Author: Tessa Gratton
Format: Library Hardcover
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release date: March 5th, 2012
Date Read: February 15th 2013
Rating: ✭✭
For Mab Prowd, blood magic is as natural as breathing. She spends her days on a secluded Kansas farm with other blood witches, practicing spells for healing and trying to avoid boring lessons like algebra and history.
Wild and confident, Mab uses magic to understand her entire world. But when one of Mab's spells mistakenly taps into a powerful, long-dormant curse, she finds her magic spinning out of control - and crashing right into Will Sanger, a boy from town.
Will has always relied on the logical, tangible things in his life, like his dogs, his soccer team, and even his complicated family. So he tries to dismiss all he sees and feels around Mab. Still, the strangeness and beauty of her magic draw him in.
As Will and Mab grow closer, the unbound curse grows stronger. Hiding in the shadows of the forest, it seeks to manipulate Will and gain Mab's power - even if that means destroying everything they love.
Wild and confident, Mab uses magic to understand her entire world. But when one of Mab's spells mistakenly taps into a powerful, long-dormant curse, she finds her magic spinning out of control - and crashing right into Will Sanger, a boy from town.
Will has always relied on the logical, tangible things in his life, like his dogs, his soccer team, and even his complicated family. So he tries to dismiss all he sees and feels around Mab. Still, the strangeness and beauty of her magic draw him in.
As Will and Mab grow closer, the unbound curse grows stronger. Hiding in the shadows of the forest, it seeks to manipulate Will and gain Mab's power - even if that means destroying everything they love.
THE BLOOD KEEPER is a book that started off smoothly and had everything I loved: blood magic, action, and mystery; however it didn't continue like that. A few days after reading the initial hundred pages or so, I picked it up again and to my great disappointment, it soon felt like a completely new book.
This book is actually a sequel, something I didn't find out till a few moments before writing this review. I didn't even suspect it since this book felt like a standalone. From what I see, the first book has nothing to do with this book - please correct me if I'm wrong however.
There are three POVs in THE BLOOD KEEPER - Mab's, Will's and Evie's. Mab's POV and Will's POV are very similar, the only difference being Mab knows what she's doing and Will is basically doing what ever Mab wants. He's so infuriatingly spineless. He needs to be saved every few minutes and he never seems to stop fainting (ok, I'm exaggerating - I think he only fainted once or twice).
Evie's POV is set a few decades in the past, I think 1920s. I think it is meant to be a surprise why it was linked to the story but it was all quite predictable. However, I still enjoyed the short story that the POV told, finding it darker than the rest of the book.
While I have no problem with YA romance - or romance in general - I do hate when the romance seems to govern the plot, like in this book. The romance seems to overtake anything, including the interesting blood keeper concept, which is why I loved the first 100 pages so much more than the rest of the book.
Characters
Will is the one of the weakest heroes ever. He doesn't do anything. I don't like heroes who can do anything but I sort of prefer them to do something other than ask Mab what to do. I think he's like that so the Gratton can say "wow look at me, my heroine is so strong. Flipping around gender stereotypes, yes sir." I'm sorry but it doesn't work like that.
Will's only strength is his amazing ability to whine and whine and never stop whining. Practically the whole book was spent whining about how is parents want him to join the military and how he doesn't want to and how they're like totally not understanding.
Dude, I get it, you don't want to join the military and I fully understand and appreciate that but in case you haven't noticed, something really bad is going on and I don't think whining about your evil parents is the right thing to do right now.
The romance between the two happens to be the worst part about it. Scenario:
Will and Mab are talking about how horrible what's going on is. Will then think about how much he wants to kiss her. Switch to Mab's point of view and she's pretty much thinking the same thing. After longing looks are exchanged, they go back to talking about how dire the circumstances are.
The saddest thing is that this scenario happens all the time in the book. I swear, it happens at least five times. Romance = good. Romance at the wrong time = very bad.
Plot and Writing
The concept of blood magic which is tied to the land instead of the as an antithesis to nature is an interesting take on the subject. Most authors go with the conventional blood magic is evil thought, which I have to admit I was part of. I never really thought of blood magic as tied to the land, the animals, and life, which makes complete sense if you think about it.
As you have seen, I loved the concept. Blood magic in YA fantasy is almost unheard of, or at least not all the common. Though I would hate it become the new dystopian (I highly doubt it will), I'm glad to see that blood magic is popping into YA lit.
My major qualm with THE BLOOD KEEPER is the lack of defined plot after a certain point. Though you can always tell what the main plot is, it seems like the characters are more focused on how beautiful the other one looks at the moment.
Once again, I will say that I have no problem with romance in my books, but when either the romance takes over the plot or interjects itself into the scene at the weirdest moments I don't want it in my books.
At all. Ever.
Writing
While it wasn't terrible, I was extremely annoyed at the lack of word building. Mab spent most of her time in a forest - or is it a valley? And where? It's obviously close to a biggish city where Will lives but if Will goes there to swim or something, does that mean anyone could go there? It seems like it's too open for a place with secret witches...
Likes and Dislikes
- blood magic
- beginning
Dislikes:
- everything else
Conclusion
Lisbeth is an American teenager who enjoys blowing shit up in videogames and discussing decapitation in great detail. She's also obsessed with Oceana, but you're not supposed to know that.
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