Scan barcode
pagesofplatypus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Themes of anti-Black racism, the systemic anti-Black sentiment still heavily prevalent in many small towns, and complicity are all deftly explored as students and Maddy's town react to Maddy's previously kept secret and the increasingly glaring spotlight cast onto their town as news platforms catch wind of the numerous and very public incidents of racism against Maddy.
Particularly chilling is Maddy's long endured suffering at the hands of her zealous and very much stuck in the 50s father who sets up a prayer closet filled with photos of white 50s and 60s actresses and does everything he can to hide Maddy's Blackness.
Another one of my favorite aspects of The Weight of Blood is the dynamoc between sibling Kendrick "Kenny," the token star Black football player who has also had to live up to everyone else's expectations and his sister Kali who serves him some much needed truths.
Lastly, the last 20% of The Weight of Blood goes deliciously, full throttle horror with plenty of tension and gore. I also kind of like the ambiguous ending for this, despite not typically being a fan of open endings.
Graphic: Gore, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Violence, Physical abuse, Blood, Child abuse, Hate crime, and Racism
Moderate: Death of parent, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
chailou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Hate crime, Police brutality, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
thisisemily's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Violence, Racial slurs, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Gun violence, Gore, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Classism
moo_lloyd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Racism, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Hate crime, Death, Violence, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse
adavis16's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Blood
emily_journals's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is told in an epistolary type style, where there's fragments of current day podcasts, court proceedings, interviews, and hospital accounts mixed in with the main story line. This book tackles so many good topics and themes and is such a good reimagining/retelling of Carrie. This story is told in many POVs, but the way these POVs are balanced is so expertly done as it doesn't confuse or muddle the story or characters at all. Each of these characters is so distinct and able to stand apart from the rest so well. Just absolutely perfect, I can't imagine anything making this book better.
Graphic: Hate crime, Grief, Murder, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Racism, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Gun violence, Outing, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Self harm, Classism, Abandonment, and Toxic friendship
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Blood, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Child death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Religious bigotry, Confinement, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, and Violence
gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Narrated by full cast
Unabridged
A Carrie retelling, with a podcast narration style, focusing on racial identity and segregation.
It was a nice suprise to have the podcast style as I wasn't expecting that and I've been enjoying the use of this tool or podcasts being a theme in my reads this year (e.g. Sadie).
Reminded me also of Anna dressed in blood as well as Carrie.
This was such a moving and distraught story of a young girl forced to suppress her nature (in multiple ways) under the cruelty of her father and the racist, segregated town she lives in. It felt so dated in the way the views of the white people held on the Black community and demonised them and the themes about equality in this day and age was painful and poignant.
Just when you hope Maddy can catch a break, all hell breaks lose at an awful happening of police brutality and that's when the Carrie retelling really shines.
This was a fantastic character study and discussion of deep rooted hatred of the 'other' with well done supernatural elements.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Murder, Religious bigotry, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Violence
theinkwyrm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Blood, and Emotional abuse
bookcheshirecat's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
“You, my child, were created in a hurricane, leaving destruction in your wake. You, as they say, are a storm with skin. Death and rebirth will follow you everywhere. How can one man who knows nothing of the weight of blood tame you? For wherever you go, there you are.”
➽ The Weight of Blood was a compelling Horror book full of intrigue and paranormal powers! I've never seen Carrie (though I know what it's about), but I could definitely feel the same vibes in this book. The story is about Maddy, a biracial teen who has hidden her identity because of her white, racist father. When it comes out that she has a black mother, Maddy is viciously bullied by both her peers and her furious father. The video of her bullying goes viral, so the school is forced to host its first integrated prom ... but it ends in disaster and everyone blames Maddy. I loved that the book was told in a mixed-media format. There were interviews, newspaper articles and podcasts about what happened at prom, but we slowly found out how it could even get this far. The story does a great job of exploring racism and racist microaggressions in school and how some traditions like prom are still segregated.
➽ Through it all Maddy grapples with new emerging powers and Kendrick, the school's black quarterback who's supposed to go to prom with her. I loved the supernatural twist, as Maddy felt something inside her welling up ... a strange power that had been there all along. She was such a compelling character and I loved her taking back some agency, as she's been continuously abused by her father for years. Maddy is meek and shy because her father restricted her life with his religious bigotry. She doesn't have any friends, but Kendrick is kind of pushed to get closer to her. His popular white girlfriend thinks herself a savior, so she rents him out to Maddy for the prom, so their school's scandal is brushed under the rug. Kendrick is in a difficult position, as he's used as the token popular black guy and begins to realize how much casual racism he has to ignore from his own friends. The situation with Maddy brings a lot of issues to a boiling point and I loved how intense the story got!
Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Racism, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Death, Gore, Murder, Police brutality, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, and Slavery