Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams (review)

Reviewed by: Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams April Spisak Williams, LaDarrion Blood at the Root. Labyrinth Road, 2024 432p Trade ed. ISBN 9780593711927 20. 99 E-Book ed. ISBN 9780593711958 10. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 8-10 Malik's mother has been missing for a decade, and as far as Malik knows, his only family is his foster brother, Taye, who he's determined to protect. He's surprised, then, to learn that he does have family, and that his grandmother has secured him End Page 378 a spot at Caiman, an HBCU with magic, and is also offering a safe home for Taye while Malik is away at school. Not only is Caiman a place where Malik can hone his powers, this is also the school his mother attended, and he learns more about her pursuit of dark magic that led to her disappearance. There are layers of secrets at the school, however, about his mother but also a returning threat long believed to be gone. Malik has no patience for the politics of secrecy and keeping up appearances, and his brusque determination to find meaningful truths is a shock, often in good ways, to tradition. His first-person narration, with his bluster and defiance barely covering intense vulnerability and loss, is fresh and compelling. While some character motivations feel unexplained and their actions abrupt, Williams offers a strong foundation of world-building in this series debut, blending creative magical pieces with realistic elements of Black history and culture. Readers will eagerly anticipate what comes next for this deeply wounded young man who is fiercely determined to force the world (magical and otherwise) to be a better place for his little brother. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois