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Dread Nation #2
Deathless Divide
The sequel to Dread Nation is a journey of revenge and salvation across a divided America.
After the fall of Summerland, Jane McKeene hoped her life would get simpler: Get out of town, stay alive, and head west to California to find her mother.
But nothing is easy when you're a girl trained in putting down the restless dead, and a devastating loss on the road to a protected village called Nicodermus has Jane questioning everything she thought she knew about surviving in 1880's America.
What's more, this safe haven is not what it appears - as Jane discovers when she sees familiar faces from Summerland amid this new society. Caught between mysteries and lies, the undead, and her own inner demons, Jane soon finds herself on a dark path of blood and violence that threatens to consume her.
But she won't be in it alone.
Katherine Deveraux never expected to be allied with Jane McKeene. But after the hell she has endured, she knows friends are hard to come by - and that Jane needs her, too, whether Jane wants to admit it or not.
Watching Jane's back, however, is more than she bargained for, and when they both reach a breaking point, it's up to Katherine to keep hope alive - even as she begins to fear that there is no happily-ever-after for girls like her.
After the fall of Summerland, Jane McKeene hoped her life would get simpler: Get out of town, stay alive, and head west to California to find her mother.
But nothing is easy when you're a girl trained in putting down the restless dead, and a devastating loss on the road to a protected village called Nicodermus has Jane questioning everything she thought she knew about surviving in 1880's America.
What's more, this safe haven is not what it appears - as Jane discovers when she sees familiar faces from Summerland amid this new society. Caught between mysteries and lies, the undead, and her own inner demons, Jane soon finds herself on a dark path of blood and violence that threatens to consume her.
But she won't be in it alone.
Katherine Deveraux never expected to be allied with Jane McKeene. But after the hell she has endured, she knows friends are hard to come by - and that Jane needs her, too, whether Jane wants to admit it or not.
Watching Jane's back, however, is more than she bargained for, and when they both reach a breaking point, it's up to Katherine to keep hope alive - even as she begins to fear that there is no happily-ever-after for girls like her.
553 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2020
642 people are currently reading
15647 people want to read
About the author
Justina Ireland
120 books3,095 followersJustina Ireland is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books including Dread Nation and its sequel Deathless Divide, the middle-grade novel Ophie's Ghosts, which won the Scott O'Dell award for historical fiction, and a number of Star Wars books including Flight of the Falcon: Lando’s Luck, Spark of the Resistance, A Test of Courage, Out of the Shadows, and Mission to Disaster. She is a former editor in chief of FIYAH Literary Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, for which she won a World Fantasy Award. She holds a BA in History from Georgia Southern and an MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University.
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February 3, 2018*crying because I really want this book and need more Jane McKeene in my life*
March 11, 2025
How do I review a book that wrecked my heart so thoroughly without blubbering or spoiling everything or just keyboard smashing?
Not well! But I'll try.
→ This was not the book I expected it to be; I enjoyed it nevertheless. I tried not to picture anything with Deathless Divide. Still, I had a vague idea of what I thought might happen. The book literally had nothing in common with my idea other than it being awesome. But thank goodness, because I never would've come up with this.
→ If Dread Nation is the awesome movie, then Deathless Divide is the gritty Netflix follow-up series. Like, eugh, my heart. I literally teared up several times (which is not an easy feat), and I outright cried once (which is really hard unless an animal is involved).
→ I didn't predict one major theme and plot device and I didn't expect a character to play the vital role they did, but Ireland foreshadowed it in the previous book and it unfolded so beautifully and masterfully. I literally went "Wait, how did I not see this coming? OF COURSE!" .)
→ KATHERINE DEVERAUX IS AMAZING, and killed me like a shambler and broke my heart.
→ JANE IS AMAZING, TOO, and also killed me like a shambler and broke my heart.
→ BUT KATHERINE.
→ BUT KATHERINE AND JANE.
→ The "villain" in this is perfect. (I won't say anything more, other than kudos, Justina Ireland, for playing that like you did.)
→ There were a few things in the first book that I wondered about and/or seemed like a dropped thread and they were addressed and/or picked up here in a way that made me so happy. (I won't say anything more.)
→ YAY GIRL POWER.
→ Yay awesome side characters.
→ Yay so many awesome themes and motifs.
→ Yay so much detail and atmosphere.
→ THAT ENDING. (I won't say anything more, other than how perfect it was.) *
*
→ As far as critiques and negatives go... Sure, I have some, probably, underneath the emotional post-read euphoria. Part of me would've liked to see one thing one way, or disliked a certain thing, or thought something was unnecessary, but then it might've been a totally different book. One day, I'll reread this (probably at least once when the audiobook releases, because the audiobook of Dread Nation is fantastic; Bahni Turpin kills it) and after a time or two, I'll be able to don my English major hat and librarian cardigan and properly analyze things.
But today is not that day.
tl;dr: This gritty Netflix series follow-up wasn't the sequel I expected; I loved it more.
Disclaimer: Thanks to Edelweiss & the publisher for the free ARC, with no incentive or coercion on your parts. (I probably would've paid you, in this case.)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Pre-read:
At least once a week, I visit this page and look for news with great longing in my soul.
edited 5/2/2019: We have a title! And a publication year! And joy in our hearts!
edited 8/17/2019: That. Cover. My. Heart.
edited 10/18/2019: That. Summary. Chills literally up and down my spine and arms and legs and all extremities. Surely the ARCs are about to be released?
Not well! But I'll try.
→ This was not the book I expected it to be; I enjoyed it nevertheless. I tried not to picture anything with Deathless Divide. Still, I had a vague idea of what I thought might happen. The book literally had nothing in common with my idea other than it being awesome. But thank goodness, because I never would've come up with this.
→ If Dread Nation is the awesome movie, then Deathless Divide is the gritty Netflix follow-up series. Like, eugh, my heart. I literally teared up several times (which is not an easy feat), and I outright cried once (which is really hard unless an animal is involved).
→ I didn't predict one major theme and plot device and I didn't expect a character to play the vital role they did, but Ireland foreshadowed it in the previous book and it unfolded so beautifully and masterfully. I literally went "Wait, how did I not see this coming? OF COURSE!" .)
→ KATHERINE DEVERAUX IS AMAZING, and killed me like a shambler and broke my heart.
→ JANE IS AMAZING, TOO, and also killed me like a shambler and broke my heart.
→ BUT KATHERINE.
→ BUT KATHERINE AND JANE.
→ The "villain" in this is perfect. (I won't say anything more, other than kudos, Justina Ireland, for playing that like you did.)
→ There were a few things in the first book that I wondered about and/or seemed like a dropped thread and they were addressed and/or picked up here in a way that made me so happy. (I won't say anything more.)
→ YAY GIRL POWER.
→ Yay awesome side characters.
→ Yay so many awesome themes and motifs.
→ Yay so much detail and atmosphere.
→ THAT ENDING. (I won't say anything more, other than how perfect it was.) *
*
→ As far as critiques and negatives go... Sure, I have some, probably, underneath the emotional post-read euphoria. Part of me would've liked to see one thing one way, or disliked a certain thing, or thought something was unnecessary, but then it might've been a totally different book. One day, I'll reread this (probably at least once when the audiobook releases, because the audiobook of Dread Nation is fantastic; Bahni Turpin kills it) and after a time or two, I'll be able to don my English major hat and librarian cardigan and properly analyze things.
But today is not that day.
tl;dr: This gritty Netflix series follow-up wasn't the sequel I expected; I loved it more.
Disclaimer: Thanks to Edelweiss & the publisher for the free ARC, with no incentive or coercion on your parts. (I probably would've paid you, in this case.)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Pre-read:
At least once a week, I visit this page and look for news with great longing in my soul.
edited 5/2/2019: We have a title! And a publication year! And joy in our hearts!
edited 8/17/2019: That. Cover. My. Heart.
edited 10/18/2019: That. Summary. Chills literally up and down my spine and arms and legs and all extremities. Surely the ARCs are about to be released?
