Book: Noble Conflict
Author: Malorie Blackman
Publisher: Random House Children’s Publisher
Review by Mahalia Changlee
Noble Conflict, the latest novel by Waterstones children’s laureate Malorie Blackman, follows the life of one young adult (Kaspar) in his quest for the truth in a world where deception and the unwillingness to see are worryingly prominent.
After the ‘war to end all wars’ comes to an end, Kaspar – a Guardian (a member of an elite peacekeeping force) has to prevent the rebels (Crusaders) from attacking the city and harming its civilians using non-fatal weaponry. Kaspar ends up doubting everyone he has ever trusted as he discovers that the people closest to him are also the people he should be fighting against.
He meets young women from both the Crusaders and Guardians who are in every way as smart and strong, if not stronger, than him, including Rhea (the enemy) and Mac (his accomplice). Blackman doesn’t shy away from setting men and women on an equal footing which enhances the level of maturity within the novel.
Later, Kaspar comments: “Mum used to say there are only two reasons for prolonging any war – power or profit.” In most parts of the developed world, children are often sheltered from great atrocities and wars. Noble Conflict, in many ways, brings issues such as these to the attention of a younger generation.
I believe if I had read a book such as this as a pre-teen, my awareness of the world would have been far greater at a younger age as Noble Conflict subtly encourages young readers to always ask questions and never just accept what they are told.
In the book, there is a heavy emphasis on the theme of the individual and the state, highlighting questions about how much we can trust the world around us. Blackman integrates phrases such as “knowledge is power” with such ease it is seamless. However expressions such as these don’t detract from the child-friendly and welcoming nature of Noble Conflict. If anything comes through reading this novel, it’s Blackman’s passion and talent for writing fiction.
Noble Conflict is a novel that will not fail to captivate the reader. The romantic entanglements and the use of futuristic weapons, equipment and concepts such as telepathy make this book hard to put down. Noble Conflict also cannot be boxed into one genre. It has elements of science fiction and the thriller genre, and incorporates dystopian fiction.
If you are a parent looking to buy a book for your son or daughter this book is a modern classic. If you are a child wanting to read this book, I hope by the end you are asking yourself questions such as this: “We currently have the largest expanse of knowledge at our fingertips with the introduction of the internet, but how much of it can we truly trust?” I know I did.
Mahalia Changlee is a year 12 student at The Petchey Academy in Hackney, studying history, English literature and psychology.