a polar bear, honey bear and grizzly) as well as the little mouse to look for every time. The text reads, for example "That's not my bear!.... Its tongue is too scratchy!" until the last page, when you finally find your own bear!!

My 1 year old enthusiastically feels each texture and turns the pages, and wants to read this one over and over again. His first word? "Bear"........

When you get bored of this one (which will happen way way before your baby does), try one of the others in the series. We also have "That's not my dinosaur" and "That's not my tractor". You can get a Dolly one, plus Teddy, Car, Kitten, and several others.

'Two weddings....one bride', 03 Aug 2008
I've loved all the Shopaholic books, but this is probably the best so far, you'll be astounded at how Becky manages to arrange two seperate weddings, almost by accident. If you're planning your own wedding, this book could be the perfect distraction, you'll realise however stressful things get, they'll never be as bad as this. Very, very funny.

Great book!!!, 17 Mar 2008
This book is one of the best. It is so funny, i found myself laughing out loud a number of times. I think the shopaholic books are getting funnier and funnier each time one comes out. This book is true in what she is saying, we have to make every one happy, even though it is your wedding, and she does it in such a hilarius way!!! a must read for all women out there who likes a giggle.

Un-put-downable!, 12 Feb 2008
I couldn't wait to get to the end of the book to see how Becky B managed to untangle herself from the double wedding fiasco! Having said that I didn't want the book to end. This is not my favourite in the Shopaholic series but still a great, funny and intriguing read!

Fantastic!, 11 Jan 2008
After reading the first two i quickly went out and bought this one. I read it in a day! You can only but empathise with becky as she becomes more tangled in wanting to please everyone...yet you can only but laugh when you think only she could manage to have 2 weddings on the same day! To see how she does it you must read it! It will make you laugh till you cry! I'd also like to recommend reading Tino Georgiou's bestseller--The Fates--if you missed it!

Hilarious!!!, 05 Dec 2007
Becky can really, really get on your nerves but you cannot help love her and wonder how on earth she is going to get out of the tangled web she has created for herself this time. I often wonder how Luke can put up with her but her adorable side can always win you over. I don't think this is the best in the series (Shopaholic and Sister must win that one) but it is definitely worth every penny. I just pray that Sophie manages to come up with more and more stories about Becky.

Better for Foundation Tier!!!, 07 Apr 2008
This book is quite light-hearted, and as another review says, probably contains everything you need to pass- get a C grade. It doesn't, however, contain the information i would personally say you need for the A*-B Therefore is better for foundation. I have now bought the York Notes revision book, which is much better for higher grades!!!

A must have!, 17 Oct 2007
If you are studying this book for GCSE, I would 100% recommend you get this book. It is a fantastic resource and will definitely help you with your analysis and understanding of the book.
The guide goes into great detail and depth, some of which is not needed but interesting to read anyway. The guide is written in a way where many quotations from the book are incorporated into the guide. This helps you remember the quotations, and helps you in understanding how to use quotations effectively.
This guide provides everything you need to know about Of Mice and Men, including historical context and a fantastic comic-style summary which will aid you greatly in remebering when each event occured. A must have for every student studying this book, no matter what grade you are aiming for or which exam board you are on.

Great for GCSE!, 13 Apr 2007
This is a very good text guide to help with An Inspector Calls at GCSE level. It gives you a great insight into the play and explains things very well. But sometimes it doesn't go into a deeper analysis and description which is required if you want to get the higher marks. But it has greatly helped me with the understanding and knowledge that I have of the play.

why is this book so good?, 28 Mar 2004
this book is fab. Because it is not a "york notes" which is fab for studying books, plays and poetry. this book tells you how to write. basically! it helps with reading skills, writing skills and essential english. it even tells you how to do a speaking and listening!! if you do not have the english skills, doesnt matter how many york notes you've memorized you wont do well... if you cant write an essay you wont do well... i learnt alot from this book. its great.

