Young Adult Fiction: Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Sometimes I resist books because of their subject matter, only to come around later. It may take a few weeks, or usually a few months, for me to give the book a chance. In the case of today's selection, it took a couple of years, but I am here to discuss Dread Nation by Justina Ireland, a book that many have enjoyed since it came out in 2018. I love that it is YA, but what I do not love is the subject of zombies. Never have. Even so, I am here, and I am ready to talk about it.

The Situation: Two days after Jane McKeene was born, the dead came up out of their graves and began attacking the living. The Civil War was put on hold as both sides agreed that this new enemy needed the be the focus of all attacks. Now both black and Native American children are sent away to boarding schools so they can be trained to fight the undead. Girls like Jane are trained at schools like Miss Preston's School of Combat in Baltimore, with the hope of one day securing a position as an attendant to one of the wealthier white women in town. If she keeps out of trouble, and keeps her mouth shut, while maintaining her grades, she could be set for life and earn what she has always wanted: freedom. Unfortunately, Jane is always in trouble, and has always been terrible about saying exactly what she wants. Still, her incredible skills and observations have gained the attention of the Mayor, and if she can behave for one important night, she could be on the way to the life she has been working so hard to obtain.

The Problem: It seems that the undead, or 'shamblers' as the people have begun to call them, are more of a threat than the people of Baltimore have been lead to believe, something that Jane learns when she is sent away on a new assignment with her classmate, Katherine. It seems that a new settlement has been started somewhere in Kansas, a place called Summerland that has high walls surrounding the city, though it could still use someone with the skills of Jane. But Summerland is nothing like Miss Preston's, and the somewhat comfortable life that Jane enjoyed is gone. If she is not on constant lookout for the mean Sheriff, or his father the Pastor, then she is watching the shambler situation get out of hand as it becomes clear that Summerland is not as safe as those in charge want to believe it is. It seems the undead are becoming a bigger threat to life everywhere, and Jane will have to do what she does best to save herself and the people she cares about.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction book that is set in mid-19th century America, allowing it to also fall under the category of historical fiction. Jane is a black girl who was born during the height of the Civil War, on a plantation known as Rose Hill. Born to the mistress of the place, Jane does not know the hard work of the fields, and slavery is no longer legal. Of course, that does not mean that it no longer exists, and many people find ways to get around the new laws, somehow also managing to use the new existence of shamblers to their advantage. Because of the Negro and Native Reeducation Act, black and Native American children are forcefully sent off to boarding schools to learn how to fight shamblers so they can protect their white counterparts, allowing for a new form of slavery under a different name. Many believe that God allowed the dead to rise because of the country's sin of attempting to put everyone on equal ground. Several of the justifications people used to legitimize slavery make an appearance here, such as the argument that black people are less than human; that it is God's plan for white people to rule over them; and even the practice of phrenology makes an appearance. Ireland takes America's post-Civil War history and inserted zombies, and then explored what effect that would have had on this county.

My Verdict: I am still not a fan of zombies, and I doubt I ever will be. But I was still able to enjoy this book, which is a testament to Ireland's skill as a writer. Jane is as strong and impressive as she is tiresome and annoying. I admire her determination and her skill, but there are many moments when I just needed her to stop talking. But it is part of her character to do things and then thing about them later, as she even admits. Even with an exhausting protagonist like that, in addition to the zombies, this was still a great book, and I am excited for the sequel. Placing zombies into our history is no easy thing, but Ireland manages to do so while acknowledging that their presence would both change everything, and also change very little. Even with the raising of the undead, people are still racist, they still want their slaves, and they still will do everything they can to justify their terrible beliefs and actions. It is a sad realization that such a crazy situation would not have altered people all that much. But Ireland brings that realization to life in an exciting and tense adventure that both zombie and history lovers would enjoy.

Favorite Moment: When Jane learns what it really means for Katherine to be both pretty and able to pass for white, and why that is not always a good thing.

Favorite Character: I would have never guessed it at the beginning, but I ended up liking Katherine the most. She can be uppity and headstrong, but so could Jane. In many things she is foolish and silly, but she is smarter than many would believe, far from helpless, and does not let anyone push her around, including Jane.  

Recommended Reading: I recommend Rosewater by Tade Thompson or This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers.