Review: Blood Called by M.A. Caulder

Delivering a multilayered paranormal thriller with a captivating heroine at the helm, Blood Called (Songs of the Claw Book 1) by M.A. Caulder is a graphic gut-punch of a novel.

In this dystopian vision of the future, a catastrophic Change has resulted in the sinister and sped-up evolution of the natural world: plants, animals, and people have rapidly developed new abilities and adaptations, making them deadlier than ever before. That’s not the only issue at stake, as Earth has been quietly seized by an alien species known as the Helmers.

Amidst this madness stands Kylie Tyger, the feisty mortician of Ridge City, who also moonlights as The Claw, the city’s top-shelf assassin of choice by cops and shadier clients alike. She balances her death-dealing double life along with her brother Keeth – entrepreneur, sometimes sidekick, and vice-investor extraordinaire.

After witnessing the destruction of their home and the loss of her parents as a young girl, Kylie harnessed her gift of communicating with the astral plane and developed a bulletproof alter ego, but traumatic mysteries from the past still haunt her. Why had she and her family been kicked out of their protective Enclave? What part had the extraterrestrial Helmers and the all-powerful Directorate played in the disappearance of her family? What secrets are the dead trying to share with her, and what ulterior motives are driving these haunted souls from the shadows?

When their estranged grandfather reaches out after more than a decade, Kylie sees it as a chance for answers and closure, but with a killer targeting Enclave children and framing Directorate members for the crimes, she already has her razor-tipped hands full. As the disparate story threads converge and tangle, Kylie risks everything for a shot at the truth, slashing her way through a conspiracy that threatens everything she has spent her life protecting.

Beneath its dystopian surface, this hot-blooded novel also explores a range of thematic elements, both timeless and eerily relevant today – corrupt police departments, the slippery slopes of vigilante justice, the resilient bonds of family, the burden of legacy, and the great responsibilities that come with great power. Kylie’s narrative voice is unfiltered and intentionally rough around the edges, perfectly capturing her daring nonchalance and fearless swagger. The consistently casual tone brings readers directly into the action, as though Kylie is sharing her mid-battle commentary and snarky asides with the reader as a sidekick companion.

The stream-of-consciousness style can occasionally slow the pace and undercut the emotional maturity of the main character. In general, the character development feels limited, aside from Keeth and Kylie, and though these two are most central to the plot, supporting figures like Drake, Grandpa Zeb and Thane Karel could be given more depth for a richer reading experience. While some elements feel like they’re not given enough attention, the book can also feel like it’s trying to do too much – family drama, superhero noir, alien invasion sci-fi, and paranormal mystery all at once. With so many facets to juggle, deeper character study is sometimes left at the wayside, and there is room for improvement in terms of word choice, narrative redundancy, and realistic dialogue, though the general exposition and world-building are accomplished with gradual subtlety.

The sprawling ambition of the plot does make up for these deficiencies to a large degree; it is refreshingly original for urban fantasy and science fiction to be melded together in a way that is continually unpredictable. Critiques aside, this is a surprising and snark-filled work of urban fantasy that is captivatingly inventive, with a fierce femme fatale who offers an enticing foundation for a new series.