Blood Wounds

Pfeffer, S.B. (2011). Blood Wounds. NY: Harcourt Children's Books
YA / Realistic Fiction / Contemporary

QuickNEasy, 256 pages, ages 14+

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

I really wanted to like this more, but it became too scattered with just too many heavy, heavy issues to cover in less than 300 pages. I have to give it snaps for some unexpected twists, though; however, some of those twists were because I thought this book was about one thing when it's actually about another.

With the jacket blurb about the murderous father on the run, it seems like it's going to be a thriller! And you keep waiting and waiting, and guess what -- it's not.  And if you're looking to dissect the father and his motives and intentions, you can't. Oh! But you can if. . . . you want to believe the main character, Willa, who hasn't had any contact with her father in ten years, can zone-out and "connect" to what her father was going through because his blood courses through her.  Rrrright.

Willa has serious psychological problems that are not really given much consideration, which is a concern. Her blended family is highly dysfunctional, though not on the surface.  The characters aren't well-constructed and truly, I couldn't feel too much towards any of them -- there just wasn't enough time given all the other drama.  That was unfortunate, as their were some indications that several of the characters were worth getting to know.

On the Clean-O-Meter, the book is pretty violent with fairly graphic descriptions of blood splatters and vicious wounds.  I don't recall any vulgarity (should have written right when I was done, so if there are some words I missed, apologies), and there certainly weren't any sexual references or situations - I can't imagine if that had been thrown into the mix as well.  So, for violence and disturbing subject matter, it rates a 6 out of 10.

Now, I must say. . . 
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Did anyone else do the math on the insurance policy pay-out and think, "no way!" Willa gets $750k, and divides it 3 ways.   With her $250,000, she pays the mortgage, has money to pay for college, and will take voice lessons, etc. ?  If the step-sisters' mom was as well-to-do as she sounded, that money won't cover the mortgage, much less anything else.  These numbers just don't work and it really bothered me. Whew. Glad I got that off my chest.
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