March 6, 2021
It’s always hard to rate a sequel, because you inevitably are comparing it to the first book- and it’s so rare that it will be equally good. 😬 Tis the case here. In my opinion this book was not as good as the first. It seemed to miss some of its magic somehow. 🤔 Jane became a bit more dark, than spunky and that’s what I loved most about her in that first book. It’s still a cool concept and a decent enough story.
June 16, 2022
fulfilling my 2022 vow to read more YA/finish series i have started and left unfinished
book two of this alt-history zombie western series finds us a long way from the relative safety of miss preston's school of combat for negro girls. it picks up with our intrepid zombie-killing heroines jane mckeene and katherine deveraux directly after the horrific events occurring in Dread Nation's summerland.
here we find the pair westward ho-ing it to california; jane traveling with katherine and the rest of her found family towards what remains of her bio-family, with a pause in a fortified kansas town called nicodemus that turns out to be no better a sanctuary than summerland.
there are some familiar faces, some tragic turns, and while jane is determined to exact some sweet revenge for her losses, ever-levelheaded katherine frets about jane's understandably nihilistic outlook and tries to draw her back into the good fight of protecting others and moving past her grief.
it's a story of eager revenge and reluctant friendship, where katherine and jane find themselves surrounded on all sides by death and undeath, and where the living oftentimes prove themselves to be more dangerous than the zombie hordes.
as with most series, the first book is devoted to characters learning things, and the second is figuring out what to do with that knowledge, and here, the possibility of a vaccine established in Dread Nation backdrops the action, offering hope and false hope in equal measure.
like the first book, this one is very character-strong, and the POV shifts between jane and katherine, giving us insights into their world and their evolving relationship, and illuminating how their differences combine to make them a formidable team.
i would love to read more stories set in this world, weaving zombie-peril in with real historical events, but even if this ends here with just these two books, it would still be a satisfying experience.
i am now fully team katherine and her corsets. badass and bound.
come to my blog!
Don’t let San Francisco fool you. It might seem pretty, but it’s been built on the same volatile mixture of greed and exclusion as the rest of this country. Now, it’s a powder keg just waiting for a spark.
book two of this alt-history zombie western series finds us a long way from the relative safety of miss preston's school of combat for negro girls. it picks up with our intrepid zombie-killing heroines jane mckeene and katherine deveraux directly after the horrific events occurring in Dread Nation's summerland.
here we find the pair westward ho-ing it to california; jane traveling with katherine and the rest of her found family towards what remains of her bio-family, with a pause in a fortified kansas town called nicodemus that turns out to be no better a sanctuary than summerland.
there are some familiar faces, some tragic turns, and while jane is determined to exact some sweet revenge for her losses, ever-levelheaded katherine frets about jane's understandably nihilistic outlook and tries to draw her back into the good fight of protecting others and moving past her grief.
it's a story of eager revenge and reluctant friendship, where katherine and jane find themselves surrounded on all sides by death and undeath, and where the living oftentimes prove themselves to be more dangerous than the zombie hordes.
as with most series, the first book is devoted to characters learning things, and the second is figuring out what to do with that knowledge, and here, the possibility of a vaccine established in Dread Nation backdrops the action, offering hope and false hope in equal measure.
like the first book, this one is very character-strong, and the POV shifts between jane and katherine, giving us insights into their world and their evolving relationship, and illuminating how their differences combine to make them a formidable team.
i would love to read more stories set in this world, weaving zombie-peril in with real historical events, but even if this ends here with just these two books, it would still be a satisfying experience.
i am now fully team katherine and her corsets. badass and bound.
come to my blog!
July 27, 2020
4 stars!
Deathless Divide is the sequel to the book Dread Nation, so if you haven’t read that book yet, stop reading this review and go and read that book right now.
Taking place directly after the events of Dread Nation, Jane and Katherine find themselves fleeing for their lives from Summerland as they are chased by a hoard of the undead. They arrive at a town called Nicodemus and hope to find refuge there, but instead only find disappointment.
I won’t say much more about the plot because I don’t want to give anything away. I really enjoyed Dread Nation and thought this was a great follow up. My only criticism of this book (and it applies to both books) is it’s a tad bit too long. It felt liked 2 books shoved into one. I actually would have been happy if this duet was split into 4 smaller books because it might have been easier to read it in smaller doses.
What carries this book for me are the characters. If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, you know in order for me to enjoy a book I need strong characters and good character development, and this book has heaps of both. I listened to the audio version of this book and they had different narrators for Jane and Katherine and both of the narrators were fabulous. They fit each character so well and really made the listening experience enjoyable. I also like the universe Justina Ireland created and would be happy to visit it again, if only to revisit characters or see more of a global solution to their undead problem.
A great duet, and I look forward to reading more of what Ireland delivers in the future. This series will stay with me a long time.
Deathless Divide is the sequel to the book Dread Nation, so if you haven’t read that book yet, stop reading this review and go and read that book right now.
Taking place directly after the events of Dread Nation, Jane and Katherine find themselves fleeing for their lives from Summerland as they are chased by a hoard of the undead. They arrive at a town called Nicodemus and hope to find refuge there, but instead only find disappointment.
I won’t say much more about the plot because I don’t want to give anything away. I really enjoyed Dread Nation and thought this was a great follow up. My only criticism of this book (and it applies to both books) is it’s a tad bit too long. It felt liked 2 books shoved into one. I actually would have been happy if this duet was split into 4 smaller books because it might have been easier to read it in smaller doses.
What carries this book for me are the characters. If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, you know in order for me to enjoy a book I need strong characters and good character development, and this book has heaps of both. I listened to the audio version of this book and they had different narrators for Jane and Katherine and both of the narrators were fabulous. They fit each character so well and really made the listening experience enjoyable. I also like the universe Justina Ireland created and would be happy to visit it again, if only to revisit characters or see more of a global solution to their undead problem.
A great duet, and I look forward to reading more of what Ireland delivers in the future. This series will stay with me a long time.
June 13, 2023
Here's the difference between Dread Nation and its sequel Deathless Divide:
Where Dread Nation used a fantastical device (zombies) to take a critical look at America's postbellum history, Deathless Divide leans into a different kind of fantasy, that of the Western, a genre that celebrates the fiction of America's imagined past.
I happen to really like Westerns - Winchester '73 (1950) is in my top 3 favorite movies. But there's a good reason why the genre went from being mainstream in the Mid-Century to being niche now: We know it to be a falsehood.
Westerns portrayed this idea of brave white pioneers and cowboys, facing hardships and taming the "wild West", claiming "new" land for their own. Seeing such heroic portrayals in books, movies, and television 100% would embolden white audiences to believe their right to American land and resources was hard-earned, and more valid than that of non-whites depicted much less favorably, and to believe in our history that we did nothing wrong, and no reparations need be made.
Yet historical record shows most cowboys were non-white, but a quarter of them were black, and a third Hispanic (the word "buckaroo" coming from the Spanish word "vaquero"). Cowhearding was a dangerous, wearisome job with meager pay; a job white men had the privilege to pass up, but others had no choice but to take. We know that white miners were extremely hostile toward the Chinese during the California Gold Rush, often using intimidation and even murder to jump their claims.
And we know that the West was never "won" - it was taken from the Native Americans, their land exploited to richen the pockets of white colonizers.
So Westerns died a slow death in the '70s, the colossal flop of 1980's Heaven's Gate perhaps being their death knell. Any attempts thereafter were really one-offs, and always trying a different approach - comedic (Three Amigos, Lust in the Dust), modern (City Slickers), satirical (Blazing Saddles), Brat Packish (Young Guns), girl power (Bad Girls) - but never to reignite the previous heyday.
