‘Dread Nation’ by Justina Ireland
This book knocked me off my chair onto the floor, where I rolled around for a while. Then I got up and did it all over again. Dread Nation features not one but TWO young badass women of color, Jane and Kate, who are required to be trained in combat by the Native and Negro Reeducation Act, which came into effect after zombies began to rise and ravage America in the midst of the Civil War.
The book is told from Jane’s perspective, and she is a sharp, skilled, and unapologetic narrator, quick to call a situation out for what it is and unafraid to investigate the goings on that do not add up. Eventually, she finds an unlikely partner in Kate, another student at her combat school, who seems to look down on Jane. In time, Kate lets her guard down and proves to be more aware and useful than she initially let on. Together, they find themselves in some nail-biting situations and discover secrets that the elected officials do not want out, which leads them into even more trouble.
The first book in this series ends in a way that had me staring at the final page, willing more to appear. Extra points go to Dread Nation for tackling biracial identity and colorism with nuance and depth, all within the framework of a truly brilliant zombie narrative.
Fan of our book coverage? Why not join our Hypable Books Facebook group!
We want to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Write a comment below or submit an article to Hypable.