Deathless Divide

By Justina Ireland

The sequel to the New York Times bestselling epic Dread Nation is an unforgettable journey of revenge and salvation across a divided America.

After the fall of Summerland, Jane McKeene hoped her life would get simpler: Get out of town, stay alive, and head west to California to find her mother.

But nothing is easy when you’re a girl trained in putting down the restless dead, and a devastating loss on the road to a protected village called Nicodemus has Jane questioning everything she thought she knew about surviving in 1880s America.

What’s more, this safe haven is not what it appears—as Jane discovers when she sees familiar faces from Summerland amid this new society. Caught between mysteries and lies, the undead, and her own inner demons, Jane soon finds herself on a dark path of blood and violence that threatens to consume her.

But she won’t be in it alone.

Katherine Deveraux never expected to be allied with Jane McKeene. But after the hell she has endured, she knows friends are hard to come by—and that Jane needs her too, whether Jane wants to admit it or not.

Watching Jane’s back, however, is more than she bargained for, and when they both reach a breaking point, it’s up to Katherine to keep hope alive—even as she begins to fear that there is no happily-ever-after for girls like her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Feb 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9780062570659

Justina Ireland

Justina Ireland enjoys dark chocolate, dark humor, and is not too proud to admit that she’s still afraid of the dark. She lives with her husband, kid, and dog in Pennsylvania. She is the author of Vengeance Bound and Promise of Shadows. Visit her at JustinaIreland.com.

Reviews for Deathless Divide

[infjsarah · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I wasn't particularly enamoured of the first book but it was OK. Sadly I thought even less of the 2nd book. I got to the end but I was often bored.

[ZizaCal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I finished Dread Nation and immediately picked up Deathless Divide. I’ve seen some reviewers talk about how it’s not as good as the first one and I have to disagree. Maybe because I read them back to back it seemed that Dread was Act 1 and Deathless Act 2 and in thinking that they pair extremely well together.

I loved everything from the BIPOC voices to the LGBTQ+ representation to the Western tropes. It’s so fun to read Black stories in a genre that has been whitewashed for decades. If I had read this as a teenager it would have been in my top 10 and for a kid who read 200 books a year, that’s saying a lot.

One reviewer(and the reason I read this series) said to read these books if you want anti-racism paired with fiction and Justina Ireland did not disappoint!

[fionaanne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very different from the first book and not what I was expecting but an enjoyable adventure nevertheless.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well this was an interesting read, following on from the first book it alternates chapters between Katherine and Jane McKeene with them getting together and losing each other and both thinking the other is dead in some instances. The story is more clear about racism and about the fact that there were more people in the west than only white folks, and that sometimes the devil you know is a devil indeed.Jane goes on a quest for vengeance after the man she's attracted to is bitten and she has to kill him and there is tragedy a plenty in the story. The end was somewhat hopeful but with the disease spreading so much it would be hard to stop but I'm sure they're going to try.

[deslivres5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Satisfying sequel to Dread Nation, Deathless Divide continues the saga of Jane and Katharine in the alternate-history post Civil War, replete with zombies.Told in alternating chapters in the voices of Jane and Katharine.I'm guessing that this one is a true sequel and no other additions are planned, but who know?I could enjoy some more time in this world!

[dairyqueen84 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's rare that I like a sequel better than the first book. More to come on this one.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland is the sequel to her zombie fantasy, Dread Nation. The book continues the story of Jane McKeene and Katherine Devereaux as they embark on a journey of revenge and salvation across the remnants of America in the late 1800s. This is an alternative history where during the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg the dead started to rise up and by this time most of America is in ruins as the dead travel in hordes and consume the living.The story is told by both Jane and Katherine in alternate chapters as they each have very separate views and morals. While they are together at the beginning of this book, they are soon separated and while Katherine gets herself and some of their friends to California to embark on a new life, Jane becomes a bounty hunter and moves steadily west following the path of Gideon Carr who she has vowed to kill. It has become clear that Gideon is responsible for many of the zombie outbreaks that have destroyed so many towns and people.While this sequel has the witty social commentary and the strong black heroines who fearlessly kill the dead as they build upon their friendships, it was a little slower paced than the first book. We still get the moral examinations of human behavior, and the social, economic and political divisions between white and black characters. This author is on a mission to present black people as a strong historical element to the building of America and in this she totally succeeds.