Westerns today tend to be less about the genre and more character-driven, like the Coen Bros.' True Grit (much more about Mattie than Rooster than the 1967 adaptation was), The Revenent, The Beguiled, and The Power of the Dog, for example. Either they look history head-on and acknowledge its truth, or set themselves on so small a stage that the implications of the time period aren't relevant to the story.
Unfortunately, Deathless Divide rather does neither, instead making a full pivot into a traditional Western story played extremely straight, tropes and all. Where its predecessor Dread Nation had much to say about America's history of slavery and how it was replaced with another institution requiring non-whites to fight zombies for employment, Deathless Divide says little. It leans more into the zombie-fighting action, wild wild West adventure to propel its narrative.
We see the main characters Jane and Katherine separated to each participate in different Western cliches: Jane bounty hunting, Katherine wagon training. This is a crushing blow, as the heart of these books is their relationship. They're two sides of one coin; each others' North Star - separate, their plotlines lacked momentum and guidance, not to mention witty banter. They're instead given new, less compelling companions for their individual journeys - and a one-year time jump ensures we don't see how these new relationships form and change. They’re just passing time until Jane and Katherine meet up again.
Additionally, important characters from Dread Nation are killed off willy-nilly. All but one death is impactful, the others being null.
And while the Shamblers (the zombies) were a massive threat to contend with in Dread Nation, they’re small potatoes here. As this story takes place in a new location, California, the author chose to write in conveniences that made the communities there inexplicably better protected than elsewhere…despite it being previously established that the Shamblers were more plentiful and effective in warmer temps…
Ultimately, Deathless Divide didn't feel like a completion to the story Dread Nation began. Not at all. While I wouldn't say it's necessary to read after the first book, it is well-written, if a bit lazy in places. Author Justina Ireland remains a great talent, and this book is readable. Just not great, nor a worthy successor to Dread Nation.
Where Dread Nation used a fantastical device (zombies) to take a critical look at America's postbellum history, Deathless Divide leans into a different kind of fantasy, that of the Western, a genre that celebrates the fiction of America's imagined past.
I happen to really like Westerns - Winchester '73 (1950) is in my top 3 favorite movies. But there's a good reason why the genre went from being mainstream in the Mid-Century to being niche now: We know it to be a falsehood.
Westerns portrayed this idea of brave white pioneers and cowboys, facing hardships and taming the "wild West", claiming "new" land for their own. Seeing such heroic portrayals in books, movies, and television 100% would embolden white audiences to believe their right to American land and resources was hard-earned, and more valid than that of non-whites depicted much less favorably, and to believe in our history that we did nothing wrong, and no reparations need be made.
Yet historical record shows most cowboys were non-white, but a quarter of them were black, and a third Hispanic (the word "buckaroo" coming from the Spanish word "vaquero"). Cowhearding was a dangerous, wearisome job with meager pay; a job white men had the privilege to pass up, but others had no choice but to take. We know that white miners were extremely hostile toward the Chinese during the California Gold Rush, often using intimidation and even murder to jump their claims.
And we know that the West was never "won" - it was taken from the Native Americans, their land exploited to richen the pockets of white colonizers.
So Westerns died a slow death in the '70s, the colossal flop of 1980's Heaven's Gate perhaps being their death knell. Any attempts thereafter were really one-offs, and always trying a different approach - comedic (Three Amigos, Lust in the Dust), modern (City Slickers), satirical (Blazing Saddles), Brat Packish (Young Guns), girl power (Bad Girls) - but never to reignite the previous heyday.
Westerns today tend to be less about the genre and more character-driven, like the Coen Bros.' True Grit (much more about Mattie than Rooster than the 1967 adaptation was), The Revenent, The Beguiled, and The Power of the Dog, for example. Either they look history head-on and acknowledge its truth, or set themselves on so small a stage that the implications of the time period aren't relevant to the story.
Unfortunately, Deathless Divide rather does neither, instead making a full pivot into a traditional Western story played extremely straight, tropes and all. Where its predecessor Dread Nation had much to say about America's history of slavery and how it was replaced with another institution requiring non-whites to fight zombies for employment, Deathless Divide says little. It leans more into the zombie-fighting action, wild wild West adventure to propel its narrative.
We see the main characters Jane and Katherine separated to each participate in different Western cliches: Jane bounty hunting, Katherine wagon training. This is a crushing blow, as the heart of these books is their relationship. They're two sides of one coin; each others' North Star - separate, their plotlines lacked momentum and guidance, not to mention witty banter. They're instead given new, less compelling companions for their individual journeys - and a one-year time jump ensures we don't see how these new relationships form and change. They’re just passing time until Jane and Katherine meet up again.
Additionally, important characters from Dread Nation are killed off willy-nilly. All but one death is impactful, the others being null.
And while the Shamblers (the zombies) were a massive threat to contend with in Dread Nation, they’re small potatoes here. As this story takes place in a new location, California, the author chose to write in conveniences that made the communities there inexplicably better protected than elsewhere…despite it being previously established that the Shamblers were more plentiful and effective in warmer temps…
Ultimately, Deathless Divide didn't feel like a completion to the story Dread Nation began. Not at all. While I wouldn't say it's necessary to read after the first book, it is well-written, if a bit lazy in places. Author Justina Ireland remains a great talent, and this book is readable. Just not great, nor a worthy successor to Dread Nation.
July 6, 2020
Jane the zombie slayer is back and she’s definitely back with and for a vengeance. This time, we also get Katherine’s pov and it definitely enhances the story. Here, the plot picks up where it ended in Dread Nation and details were artfully woven to refresh one’s memory. Overall, it’s a satisfying read, where the ending could be continued or not.
Some issues: the pacing was off. I was immediately drawn in and then it lagged about half way. It did pick up again. Even a bigger issue is the portrayal of other nonwnite people during this time period. The author wants to tell the stories of black Americans during this time period. Their stories, their voices. The problem is she erases other stories, especially the Chinese in California at the time. They are in the background and that’s it. Telling the stories of the marginalized doesn’t mean that other marginalized voices don’t exist. The way she described the Chinese in San Francisco was off. Nothing I could quite put my finger on, but an undercurrent of subtle racial bias. The author can and should do better.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
ETA: 1/6/2020 - I realized part of what bothered me about the depiction of the Chinese in America in this book. Most of this book and Dread Nation, the author made sure to give voice to those who had been erased. And, she did so in historical context. With the Chinese, she didn't do so. She gave it a modern spin instead of how the Chinese were really treated in this country in the 1800s.
Some issues: the pacing was off. I was immediately drawn in and then it lagged about half way. It did pick up again. Even a bigger issue is the portrayal of other nonwnite people during this time period. The author wants to tell the stories of black Americans during this time period. Their stories, their voices. The problem is she erases other stories, especially the Chinese in California at the time. They are in the background and that’s it. Telling the stories of the marginalized doesn’t mean that other marginalized voices don’t exist. The way she described the Chinese in San Francisco was off. Nothing I could quite put my finger on, but an undercurrent of subtle racial bias. The author can and should do better.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
ETA: 1/6/2020 - I realized part of what bothered me about the depiction of the Chinese in America in this book. Most of this book and Dread Nation, the author made sure to give voice to those who had been erased. And, she did so in historical context. With the Chinese, she didn't do so. She gave it a modern spin instead of how the Chinese were really treated in this country in the 1800s.
Want to read
October 28, 2018Junstina Ireland did not come to play with us in book 1: alternative Historical zombie sci-fi where the Zombie apocalypse abruptly ends the Civil War and black people are free but subject to a caste system that places them as trained zombie fighters to protect white people. I'm ready for book 2 and hoping for a Netflix series.
