Zombies and Fighting Galore -- "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

     
Jane McKeene was born just days after the dead started walking again and brought an end to the Civil War. Under a law enacted years later, children with colored skin are sent to combat schools where they are taught how to put down the dead (affectionately called shamblers) for good. Girls like Jane can get a job protecting wealthy white women as Attendants, which will hopefully lead to a better life. In Baltimore, where Jane attends Miss Preston’s School of Combat, politicians have started voicing their desire to restore America’s pre-shambler glory but Jane doesn’t want to hear any of it when she’s so close to going back home to Kentucky. Before she can return home, though, Jane finds herself entangled in a conspiracy concerning the disappearance of families in the Baltimore area.

    I found that the elements of this story that were rooted in history were very heartbreaking but also important to tell. I liked the inclusion of a Native American character who attended a combat school and worked for a rich, white politician like Katherine wanted to do after graduating from Miss Preston’s School of Combat. He followed the path that society intended him to, but we don’t know where he ends up. We do know that he identifies with Jane, Katherine, and Jackson (the main characters) through their shared mistreatment.

    The zombies in this book were definitely different and I kind of liked it, even though I haven’t read very many books that involve zombies. No one is looking into the reason why the dead are coming back to life, they are just fighting and trying to come up with a vaccine to seemingly no avail. African and Native Americans are the only ones physically fighting the shamblers.

    I like the letter Ireland wrote for the beginning of the story because I think that it brings a lot of emotional weight/ urgency to the story, specifically how everyone is treated. She also includes an author’s note that reiterated the historical and societal significance of this story even though it’s in the background.

    Overall, this book is amazing and showed how people were affected by America’s past. I can’t wait for you all to experience the heart wrenching story of Dread Nation by Justina Ireland when it comes out in April 2018!