The Weight of Blood

* AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * INDIE BESTSELLER * JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION * KIDS' INDIE NEXT LIST PICK * NPR BEST PICK * KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR *

New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson ramps up the horror and tackles America’s history and legacy of racism in this suspenseful YA novel following a biracial teenager as her Georgia high school hosts its first integrated prom.

When Springville residents—at least the ones still alive—are questioned about what happened on prom night, they all have the same explanation . . . Maddy did it.

An outcast at her small-town Georgia high school, Madison Washington has always been a teasing target for bullies. And she's dealt with it because she has more pressing problems to manage. Until the morning a surprise rainstorm reveals her most closely kept secret: Maddy is biracial. She has been passing for white her entire life at the behest of her fanatical white father, Thomas Washington.

After a viral bullying video pulls back the curtain on Springville High's racist roots, student leaders come up with a plan to change their image: host the school's first integrated prom as a show of unity. The popular white class president convinces her Black superstar quarterback boyfriend to ask Maddy to be his date, leaving Maddy wondering if it's possible to have a normal life.

But some of her classmates aren't done with her just yet. And what they don't know is that Maddy still has another secret . . . one that will cost them all their lives.

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Published Sep 12, 2023

416 pages

Average rating: 8.33

218 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

BCA
Oct 21, 2024
7/10 stars
We enjoyed it as a collective.
faetedfantasy
Aug 18, 2024
6/10 stars
3.5 ⭐️
Please check all trigger warnings before reading this book.
After reading the first 50 pages I wasn’t sure I could continue. The racism displayed in this book was so heavy to read and left me almost in tears.
The book was a good read however reading the prologue and seeing the cover I knew the whole plot.
TanH
May 09, 2024
8/10 stars
Powerful & Creative

Wow, such a powerful take on the movie Carrie! The author did an Amazing job with this story, I thoroughly enjoyed it from the beginning to the end!!
@ogidentity
Nov 30, 2022
9/10 stars
This is another Tiffany Jackson book that I loved! Definitely wanted a little more at the end but I was satisfied with what my imagination came up with. Definitely one I would recommend. It’s almost a exact replica of Carrie, and that’s not something I love but great writing overall
HyTaco
Jun 11, 2025
10/10 stars
This was an amazing retelling of the book, Carrie. I read Carrie many years ago and saw the movie. What Jackson did with this book while adding current events was moving, emotional and thought provoking. It is a mix of racism, prejudice and fanatical religious beliefs along with coming of age issues. How we deal with color and how we receive color is still an issue. What I read then and what I see now...

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