The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst

1. BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA

Durst, Sarah Beth. The Queen of Blood. New York, NY: Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2017. Print.


2. PLOT SUMMARY

Daliena is born with a magical ability to control spirits. In a world where spirits have the desire to kill humans, the talent sets her apart from her family and village. She sets off for training at an academy for those gifted with affinity to spirits and does not know the adventure that is in store.


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The main character, Daliena, is a strong female role model. She does not let any stones in her path to slow her down. She does not doubt her self worth. A young girl often struggles with their image and with their feeling of self worth. Daliena knows that she is not as talented as other students in the academy. Many people tell her that she might as well quit the program. Daliena's hard work and dedication never falter and shows the audience that hard  work pays off. The book connects to young adults when Daliena is thrust into a world she was not prepared for. The readers can sympathize with having a sudden responsibility that you are not ready or prepared for. Daniela has to make decisions that not only affect her family, but her entire country. Young adults are also making decisions that can affect their lives, like choosing a right college or trade school. The character ages through the book from a young child to an adult and can connect with readers of many ages.
Some of the troubles I had with the book was the time it took to introduce the new world. There are many rules in this fantasy universe and it takes the entire book to lay a foundation for the series to come.  The book on its own does not tell a complete story. This introduction has to be immediately followed by the sequel to find out what happens to Daniela. I am excited to keep reading, but do not start the book if you are not willing to continue with more books.
There are some adult situations mentioned briefly in the book. Durst does not describe the romantic moments, but does no hide that they happen either. Be aware of the maturity level of the reader before suggesting this novel to a teenager. The book was written as an adult novel, but the themes connect to young adult readers.


4. CREATIVE ACTIVITY

Maker Monday's are very popular with our public library. Many of the events are themed toward a piece of literature. The book is based on more adult themes and would fit best with high school students. The book concentrates on the spirits that control nature. Without the spirits, the water would not flow. The fire would not burn. The birds would not fly. Nature is a dynamic force in the book.
On a Maker event, we could highlight nature by making an art piece. The library is currently taking old electronics and turning them into art sculptures. We can take parts of nature to create the art for the teens. Using dirt, twigs, fire (if you're brave enough), and other elements of nature can be used to create natural colors on a piece of paper or canvas. You are only limited to your imagination on the possibilities of how to bring nature into art. Maybe even giving the teens a chance to collect their own materials would be exciting.



5. RELATED RESOURCES

Barnes and Noble interviewed Sarah Beth Durst about the creation of the final cover art for the novel. You generally do not think about what it takes to decide on a visual representation of your work. Despite what the saying says, we do judge books by the covers. Find it here.

• "Making of a Cover: The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst." The B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog. N.p., 29 Apr. 2016. Web. 17 June 2017.

The School Library Journal has a great section on their site called Adult Books 4 Teens. Since The Queen of Blood is an adult fantasy that connects with teens, the list finds other great books to suggest after you have finished the two books released in the Queens of Renthis series currently.

• "Adult Books for Teens." School Library Journal. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 June 2017.

6. PUBLISHED REVIEW

This is a Kirkus Review over The Queen of Blood. It was originally published on September 20, 2016. It was put online August 17, 2016. Find it here.

• "THE QUEEN OF BLOOD by Sarah Beth Durst." Kirkus Reviews. N.p., 17 Aug. 2016. Web. 17 June 2017.