March 14, 2020
The action started on page one and did not let up. I enjoyed this book immensely. The writing is solid and the characters well developed. Katherine and Jane's friendship is wonderful and very real. I loved the trials, setbacks and triumphs their friendship endured. I also like the authors take on revenge and what that mentality can do to your psyche. I am glad I read this book it really is a great read.
July 22, 2022
This was very entertaining. I feel like Justina Ireland had a checklist of things to make her readable series even more readable. LGBTQ representation, a dog, A orphan, duel narration, injury to make the Main Character life harder, essential crisis of good v.s evil, and of course Jane dies! Spoiler mode on but how did she die read this and find out. Ireland upped her game even if the writing is basically the same level.
This is such a fun series! worth read and I'll be looking forward to reading others in the series. book two was better than book one IMO. If I had to find a complaint. It would be the time jump and certain storylines we're closed quickly. It's a series so maybe Callie makes another appearance. We have a cure to the plague spread it. I think most people will take the risk. If there is a risk. I don't want to give anything more away. This is a modern series so it'll probably be under fire in 20 years as humanity progresses. If you have an open mind give it a try!
This is such a fun series! worth read and I'll be looking forward to reading others in the series. book two was better than book one IMO. If I had to find a complaint. It would be the time jump and certain storylines we're closed quickly. It's a series so maybe Callie makes another appearance. We have a cure to the plague spread it. I think most people will take the risk. If there is a risk. I don't want to give anything more away. This is a modern series so it'll probably be under fire in 20 years as humanity progresses. If you have an open mind give it a try!
February 21, 2021
This duology is such a celebration of great character work in our two main leads, Jane and Kate, as well as how rich thematic content can be incorporated into a compelling plot in YA fantasy. This has the perfect balance of making the themes somewhat textual rather than subtextual, which is appropriate for readers who are still learning how to interpret media, but doesn't spoon feed it. I love those elements of the story. That said, I do think this book attempts an unusual structure, and I'm not sure it was wholly successful. Still, while I didn't love this one as much as the first book, it was still really fun, thought provoking, and moving.
June 18, 2020
4.5 Stars
This was such a powerful story to read during the socio-political Black Lives Matter movement of 2020. This story dug deeply into so many important themes from racial prejudice to white privilege. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a diverse ownvoices story by a black author.
This was also one of those cases where the sequel was even stronger than the first book. I liked Dread Nation, but I loved Deathless Divide. The dual perspectives worked well in this one with Katherine acting as the perfect foil character to Jane. At its heart, this book is a story of female friendship, which is a theme I will never become tired of reading.
Even if you don't read young adult books or zombie books, I highly recommend trying out this duology. The audiobook performances were fantastic.
Diverse Representation: bi character, an asexual character, an amputee character, POC characters (African American, Native American & Mexican decent)
This was such a powerful story to read during the socio-political Black Lives Matter movement of 2020. This story dug deeply into so many important themes from racial prejudice to white privilege. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a diverse ownvoices story by a black author.
This was also one of those cases where the sequel was even stronger than the first book. I liked Dread Nation, but I loved Deathless Divide. The dual perspectives worked well in this one with Katherine acting as the perfect foil character to Jane. At its heart, this book is a story of female friendship, which is a theme I will never become tired of reading.
Even if you don't read young adult books or zombie books, I highly recommend trying out this duology. The audiobook performances were fantastic.
Diverse Representation: bi character, an asexual character, an amputee character, POC characters (African American, Native American & Mexican decent)
February 22, 2020
A rewarding sequel to the amazing Dread Nation.
Ireland really digs deeper into her characters, and both Jane and Katherine have a chance to shine here. If you come for the zombies, you will definitely get that, but what will keep you invested is the fantastic portrayal of female friendship. The love and loyalty between friends is so well done, and one of the most interesting parts of the book.
While mostly things are pretty fast paced, the story felt a bit lax in the middle for awhile while it was transitioning between its two main parts. I think the fact that Jane and Katherine were not interacting directly with each other at this point had something to do with that sense of slackening. Things do return to the pace set at the outset, though, and the book delivers a solid finish.
On a last note, can I also say how nice it is to have an ace character just doing her thing, and not having everything revolve around her being ace? Another reason Katherine is starting to steal the show just the tiniest bit from Jane.
I'm really hoping for a third book. This one tries up at the end, but there's also more than enough material here to continue the story.
Ireland really digs deeper into her characters, and both Jane and Katherine have a chance to shine here. If you come for the zombies, you will definitely get that, but what will keep you invested is the fantastic portrayal of female friendship. The love and loyalty between friends is so well done, and one of the most interesting parts of the book.
While mostly things are pretty fast paced, the story felt a bit lax in the middle for awhile while it was transitioning between its two main parts. I think the fact that Jane and Katherine were not interacting directly with each other at this point had something to do with that sense of slackening. Things do return to the pace set at the outset, though, and the book delivers a solid finish.
On a last note, can I also say how nice it is to have an ace character just doing her thing, and not having everything revolve around her being ace? Another reason Katherine is starting to steal the show just the tiniest bit from Jane.
I'm really hoping for a third book. This one tries up at the end, but there's also more than enough material here to continue the story.
January 9, 2020
Deathless Divide was a mixed bag for me. First off, I can't imagine how hard it was to write a sequel to a book as beloved and hyped as Dread Nation.
This is in some ways tonally quite different from Dread Nation, which made sense for plot reasons though I found it a bit disappointing. In the spirit of avoiding spoilers, that's all I have to say on that matter.
The world-building in Deathless Divide was just as incredible as its predecessor and it was so neat to see more of this alternate United States. This book also tackled some big questions in nuanced ways that added to the plot rather than bogging it down.
My biggest hangup from Deathless Divide was just how different it felt from Dread Nation. At times this felt like a standard zombie novel and others like a classic Western. For me, I found it missing that spark that made Dread Nation one of the best novels I read in 2018. I think this may boil down to an expectations versus reality situation and would still recommend giving this a try if you really enjoyed Dread Nation.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is in some ways tonally quite different from Dread Nation, which made sense for plot reasons though I found it a bit disappointing. In the spirit of avoiding spoilers, that's all I have to say on that matter.
The world-building in Deathless Divide was just as incredible as its predecessor and it was so neat to see more of this alternate United States. This book also tackled some big questions in nuanced ways that added to the plot rather than bogging it down.
My biggest hangup from Deathless Divide was just how different it felt from Dread Nation. At times this felt like a standard zombie novel and others like a classic Western. For me, I found it missing that spark that made Dread Nation one of the best novels I read in 2018. I think this may boil down to an expectations versus reality situation and would still recommend giving this a try if you really enjoyed Dread Nation.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2022
3.75/5 ⭐
Alright, I'll have to admit, I think i loved a little bit more Dread Nation , but maybe just because I usually feel more connected to the first books of a series. That doesn't mean I did not enjoy this second instalment of the dreadful world Justina Ireland has created.
This was actually quite good, I enjoyed the journey, I enjoyed the characters, the sometimes witty line exchanges and also the atmosphere wasn't bad at all!
It was more of a journey per se, physically speaking, moving from one place to the other. In this book, the characters are already mature enough, given the events that have turned them all into a harsher version of themselves in the previous book.
Things happen all the time, there is constantly something to look out for and the atmosphere is uncertain, almost uncomfortably so. You never know when a shambler my sneak out of a bush and bite you from your behind (hihi).
I do believe this duology deserves to be read, mostly because it's a unique way of seeing a somehow dystopian world - from a historical perspective. The series feels like past times meet an apocalyptic future where you have to be on constant alert because zombies are everywhere. Besides the historical aspect, you can also witness a sociological one (see the way not-white people have to deal with the whole situation in this uniquely created world).
Alright, I'll have to admit, I think i loved a little bit more Dread Nation , but maybe just because I usually feel more connected to the first books of a series. That doesn't mean I did not enjoy this second instalment of the dreadful world Justina Ireland has created.
