lackadaisical_ally's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
3.5
Hmmm... this books was okay. I think perhaps I read this too late after I finished the first book. I enjoyed the beginning, but the middle dragged for me. I liked Jane and Katherine and their struggles. The middle just lost me and by the end I was just ready for it to end.
line's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
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
randirush's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
3.0
tifflovesbooks80's review
3.0
3 and 1/2 stars to this sequel to Dread Nation. I'm going to be honest, it took me a bit to get into this one and find my groove.
I absolutely love the Author's Notes at the end of the book about Justina Ireland making sure that Black people were represented in stories of the "old west." I found her thoughts to just tie it up and make me love these characters even more.
I don't want to give away anything because there are lots of twists and turns in this one, but I will say that I was satisfied with the storyline and loved this fresh take on the traditional zombie storylines.
I absolutely love the Author's Notes at the end of the book about Justina Ireland making sure that Black people were represented in stories of the "old west." I found her thoughts to just tie it up and make me love these characters even more.
I don't want to give away anything because there are lots of twists and turns in this one, but I will say that I was satisfied with the storyline and loved this fresh take on the traditional zombie storylines.
bitterseason's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jarichan's review
4.0
Der zweite Band setzt dort an, wo der erste Teil aufgehört hat. Sozusagen ist es also ein Buch aufgeteilt in zwei. Deshalb kann man auch beide gut hintereinander lesen und auch die schriftstellerische Qualität leidet nicht unter dem Unterbruch.
Justina Ireland ist eine talentierte Erzählerin, die es schafft, aus vielen Einzelthemen ein harmonisches Ganzes zu schaffen. Sie spricht ernste Themen an, die uns noch immer berühren und bewegen, unterhält dabei aber mit spannenden Actionsequenzen und ruft Gefühle hervor, indem sie ihre Figuren weiterentwickelt.
Somit ist Band zwei mindestens genauso gut, wenn nicht vielleicht sogar noch ein Stückchen besser als der Vorgänger. Ich konnte es jeweils kaum erwarten, weiterzulesen und erneut in diese alternative Vergangenheit einzutauchen.
Überrascht war ich nicht, als ich sah, dass es unterdessen sogar einen dritten Band gibt. Glücklich darüber definitiv. Hoffentlich kann die Autorin meinen unterdessen eher hohen Ansprüchen weiterhin genügen.
Justina Ireland ist eine talentierte Erzählerin, die es schafft, aus vielen Einzelthemen ein harmonisches Ganzes zu schaffen. Sie spricht ernste Themen an, die uns noch immer berühren und bewegen, unterhält dabei aber mit spannenden Actionsequenzen und ruft Gefühle hervor, indem sie ihre Figuren weiterentwickelt.
Somit ist Band zwei mindestens genauso gut, wenn nicht vielleicht sogar noch ein Stückchen besser als der Vorgänger. Ich konnte es jeweils kaum erwarten, weiterzulesen und erneut in diese alternative Vergangenheit einzutauchen.
Überrascht war ich nicht, als ich sah, dass es unterdessen sogar einen dritten Band gibt. Glücklich darüber definitiv. Hoffentlich kann die Autorin meinen unterdessen eher hohen Ansprüchen weiterhin genügen.
bookbats's review against another edition
4.75
Plot - 4.5/5
Writing - 5/5
World building - 5/5
Characters - 5/5
Favourite Character - Katherine
The sequel to Dread Nation (one of my favourite reads of the year) did not disappoint. This was just as action packed, poignant and interesting as the original. Taking place in an alternate 19th century where the zombies rose up after the civil war, this duology is a look at racial prejudice in America and a period of African American history that is often overlooked (specifically black people's presence in the "wild west").
Jane continues to be a complex character, brave and good hearted but with a vicious streak and a stubbornness that can be dangerous. We get Katherine's pov in this one and I am delighted about that, it was wonderful to find out more about Katherine's backstory, how that shaped the person she is and some of her decisions from the first novel and her struggle with anxiety. We also get more exploration of Jane's bisexuality and Katherine continuing to be an aroace icon.
The alternate america that Justina Ireland has created is an interesting one, combining real history and imagined how would they cope with zombies history well. You also get the sense of isolation that must have been present back then, with communities so far apart and travel being slow (particularly if the whole zombie plague thing gets in the way of building train tracks and road maintenance. Not sure anyone's risking a zombie bite to fill in pot holes)
The only reason it doesn't get five stars is because there's a time skip and what happened to Katherine during that year isn't really gone into, there's a couple of comments that suggest it wasn't exactly uneventful so I would have liked to have known more about that and I was surprised she and Jane didn't have a conversation about it.
Overall, a wonderful sequel with great queer rep and a strong friendship at the heart of the duology, would very much recommend.
Writing - 5/5
World building - 5/5
Characters - 5/5
Favourite Character - Katherine
The sequel to Dread Nation (one of my favourite reads of the year) did not disappoint. This was just as action packed, poignant and interesting as the original. Taking place in an alternate 19th century where the zombies rose up after the civil war, this duology is a look at racial prejudice in America and a period of African American history that is often overlooked (specifically black people's presence in the "wild west").
Jane continues to be a complex character, brave and good hearted but with a vicious streak and a stubbornness that can be dangerous. We get Katherine's pov in this one and I am delighted about that, it was wonderful to find out more about Katherine's backstory, how that shaped the person she is and some of her decisions from the first novel and her struggle with anxiety. We also get more exploration of Jane's bisexuality and Katherine continuing to be an aroace icon.
The alternate america that Justina Ireland has created is an interesting one, combining real history and imagined how would they cope with zombies history well. You also get the sense of isolation that must have been present back then, with communities so far apart and travel being slow (particularly if the whole zombie plague thing gets in the way of building train tracks and road maintenance. Not sure anyone's risking a zombie bite to fill in pot holes)
The only reason it doesn't get five stars is because there's a time skip and what happened to Katherine during that year isn't really gone into, there's a couple of comments that suggest it wasn't exactly uneventful so I would have liked to have known more about that and I was surprised she and Jane didn't have a conversation about it.
Overall, a wonderful sequel with great queer rep and a strong friendship at the heart of the duology, would very much recommend.
clmoses71's review
5.0
This book definitely makes me want to read more about the daily lives of Black Americans during the 1800s.
Deathless Divide takes off where Dread Nation ends, with suspense and action.
The characters are real, the story is exciting and inspirational.
I found myself relating with Katherine in this story: *fear of judgment not being enough *anxiety *always following the rules.
I love the depth of the characters that Kate is not your typical light skin prissy girl, she's tough and can fight. And Jane presents as a tough chick but she is really caring and sensitive.
There are some moments when I am literally frozen in place, heart pounding, breathless.
I enjoyed the way the author used her imagination while painting a good picture of history. I wouldn't be mad at another installment of this story. The ending leaves room for possibilities.
Deathless Divide takes off where Dread Nation ends, with suspense and action.
The characters are real, the story is exciting and inspirational.
I found myself relating with Katherine in this story: *fear of judgment not being enough *anxiety *always following the rules.
I love the depth of the characters that Kate is not your typical light skin prissy girl, she's tough and can fight. And Jane presents as a tough chick but she is really caring and sensitive.
There are some moments when I am literally frozen in place, heart pounding, breathless.
I enjoyed the way the author used her imagination while painting a good picture of history. I wouldn't be mad at another installment of this story. The ending leaves room for possibilities.
leilaofpaper's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-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
5.0
vortacist's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5