Book Review: Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Genre: Alternate History/Horror

Romantic subplot? File the MC's relationship status as single, yet 'it's complicated'.

Steam? 0 (Kisses are mentioned, but this is NOT a kissing book)

Plot: In this alternate history, the Civil War and slavery ended because people started rising from the dead. Jane was born around the time of the Battle of Gettysburg. She was taken from her home and put into a school to learn how to fight become a bad ass shambler (Ireland's word for zombies) slayer and white lady's companion. Yep. You read that right. Just like after the real Civil War and share cropping kept Blacks enslaved, killing zombies is the only occupation for anyone who isn't white.

Recommend? Let's see. The prose is poignant without being flowery, the MC is intelligent, kind, and witty but hard as nails when people cross her, and the book has a lot to say thematically, yet is funny as heck. Yeah. I suppose you should go buy this book...like right now. Go on! I want to talk to someone about this without spoiling just how good the plot twists were.

Dread Nation is the first of a series that looks promising. I see a television series, if not movies in the future for these books.


©T.J. Deschamps 2021