This was actually quite good, I enjoyed the journey, I enjoyed the characters, the sometimes witty line exchanges and also the atmosphere wasn't bad at all!
It was more of a journey per se, physically speaking, moving from one place to the other. In this book, the characters are already mature enough, given the events that have turned them all into a harsher version of themselves in the previous book.
Things happen all the time, there is constantly something to look out for and the atmosphere is uncertain, almost uncomfortably so. You never know when a shambler my sneak out of a bush and bite you from your behind (hihi).
I do believe this duology deserves to be read, mostly because it's a unique way of seeing a somehow dystopian world - from a historical perspective. The series feels like past times meet an apocalyptic future where you have to be on constant alert because zombies are everywhere. Besides the historical aspect, you can also witness a sociological one (see the way not-white people have to deal with the whole situation in this uniquely created world).
July 4, 2021
4 Stars for Deathless Divide: Dread Nation #2 (audiobook) by Justina Ireland read by Bahni Turpin.
The second book wasn’t as good as the first for me. The world this is set in is really interesting and I like the characters. The story just seemed a little weak this time.
The second book wasn’t as good as the first for me. The world this is set in is really interesting and I like the characters. The story just seemed a little weak this time.
January 31, 2020
The survivalist "utopia" of Summerland fell to a horde. Jane McKeene and Katherine Deveraux, along with six other survivors, escaped the death and destruction with one immediate goal: to get somewhere safe. But where can safety be found in a world where the dead walk the earth? For Jane, wherever they go is just a stop along the way. Now that she knows where her mother is, she plans to find her. Plans tend to go awry, however, and the small group of survivors will face calamities resulting in devastating losses that test the bonds of friendship—leaving one combatant questioning everything she thought she knew about the world, and struggling to find her place within it.
Deathless Divide is a magnificent follow-up to Dread Nation . I had great expectations for this book, and high hopes for where the story might lead. Even so, my wildest imaginings weren't sufficient in preparing me for what actually happened, and that turned out to be a very good thing.
As noted in the book summary, their first stop is Nicodemus, described in the book as "a Negro settlement founded by Freedman and runaways from the Five Civilized Tribes." Several familiar characters reappear in Nicodemus, but there is little time for readers to get reacquainted with them before the first bit of trouble strikes.
The story is told in two parts, the first dealing with the journey to Nicodemus, and the events that take place there. This is the setting for THE most unexpected twist of the story. While it wasn't unique for a zombie apocalypse story, the way it was handled left me reeling in shock and feeling completely devastated. And that was it... just like that, I knew what was going to happen next.
Except, I didn't.
The story took a major turn from there, leading in directions I would never have guessed it would go. My imagination spun with all the possibilities, and I went into the second half of the story with an even greater sense of excitement.
I won't mention anything beyond what I've already stated or alluded to above. Let's just say that the journey taken in this novel was more intense than I expected it to be, and veered off into directions I wouldn't have expected it to. New characters are introduced, and many of them were every bit as intriguing to me, in their own ways, as Jane and Katherine. The ultimate payoff I expected when I began reading didn't materialize in quite the way I thought it would, but it was just as compelling to read... if not more so.
The ending of Deathless Divide leaves open the possibility of a third book in the series, something I hope will come to fruition. While I'm completely satisfied with the way the story ended, there is clearly more to be told in this story—and I, for one, can't wait to find out what happens next. If there is a next. (Please, let there be a next... I want to know more!)
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy reading a mixture of young adult historical fiction with a big slice of horror (courtesy of a zombie apocalypse). With strong characters who face seemingly insurmountable odds at every turn (from both the living and the dead), this book will leave you on the edge of your seat in breathless anticipation—and dread—of what will happen next.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Balzar+Bray via Edelweiss.
Deathless Divide is a magnificent follow-up to Dread Nation . I had great expectations for this book, and high hopes for where the story might lead. Even so, my wildest imaginings weren't sufficient in preparing me for what actually happened, and that turned out to be a very good thing.
As noted in the book summary, their first stop is Nicodemus, described in the book as "a Negro settlement founded by Freedman and runaways from the Five Civilized Tribes." Several familiar characters reappear in Nicodemus, but there is little time for readers to get reacquainted with them before the first bit of trouble strikes.
The story is told in two parts, the first dealing with the journey to Nicodemus, and the events that take place there. This is the setting for THE most unexpected twist of the story. While it wasn't unique for a zombie apocalypse story, the way it was handled left me reeling in shock and feeling completely devastated. And that was it... just like that, I knew what was going to happen next.
Except, I didn't.
The story took a major turn from there, leading in directions I would never have guessed it would go. My imagination spun with all the possibilities, and I went into the second half of the story with an even greater sense of excitement.
I won't mention anything beyond what I've already stated or alluded to above. Let's just say that the journey taken in this novel was more intense than I expected it to be, and veered off into directions I wouldn't have expected it to. New characters are introduced, and many of them were every bit as intriguing to me, in their own ways, as Jane and Katherine. The ultimate payoff I expected when I began reading didn't materialize in quite the way I thought it would, but it was just as compelling to read... if not more so.
The ending of Deathless Divide leaves open the possibility of a third book in the series, something I hope will come to fruition. While I'm completely satisfied with the way the story ended, there is clearly more to be told in this story—and I, for one, can't wait to find out what happens next. If there is a next. (Please, let there be a next... I want to know more!)
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy reading a mixture of young adult historical fiction with a big slice of horror (courtesy of a zombie apocalypse). With strong characters who face seemingly insurmountable odds at every turn (from both the living and the dead), this book will leave you on the edge of your seat in breathless anticipation—and dread—of what will happen next.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Balzar+Bray via Edelweiss.
April 25, 2021
4.5 stars rounded up.
This is very different than the first novel but just as good.
This is very different than the first novel but just as good.
January 24, 2020
This review was originally posted on The Moonlight Library
See original review for GIFs!
Deathless Divide was the perfect sequel to Dread Nation. PERFECT.
Whereas Dread Nation (which everyone lost their minds for, myself included, because Civil War era zombies and a black female warrior lead? Oh. My. God. Yes.) sold itself on 'combat school for Negro girls', it really wove in a plot that expanded beyond the school and into a dystopic settlement called Summerland, where a young scientist was trying to find a cure for the restless dead that plagued the nation, threatening to wipe the continent off the face of the planet.
However, the scientists' experiments led to the fall of Summerland, and when Jane and Katherine escaped and headed off to another safe haven, disaster and heartache dogged their steps the whole way.
This novel was more an exploration of the Wild West + zombies. There was a fair amount of travelling, but I appreciated that, since literally nowhere is safe in this world. The descriptions of the traveling and the world were so well done. I could almost feel the road dust in my mouth, feel my feet aching after all that walking, and I was in a constant state of low key anxiety knowing that my beloved characters could be attacked at any moment - and not just by shamblers, but by highwaymen bandits, white people, sheriffs, basically for any reason. It is a terrifying world to be in, and I'm no warrior, so I kind of felt like I was hiding behind Jane and Katherine at times, knowing they were the best girls at Miss Preston's.
It didn't save my heartache. Ireland's not a helicopter author. Characters I cared about died, many with little ceremony. Others swam in and out of the story, which was filled with betrayal and shifting loyalties and everything else that makes for great conflict.
The one constant I had was Katherine (and her point of view). She was so loyal and brave and true. I believe she even outshone Jane, who was driven by revenge for the entire novel, and turned into someone I still respected but didn't admire as much as Katherine. Jane became hard and difficult to love, but Katherine always found a way, which I loved so much because it was such a huge character growth for her. Like, she wears a corset because it helps her anxiety? I totally get that! Her response to every man that looks at her? Not interested.
