Zombie plagues have been the rage in TV, movies and books for years. But setting a Zombie plague during the American Civil War? Now that’s something new. Justina Ireland turns historical fiction on its head with her two-book series Dread Nation. Titled Rise Up and Deathless Divide, the books explore the racial, social and economic impacts of the ‘War Between the States’ and give new meaning to the term Reconstruction, the period of rebuilding and reunifying society after the war’s end. While no book involving zombies can be historically accurate, the stories build on the real people, events and issues of the time to highlight the brutality of slavery and the inequality that remained as the country moved forward – and westward. As the author explains in her notes, she wrote the books to give voice to characters often left out of history. The books focus on Jane and Katherine, two Black teens taken from their homes after the dead begin to rise during the Battle of Gettysburg. Like other children of their race, they are deemed inferior – and therefore expendable – and sent to boarding schools that train them to protect rich whites from the undead. (These boarding schools resembled the facilities that Native Americans were sent to in the 1800s, when the U.S. government stole their land and forced their assimilation) The girls excel in their training, but before they can be assigned to protect society ladies, they uncover a sinister plot to build a “utopia” to replace the Eastern cities falling to the zombie plague. This new community is founded on the principles of Jim Crow, the discriminatory laws that rose to continue the oppression of Blacks after slavery was abolished. This means Blacks have no rights and are assigned the most dangerous jobs and the worst living conditions. Tough-hearted and quick to temper, Jane resolves not just to survive, but to find an escape. Light-skinned and able to pass as White, Katherine plays along with the cruel society in order to help Jane’s plan to secure their freedom. There are tense battles, sorrowful deaths, cruel betrayals, heart-wrenching romances and epic friendships. And that’s just in book one. In the second book, the main characters venture west. Alive but forever changed, one seeks safety and peace while the other pursues vengeance. The books are a unique way to explore the issues of American history including slavery and Reconstruction, the government’s treatment of Native Americans, the cultural clashes that came with waves of immigration, expansion of the western frontier, and the search for the “American dream.” But if you aren’t really interested in the history, the books aren’t slowed down by it. The series provides enough action and adventure for any reader.
0 Comments
Since the COVID-19 pandemic has made life more challenging for all of us, Hanover High's summer reading has been changed this year to offer more choices for students and eliminate a required assignment. The recommended titles include a variety of genres, topics and lengths. This week, I'm going to review a few of the FICTION titles that I have read and really enjoyed.
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely - This engaging collaboration by two writers - one white and one African American - explores racism and police violence, issues that could've been pulled from the news today. When Quinn, a white teen, sees a white police officer brutalize a Black teen, his sense of justice is turned upside down. The fact that the police officer is a trusted family friend makes the situation even harder. But the book is not just told from Quinn's point of view; the Black teen, named Rashad, tells the story too. In this way, you get to explore the incident and its repercussions not just through one lens. It's a quick read that's hard to put down and the ending offers hope for healing that might help with issues we're facing in real life. Internment by Samira Ahmed - When a book or movie is called "dystopian," it usually invokes images of a post-apocalyptic society, where law and order have broken down in the wake of a terrible catastrophe like nuclear war. Books like 1984, The Hunger Games and The Road are considered dystopian. So is Internment. Unfortunately, the premise of this story feels a little too easy to imagine. It's the near future, and the U.S. government has imprisoned all Muslim-Americans in internment camps, including 17-year-old Layla and her family. Even though they are citizens, they are stripped of their rights and possessions and considered enemies of the state. This echoes what happened to Japanese-Americans during World War II, when the U.S. declared war against Japan and considered anyone with Japanese ancestry to be the enemy even if they hadn't been in Japan for generations. It also draws on the hate and fear directed at Muslims after the September 11th attacks committed by radicals in the name of their religion. This is a fast-paced, thrilling story of tolerance and reason triumphing over fear and hate. It also highlights the danger we face when we stay silent in the face of injustice. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay - When a Jewish girl and her family are rounded up in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, the girl locks her brother in a cabinet to keep him safe. She believes she'll be back soon to let him out and resume their lives. But she never returns to the apartment and is haunted by her decision forever. Her story is uncovered by a modern-day French woman who moves into the apartment and learns she was never taught in school about this terrible roundup. Her discovery that the French government helped kill thousands of its own citizens changes her life. A heart-breaking and powerful story. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo - Emoni, the main character of this story, is an unwed teenaged mother trying to juggle the demands of parenting, work, school and her feisty grandmother. While you might think you can't relate to her experience, I would argue you'd be wrong. Hers is a story of falling short of expectations, pushing through disappointment to pursue your dreams and overcoming financial and social obstacles - things we can all relate to no matter our culture, gender or class. Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead - Part historical fiction, part fantasy, this story imagines that the famed network to freedom is a literal train running beneath the earth. I thought this idea would be hard to accept, but the author does an amazing job weaving the imaginary with the truth. The story follows Cora as she risks everything to flee from a life of brutal slavery, bringing to life the hardships of her captive life and the dangers she faced on the way to freedom. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson - During the Great Depression, when the country was sunk into desperate poverty, sometimes the only hope and diversion people could find came from books. But some rural towns were far from a library, so the government organized a group of women to deliver the library to them. These pack librarians rode horses and mules, miles each day, through rough terrain and bad weather, bringing hope via the printed word to the hopeless. In this fictionalized account, Cussy is a young woman considered an outcast in her Kentucky community because she suffers from a rare genetic disorder that turns her skin blue. She finds purpose and joy as a pack librarian., but also faces intolerance and physical danger from those suspicious of her color or the government program. Both the pack librarians and the Blue people of Kentucky are true stories. This book tells a story of tolerance and resilience in a new light. |
AuthorMrs. McHugh is a librarian and instructional technology specialist. She loves talking books and pop culture with her students at Hanover High School. Archives
February 2024
Categories
All
|