The Blood Lie, by Shirley Reva Vernick, is a novel that begs to be read. It’s the story of what can happen when people of different religions don’t understand each other’s differences. The Blood Lie is historical fiction. It’s based on true events that happened in Massena, NY, which is located in Upstate NY near Canada, in 1928. A little girl goes missing and because of a rumor that is started out of ignorance and fear, a 16 year-old boy gets accused of murder. But just because the book and the events in Massena took place in 1928, doesn’t mean that something like this couldn’t happen again today.
I’m a sucker for author’s notes. Personally, I think they should be required at the end of every book so readers can understand the author’s thinking about the book they wrote. In historical fiction, especially, I like knowing what separates fact from fiction. Vernick has a five page author’s note at the back of the book. Here’s the part that reinforces the significance of this book:
Although dates like 1928 and 1937 may seem like a lifetime ago, ritual murder accusations are anything but dead in the 21st century. In 2002, for instance, a student demonstration at San Francisco State University featured posters of a soup can whose label showed dripping blood, a dead baby with its stomach sliced open, and the words “Made in Israel, Palestinian children meat, slaughtered according to Jewish rites under American license.” That same year, a Saudi newspaper ran an article describing how “Jewish vampires” extract the blood of teenagers to use in their Purim holiday pastries.
Shortly before Passover 2008, Russia’s third largest city was plastered with posters claiming that Jews were “stealing small children and draining their blood to make their sacred bread.” Also in recent years, Swedish and Canadian newspapers have published stories claiming that Jews kidnap and kill children in order to harvest and sell their internal organs.
Clearly, the blood lie is alive and well in our world. So is the hatred against other groups based on their race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. From cyber-bullying to violent physical attacks, vandalism to murder, oppression is out there. In 2004 alone, there were more than 9,0000 reported hate offenses in the US, according to the FBI. That doesn’t include all the incidents that go unreported — the name-calling, exclusion, intimidation, property destruction and other offenses that people don’t talk about.
Do you have students who are trying to deal with prejudice, bullying, or exclusion through writing? Hand them this book. It will certainly serve as an excellent mentor for any high school student who needs inspiration to write about a topic that is really hard to write about. The Blood Lie is written with exceptional details. Vernick paints a vivid picture of every character in the book. The setting details were so clear… I was able to envision myself walking through Massena in 1928. Therefore, it was so easy for me to make a movie in my mind as I read through this fast-paced novel. Although some of the details are quite graphic, mature readers should be able to handle the content in this text.
As an adult reader, who is Jewish, I had to talk through several things in The Blood Lie with my husband because I couldn’t make sense of them on my own. Therefore, don’t just hand this novel a student this book. Be sure to talk about it with them. Processing this book will require someone to talk with, especially if you want a student in your class to use this text as a writing mentor. There will be questions and points that will need clarification.
Here’s the book trailer:
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:
-
Thank you to Cinco Puntos Press for agreeing to sponsor a giveaway of one copy of The Blood Lie.
-
To win a copy of the book please leave a comment about this post, in the comments section of this post by Friday, November 25th, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. EST. A random drawing will take place on Sunday, November 27th and the winner’s name will be announced in a blog post later that day.
-
Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address and have my contact at Cinco Puntos Press send the book out to you. Please note: Your e-mail address will not be published online.
Discover more from TWO WRITING TEACHERS
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I discovered your blog through a Facebook link, and I’m sure glad. Thank you for detailing *The Blood Lie* and including the book trailer. This book is now on my list to find or order. Thanks again!
LikeLike
This is a real find! This could be used a a read aloud in my class giving me the opportunity to discuss all the nuances of the book. I would love to add this one to my teacher library.
LikeLike
I love historical fiction and am looking forward to reading this one. As an adjunct instructor of literacy, one of the projects my students have to do is to make a book trailer as a way to introduce book to their future students. Thanks for another good example.
LikeLike
I am always looking for new books to for my class. I love to read YA lit, too!
LikeLike
This would be a great addition to my school. Thanks for sharing information about this book!
LikeLike
As a middle school English teacher who loves how historical fiction can show how closely our present is connected to our past, I am always looking for reads that allow difficult discussions about human behavior to to enter our conversations in the classroom through literature. Students are more receptive to discussing bullying, prejudice and the like in the context of a book than they are to lectures admonishing those behaviors. Thank you for the post about Blood Lie, a book I’ll be sure to read and share with my students.
LikeLike
I teach middle school. This year in particular we have had serious problems with bullying, and I am planning a unit to address this issue (that I plan to start on Day 1 next year!). Though this book may be mature, it sounds like I could use it as a read aloud to discuss with my students the serious consequences of bullying and persecution.
LikeLike
Stacey, I share your love of Author’s Notes! I cannot tell you how many times I’ve thought, “This would be a great book if it were more believable,” only to find out (by reading the Author’s Note) that it was based on true events. Thank you for sharing the excerpt.
Also, thank you for taking the time to explain the maturity level of the text. There are books like this that I keep on my “teacher shelf” for just these reasons. Some books require more guidance than others (Wintergirls, Crank, Purple Heart, to name a few). I wonder if this book reads at all like Guardians by Julius Lester. It sounds like it has a similar feel- the kind of book that makes you uncomfortable when you read it because of the truth within the horror.
LikeLike
This would be a great addition for my historical fiction book clubs. One of the other books we read is “The Boy In The Blue Pajamas” – this would bring some of those themes home, literally – to New York. I agree that it’s a novel that requires processing – I wouldn’t just hand it out or have kids sign up to read it. The more we share about themes like this the better a world we help create -I’m convinced of this.
LikeLike
It is so very sad that our children read books about magic and vampires, believing, or almost believing, what goes on. But they don’t read historical fiction, or if they do, they too often say, “That could never happen.” This sounds like a book for more mature readers, and it sounds like one they need to read. Thank you for keeping us up with new books!
LikeLike
This book sounds absolutely phenomenal! I have no doubt my middle school students could relate to it in many ways, especially with their growing curiosity out how the world (and people) work.
LikeLike
Thank you Stacey for telling about this new book, and for bringing up this topic so alarmingly but continually prevalent in our culture and in others’ also. I am continually interested in the motivations that drive such acts, hoping to find a way to do something to help! In this kind of book, I too love the authors’ notes, so thanks for including these excerpts, though brutal. Sounds like a book we should not miss.
LikeLike
This book sounds amazing! I have a 15 year old son– sounds like a perfect book for us to read together. Thank you for calling it to my attention.
LikeLike
Went to check it out for my Kindle, but it isn’t available. I love books that start great discussions. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
I also love reading author’s notes, especially with historical fiction for the same reason that you mentioned. With realistic fiction, I also love it when author’s give glimpses into how their life is similar to the events in the book.
I am intrigued to read this book, but like you mentioned, it sounds like it will require processing. I was horrified by the aspects mentioned in the author’s note, as I was not aware of those various accusations. It is frustrating when people attack others about something so false.
LikeLike