We are blood and thunder by Kesia Lupo
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781408898055.
(Age: 12+ ) Recommended. Themes: YA, fantasy, magic. 'In a sealed
off city, it begins with a hunt. A young woman, Lena, is running for
her life, convicted of being a mage and sentenced to death. Her only
way to survive is to trust those she has been brought up to fear,
those with magic.
On the other side of the locked gates is a masked lady, Constance,
determined to find a way back in. She knows only too well how the
people of Duke's Forest loathe magic. Years ago she escaped before
her powers were discovered. But now she won't hide who she is any
longer.
A powerful and terrifying storm cloud unites them. It descends over
the dukedom and devastates much in its wake. But this is more than a
thunderstorm. This is a spell, and the truth behind why it has been
cast is more sinister than anyone can imagine . . . ' (Publisher)
Only Lena and Constance hold the key to destroying the spell. Though
neither of them realise it, they need each other. They are the blood
and they have the thunder within.
Kesia Lupo crafts a vibrant fantasy world in her debut novel, where
both kindness and cruelty stand out. The worldbuilding grounded the
story and gave a sense of reality through the characters' trials and
tribulations. In her emotive narration, Lupo enables the reader to
empathise with the main characters and feel indignant at the
inequity and unfairness that Lena faces. Lena's character growth was
a pleasure to read as she transforms from an insecure child unsure
of her place in the world to a young woman who understands her
identity and connections to the people around her. Constance's
mysterious and inscrutable character was a stark contrast to Lena's
easily perceived emotions, creating a compelling narrative that led
to an unexpected twist. The way the storm cloud connected Constance
and Lena emphasised the way the past actions of some can impact
other people's futures, binding them together through chance or
fate. Lupo's abrupt descriptions of character deaths suggests the
way people devalue others' lives is callous and beseeches readers to
consider the way our actions impact others; thought-provoking themes
for the current day and age. The pacing in the opening scene was
fast, heightening the tension, and remained at a good tempo for the
rest of the novel, slowing for the worldbuilding, then increasing
for climactic scenes. Some descriptions in the book are visceral and
not appropriate for young readers, but for teenagers, this novel is
an engaging, interesting read.
Stephanie Lam