CGP books are great as they give you good solid facts with funny comic-like pictures. most of the pics are silly but they will make you smile! GCP also uses bright colours to make these books fab to look at. it doesn't matter how good the books are if they are 100 pages of black and white notes you wont want to pick them up and read it.

You Need This!, 25 Jan 2004
If You are studying this book for GCSE and care about passing, then get this book... JUST STOP WHAT YOUR DOING, RIGHT NOW & GET THIS BOOK! it gives you everything you need to pass, the door is right infront of you, you just have to walk through it!

LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT!, 09 Sep 2008
A brilliant book! Highly recommended! You'll laugh, you'll cry and you will absolutely identify with the main character, Emma, on her journey in this book. One of my all time favourites, couldn't put it down!

A wonderful feelgood story, 02 Sep 2008
I've read all Sophie's shopaholic books, and I'm happy to report this is just as good. As usual with her books, it has it's share of laugh out loud moments, and my only complaint about it, is that it's too short, I didn't want it to end. This is chick lit romantic comedy at it's best.

what can i say??, 31 Aug 2008
what can i say?? BEST. BOOK. EVER!!
i picked it up. i read it. i loved it!!!
im 15 years old and i read this when i was 14. personally, i am not a huge fan of romantic novels but one day when i was bored and need a book to read for english i picked this one up simply because it looked nice. it is a good book because it is great for the teenage gap: it has a good balance of romance and comedy without being to over the top ans is generally just an enjoyable read. sophie kinsella's style of writing is light and easy to understand so makes this book a great choice for anyone who is looking to be entertained without having to take in too much.

I can't believe the overall rating for this book!, 13 Jun 2008
I have always been a lover of chick lit, Marian Keyes, Jane Green, love 'em all for a bit of light reading. So I've been eyeing the Sophie Kinsella books for a while and finally picked up 'Can You Keep a Secret?'...oh dear. Unfortunately I cannot keep the secret of how much I hated this book! Sadly I am the sort of person who cannot leave a book once I've started it and so I stayed until the bitter end.

I have never written a negative review (I would simply stay silent) so I'm very sorry Ms Kinsella. However, I have had to suffer an entire book where the plotline is so painfully obvious and the heroine was such an utter moron that if I were to meet someone like that I would shake her by the shoulders and tell her to stop being such an idiotic wimp! As the reader, I am generally meant to feel some sort of sympathy or empathy with the main character in these types of book, not so in this case. Emma Corrigan is an imbecile and the type of 'friend' one would tend to avoid at all costs. Nothing the character does is remotely realistic and the only reason I give this book 1 star is because if Emma can end up with a rich successful boyfriend AND a promotion, then there is hope for us all! Although I really think this is stretching the meaning of 'fiction' to it's outer limits, maybe it should be reclassified under 'fantasy'.

Usually I share my books with my friends and family or give them to the charity shop when I've finished with them. This time I simply left it on the bus and walked away. Now I'm off to pick up some Aldous Huxley in attempt to get some of those brain cells back...

Just Brilliant, 08 Jun 2008
This book is fantastic, I read it in a day I just couldn't put it down, it's really touching and moving in parts. I think Sophie Kinsella is a fantasic author, one of my favorites, Im not one for reading but I ordered her whole collection and i'm getting though them pretty quick.....

Brilliant, 02 Jun 2008
I just finished this in a day after having last read it years ago when it first came out. It isn't as good as the first or last book in my opinion but it's important for the trilogy.

As a book in its own right, I'm impressed with how well Malorie Blackman manages to convey the feelings of Sephy and Jude. I really feel like I can empathise with the characters and it's extremely moving.

I read this straight after re-reading the first in the trilogy, "Noughts & Crosses", and I found that that helped the understanding and enjoyment of "Knife Edge". I'm not sure why but I just remember not enjoying it as much the first time I read it. It might be because there's not much of a main plot in "Knife Edge".

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed "Noughts & Crosses".

