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kapbanana 's review for:
Dread Nation
by Justina Ireland
I loved the premise more than the story. This definitely reads as YA, although the main character, Jane, is more engaged than some YA protagonists. She's no Mary Sue!
What I enjoyed: the relationship between Jane and Katherine. Honestly, they had chemistry. And I the way Jane initially went on and on about how beautiful Katherine is, I really thought she was crushing. Jane's relationships with Jackson and Gideon were flat and boring in comparison.
What annoyed me: the discussion around corsets. The smallest bit of research would reveal that corsets are not restrictive in the way Ireland described them. It took me out of the story and made me question the care Ireland put into her research. For a historical fiction book, Dread Nation is definitely very history-lite.
Which brings me to what frustrated me: the history. In many ways, this story did not feel rooted in the time period it's supposed to be set in. I think there could have been a lot more depth and interesting historical exploration. That's what I love about historical fiction - especially when it attempts to tell alternative histories.
Overall, an easy, quick read, but does not deliver on the history and lacks an interesting plot.
What I enjoyed: the relationship between Jane and Katherine. Honestly, they had chemistry. And I the way Jane initially went on and on about how beautiful Katherine is, I really thought she was crushing. Jane's relationships with Jackson and Gideon were flat and boring in comparison.
What annoyed me: the discussion around corsets. The smallest bit of research would reveal that corsets are not restrictive in the way Ireland described them. It took me out of the story and made me question the care Ireland put into her research. For a historical fiction book, Dread Nation is definitely very history-lite.
Which brings me to what frustrated me: the history. In many ways, this story did not feel rooted in the time period it's supposed to be set in. I think there could have been a lot more depth and interesting historical exploration. That's what I love about historical fiction - especially when it attempts to tell alternative histories.
Overall, an easy, quick read, but does not deliver on the history and lacks an interesting plot.