Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.
But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.
Representation Includes
- Black, bisexual female protagonist
- Asexual supporting character
Content Warnings
racism, racial slurs, colourism, reference to slavery, use of ableist language, forceful removal of children from family, death of friend, depictions of blood and gore, torture, murder/death, reference to past child abuse, physical abuse and corporal punishmentReviews
- Alex Brown’s review
- Chiara’s review
- Debbie Reese’s commentary on the Native content
- Zezee’s review
- Reviews from bisexual black readers needed
Where to Find
Details
- Published April 3rd 2018 by Balzer + Bray
- Hardcover (ISBN13: 9780062570604)
- Paperback isbn13: 9780062570611