Maddy Washington has always tried to be invisible ever since going to school for the first time at age
twelve. Keen to finally be with other kids her own age, she was proud of the clothes she has fashioned from her dead grandmother’s old things. She looked just like the glamorous girls in the movies she watched with her father.
But her dreams are not to be, as any potential friends just laughed at her old fashioned smelly clothes and quickly dub her Mad-Mad-Maddy.
Now in her final year of Springville High School, nothing has changed. She is still existing on the fringes, after years of being forbidden by her father to attend any camps, summer programs, sports teams, or anything outside of school hours. Anything, including grabbing a pizza with friends, having a milkshake, going to the movies or wearing what all the other ‘normal’ teens did.
The biggest no-no of all is to get her hair wet.
Why? Because when wet, her hair transforms into something else, revealing who she really is. On her strict, devout white father’s orders, Maddy has claimed to be white her entire school life, when in fact her mother was black. Was – because Maddy’s mum died in childbirth.
When the truth is out, the bullying she has endured her whole life steps up a thousand-fold, through a group of popular kids and social media. When it hits national media channels, racism is called out on and the deep south high school goes into damage control.
Despite vehemently denying it, this small town’s roots are still simmering in racism, and Maddy’s bullying by a few stirs up a brew of hate, racism and revenge. But Maddy is sick of cowering in the corner, and she’s been practising something at home. Something she can use to fight back all those who have oppressed her.
When yet another dream is shattered for Maddy, the final straw snaps – and so does Maddy.
This town must pay, especially those who laughed at her one time too many…
Absolutely riveting! Broken up into interviews of eye witnesses of a night of carnage, experts on supernatural powers, and those who knew the girl who wreaked havoc on a small deep-south town one prom night.
Add several points of view characters, and The Weight of Blood is a thrilling page turner.
The reader gets to know a quiet, shy girl named Maddy Washington and her horrible home life – controlled by her devout ashamed white father. We meet Kendrick Scott, a black up-and-coming football star, his family, and his girlfriend Wendy, with her own secrets.
This novel is about parental and societal expectations, bullying, religious fanaticism, secrets, dreams and even love. But when hate and racism refuse to be taken to task, supernatural revenge spews forth with deadly precision.
With each new novel by this author, I am an even bigger fan of her powerful writing.
Stunning storytelling.
Author – Tiffany D Jackson
Age – 15+
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(2022, Harper Collins, Podcast, Radio show, Murder, Horror, Biracial, Racism, Bullying, Thriller, Retelling, Crime, Supernatural, Powers, High School, Senior Ball, Senior Prom, Prom night, American Football, Girlfriend, Boyfriend, Popularity, Riveting, Control, Secret, Hiding, Religion)