Dread Nation - ComeLibros Club

No cover — Justina Ireland: Dread Nation (Paperback, 2019, Balzer + Bray)

Paperback, 480 pages

Published June 4, 2019 by Balzer + Bray.

ISBN:: 978-0-06-257061-1

(1 review)

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Civil War era America derailing the War Between the States and changing the nation forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children to attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society s expectations.

5 editions

Alex Cabe reviewed Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Skillfully Written with a Well-Chosen Premise, but Doesn't Elevate Much Beyond It

3 stars

The central premise here was great, but the plot meandered at times and it felt like the author had come up with a great concept, then had trouble with what to do with it.

Skillfully written and likeable characters, although I feel like I'd be more of a Katherine than a Jane. I enjoyed that the author trusted the reader enough to reveal the backstory of Jane and the world generally slowly, rather than infodumping it all at once.

The plot twists and secrets weren't very surprising and didn't all make sense.

The letter excerpts at the end of each chapter were clever and moved the plot.

I have a long reading list at the moment, but will probably read the sequel. This was clearly written with a sequel in mind, so I'd like to see how things conclude. Would be interesting if parts of the sequel are told from …

The central premise here was great, but the plot meandered at times and it felt like the author had come up with a great concept, then had trouble with what to do with it.

Skillfully written and likeable characters, although I feel like I'd be more of a Katherine than a Jane. I enjoyed that the author trusted the reader enough to reveal the backstory of Jane and the world generally slowly, rather than infodumping it all at once.

The plot twists and secrets weren't very surprising and didn't all make sense.

The letter excerpts at the end of each chapter were clever and moved the plot.

I have a long reading list at the moment, but will probably read the sequel. This was clearly written with a sequel in mind, so I'd like to see how things conclude. Would be interesting if parts of the sequel are told from other perspectives.