Brilliant, 08 Jun 2007
Many people say that this book isn't as good as the first one, and I agree it isn't, but still, this book is a truly amazing read. This sequel concentrates more on character developement, rather then storylines and twists, but I quite enjoyed this technique. The story telling method is the same as lost time and not only varies between the main characters (Sephy and Jude), but moved onto to less important characters like Meggie and Jasmine, which is very effective at showing how they feel about Jude and Sephy.

Not only does this book show the struggle that sephy suffers as a single black woman with a mix raced baby, but it also high lights the hardship that young parents go through. I found this book just as emotional as the last, especially for Sephy, who is struggling to sort her life out after the events from the last book. I felt great sympathy for her throughout the book and felt as desperate as Meggie to help her.

Although Sephy's the main character in this book, I found Jude's character devlopement to be more interesting. I found that I was able to feel for a character I had disliked and hated through Noughts and Crosses. Jude goes through alot in this book and after all his actions the reader is left feeling disappointed that he can't change his views. This books again brings up themes of racism, prejudism and class. Malorie writes this book amazingly and somehow manages to make you love and hate Sephy and Jude at the same time. Although the book does seem to be considerably empty without Callum, but that's the way it's supposed to feel.

A definete read for anyone who enjoyed the first book and is interested to see how Sephy and Jude will cope after the loss of Callum.




Not as good as 'Noughts and Crosses', 21 Jan 2007
This was the sequel to 'Noughts and Crosses', but it was a different type of book; less of an adventure story / page turner, and more of a study in relationships.

Unfortunately we lost one of the best characters in the previous book, and although Jude and Sephy are interesting, it wasn't quite the same without Callum. I also felt there wasn't much interaction between the two, their lives run parallel in time, but they don't meet up until near the end. The tension of Jude trying to seek revenge on Sephy doesn't really build either.

All in all a bit disappointing after 'Noughts and Crosses', lets hope the final book in the trilogy, 'Checkmate' lives up to the standard of the first.

Powerful sequel, 16 Jan 2007
In the sequel to the excellent Noughts and Crosses, Knife Edge follows the lives of the second class citizen, Nought Jude, and his life after the tragic events of his family that he now has to live with. Likewise for Sephy, a Cross who has to deal with many problems, her main priority her new born baby Callie-Rose.

It's another fantastic novel from Blackman who delivers an in-depth emotional spin on racism, parenting and social problems. Its detailed, it's realistic, it's powerful it's simply a great sequel. However the reason Noughts and Crosses worked so well was because of the great relationship between the two central characters Callum and Sephy, plot twists and a focused but only occasionally powerful focus on racism.

Knife edge differs with, in my view, a too much focus upon the issue of racism. I admire Blackman's writing style to get her main point across but the constant `she is a Cross' `he is a nought' appears as if the author of Pig Heart Boy is trying just a little too hard. Its minimal criticism but it at times was stressed too much and it is remarkable to see the division in this world.

Having the story told from Jude and Sephy's point of view worked well. In comparison to the award winning first book, Knife Edge is told from a Nought and from a Cross point of view which allows audiences to interpret the opinions from people on both sides of society. The division in this world made by Blackman is fantastic. It's emotional and emphasises that certain things such as discrimination are wrong in society.

Sephy's parenting is very interesting to read. As a young woman it certainly was breathtaking to see her contend with her baby of a mixed race, trying to raise her in a devised world of Noughts and Crosses. The emotional struggle is sensational reading.

Jude's life is also emotional, which is somewhat ironic considering his type of character.

The story isn't a patch on the first with fewer twists and an over the top focus on racism. However it's always an emotional audience capturing drama with emotion and desperation from the very first page, it's a sensational book with one of the most powerful attention grabbing endings I have ever read.

read it

Just as good as the first!, 04 Aug 2006
The second installment in the Noughts and Crosses trilogy was definately as good as the first.

I loved every minute of it because of the adventure and the struggles and the emotions of the characters.

This book deals with life after Callumn's death and how everyone is dealing with it. Malorie Blackman is especially good at conveying the charcter's emotions to the reader and she makes the book seem so real and believable.

