Book Review: Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

CW: Mention of racism

This is the first time I’ve ever read a Justine Ireland book. And I have to say, this has moved up to one of my favorite books of 2021. At first, it was going to be a three out of five because I thought it wasn’t going anywhere, and that everyone was going to die because of the shamblers, but then holy hell it picked up, and it turned into a five star for me. I loved the fact that it handled racism very well, and the black queer POC characters were my absolute favorites, though that scene when Katherine said that she’s not going to find someone to love, for a minute, I felt like it was inappropriate (in my mind, but then once I understood) to call her out, that she was asexual, but then I understand it (had to look it up) and I was proud of her for saying what she said.

Now Jane is now one of my favorite characters of all time. She is smart, sassy, can take the lead when she needs to, and also she comes up with very intricate plans to try and get out of Summerland, and investigate what’s going on and why the town isn’t properly equipped to handle the shamblers. It turns out that the town is run by a racist sheriff and his ignorant father, Pastor Snyder, who thinks that Summerland is a place where they will be delivered or something like that. The town is separate (of course it is) and it’s like Jane had to go in secret trying to get through the damn place, but there was that one time that she got caught and had to get whipped-about twenty lashes-all for being out late at night. Like people can’t go out at night and do whatever they want.

Yes, there is racism in this book, but I felt like it was dealt pretty well in my book. I was triggered at some parts of the book, but I did take a small break before I continued on, and I have to say, I had feelings for this book. One of them was the heartbreaking BETRAYAL I felt when the nice indigenous man, Mr. Redfern, and Miss Preston, OF ALL PEOPLE, just give up Katherine and Jane like that. Like, TF my dude? That betrayal hurts me...the MOST. But other than that, I really enjoyed it. From the shocking betrayal to going to Summerland, and living and learning and trying to figure out what’s going on in Summerland, to the shocking ending, when Jane learns what happens to her momma and the only home she knows, Rose Hill.

I do also like the excerpt of the letters between Jane and her momma-it makes it feel real and it hit home, because that’s the most beautiful thing between a mother and a daughter. Though Jane’s backstory is tough, and I hated that she had to kill her own daddy to survive. But you know what? It’s gonna be okay. Because I do have Deathless Divide (the second and last book of the Dread Nation series) and I’ll be done. Because this has to be my favorite book of 2021 hands down.

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