I absolutely loved seeing everyone struggling with the same problem. All the cities, even the ones that look safe, were faced with an overhanging threat of shamblers, but also dealing with racism, sexism, classism, and all the other horrible things that keep people not born into privilege down, while fancy white folk go about their business, safe and rich and reasonably healthy.
I loved even more the characterisation of our two leads, Jane and Katherine. They were enemies at the start of Dread Nation, and I have loved so much seeing them come to rely on each other and consider each other friends (not that they would admit it to each other? Hard love). I also love so much that while Jane is bisexual (possibly pan? Not really confirmed and it's just another label) and Katherine is ace, they have such a strong platonic bond. That is something I'm always looking for, and I'm so pleased that in this book there is diversity but no romance between the two female friends. It's hitting bullseye on everything I love.
I also have to mention how easy it was to read this book. Both Deathless Divide and its precursor Dread Nation have the most phenomenal narrative voices, and they are by far the strongest I've read in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Deathless Divide, and I was always keen to get back to it after the real world took me away.
I do however feel that there are a couple of threads still not answered, and I hope to god there's a third book exploring more of this:
- The first thing is - will the cure become widely accessible and lead to America surviving this undead plague? Or will the shamblers just slowly destroy everything like a successful Plague Inc game?
- The second thing is: what caused the undead in the first place?
I'd really love to see those two questions explored and answered in a third book. I think there's enough plot, characterisation, and demand for a third book. I'm basically begging down on my knees for a third book. PLEASE?
I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
See original review for GIFs!
Deathless Divide was the perfect sequel to Dread Nation. PERFECT.
Whereas Dread Nation (which everyone lost their minds for, myself included, because Civil War era zombies and a black female warrior lead? Oh. My. God. Yes.) sold itself on 'combat school for Negro girls', it really wove in a plot that expanded beyond the school and into a dystopic settlement called Summerland, where a young scientist was trying to find a cure for the restless dead that plagued the nation, threatening to wipe the continent off the face of the planet.
However, the scientists' experiments led to the fall of Summerland, and when Jane and Katherine escaped and headed off to another safe haven, disaster and heartache dogged their steps the whole way.
This novel was more an exploration of the Wild West + zombies. There was a fair amount of travelling, but I appreciated that, since literally nowhere is safe in this world. The descriptions of the traveling and the world were so well done. I could almost feel the road dust in my mouth, feel my feet aching after all that walking, and I was in a constant state of low key anxiety knowing that my beloved characters could be attacked at any moment - and not just by shamblers, but by highwaymen bandits, white people, sheriffs, basically for any reason. It is a terrifying world to be in, and I'm no warrior, so I kind of felt like I was hiding behind Jane and Katherine at times, knowing they were the best girls at Miss Preston's.
It didn't save my heartache. Ireland's not a helicopter author. Characters I cared about died, many with little ceremony. Others swam in and out of the story, which was filled with betrayal and shifting loyalties and everything else that makes for great conflict.
The one constant I had was Katherine (and her point of view). She was so loyal and brave and true. I believe she even outshone Jane, who was driven by revenge for the entire novel, and turned into someone I still respected but didn't admire as much as Katherine. Jane became hard and difficult to love, but Katherine always found a way, which I loved so much because it was such a huge character growth for her. Like, she wears a corset because it helps her anxiety? I totally get that! Her response to every man that looks at her? Not interested.
I absolutely loved seeing everyone struggling with the same problem. All the cities, even the ones that look safe, were faced with an overhanging threat of shamblers, but also dealing with racism, sexism, classism, and all the other horrible things that keep people not born into privilege down, while fancy white folk go about their business, safe and rich and reasonably healthy.
I loved even more the characterisation of our two leads, Jane and Katherine. They were enemies at the start of Dread Nation, and I have loved so much seeing them come to rely on each other and consider each other friends (not that they would admit it to each other? Hard love). I also love so much that while Jane is bisexual (possibly pan? Not really confirmed and it's just another label) and Katherine is ace, they have such a strong platonic bond. That is something I'm always looking for, and I'm so pleased that in this book there is diversity but no romance between the two female friends. It's hitting bullseye on everything I love.
I also have to mention how easy it was to read this book. Both Deathless Divide and its precursor Dread Nation have the most phenomenal narrative voices, and they are by far the strongest I've read in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Deathless Divide, and I was always keen to get back to it after the real world took me away.
I do however feel that there are a couple of threads still not answered, and I hope to god there's a third book exploring more of this:
- The first thing is - will the cure become widely accessible and lead to America surviving this undead plague? Or will the shamblers just slowly destroy everything like a successful Plague Inc game?
- The second thing is: what caused the undead in the first place?
I'd really love to see those two questions explored and answered in a third book. I think there's enough plot, characterisation, and demand for a third book. I'm basically begging down on my knees for a third book. PLEASE?
I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
March 1, 2020
3.5 stars
Dread Nation was a completely surprising read for me in spring 2018. A YA novel about the dead rising at Gettysburg and combat schools teaching former slaves how to fight the dead and be bodyguards for wealthy white women. Of course I was intrigued --- and it did not disappoint!
The sequel, Deathless Divide, managed to surprise me also. The book opens with Jane, Katherine, and Jackson in the aftermath of the Summerland attack but quickly shakes up the direction I thought we were headed.
Jane and crew are on the road headed for Nicodemus, yet another supposedly protected town and there are both losses and reunions in short order. A series of deceptions in Nicodemus leads to a shambler (zombie) attack that separates Jane from Katherine and places Jane on a dark and brutal path.
There's a time jump that explains what Jane and Katherine have been doing in the interim and suddenly our story becomes a Western set in a zombie apocalypse with both young women haunted by the events at Summerland and Nicodemus.
Jane and Katherine cross paths and team up once again to track the man they hold responsible.
First of all, it's so hard to review this book without spoilers! I was completely invested in this sequel but I was disappointed that it had trouble finding an even pace. There is so much happening all at once and then a sudden time jump. Readers are given a brief summary of the lost time and placed into an entirely new location and different atmosphere where our MCs conveniently cross paths again. While the book is action packed it also gets stuck at times in Jane's obsession over particular events and begins to feel repetitive.
Deathless Divide is a worthy sequel to Dread Nation even with its struggles with pacing. I really enjoyed the Western vibe and Jane's character development. I'd definitely be willing to read more books set in this world.
I recommend this book to fans of Dread Nation or readers who enjoy YA, historical fiction, alternate history, and/or zombies.
Deathless Divide was released on February 4, 2020. Huge thanks to my library for purchasing a copy!
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
Dread Nation was a completely surprising read for me in spring 2018. A YA novel about the dead rising at Gettysburg and combat schools teaching former slaves how to fight the dead and be bodyguards for wealthy white women. Of course I was intrigued --- and it did not disappoint!
The sequel, Deathless Divide, managed to surprise me also. The book opens with Jane, Katherine, and Jackson in the aftermath of the Summerland attack but quickly shakes up the direction I thought we were headed.
Jane and crew are on the road headed for Nicodemus, yet another supposedly protected town and there are both losses and reunions in short order. A series of deceptions in Nicodemus leads to a shambler (zombie) attack that separates Jane from Katherine and places Jane on a dark and brutal path.
There's a time jump that explains what Jane and Katherine have been doing in the interim and suddenly our story becomes a Western set in a zombie apocalypse with both young women haunted by the events at Summerland and Nicodemus.
Jane and Katherine cross paths and team up once again to track the man they hold responsible.
First of all, it's so hard to review this book without spoilers! I was completely invested in this sequel but I was disappointed that it had trouble finding an even pace. There is so much happening all at once and then a sudden time jump. Readers are given a brief summary of the lost time and placed into an entirely new location and different atmosphere where our MCs conveniently cross paths again. While the book is action packed it also gets stuck at times in Jane's obsession over particular events and begins to feel repetitive.
