I really enjoyed this book. As nonfiction juvenile literature goes, this has got to be in my top ten. Seeing Red is an explanation of blood. Not the typical scientific approach but a cultural one. Dotted with a graphic novel type story, Seeing Red explains how blood has shaped various cultures and continues to presently.
The book is written for a juvenile audience but the information is entertaining for all ages. There are five main topics pertaining to blood – blood rituals, rites of passage, blood in food, blood and genetics, and blood forensics.
The topics touch on cultural beliefs all around the world as well as historically. Tanya Lloyd Kyi even delves into the religious aspects of blood. All in all, the book was fascinating.
I will caution those who are devout Christians. There may be parts in the book that can be perceived as offensive. I appreciated the author’s anthropological approach to all the religions and cultures but I do know that some people will find it cold. I liked it because it opened up the topic and kept all religions and cultures on an equal level.
I would recommend this for any juvenile library and could even see this as a favorite at home.
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