Book title: The Weight of Blood
ISBN: 9780063029156
Author: Tiffany D. Jackson
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication year: 2022
Price: RM59.95
By Vivynna Ann Chabu
Rule number one is to write every day because writing’s like everything else you do. The more you do it, the better you’re going to get at it.
– Christopher Paul Curtis
The book cover caught my attention; the word “prom” in the middle of the word “blood” reminds me of the movie “Carrie”, so I grab the book and start reading the first page.
The first thing I read was, “It all started with the rain”. It caught my attention. The how, why, and what are all playing in my mind.
The story begins with Mrs Amy Lecter’s testimony regarding her child Cole, who was hospitalised and had become “not like himself”, and all he said was, “Maddy did it”.
The first chapter of the book tells more about Maddy Washington and how she was scared of rain because “something” would make people know, and she couldn’t make her Papa mad at her.
That “something” is her hair. In gym class, they start running, and her hair gets wet, causing it to become frizzy or afro-like. People in her class start speculating.
Is she black all this time? Why did she hide it? Has she been pretending to be white all along? But no one ever talks to her, and because she is shy, introverted, and considered weird by Springville High School, guess what happens next?
Yes, she is bullied by everyone the moment they see her hair. What makes it worse? The school always has segregation: black kids only hang out with black kids, and white kids only with white kids. There is something much worse that happened in 2014, around the time of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) campaign, which was the icing on the cake.
A video of white kids throwing pencils at Maddy’s hair was uploaded on social media, putting the school in the centre of everyone’s attention. The story continues about how two of the most popular kids in Springville High School, Jules and Brady, dressed up in black paint and called themselves “Maddy and her Daddy”.
Maddy did not attend any classes and instead stayed in the library to avoid attention. No one really liked seeing her alone. Wendy, a white girl dating Kendrick, a black boy, suggested to him to bring Maddy to prom.
This is how Kendrick became friends with Maddy, leading to a young adult romance with witch powers helping Maddy confront her bullies and her father.
Following a similar plot to “Carrie”, Maddy subconsciously discovers her special powers and uses them to her advantage.
If you enjoyed the movie “Carrie”, based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, you will definitely enjoy reading this book. It has a similar plot but with an added twist.
However, I was disappointed with the novel. The writing is very disorganised, lacking climactic “wow” factors, and the horror aspect was more about people’s perspectives than paranormal actions. The ending was lacklustre, with no satisfying climax throughout.
Therefore, I rate this book four out of 10 because I had high hopes for it, especially as a horror novel enthusiast. The story was supposed to be a gripping revenge tale, but it turned out to be a sad story about a bullied teenager without any real horror elements.
Additionally, the unnecessary podcast subplot added unnecessary length without contributing anything substantial to the storyline.
The main issue I have with the novel is that I couldn’t bond with the main character, Maddy. The story often shifts to viewpoints from side characters like Wendy, Kendrick, and Jules, which detracts from focusing on Maddy and makes the narrative feel disorganised.
However, a positive aspect of the novel is the romantic storyline involving Kendrick falling in love with Maddy. While some may consider it a cliché, it offers hope to young girls like Maddy that they too can find love.
The theme of racism in this novel sets it apart from Stephen King’s “Carrie”, offering a unique and original perspective compared to what we typically encounter in literature and media.
It introduces a refreshing yet radical take on societal norms — Maddy’s biracial identity sparks controversy in the small town, contrasting sharply with the acceptance of Wendy dating Kendrick, a black guy.
If you enjoy horror stories, this book might not be the best fit, but if you appreciate narratives blending superpowers with teenage love stories, then this novel is worth exploring.