Deathless Divide is a worthy sequel to Dread Nation even with its struggles with pacing. I really enjoyed the Western vibe and Jane's character development. I'd definitely be willing to read more books set in this world.
I recommend this book to fans of Dread Nation or readers who enjoy YA, historical fiction, alternate history, and/or zombies.
Deathless Divide was released on February 4, 2020. Huge thanks to my library for purchasing a copy!
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
August 14, 2020
It was satisfying seeing a balanced history of the West in the telling of this story. Black Americans were everywhere in the American West and yet they are hardly ever mentioned, beyond slavery and the Underground Railroad, as Ireland points out in the afterword. On top of this, you have a great story and great, real, flawed characters. Action packed, this was a highly entertaining sequel.
October 22, 2024
I cried at the ending! loved this series sooo much! Jane is THAT GIRL. nobody is fw her & Katherine?? yea, that's my fav! Shakespeare + the books of Proverbs/ Galatians personified. the BEST duo. zombies in the wild west, Black heroines fighting madmen & badmen, all while making poignant takes on grief & trauma... ateee zownnn!
August 16, 2022
Ahh this was an amazing series and my only complaint is that there isn’t another book.lol I loved the adventure and mystery that was unfolding in front of Jane and Katherine as they battled both racial injustice and the walking dead.
August 23, 2019
HOLY SHIT BATMAN!!!! LOOK AT THAT COVER!!!
FIVE STARS AUTOMATICALLY FOR THE COVER ALONE!!!
THE FOUNTAIN PEN DIVA HAS SPOKEN. MAKE IT SO!
FIVE STARS AUTOMATICALLY FOR THE COVER ALONE!!!
THE FOUNTAIN PEN DIVA HAS SPOKEN. MAKE IT SO!
February 12, 2020
Deathless Divide was an exceptional read. It was a worthwhile sequel.
March 10, 2020
Stellar, and while it didn't resolve the bits I wanted, it felt true to the first book.
February 6, 2020
Thank you so much to Titan Books for sending me a copy of this book. All views and opinions discussed here are my own.
I enjoyed this book and think it was a good follow up to the first book, but there is just one overall issue I had with it. The time jump. I hate time jumps in books because I feel it really ruins the narrative and I think it really did in this book. We jump from the point of Jane coming back to life and Callie telling her she's going to have to cut her arm off... and then suddenly it's a year later and they've been murdering their way across the world, and they're also a couple, but no they're not anymore because Callie leaves and we never hear from her again. This is classic telling the audience but not showing. There was absolutely no impact for me on any of these plot points because we didn't get to experience this time with Jane and Callie, and also Katherine!! There is so much alluded to in her chapters but not once do we explore what happened to her during this time. Also, what happened to Lily - because when Sue and Katherine talk about her they share looks but we learn nothing more!!
In my opinion, and this is just my opinion, I feel like this should have been two separate books; one to focus on that journey for Callie and Jane, and also Katherine's time, and then a separate book for when they reunite. I feel like for me this would have just been a lot better because it would have allowed us to get emotionally invested in the characters and their arcs. I would have loved this to just been developed more. And this is ultimately why i've rated it three stars. I just couldn't quite connect to the plots in this one and didn't feel like we really got the opportunity to connect to these story-lines.
I also feel that the ending was quite rushed?? And this again is why I feel it should have been split into two books. There were also some actions of the characters which just felt contradictory at times? It is also far too long. It doesn't need to be this long at all.
I still enjoyed it largely though and was eagerly anticipating Jane and Katherine's reunion. This book has some really good representation and I definitely feel it is an important read.
Out now so you can make your own judgement!
I enjoyed this book and think it was a good follow up to the first book, but there is just one overall issue I had with it. The time jump. I hate time jumps in books because I feel it really ruins the narrative and I think it really did in this book. We jump from the point of Jane coming back to life and Callie telling her she's going to have to cut her arm off... and then suddenly it's a year later and they've been murdering their way across the world, and they're also a couple, but no they're not anymore because Callie leaves and we never hear from her again. This is classic telling the audience but not showing. There was absolutely no impact for me on any of these plot points because we didn't get to experience this time with Jane and Callie, and also Katherine!! There is so much alluded to in her chapters but not once do we explore what happened to her during this time. Also, what happened to Lily - because when Sue and Katherine talk about her they share looks but we learn nothing more!!
In my opinion, and this is just my opinion, I feel like this should have been two separate books; one to focus on that journey for Callie and Jane, and also Katherine's time, and then a separate book for when they reunite. I feel like for me this would have just been a lot better because it would have allowed us to get emotionally invested in the characters and their arcs. I would have loved this to just been developed more. And this is ultimately why i've rated it three stars. I just couldn't quite connect to the plots in this one and didn't feel like we really got the opportunity to connect to these story-lines.
I also feel that the ending was quite rushed?? And this again is why I feel it should have been split into two books. There were also some actions of the characters which just felt contradictory at times? It is also far too long. It doesn't need to be this long at all.
I still enjoyed it largely though and was eagerly anticipating Jane and Katherine's reunion. This book has some really good representation and I definitely feel it is an important read.
Out now so you can make your own judgement!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2021
Trigger Warnings for:
Death (including child death), violence, gore
Well that was disappointing. Ireland starts her Author's Note with "it was difficult to figure out where to go next" and oh boy does it show. I'm giving this book a generous two stars but the more I think about it the more I really did not like it.
I adored Dread Nation but it did have a weird pacing issue with it feeling like two different books. This one did that again but made it even worse. The first part picks up right where Dread Nation left off which made it feel like it was part of Dread Nation, and not a new book. I honestly don't remember a lot of what happened (because not much did), except for going "who are you again?" about the new characters that had been hastily thrown in at the end of Dread Nation. I read Dread Nation less than a month ago, and I already could not recall who some of these characters were at the beginning .
I really do think this series would have benefited from being a trilogy, with part 2 of Dread Nation and part one of this book as the middle book, and the first part of Dread Nation and second part of this book more fleshed out as the first and last book. Especially because part two "The Road to Perdition" takes place a year and a half after part one, but spends the vast majority of time telling us about things that happened over that time skip. So we end up getting a lot of telling and not showing, and this is where the story really fell apart and disappointed me.
The biggest issue I had was Jane. I absolutely adored Jane in the first book. In Part Two of this one, I was waiting for her to say "Death walks among you" or "Die! Die! Die!". She turned into this incredibly cringy edge-lord character that I could not stand, and her motivation for doing so felt weak but I'll get to that later. We don't see her go down the dark path that made her the way she is, we're just told "Hey, she got angry and violent and became a bit of a legend for it". I wanted to see it. I wanted to watch that dark descent instead of suddenly meeting a brand new character who's calling herself Jane. It was incredibly jarring and frustrating. She didn't feel like the same person at all and we didn't see why she felt so different. We just got told later about all these things she had done. Seriously, I'd say two-hundred pages of part two are "and here's what happened over the time skip". It would have been better to just not have the time skip and show us.
Jane also gets a girlfriend for about a paragraph or two, out of nowhere. I love to actually see that she's bi/pan and dating a woman but what we got was "oh they fell in love over the time skip" and we only know they date because Callie sits in Jane's lap at one point out of the blue. I didn't feel anything towards them except surprise because we didn't see any of their relationship at all. It sort of felt shoe-horned in, just like a lot of things in this book.
Which brings me to Gideon. So, maybe I read Dread Nation wrong, but the vibe I got from him was that he was this bright young man who was a bit awkward but meant well and wanted to help people. He liked to tinker with machines (hence why he was called the tinkerer) and knew a bit about science. He seemed smart and sweet. Maybe a bit of a know-it-all and awkward, but from Dread Nation, I thought he was going to be a romance for Jane and I was kind of looking forward to it and seeing how he cleverly figured things out. I thought it was going to be these two smart people romancing each other and solving problems while Jane is a badass.
