Blood and Sand

Starred review from November 13, 2017
In an action-packed debut novel,
Wyk reimagines the legendary story of Spartacus. It’s a dark day when 17-year-old Thracian warrior princess Attia is sold into slavery to the House of Timeus, after the Romans slaughter her people and kill her family, including her father, the Thracian king. After being branded, Attia is presented as a gift to Josias Neleus Timeus’s champion gladiator, Xanthus Maximus Colossus, who is also enslaved and who loathes the killing he must do for his master. As Attia gets to know those in the household—especially Timeus’s mistress Lucretia, whose abuse at his brutal hands is heartbreaking—her plan to kill the man responsible for her people’s slaughter is shadowed by new purpose and new love for the honorable and kind Xanthus. Attia makes an irresistible Spartacus, an accomplished fighter and a fearless young woman determined to forge her own destiny. Revelations in the finale pave the way for what promises to be an epic battle in the next book. Ages 13–up. Agent: Sandy Lu, L. Perkins Agency.

December 1, 2017
Though the back cover sells this book as a woman-centered take on Spartacus, readers will get the impression the author repeatedly played "Gladiator" and "300" video games while writing this story. It's the tale of 17-year-old Attia, the educated, Roman-enslaved daughter and only living child of Thracian warrior ruler Sparro, who named her the heir to his kingdom when she was 7 and later died battling the Romans, who annihilated her particular people, the Maedis. The warrior princess almost successfully battles her own way to freedom from sexual and household slavery until she's recaptured by the watchmen of her new owner, the ruthless Timeus, a wealthy barker for the gladiatorial fights. Timeus buys Attia to emotionally tie his champion gladiator, 19-year-old Xanthus Maximus Colossus, to his own slavery and, by extension, to keep winning in the arena and increasing Timeus' political capital. This is a textbook epic novel--sweeping fact, such as the volcanic destruction of Pompeii, and fiction into a tale of two heroes motivated by love for each other and conquered-nation pride. And it's a textbook that's fun reading on an after-chores Saturday or a curl-up-in-bed Sunday. In this era of Katniss Everdeen, 300's Gorgo, The Matrix's Trinity, and the recently rebooted Wonder Woman, it takes more than a female Spartacus to make a thoughtfully feminist adventure. (Historical fiction/romance. 13-18)

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January 1, 2018

POPGr 8 Up-Weaving two stories together-that of Attia, a 17-year-old Thracian warrior princess, and of Xanthus, a gladiator-Wyk crafts a cast of relatable characters whose lives have been thrown together as a result of massacre. Within a matter of days, Attia goes from being the princess of Thrace to being a slave girl in a gladiator household. She is purchased at an auction by the House of Timeus to be given as a gift to Xanthus, the Champion of Rome. A skilled fighter, Attia immediately escapes by breaking the bones of her captors, climbing buildings, and running as fast as possible. She is ultimately caught and branded and learns that she needs to follow instructions and lie low until she is able to kill Timeus and seek revenge on Crassus Flavius, the man responsible for the murder of her Thracian comrades. Meanwhile, Attia gets to know Xanthus, only to find out that he is also a slave to Timeus, bought as a child and forced to learn how to fight as a gladiator. Xanthus is training for the fight of his life: a chance to battle the man who murdered his people, Decimus. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius changes everyone's plans and each character must fight to survive. A surprise ending will leave readers wanting more. Only slightly similar in theme to Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Curse, this debut is a unique addition to Ancient Roman historical fiction. This stunning series starter reads like a movie, with lengthy action scenes and strong imagery that allow readers to enjoy the narrative on a different level. VERDICT Recommended for all young adult collections.-Kristin Unruh, Siersma Elementary School, Warren, MI

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2017
Grades 9-12 This satisfying first installment set in Ancient Rome reimagines Spartacus as a seventeen-year-old girl. When Attia is sold as a slave to the House of Timeus, no one knows she's actually the warrior princess of Thrace, and the last of her people. She is given to Xanthus, a fellow slave and gladiator champion of Rome, as a gift from his master. Attia and Xanthus begin to build a trust through their shared skill in combat and a driving desire to seek revenge on the Roman leaders who wiped out their respective homes. While their burgeoning love leaves them both with something to lose, Attia never takes her eyes off her goal of vengeance. The fights and battles are clear, exciting, and plentiful without being terribly graphic, and the love story, while a little quick, is deeply felt. Attia is a strong and skilled protagonist who, as the fiery ending indicates, has the tools and motivation to lead a rebellion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)