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gabalodon 's review for:
Dread Nation
by Justina Ireland
This was an excellent Reconstruction era zombie adventure. Fast-paced, action-packed, and a fun and dynamic cast of characters, including a truly awesome, quick-witted, and badass heroine. Nothing went quite as I expected, though not necessarily in a bad way. I was left with a lot of questions and concerns and a not-quite-satiated thirst for vengeance, which presumably the sequel will address. The MC made a lot of clever plans on the fly which didn't actually end up bearing any fruit, which was a little disappointing. Most of the plot hinged on her talking or fighting her way out of or having to simply put up with the immediate high-stress situation. But there were some retroactive plot twists that I thought were executed really well and very interested to see what happens next.
I also highly recommend this for non-Black readers in particular, both because for white readers I think it is super important to absorb a marginalized perspective for those are used to privilege and also because the Reconstruction Era set the groundwork for the racial politics and inequalities we see today. Even though this is set up as an alternate history, there are lot of historical truths woven throughout that resonate with current events and rhetoric. It was a good reminder to think beyond yourself and consider other experiences and perspectives.
I also highly recommend this for non-Black readers in particular, both because for white readers I think it is super important to absorb a marginalized perspective for those are used to privilege and also because the Reconstruction Era set the groundwork for the racial politics and inequalities we see today. Even though this is set up as an alternate history, there are lot of historical truths woven throughout that resonate with current events and rhetoric. It was a good reminder to think beyond yourself and consider other experiences and perspectives.