[maryellencg-894309 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really hope she writes another in this series. I want more Jane and Katherine.

[oldandnewbooksmell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My first 5 star review of 2020 and I can't be happier that it's Deathless Divide, the sequel to Dread Nation!

After the fall of Kansas survivalist town Summerland, Jane McKeene, Katherine Deveraux, and their group set off to what they hope is a better opportunity at life. But of course, life is never easy, especially while surviving in 1880's America with the restless dead. On the road to a protected village called Nicodermus, the group suffers a loss. Then, what appears at first to be a safe haven, Nicodermus becomes filled with lies and mystery.

The group becomes separated and Jane soon finds herself on a path filled with darkness and blood while Katherine does everything she can to continue on. Katherine never expected to be friends with Jane McKeene, but after everything she's been through, she knows friends are hard to come by; her best friend, Jane, needs her now more than ever. When the duo reach a critical point, Katherine is the one who must keep hope alive so they can survive.

I enjoyed this book so much. My heart broke for Jane and all the hardship she had to go through, but I loved the badass fighter she became. The story arc she has through this novel kept me intrigued to see it to the end. Katherine however, really stole the show for me. Just having her be there as an ace character doing her thing and surviving - all while wearing a corset - is amazing. Also her love for stubborn and sometimes unflinching Jane is heartwarming; she's loyal to Jane no matter what, even when Jane tries to push her away. I respected Jane but I admired Katherine. Both girls are such badass characters for me and I love them both so much.

I'll try not to mention anything major about the story line, but it's pretty good to say the book splits between "Nicodermus" and "After Nicodermus." "After Nicodermus" leads in directions I would have never guessed and it had me turning page after page. It's intense. New, interesting characters are also introduced, many of whom were just as interesting as Jane and Katherine (I would have loved to see more of Carolina and Katherine's friendship).

Even with the back and forth between each chapter of Jane and Katherine's POVs in Deathless Divide, it has, just like Dread Nation, such an incredible, strong narrative. The way that Justina Ireland writes blows me away. Both characters give the reader so much to connect and hold onto.

I absolutely loved the ending of this book as well. I was so concerned in the last 75 pages or so that it wouldn't end well - not because I didn't want another one (at this point, I will read anything Justina Ireland writes I just love her writing so much), but because I was worried I was going to have to wait another two years before I found out after being left with a cliff hanger. Ireland was able to write the end perfectly that I was happy with the wrap-up of Jane's story.

Deathless Divide is a book I will now always recommend (of course after one reads Dread Nation). It has strong, independent, black, female, queer characters. It addresses issues of racism, sexism, mental health, and the meaning of surviving. The story is an easy and fast-paced read with characters that, as a reader, one can fall in love with.

[guide2_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fairly good continuation of the story, but somewhat forgettable. Definitely not as impactful as the first book of the series, but still quite enjoyable.

[socprof9740 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The second book of Dread Nation gives more space to the second main protagonist of this series, which is nice.
It is just as fun a read as the first one. And more teenage navel-gazing which is always not interesting, but again, a fun read with a very open ending and loose ends.

[viragoreads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow. Ms. Ireland took us for a wild ride on this one.Wherein Jane and Katherine become the best of friends, go on more adventuers. We have deaths, rebirths, apparently the vaccine works, but also, it does not work. We have a mad scientist on the loose, and vengeful bounty hunters on his trail, the East Coast has fallen, more racism and mysoginy. There are not-so-happy reunions, a whole lot of character development, more allies, and lots more death..This was just fabulous. I loved the story, the characters, the narration with the added narrator was wonderful, and the ending left me wanting more, yet was completely satisfying. I loved this book and its predecessor and whether or not it's this story continuing, or something completely new, I look forward to reading more by the author.

