The privileged Cross daughter of politician Kamal Hadley and his wife Jasmine, Persephone maintains a lifelong friendship with her best friend, Callum McGregor, a nought. Naïve, Sephy begins the novel at 13 years old and still deeply enmeshed in Cross society. Throughout the novel, she grows up and develops a deeper understanding of the complex society in which she is raised. The choice of name for this main character recalls Persephone of the Greek myths, who became Hades’ wife and spent half the year in Hell and half the year on earth. When she was in the underworld, the world was dark and cold and became known as autumn and winter. When she is on earth everything is warm and flourishes, which is the spring and summer. Sephy too lives straddled between the world of the Crosses and of the noughts, and her movement between the two worlds has major effects on both.

Through her interactions with Callum, Sephy learns more about the harsh realities of life for those less privileged than her. Her love for Callum drives Sephy to take action to try and unite Crosses and noughts. However, these choices are often misguided at best. She considers only her limited

Don't Miss Out!

Access Study Guide Now