Deathless Divide

January 1, 2020
Two young black women kick zombie ass from the post-Civil War East to the late-1800s American West. This sequel to Dread Nation (2018) is told from the perspectives of the irascible Jane McKeene and her unlikely best friend, Katherine Deveraux, after they escape the unholy hell of Summerland, a social science experiment run by a maniacal minister through which black people were forced to protect whites from attacks by throat-chomping, undead shamblers. Alternating between Jane's haunted life with its Shakespearean overtones and Katherine's more devout but no less deadly existence, each chapter takes readers farther west, with hopes resting on happy endings for the duo in California. The pacing is steady throughout the first part of the story, building and exploding into a gut-wrenching plot twist halfway through. Then it's a glorious race to the finish, with compelling moral examinations of human experimentation and killing for hire to fuel reader interest. At its core the book delves into a spectrum of black girls' and women's experiences, kinship, and necessary resilience. That focus never strays even as Ireland touches briefly on social tensions between Native and black characters along with passing commentary on immigration and relations between Chinese families and other communities. The imaginative integration of real-world historical players into an equally messy, gruesome chronology artfully developed by the author makes this stand out.A seriously satisfying, worthy, and well-crafted sequel. (author's note) (Historical fiction/horror. 14-adult)

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Starred review from January 1, 2020
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* In Ireland's riveting sequel to Dread Nation (2018), Summerland has fallen and Jane McKeene is headed west to find her mother. She and Katherine embark on the journey together, trying to stay ahead of the undead by hopping from settlement to settlement. Their goal is to reach the village of Nicodemus, which is supposed to be a safe haven; however, once they arrive, Jane and Katherine find more danger, lies, and deceit. The devastating turn of events plunges Jane down a path of violence that may consume her. Meanwhile, Katherine, who is warring with her own inner demons, tries desperately to be a beacon and friend to Jane. This feat may prove impossible for Katherine, as both girls seek a peace that their identities and the terrifying state of their country could prevent them from achieving. Ireland tackles heavy questions about racism, nationalism, and identity against a historical fantasy backdrop set during a time when America is reeling after the Civil War and African Americans are trying to find their place in society, while still suffering under the ills and oppression left behind from slavery. This novel will challenge readers to confront how people strip others of their humanity and how America has always exploited and abused Black bodies.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)