Reviews with content warning for Police brutality - The Weight of Blood

Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson

158 reviews

gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful relaxing sad tense slow-paced

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

The Details:
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.

Content Warnings

bgibs122's review

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I love that The Weight of Blood updates Carrie and interjects the story with potent race dynamics and fleshes out the gender ones with how it gets into the headspace of multiple characters.

And on top of its braininess and the way it conducts its various strains of gender, race, class, and culture into a wonderful symphony featuring one hell of a crescendo, The Weight of Blood also just pops as a read. I started this book on a Sunday and ended it on a Friday, making absolutely nuts day-by-day progress in it. Maddy and Kenny’s relationship is so sweet in such a teenage way that despite the fact that you know where the story is going (and, if you aren’t aware of the end of a nearly 50 year-old story yet, the book tells you upfront how things will end), you spend time begging for almost any other outcome.

Well done, and a new favorite book of mine.

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xxthefoolonthehillxx's review

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4.0

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ecn's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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ianb's review

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is my Second Tiffany D.Jackson Book and Honestly this one felt like it could have been a movie, I will admit that I’m not a horror book fan at all but this one kept my griped and intrigued right from the off and I had to binge the last 10 chapters in one sitting just to find out what happened – It’s such a Powerful book that shines a Spotlight on racism.

When a high school decides to have a joint prom instead of segregated ones in a supposed show of racial solidarity, the deep divide between black and white surfaces in a terrifyingly ugly way. What transpires over the course of the book is a Mixed Media plot with a Podcast interview along with transcripts from news reports and interviews along the way look at the events of the night and the days building up to it.

The characters were complex and incredibly well written Tiffany draws attention to the casual racism that is laughed off as a joke in the local high school, whilst also showing that a clear sense of white superiority underpins these interactions and underlying racial hierarchy is present at all levels within the community. Alongside all of this is also of a story of a sheltered girl hoping to find acceptance and love. However, within this girl lies a dark power and when her rage and fury come forth, blood and terror follow. As prom night descends into chaos a clear line between black and white is scorched on the ground.

This is an eye-opening, thought-provoking exploration of racism. There are some interesting telekinesis/witchcraft/fire wielding stuff in there too. I loved how Jackson broke up the text with podcast scenes, news clippings, and book excerpts AFTER the events of that night. I would highly recommend picking this one up.

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