The Weight of Blood
Kids say
Based on 1 review
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Weight of Blood, by Tiffany D. Jackson (White Smoke, Grown), is a retelling of Stephen King's Carrie. Maddy Washington, a high school student, lives with her White father and passes for White, though her mother was Black. Due to her father's strict controls, Maddy dresses and behaves strangely, and is bullied at school. When she's caught in an unexpected rainstorm, her hot-combed hair blooms into an Afro, and she's outed. This leads to more severe bullying. As the pressure increases, Maddy discovers she has the power of telekinesis. Eventually, she's pushed to the breaking point at the prom. A father burns his daughter's scalp with a hot comb as a punishment. A group of teens bully a girl by ongoing teasing, throwing water on her, and throwing pencils in her Afro. A girl uses supernatural powers to get revenge on the kids who bullied her in an incident that kills other students and faculty, and sets the town on fire. There's an attempted murder. One teen couple has sex in a car and another in a closed store. Teens drink at a party, and a couple gets drunk in their car on vodka stolen from a parent. It's implied that other teens are sexually active. There are a few romantic kisses. Strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," and "a--hole."
What's the Story?
When THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD begins, Maddy Washington, a high school student, lives with her White father and passes for White, though her mother was Black. In addition to requiring her to keeping her racial heritage a secret, her father is extremely religious and imposes strict control over all aspects of her life. He homeschools her and makes her dress oddly. When the town forces him to send her to regular school, she's bullied for her strange appearance and behavior. One day, she's caught in an unexpected rainstorm and her hot-combed hair blooms into an Afro, leading to more severe bullying. As the pressure on her grows, Maddy discovers she has the power of telekinesis.
Is It Any Good?
This is a clever, though occasionally clumsy, retelling of a classic. Many of the scenes in The Weight of Blood are immediately recognizable from Stephen King's classic 1972 novel Carrie. This is both a weakness and a strength. For readers who have read Carrie or seen the movie, there's little suspense and some events feel like in-jokes that don't always land. For readers new to this story, the horror is well executed and the social commentary is deftly incorporated in the energetic, intriguing voice that's made this author so popular.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the theme of secrets in The Weight of Blood. What makes it necessary to keep a secret? What makes keeping a secret become harmful?
The Weight of Blood centers on a group of schoolmates who spend time together, but they often lie to each other or use each other for selfish ends. What do you think makes a true friend?
The author frames the main plot by creating a podcast and a book about the events of the story. Why do you think she made that choice in writing? How did that influence the way you understood the story?
Book Details
- Author: Tiffany D. Jackson
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Activism, Magic and Fantasy, Book Characters, Friendship, High School, History
- Character Strengths: Courage, Perseverance
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
- Publication date: September 6, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 18
- Number of pages: 416
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: October 11, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
Grown
Cautionary tale of teen under sway of predatory pop star.
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White Smoke
Teen uncovers town secrets in edgy horror story.
-
Carrie
Tale of telekinetic teen still packs a punch.
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