Deathless Divide - Review

Author: Justine Ireland

Genre:  Historical Fiction / Zombies / Young Adult

Format: Hardback

Pages: 560

This book... I think I spent all five hundred plus pages with my heart in my throat. If it wasn't one thing it was another, and honestly putting this down was as hard as the first book. I had forgotten how much I adore Justine Ireland's writing style, and it was so easy to fall into Deathless Divide. I thought Ireland did a wonderful of calling back to moments that happened in Dread Nation without pulling away from the new storyline.

Deathless Divide is broken up into two parts. The first part takes right after Dread Nation ends with everyone heading off toward Nicodemus and what they hope is safety. This is also when we meet our new villain, and as much as it broke my heart to see this person our new bad guy I really kind of enjoyed the evolution of it. Or, maybe not evolution but the revolution that some people just can't see past their own hubris. 

After the first part of the book came to a close I did need to walk away from the book for a second. Because that ending punched me right in the heart and new the second part of this book would only mangle it more.

I like that Justina Ireland time jumped the story a little for the second part. You learn about what happened at that time here and there, but the story pushes on. Right off an emotional cliff. I liked that this part of the story had a different tone and a different pace. Katherine and Jane are different people after Nicodemus, and California holds different battles for them both. Still, I really enjoyed the evolution of the story here and the addition of Carolina Jones. Though a part of me hates Callie for what she did to Jane, but Salty and Tomas were a wonderful addition as well.

One of my favorite bits was Jane's chapter headers in the second part. It was a fun way to learn about the Devil's Bride while the story progressed one, and honestly, I'd kill for a novella of some Jane's exploits during that missing year.

Another great addition was Katherin's chapters. She is an asexual mess and I love her! Also, her point of view was a nice addition to the story. She sees the world differently than Jane, and she actually she's Jane for everything she really is. Everything she isn't. Despite everything that has happened there is a hopefulness about Katherine that is sort of the balm to Jane's chapters as she fights through her understandable anger.

Also, I love the friendship between Katherine and Jane. It's beautiful in the way the sort of fit together. Katherine keeps Jane human and in a way Jane sort of holds Katherine together. Through the last two years, they became family and it was wonderful to watch Katherine bring Jane back to herself. To remind her she wasn't so lost.

The ending though. I cheered when Katherine made that shot, not caring that I was in public. It was aces! It also made my heart soar that Sue got her happy ending. If anyone was going to get one, I'm glad it was her. I also really liked that while Jane's story didn't have the ending she hoped for, at least she got closer. I'm also really happy to see an open kind of ending. The potential for more stories, but not a guarantee. 

Deathless Divide was absolutely wonderful and I enjoyed every second of it. 

Buy, Borrow, or Skip: Buy! This is definitely a series I will be re-reading. It's too good to only read once.

HAPPY READING!!