This book is definately a must have if you have already read the first book - Noughts and Crosses. If you haven't read the first book then I suggest you do so and if you like it get this one because its just as good and in some places, I feel, even better.

Great introduction to Fairy Stories, 10 Aug 2008
I have twin girls. One adores this book for the beautiful stories and illustrations and the other who normally runs riot during story time cant get enough of duck spotting! Sounds strange but I take my hat off to the person who thought of hiding a little yellow duck on every page. AT last there is peace at story time and their ability to find socks, toys etc has improved too! I acquired this book second hand but would happily pay full price for another copy should our current one end in tatters.

Absolute family favorite, 09 Jul 2008
I bought this book when my eldest was 2 to introduce him to fairy tales. I had tried reading him some of my old fairy tale books, but the language was simply too difficult, the stories too long and the pictures too complex (as was the style then, I suppose). So I ordered this book and it was a hit from day 1.

It contains the classic childhood fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella etc. and tells them in a very summarised form. The more touchy issues are left out or skimmed over (e.g. the wolf falls through the chimney into the 3 pigs' pot of boiling water, then the pigs are shown eating soup saying they will live together) and the sentences are kept simple and understandable. They are even printed big enough for early-readers and indeed it was the first book my eldest started reading.

Each page (i.e. each sentence or two) is accompanied by a lovely colourful and yet simple picture which the kids love to use to point out the things I am reading to them. About 5-6 pages make up a story, which is the perfect match to a 2-year-old's attention span, and as the children get older, you can even read the whole book without overdoing the bed-time reading time slot.

This book has accompanied us whereever we go for over 2 years now, and although it is often and ungently fought over by my boys, is still in good shape. 5 stars on all fronts for this one.

Perfect to introduce pre-school children to classic fairy tales, 09 Nov 2007
I agree with the earlier reviewers that this book is great. The classic fairy tales (which I always remembered in Ladybird Book format) are too complex for toddlers and pre-school children. But the classic stories are so good you want to start sharing them with your little ones as soon as possible. This book makes it possible.

It contains the well known stories of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Cinderella, Rumplestiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood and several others. The stories are heavily abridged to make them accessible to toddlers but are still there in essence.

The best feature of all the Usborne series of books is their staging of language. At the top of each page is the simplest possible text summarising what is happening. This is great for 2 year olds with basic language skills. At the bottom of each page, suitable for 3-4 year olds, is a small expansion of the story. In this way this book grows with your child, taking them up to the more grown up and fuller versions of the fairy tales.

Another aspect of the Usborne series that I and my children love is the "hunt the duck" game. Every page of every story incorporates a small yellow duck who your child can search for. This sometimes gets forgotten when my little ones are really engrosed in the story. At times like this we often have to go back through the pages just to look for the duck!

I can heartily recommend this book.

We love this book, 20 Nov 2006
This book is great for 2-4 year olds

The stories are short, simple and beautifully illustrated. I've read this book thousands of times to my daughter who can recite many of them.

If anyone from Usbourne reads this then PLEASE do a sequel of more fairy stories....

A great collection of fairy stories, 14 Oct 2005
This book has been a favourite with all of my children.

The pictures are lovely, and are by the same illustrator as Farmyard Tales.

It's a real treat having a favourite book with so many great stories. All too often the children only like one or two of the stories in a collection.

Recommended for 2 year olds who will sit still, but better still for those closer to 4!

Very exciting if you're 1, 08 Sep 2004
Simple touchy feely book, with big thick board pages and a different texture on each double page and the cover. Each page has a different bear on it (2 pandas, a koala on the cover, a polar bear, honey bear and grizzly) as well as the little mouse to look for every time. The text reads, for example "That's not my bear!.... Its tongue is too scratchy!" until the last page, when you finally find your own bear!!

My 1 year old enthusiastically feels each texture and turns the pages, and wants to read this one over and over again. His first word? "Bear"........

When you get bored of this one (which will happen way way before your baby does), try one of the others in