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The Weight of Blood 2022
The Weight of Blood is a young adult horror novel published in 2022 by HarperCollins. Written in English, it falls under the genres of YA and Horror. The story takes place in the fictional sundown town of Springville, Georgia. Maddy Washington is a biracial high school senior who has been compelled by her racist father to conceal her identity by pretending to be white and straightening her hair. A rainstorm causes her hair to return to its natural state, revealing her heritage. This leads to a viral bullying video exposing the racism at Springville High. To protect the school’s image, Wendy Quinn, a popular and high-achieving student, persuades her Black football star boyfriend to escort Maddy to prom. During prom night, a prank orchestrated by one of Maddy's bullies results in public humiliation. This act triggers a chain reaction that destroys the town and leaves several classmates dead.
The novel retells Stephen King’s 1974 horror classic Carrie, reimagining its themes within a modern context. It uses an epistolary narrative style similar to Carrie but also includes third-person omniscient action sequences mixed with transcripts of future news articles and podcasts about the story's events. The book explores issues such as racism in the United States, school bullying, and contemporary witchcraft. Author Tiffany D. Jackson has stated that she aimed to respect King’s original work while challenging its central message to encourage readers to think critically and engage in discussion.
Details
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- ISBN
- 9780063029149
