Reviews

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

alexandriam_rose's review against another edition

3.0

Haha, did I say I wasn't going to start reading another YA fantasy-horror-alt history...lol. I started reading and a few chapters in, I'm like, this is totally YA. I've gotten tricked into reading a YA alternative civil war history with zombies, I can go with that. Overall I don't think there is too much if anything bad about this book, just not my usual type of read. It does a good job of discussing the realities of this time period and difficult subjects from a YA perspective without glossing over anything or coming off flat. The main character was pretty great—snarky and funny. One downside for me is that it really feels like a book one. Although I am generally interested in where the story is going, I was kind of hoping this one would wrap up in a way that felt like an end, even knowing there was a sequel, but it really is more "the adventure really starts now."

bernstein_lexi's review against another edition

adventurous

4.5

queeneallie's review against another edition

It jumped too much. Too much happened. I would have preferred more development than jumping around.

inhale_exhale_read's review against another edition

dark hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I recently read and loved this author's middle grade novel, Ophie's Ghosts, written a few years after Dread Nation. It's interesting to see the difference between a middle grade and a YA story by the same author! In this book, the soldiers killed on the battlefield at Gettysburg inexplicably turn into zombies and start killing civilians in droves - quickly ending the Civil War out of necessity and changing the course of history. Black and Indigenous children become subjected to a reeducation act, forcing them to attend combat schools to fight the undead and keep the white population safe. This was a very unique story with excellent atmosphere and well developed characters who I could really root for. I will probably pick up the second novel at some point. I look forward to seeing what else Justina Ireland writes!

kristen_sav's review against another edition

Lots of random worldbuilding name-drops of important events in the world without clear explanation. This is one book that would've done well with a timeline or a prologue to clarify the historical events, even the fictional ones. Something like this shouldn't be a book I wish would have a glossary.  

abi0408's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I was required to read this for my grad school YA literature class. When I read the synopsis, I did not think I’d enjoy a historical fiction featuring zombies. But honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. 

This book is full of important themes and messages, all the while being entertaining. There’s action, intrigue, mystery, and even some romance. It’s fairly fast-paced, and the mystery behind the shambles and what’s really happening was enough to keep me hooked and engaged. 

The ending did leave you on a bit of a cliffhanger, and doesn’t provide much answers. So I’ll probably be reading the sequel soon so I can know all the answers to all my questions. 

Overall surprisingly enjoyed this and would recommend it if you’re looking for something really different and unique! 

betterbelieveitsbecca's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

emilyb_chicago's review against another edition

4.0

Read amazingly by Bahni Turpin, Dread Nation is an alternate history, zombie apocalypse with a strong, young Black lead. It was a fun adventure which (thankfully to me) was very light on gore/tension. Some of the twists and surprises in the end could have been set up more or cut completely, but in general I found this a delightful addition to my summer reading.

exorcismemily's review against another edition

4.0

"It's a cruel, cruel world. And the people are the worst part."

I first heard of Dread Nation a couple years ago when it was nominated for a Stoker Award. I'm not huge on zombies or historical fiction, but I wanted to give it a shot. I ended up really enjoying Dread Nation! The story and characters are memorable, and it was amusing and heartbreaking at the same time. I bought the second book last week, and I'm looking forward to reading it!

CW - racism, misogyny

inaraexplains's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0