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breesbookmark's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Death, Gore, Police brutality, Sexism, Gun violence, Violence, Misogyny, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Murder, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racial slurs, Slavery, Xenophobia, and War
Minor: Child death and Abandonment
fyarae's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
Really fantastic characters and a rich world that makes you really question the prejudices in today's society. Fantastic world building, a wonderful read. I just wish there was a coupling up at the end with two characters but I will survive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gore
Moderate: Death
lovetlr's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
Excellent addition to the series. I want more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Death, and Slavery
gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This had me hooked from start to finish. The plot and character development was something that I thought was done very well, and without spoiling everything I appreciate it felt realistic for the development to backtrack and then go forward again with the events of the book.
This is the second and final book in the Dread Nation duology, which picks up right where the last book left off. This book hits the ground running and doesn't hold back on moments that will shock or hurt at all. It is a ride that I loved it. The characters all feel real when reading too. They have their wants and needs and they are all the same, but it doesn't mean they are against one another.
This time the book had dual prospectives of Jane and Katherine which is changed up from the first book. I really liked this change up at it felt like it gave the whole story better and also really lets us see the world that the girls are living in.
This was perfect to read during spooky season.
This is the second and final book in the Dread Nation duology, which picks up right where the last book left off. This book hits the ground running and doesn't hold back on moments that will shock or hurt at all. It is a ride that I loved it. The characters all feel real when reading too. They have their wants and needs and they are all the same, but it doesn't mean they are against one another.
This time the book had dual prospectives of Jane and Katherine which is changed up from the first book. I really liked this change up at it felt like it gave the whole story better and also really lets us see the world that the girls are living in.
This was perfect to read during spooky season.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Death, and Racism
Moderate: Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, and Murder
romiress's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The pacing was all over the place and it felt like the book didn't know what it wanted to do. I had some major issues with the depictions of non-white minorities in this book, and how they were represented. The ending was bizarre, and the overall struggle felt... off. The entire 'actually, Gideon was evil THE WHOLE TIME' felt so out of place.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Slavery
queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: zombies, violence, descriptions of blood and gore, slavery, racism, anxiety, murder, amputation, torture
Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland is the second novel in the Dread Nation duology. I loved this one just as much as the first book! We get more of Katherine in this one, so we go between her and Jane's POV.
We pick up with Jane and Katherine from last time as they try to find safety in another town. Everything goes tits up in the worst way, shamblers everywhere. I don't want to say too much more about the plot to avoid spoilers, but we get to see more of the west in this book and get some really great diverse historical context that brings in Californios, Indigenous people, and Chinese people. We also have a Bi MC of color, Aroace MC of color, lots of gay/lesbian rep, and disability rep.
I loved Jane and Katherine's friendship in this! They are wonderful together. Katherine is the sunshine to Jane's stormy countenance. Where Jane is brash, reckless, and impolite, Katherine is measured, refined, keeps Jane in line. Their banter gives me life. I also love that their relationship is never minimized and no one tells them to get a husband (Katherine is aroace). They both have some great dynamic character growth throughout the novel.
Ireland has given us the gift of putting Black people back into history. Like Ireland, I always loved old westerns or anything to with the Old West, but they were all white people. With this duology, we get out own western story. We also see themes on medical experimentation on Black people and the use of faulty science.
There were some great twists I didn't see coming! It also had a satisfying end. If you are usually not a fan of zombie stories, you should consider checking this book out. Yes there are zombies (shamblers), but it doesn't read like a zombie story. I'm usually not a fan, but I loved it. I can't wait to see what else Ireland puts out!
Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland is the second novel in the Dread Nation duology. I loved this one just as much as the first book! We get more of Katherine in this one, so we go between her and Jane's POV.
We pick up with Jane and Katherine from last time as they try to find safety in another town. Everything goes tits up in the worst way, shamblers everywhere. I don't want to say too much more about the plot to avoid spoilers, but we get to see more of the west in this book and get some really great diverse historical context that brings in Californios, Indigenous people, and Chinese people. We also have a Bi MC of color, Aroace MC of color, lots of gay/lesbian rep, and disability rep.
I loved Jane and Katherine's friendship in this! They are wonderful together. Katherine is the sunshine to Jane's stormy countenance. Where Jane is brash, reckless, and impolite, Katherine is measured, refined, keeps Jane in line. Their banter gives me life. I also love that their relationship is never minimized and no one tells them to get a husband (Katherine is aroace). They both have some great dynamic character growth throughout the novel.
Ireland has given us the gift of putting Black people back into history. Like Ireland, I always loved old westerns or anything to with the Old West, but they were all white people. With this duology, we get out own western story. We also see themes on medical experimentation on Black people and the use of faulty science.
There were some great twists I didn't see coming! It also had a satisfying end. If you are usually not a fan of zombie stories, you should consider checking this book out. Yes there are zombies (shamblers), but it doesn't read like a zombie story. I'm usually not a fan, but I loved it. I can't wait to see what else Ireland puts out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Racism
Moderate: Blood, Murder, and Torture
Minor: Slavery
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
DEATHLESS DIVIDE is a strong sequel, briefly echoing some of the events of DREAD NATION in a new town before things take a grimly foreseen turn, setting the characters on a new, even bloodier path on their way to California.
