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blkunicorn's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, and Gun violence
ericadawson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-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
3.75
I ended up enjoying Deathless Divide more than I expected, especially considering my steadily decreasing hopes for the book during the first part.
Jane's constant romantic troubles bogged down the beginning of the book, to the point where even after the Big Reveal for one of her (several) romantic infatuations, I stopped feeling bad for her because like, girl, he cheated. Twice. This man was the definition of a lightskin loser and I could not understand the level of devastation Jane was feeling. Even the reveal of this man's secret seemed out of left field. Not only that, but Jane had a tendency to start making eyes at nearly every man she came across, up to and including a definitely racist insane white man. Please.
(I noticed an annoying pattern of Jane's crushes tending toward being mixed or non-Black people exclusively. I think we have one non-mixed Black woman who's a prominent character. Otherwise, your chances of finding someone who's fully Black and fully significant are slim.)
I will say, though, that this was really my only issue with this book. I loved Katherine's character, the way she developed into a very sure-footed person and insightful person. Her introspections contrasted nicely with Jane's. I liked Jane's corruption arc, and I loved their friendship and Katherine's unwavering loyalty to Jane.
I enjoyed the voice and the prose, as well as the distinction between Katherine and Jane's POVs. Tension was well maintained, although I began to much prefer the post-time skip portion of the book over what was going on beforehand. Again, the romance(s), often times seemingly nonsensical, got on my nerves enough to knock down the star rating for this book.
It's rare that I enjoy sequels as much as I did this one--but if there happens to be a third installment, I'll be tuning in.
Jane's constant romantic troubles bogged down the beginning of the book, to the point where even after the Big Reveal for one of her (several) romantic infatuations, I stopped feeling bad for her because like, girl, he cheated. Twice. This man was the definition of a lightskin loser and I could not understand the level of devastation Jane was feeling. Even the reveal of this man's secret seemed out of left field. Not only that, but Jane had a tendency to start making eyes at nearly every man she came across, up to and including a definitely racist insane white man. Please.
(I noticed an annoying pattern of Jane's crushes tending toward being mixed or non-Black people exclusively. I think we have one non-mixed Black woman who's a prominent character. Otherwise, your chances of finding someone who's fully Black and fully significant are slim.)
I will say, though, that this was really my only issue with this book. I loved Katherine's character, the way she developed into a very sure-footed person and insightful person. Her introspections contrasted nicely with Jane's. I liked Jane's corruption arc, and I loved their friendship and Katherine's unwavering loyalty to Jane.
I enjoyed the voice and the prose, as well as the distinction between Katherine and Jane's POVs. Tension was well maintained, although I began to much prefer the post-time skip portion of the book over what was going on beforehand. Again, the romance(s), often times seemingly nonsensical, got on my nerves enough to knock down the star rating for this book.
It's rare that I enjoy sequels as much as I did this one--but if there happens to be a third installment, I'll be tuning in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
mydearwatsonbooks's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, Child death, Murder, Blood, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Racial slurs, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, and Vomit
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
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
angelbabe_cj's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
I think this might have been even better than the first book in the duology. I really enjoyed it. And the ending was very satisfying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder
Minor: Ableism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Trafficking
The majority of these warnings are covered by the fact the book deals with zombies and primarily black people in the 19th Century. For the most part current racial slurs are used in an historical context, although there are also a fair number of specifically racist uses of these words.booksandcoffeerequired's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Racism and Slavery
maryellen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Slavery
malloryfitz's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Torture, Slavery, Violence, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, and Gore
Minor: Blood and Cursing