Book Details
Date Read: September 12, 2022
Publication Date: September 2022
Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Format: Physical Book
Page Count: 406
Listening Time: 10 hours 55 minutes
Print Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Audio Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
The Weight of Blood Book Review
It’s no secret that I love Tiffany D. Jackson and have been eagerly waiting for her latest book, The Weight of Blood, to release. It did not disappoint! It has her classic YA horror style and, of course, a systemic issue in the spotlight.
In this book we meet Maddy, a biracial teenager living in Georgia and attending her first integrated prom. I don’t want to say much more than this on plot, but it draws inspiration from Stephen King’s Carrie and all other details are better if they are a surprise, in my opinion.
Personally, I loved this book. Despite the plot being “predictable” because of the Carrie retelling, the tension still built, and I was wrong about which event would break the dam and set in motion a chain of events. When it happened, I yelled out “NO!!” and realized Jackson got me again.
If you aren’t familiar with Jackson’s books, you can expect a YA read in terms of the characters and the situations they find themselves in (planning a prom, high school crushes, etc.) combined with direct commentary on racism in the US and writing that flows page-to-page.
This one is in the top 3 of her books for me, and most akin to White Smoke in terms of mood and feel. I’ve said it before, but Jackson is a gift to young readers, and I hope her collection is in all school libraries.
Content warnings: Racism, Colorism, Microaggressions, Bullying, Child abuse, Police brutality, Gore, Death
Did she have “powers” like in Carrie? This sounds really good. Great review.
Yes! She discovers her powers and they are a key part of the plot. Thanks for the kind words and for reading the review!