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lilacs_book_bower's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really enjoyed the first book. Jane had such an engaging, funny voice, and she was really a character to root for. It is an intriguing alternate history, where zombies (called shamblers) rise from the dead on the battlefields of Gettysburg, and kill and bite/turn people. Black people are used as cannon fodder in the war against the dead, and young Black women can be trained to fight the dead and protect white women. In the sequel, after the town of Summerland falls to shamblers, Jane and her friends escape, but there is an immediate death that sends Jane into depression and on a quest for revenge (over a character that I did not think was remotely worth it, but love is weird). While the change in her character makes sense due to the plot, I really missed the old Jane's voice, and consequently didn't enjoy this book nearly as much. It didn't feel like there was a lot to this book, if that makes sense. On the plus side, we now have Katherine as a narrator, in addition to Jane, and I liked seeing her POV (and her ace rep). Katherine, and her loyalty to her best friend Jane, is the saving grace of this story. Ireland shows multiple races in the 1800s Western US and handles well the explanations of racism against Black people, and the stress that puts on them, just to survive. On the negative side, story lines feel half-fleshed out, characters that should interact don't, the pacing was uneven, and I'm not entirely comfortable with the way Ireland handled the discussion of the Chinese immigrants or the Native Americans. The book felt way too long for the amount of plot that actually happens. I was looking forward to this one, and unfortunately, I was disappointed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
honuzbubbles's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Racism
fyarae's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Really fantastic characters and a rich world that makes you really question the prejudices in today's society. Fantastic world building, a wonderful read. I just wish there was a coupling up at the end with two characters but I will survive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Death
lovetlr's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Excellent addition to the series. I want more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Slavery
gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This had me hooked from start to finish. The plot and character development was something that I thought was done very well, and without spoiling everything I appreciate it felt realistic for the development to backtrack and then go forward again with the events of the book.
This is the second and final book in the Dread Nation duology, which picks up right where the last book left off. This book hits the ground running and doesn't hold back on moments that will shock or hurt at all. It is a ride that I loved it. The characters all feel real when reading too. They have their wants and needs and they are all the same, but it doesn't mean they are against one another.
This time the book had dual prospectives of Jane and Katherine which is changed up from the first book. I really liked this change up at it felt like it gave the whole story better and also really lets us see the world that the girls are living in.
This was perfect to read during spooky season.
This is the second and final book in the Dread Nation duology, which picks up right where the last book left off. This book hits the ground running and doesn't hold back on moments that will shock or hurt at all. It is a ride that I loved it. The characters all feel real when reading too. They have their wants and needs and they are all the same, but it doesn't mean they are against one another.
This time the book had dual prospectives of Jane and Katherine which is changed up from the first book. I really liked this change up at it felt like it gave the whole story better and also really lets us see the world that the girls are living in.
This was perfect to read during spooky season.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, and Murder
glorifiedloveletters's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Just as good as the first book. I listened to the audiobook version, and this time we get half the chapters from the point of view of Katherine, and both narrators do a good job. If it continues on after this, great, and if not, it ends in a satisfying way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Racism
i_mina_i's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
romiress's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The pacing was all over the place and it felt like the book didn't know what it wanted to do. I had some major issues with the depictions of non-white minorities in this book, and how they were represented. The ending was bizarre, and the overall struggle felt... off. The entire 'actually, Gideon was evil THE WHOLE TIME' felt so out of place.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Murder
Moderate: Slavery
mydearwatsonbooks's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Vomit, and Alcohol
midnightcomets's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
*review to come, because I love this duology*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia and Acephobia/Arophobia