So I felt completely blindsided when Gideon turned out to be the villain, I guess? I don't remember if he was attempting to make a vaccine in the first book because the two books have blurred together at this point, but I thought his attempt to make a vaccine was noble.
I basically spent the entire second part of this book realizing Ireland had no idea what she wanted to do with this story and was making it up as she went because not a lot happens. Katherine's motivation for the second part was "Get away from zombies", which is valid, but it's very passive and she didn't really do much. She and her group went from place to place until they conveniently reunited with Jane, because that was the whole point. Katherine's arc was just waiting to be with Jane again. And Jane's drastic change in character was jarring, and her motivation entirely confusing until we got info-dumped the retcons that Ireland decided on.
Oh yeah this was also dual first person perspective, just to make my experience that much more miserable. I did find Katherine's perspective to be a relief to get away from Jane's edgelordyness, even if Katherine's chapters were boring because nothing happened. But I repeat, I was relieved to not be in Jane's perspective anymore. I loved Jane in the first book. I couldn't stand her edgelordness in this one, especially because her motivation for being so felt so faulty and retconned in. I'm really disappointed because I enjoyed the first book so much despite it's minor flaws. This one felt like pretty much all flaws and I really don't have anything positive to say sadly.
Well that was disappointing. Ireland starts her Author's Note with "it was difficult to figure out where to go next" and oh boy does it show. I'm giving this book a generous two stars but the more I think about it the more I really did not like it.
I adored Dread Nation but it did have a weird pacing issue with it feeling like two different books. This one did that again but made it even worse. The first part picks up right where Dread Nation left off which made it feel like it was part of Dread Nation, and not a new book. I honestly don't remember a lot of what happened (because not much did), except for going "who are you again?" about the new characters that had been hastily thrown in at the end of Dread Nation. I read Dread Nation less than a month ago, and I already could not recall who some of these characters were at the beginning .
I really do think this series would have benefited from being a trilogy, with part 2 of Dread Nation and part one of this book as the middle book, and the first part of Dread Nation and second part of this book more fleshed out as the first and last book. Especially because part two "The Road to Perdition" takes place a year and a half after part one, but spends the vast majority of time telling us about things that happened over that time skip. So we end up getting a lot of telling and not showing, and this is where the story really fell apart and disappointed me.
The biggest issue I had was Jane. I absolutely adored Jane in the first book. In Part Two of this one, I was waiting for her to say "Death walks among you" or "Die! Die! Die!". She turned into this incredibly cringy edge-lord character that I could not stand, and her motivation for doing so felt weak but I'll get to that later. We don't see her go down the dark path that made her the way she is, we're just told "Hey, she got angry and violent and became a bit of a legend for it". I wanted to see it. I wanted to watch that dark descent instead of suddenly meeting a brand new character who's calling herself Jane. It was incredibly jarring and frustrating. She didn't feel like the same person at all and we didn't see why she felt so different. We just got told later about all these things she had done. Seriously, I'd say two-hundred pages of part two are "and here's what happened over the time skip". It would have been better to just not have the time skip and show us.
Jane also gets a girlfriend for about a paragraph or two, out of nowhere. I love to actually see that she's bi/pan and dating a woman but what we got was "oh they fell in love over the time skip" and we only know they date because Callie sits in Jane's lap at one point out of the blue. I didn't feel anything towards them except surprise because we didn't see any of their relationship at all. It sort of felt shoe-horned in, just like a lot of things in this book.
Which brings me to Gideon. So, maybe I read Dread Nation wrong, but the vibe I got from him was that he was this bright young man who was a bit awkward but meant well and wanted to help people. He liked to tinker with machines (hence why he was called the tinkerer) and knew a bit about science. He seemed smart and sweet. Maybe a bit of a know-it-all and awkward, but from Dread Nation, I thought he was going to be a romance for Jane and I was kind of looking forward to it and seeing how he cleverly figured things out. I thought it was going to be these two smart people romancing each other and solving problems while Jane is a badass.
So I felt completely blindsided when Gideon turned out to be the villain, I guess? I don't remember if he was attempting to make a vaccine in the first book because the two books have blurred together at this point, but I thought his attempt to make a vaccine was noble.
I basically spent the entire second part of this book realizing Ireland had no idea what she wanted to do with this story and was making it up as she went because not a lot happens. Katherine's motivation for the second part was "Get away from zombies", which is valid, but it's very passive and she didn't really do much. She and her group went from place to place until they conveniently reunited with Jane, because that was the whole point. Katherine's arc was just waiting to be with Jane again. And Jane's drastic change in character was jarring, and her motivation entirely confusing until we got info-dumped the retcons that Ireland decided on.
Oh yeah this was also dual first person perspective, just to make my experience that much more miserable. I did find Katherine's perspective to be a relief to get away from Jane's edgelordyness, even if Katherine's chapters were boring because nothing happened. But I repeat, I was relieved to not be in Jane's perspective anymore. I loved Jane in the first book. I couldn't stand her edgelordness in this one, especially because her motivation for being so felt so faulty and retconned in. I'm really disappointed because I enjoyed the first book so much despite it's minor flaws. This one felt like pretty much all flaws and I really don't have anything positive to say sadly.
July 24, 2020
I liked the conclusion of this book. When I read the first installment I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this book as much as I did. The sequel was very good. I liked the character development that the characters went through. A world full with the dead and bounty hunters is a good recipe for a book. Highly recommend this series.
January 24, 2020
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Edelweiss. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I rarely re-read books, but after finishing Deathless Divide my first thought was, "Yes I would dive back into that". I don't know what higher praise you need? Deathless Divide not only features these two bad ass black heroines fighting both racism and zombies, but also it turns out that my fave heroines are both queer (and Katherine struggles with anxiety). Besides these amazing characters, Deathless Divide celebrates friendship at the end of the world while also asking questions about revenge.
I cannot even begin to tell you how much it makes me happy that Katherine is aroace, struggles with anxiety, and still loves to wear perfectly ironed dresses. Deadly with blades and guns, I don't know what else I could have wanted from a heroine. In Deathless Divide the friendship between Katherine and Jane is fragile, newly formed, and Katherine is a steadfast friend. Friendship themes in books are my ultimate favorite and Deathless Divide does it so well. When we're hurt we can want to push everyone away. To not let warmth into our heart to remind us of our pain. Friends are what keep us from turning cold. Turning us into those without warmth.
Deathless Divide continues to blur the line between the monsters within our walls and those struggling outside. Those who seek to use the end of the world to advance their own means. To parade progress in cleverly packaged deception. The illusions of justice just waiting to be twisted by prejudice and racism into something else entirely.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
I rarely re-read books, but after finishing Deathless Divide my first thought was, "Yes I would dive back into that". I don't know what higher praise you need? Deathless Divide not only features these two bad ass black heroines fighting both racism and zombies, but also it turns out that my fave heroines are both queer (and Katherine struggles with anxiety). Besides these amazing characters, Deathless Divide celebrates friendship at the end of the world while also asking questions about revenge.
I cannot even begin to tell you how much it makes me happy that Katherine is aroace, struggles with anxiety, and still loves to wear perfectly ironed dresses. Deadly with blades and guns, I don't know what else I could have wanted from a heroine. In Deathless Divide the friendship between Katherine and Jane is fragile, newly formed, and Katherine is a steadfast friend. Friendship themes in books are my ultimate favorite and Deathless Divide does it so well. When we're hurt we can want to push everyone away. To not let warmth into our heart to remind us of our pain. Friends are what keep us from turning cold. Turning us into those without warmth.
Deathless Divide continues to blur the line between the monsters within our walls and those struggling outside. Those who seek to use the end of the world to advance their own means. To parade progress in cleverly packaged deception. The illusions of justice just waiting to be twisted by prejudice and racism into something else entirely.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
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