The emotional core of the story is the friendship between Katherine and Jane, as this tests how far Jane will go for vengeance and how far Katherine is willing and able to follow her. They began the first book as social rivals and ended it scarred by the same waves of zombies and death, as well as a myriad of more individualized heartaches and wounds. DEATHLESS DIVIDE continues their dangerous trek as they try to keep the other members of their traveling party alive.
This wraps up several things left hanging from the previous book. The main storyline starts here and mostly wasn’t present before, with several big things that are both introduced and resolved within DEATHLESS DIVIDE. This appears to be the end of the duology, and while the world of these stories is grand enough to contain more tales it does feel complete for these particular characters. There was a particular goal expressed early in DREAD NATION which ends up resolved, and that in particular helps this to feel like the end of the story. Jane is a returning narrator and her voice is consistent with the first book. Katherine is a welcome addition as narrator, and her view of herself and of Jane is very different from Jane’s perception of them. They're a fine pair of narrators, seeing each of them through the other one’s eyes is a great way to explore their personalities.
I like a lot of the secondary characters, both the new ones and the returning minor characters who get more of a role this time around. There was a tendency for the book to feel like it picked them up and then just shoved them to the background as they stopped being relevant to some emotional beat in Jane and Katherine's journey. Sue is consistently present, which was nice, and the very dangerous journey meant that the very large cast was necessary as people kept dying and getting replaced by new people to keep safe. Part of that is because the plot isn't about them and it isn't trying to be, but it did make for a strange feeling every time a new person was introduced as I waited to find out whether they were going to get killed or just fade into the background. Lily in particular faded, she was so important as a person to find and keep safe in DREAD NATION and then she just is around but mostly stops being relevant less than halfway through DEATHLESS DIVIDE. I know how she ends up, the story doesn't lose track of her so this isn't a plot hole or something, but it felt odd, and she wasn't the only one this happened to. It might be a reflection of how much Jane and Katherine are surrounded by death and it makes Jane in particular pretty numb to other people's feelings, so anyone that only Jane was keeping track of is prone to fade from the story.
This is a great finish to a solid duology with vibrant main characters and a very memorable setting. I had a great time reading it and I like how it ended, it was open enough to imply possibilities while also addressing the whole reason for their quest for California in the first place.
The emotional core of the story is the friendship between Katherine and Jane, as this tests how far Jane will go for vengeance and how far Katherine is willing and able to follow her. They began the first book as social rivals and ended it scarred by the same waves of zombies and death, as well as a myriad of more individualized heartaches and wounds. DEATHLESS DIVIDE continues their dangerous trek as they try to keep the other members of their traveling party alive.
This wraps up several things left hanging from the previous book. The main storyline starts here and mostly wasn’t present before, with several big things that are both introduced and resolved within DEATHLESS DIVIDE. This appears to be the end of the duology, and while the world of these stories is grand enough to contain more tales it does feel complete for these particular characters. There was a particular goal expressed early in DREAD NATION which ends up resolved, and that in particular helps this to feel like the end of the story. Jane is a returning narrator and her voice is consistent with the first book. Katherine is a welcome addition as narrator, and her view of herself and of Jane is very different from Jane’s perception of them. They're a fine pair of narrators, seeing each of them through the other one’s eyes is a great way to explore their personalities.
I like a lot of the secondary characters, both the new ones and the returning minor characters who get more of a role this time around. There was a tendency for the book to feel like it picked them up and then just shoved them to the background as they stopped being relevant to some emotional beat in Jane and Katherine's journey. Sue is consistently present, which was nice, and the very dangerous journey meant that the very large cast was necessary as people kept dying and getting replaced by new people to keep safe. Part of that is because the plot isn't about them and it isn't trying to be, but it did make for a strange feeling every time a new person was introduced as I waited to find out whether they were going to get killed or just fade into the background. Lily in particular faded, she was so important as a person to find and keep safe in DREAD NATION and then she just is around but mostly stops being relevant less than halfway through DEATHLESS DIVIDE. I know how she ends up, the story doesn't lose track of her so this isn't a plot hole or something, but it felt odd, and she wasn't the only one this happened to. It might be a reflection of how much Jane and Katherine are surrounded by death and it makes Jane in particular pretty numb to other people's feelings, so anyone that only Jane was keeping track of is prone to fade from the story.
This is a great finish to a solid duology with vibrant main characters and a very memorable setting. I had a great time reading it and I like how it ended, it was open enough to imply possibilities while also addressing the whole reason for their quest for California in the first place.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Genocide, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Slavery, and Torture
Minor: Ableism and Child abuse
theasbookworld's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
tieflingkisser's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Slavery, Grief, and Torture
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What a follow up to Dread Nation! We pick up right where that book left off, with our favorite characters out fighting zombies once again. What I love about Ireland's books is that they're so infused with history, yet they have this twist that pulls you in: the zombies. However, a lot of the issues that Jane and Katherine face are very real, especially when it comes to race.
While there were times where the story felt like it dragged a bit, the rest of it definitely makes up for it.
While there were times where the story felt like it dragged a bit, the rest of it definitely makes up for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Racism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, and Torture
Minor: Animal cruelty