Blood Point
Alexander Lane
Hi3NichiNari, 2025
Ebook, 438 ppg.
ISBN: 978-1-7395830-4-0
Ebook, 438 ppg.
Blood Point by Alexander Lane is an Irish ghost story of how an ancient evil terrorizes a group of tourists visiting there for the summer Solstice. Given the mystical elements at work at this time of year, it’s no surprise that a supernatural force long ago destroyed could be resurrected, even by accident. People who are not familiar with the history of ancient landmarks would see something that is “cool” without realizing that it could harbor ancient spirits not to be toyed with.
The story starts slow but it eventually picks up and once that happens, it’s hard to stop reading! I didn’t like the slow start, but I did appreciate how readers are given a chance to get to know the main characters better.
The backstory is told in strong detail and I was very fascinated by it. The backstory was more interesting than the main story, but I still kept reading both. Readers are encouraged to read the backstory, because it contains important information to know about things that happen later in the story.
The way this story is told, with the main characters, is that they are each telling their side of the story. This is good because it fills in a lot of blanks, but it does take a while to go through everything. But even so, their stories are told in so much detail and with bits of other character’s actions that they are pretty much accurate about.
I could totally understand Holly’s fascination with the pyramid, and I did love her idea of having a picnic at the pyramid when celebrating Midsummer Night. I mean, it’s one interesting way to pass the occasion! But little do they know what evil lurks within that pyramid, which of course some of them decide to explore.
As we dive further into the stories of the women who were murdered in the past, this female reader can certainly understand the anger and rage of these murdered women who were crushed under the heel of men. As Holly writes in her journal:
“These three women, they’re in me and around me. Beautiful Norig with her eyes full of stars, her skin like living, polished wood and I can touch her like she’s real, tracing the whorls and grain on her face with my fingers. Whorls. Marguerite told me to use that word. I thought Norig would be hard, like a tree, but she’s soft and warm like me, but with that raw Sídhe power flowing around inside her. It makes me tingle and then I remember where it came from. My poor French boy. Then there’s bloody, naked Eitigh, bruised and scratched from her final journey, the tracks of tears forever cutting through the grime on her cheeks. I’d love to wipe it away, put a bit of colour in her cheeks and eyes, see the girl who seduced a king. And black-lipped Marguerite, her chin cracked and scalded, eyes burning with a cold fury. She’s clever and educated, but all she had to look forward to was children and letting men make choices for her. Her pompous father and those arrogant brothers! No wonder she listened to Norig.” (Ppg. 279-80)
When these women tried to obtain power, they were accused of witchcraft and murdered by men. When they performed actions which other men felt were wrong, they were also accused of witchcraft by men and murdered by men. At the time both murders happened, women had no say, no rights and no kind of equality at all. Men had power over them and they used that power to either keep them subordinate or silence them.
It’s a terrible reminder of the horrors women faced in those days and how important it was for the women’s movement to happen so that women would have rights. So, the symbolism of a woman freeing an abused, murdered and wronged woman from long ago was a beautiful aspect in this story.
And what happens in the climax of the story is amazing! There is so much that is explained and shared in this part of the story. It brings all of the preceding events full circle and everything just falls into place.
The whole story is absolutely amazing. Yes, it starts off slow, but it is so worth it to hang in there for the rest of the story. The pace picks up eventually and it’s hard to stop reading as so many things happen!
Blood Point is a beautiful yet terrifying story of Irish folklore and ancient magic. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys reading Irish stories as well as stories of ancient magic and long-ago tales. It is a thrilling and scintillating story of the quest for power and vengeance. A story told from the POVs of the major characters, it draws readers in and keeps them turning the pages as the drama intensifies, the horrors take hold, and the quest for answers leads to a magical and otherworldly showdown.
Five stars
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
