Blood and Sand by C.V. Wyk - ADVISABLE

Blood and Sand by C.V. Wyk, 310 pages.  Tor Teen (Macmillan), 2017.  $18.  

Content: Language: PG-13 (53 swears); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG-13.  

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS – ADVISABLE  

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH  

Attia was raised to be a warrior queen, but when her beloved kingdom of Thrace is ransacked she becomes a slave for the kingdom of Rome.  Attia is given as a gift to the gladiator Xanthus, but Xanthus is also a slave with little freedom himself.  Together they find friendship and more, but in the process they find themselves fighting together within the Republic of Rome.  

I had low expectations going into this novel because gladiators are such a depressing topic, but I totally loved this book.  The characters were fantastic and the setting was very well done.  I loved the pace of the plot and the development of the relationship between Xanthus and Attia.  The content includes gladiator deaths, threat of rape, branding, mention of crucifixion and physical abuse.  

C. Peterson