Review Dread Nation by Justina Ireland / Titan Books

Dread Nation

by  Justina Ireland

 Published in UK by Titan Books

Synopsis: Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

What do you get when you combine zombies, history and a badass heroine? The answer is Dread Nation.

I have to admit I was not a fan of anything involving zombies 🧟‍♂️ . But after I started watching The walking dead I was desperate to read books with zombies. Dread Nation was a perfect choice because it combines badass characters ,such as Jane , with zombies and history. Like I said, perfect combination.

Some books draw you in and you just have to let them. One of those books was Dread Nation , which is my second zombies book I’ve read. Dread Nation made reading about zombies and badass females as exciting as watching my fave tv show character dealing with those brain suckers zombies.

I was not a big fan of the zombies but i really liked the issues addressed in this book. The zombies in this book were a nuisance, but the true monsters were as always other humans. While the plot itself is rather simplistic, I truly enjoyed how delightfully fresh and un-formulaic the story felt. While i didn’t find myself in any of the characters, i found them quite intriguing and i was looking for their development. And the female friendship in Dread Nation was just goals.

Jane was a smart, confident and great character. There were parts in the book where the story was a little slow but it picked up and the ending left me craving for more.

 I enjoyed Dread Nation a whole bunch. With complex characters, intense action, and an important message, this is a book you can’t miss. Badass women, beautiful female friendship, bloody zombies and historical fiction. What else do you want?

Thank you to Titan Books for gifting me a copy of Dread Nation for a review.