Dread Nation

By: Justina Ireland

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin

Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best seller, six starred reviews

At once provocative, terrifying, and darkly subversive, Dread Nation is Justina Ireland's stunning vision of an America both foreign and familiar - a country on the brink, at the explosive crossroads where race, humanity, and survival meet.

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania - derailing the War Between the States and changing the nation forever.

In this new America, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Education 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.

"Abundant action, thoughtful world-building, and a brave, smart, and skillfully drawn cast entertain as Ireland illustrates the ignorance and immorality of racial discrimination and examines the relationship between equality and freedom." (Publishers Weekly, "An Anti-Racist Children's and YA Reading List")

©2018 Justina Ireland (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Narrator Bahni Turpin brings to life the barely restrained sarcasm of Jane McKeene, the bold heroine... Turpin's rendition of Jane's first-person voice illuminates her pluck, resilience, and wit.... Turpin moves easily between the emotions and accents of the many characters. She highlights the tension in the plot and clearly expresses the prejudices of some of the characters." (AudioFile)

Enjoyable and fast read

stunning narration. fast paced story that hits on subjects that are relevant today even if the book is set post civil war.

Pretty awesome YA fiction!

Would you listen to Dread Nation again? Why?

Yes, I enjoyed reading this book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Kate was my favorite character. She was actually a lot more deep than when the audience initially met her.

What about Bahni Turpin’s performance did you like?

The voices were easy to differentiate.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Love Love Love this book,!

I can't wait until the next book! Hearing this book was like watching a movie! K the author and the person reading. The book came to Life!

Fun and exciting!

I could NOT quit listening to this book! Whether you’re a YA or a MA (mature adult) this is a fun read/listen. There were times I laughed out loud, and more than a few times I found myself dawdling just so I could listen a little longer. Well worth a credit.

Incredible story

An amazing story set in a time much earlier than other zombie books. Highly recommended.

Loved it

I loved it! Bahni is the best! The story was riveting I couldn't stop listening.

More dread please!!

I loved this audiobook! As a fan of The Walking Dead Series it piqued my interest to see what could be done with “zombies” in that era. Jane was great as the protagonist. I loved her confidence, intelligence and toughness! I would really love to see this made into a movie! I think Netflix or Amazon should make that happen!! I’ll definitely listen to this again!!

Unique

Very unique take on this genre.Loved the narration..Very talented..I will be looking for more from her.

Yes! Yes! Yes!

This book is beautiful...shamblers and all. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Bahni Turpin, the narrator, is fantastic.

Exactly what I needed

Absolutely brilliant. I got sadder and sadder realizing it was coming to an end. Adventure girl power, packed with some hard truths. I have so many pictures in my head from the descriptions and story-building, that I hope it has that same effect on some scriptwriters out there.
The author manages story components really well. She spreads out exposition, dialogue, action, description, etc. So, you never have a Thomas Hardy-esque 2 page description of a barn, or some such nonsense.
This book also contains deliberate representation, which is much appreciated. We need conscious diversity in ethnicity, sexual identity, etc in our media.
One of the best narrations I have heard on this app.