[lavaturtle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked getting to know Katherine better, along with getting some more Jane adventures. The developments in the world are interesting and well done, and the supporting cast is great. The book does a good job being grounded in its setting and giving our protagonists distinct voices.

[bell7_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jane and Katherine have progressed from reluctant teammates to something like friends, but now that Summerland has fallen to the undead shamblers, they are on the run again. As they travel, the bigotry and racism they encounter is just as much a threat as the shamblers, and they need to use all their ingenuity to survive.This second book is more tightly plotted than the first, and goes back and forth between Jane and Katherine's perspectives. The audio version, with two narrators, is really well done. Though zombies and horror is general not my thing, I enjoyed following the girls' adventures in the alternate Wild West set soon after the Civil War, and thought the ending left the characters in a satisfying place.

[shellypya · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The sequel to the New York Times bestselling epic Dread Nation is an unforgettable journey of revenge and salvation across a divided America. After the fall of Summerland, Jane McKeene hoped her life would get simpler: Get out of town, stay alive, and head west to California to find her mother. But nothing is easy when you're a girl trained in putting down the restless dead, and a devastating loss on the road to a protected village called Nicodemus has Jane questioning everything she thought she knew about surviving in 1880s America. What's more, this safe haven is not what it appears--as Jane discovers when she sees familiar faces from Summerland amid this new society. Caught between mysteries and lies, the undead, and her own inner demons, Jane soon finds herself on a dark path of blood and violence that threatens to consume her. But she won't be in it alone. Katherine Deveraux never expected to be allied with Jane McKeene. But after the hell she has endured, she knows friends are hard to come by--and that Jane needs her too, whether Jane wants to admit it or not. Watching Jane's back, however, is more than she bargained for, and when they both reach a breaking point, it's up to Katherine to keep hope alive--even as she begins to fear that there is no happily-ever-after for girls like her.

[rivkat_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I’m sad that I found this sequel much less compelling than the first book, mostly because the characters talk like 2020-era people (“in my feelings”) and adding another narrator doesn’t help. The actual events are eventful, with further running from the dead and questions about whether the zombie vaccine might actually work.

[krau0098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Series Info/Source: This is the 2nd book in the Dread Nation series. I got this on audiobook from Audible.com.Audiobook Quality (4/5): For some reason they added a second narrator to read Kate’s parts and she just was not as good as the original narrator for the series. I really wish they had just had the original narrator do these parts. This second narrator really decreased the quality of this audiobook.Story (4/5): This book is done in two parts. The first part follows Jane and Kate as they flee from Summerland with a horde in chase and head to Nicodemus. There they must prove Jane’s innocence regarding what happened in Summerland. However, when they find out Gideon also made it to Nicodemus things go awry quickly. The second part of the book is what happens after and we hear from Jane and Kate separately as they fight their own battles.I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as the first book. This really did seem like two novellas that had been mashed together. It was good and engaging but it didn’t blow me away like the first book did.Characters (5/5): I love the characters in this book, they are really part of what makes this an amazing story. Both Jane and Kate grow and change a lot throughout the story and the majority of the story is about them. However, there are a number of really well done side characters too.Setting (5/5): This is the other really strong point of this series. I love this world and how well it was put together. We get to journey further west in this book and venture into areas that were left more untouched by the undead. Visiting the San Francisco of this world was especially fun. Writing Style (4/5): As mentioned above, I wasn’t quite as impressed with the writing this time around. Jane’s parts were still very entertaining but I didn’t enjoy Kate as much, maybe because of the poor narration. I also thought the way the book was broken into two separate books felt really abrupt and jarring. Summary (4.5/5): Overall I still really enjoyed this but was a bit disappointed in a couple aspects of this book. However, that won’t stop me from reading future books in this series. I was unable to find out if there will be more books in this series and things are pretty wrapped up here. I certainly hope there are though!