Deathless Divide: Dread Nation, Book 2

It's difficult to follow up a magnificent epic with a sequel that's equally worthy, but Justina Ireland's second installment is still an entertaining and thought-provoking read. Jane's and Katherine's dual points of view are distinct and easy to distinguish (something that stumps even talented writers), and each has a riveting character arc full of loss, grief, adventure, romance (for Jane, anyway), and lasting friendship. Characterization of the main protagonists is fabulous, as is the expansion of the world-building of this alternate-universe late-19th-century America. Jane continues to be a complicated, unconventional heroine who is stubborn and overconfident and even ruthless. Katherine, meanwhile, is thoughtful, no-nonsense, rational, and passionately devoted to a fault.

There are some niggling issues that keep the sequel from measuring up to the first book, however. The pacing is uneven, feeling rushed in parts that deserve more explanation and attention. Several characters (in a huge cast) and plot points are described in detail and assumed to be interesting or important, but they're never given closure or addressed in a satisfying manner. The villain of the sequel is problematic and wrong-minded but not quite nefarious enough to merit the same Big Bad status as the monsters of the first book. In a world where so many morally corrupt characters are afforded their humanity and time for redemption, it was hard to see the capital-e Evil of the antagonist until the very end. And then there's the issue of a plot device that's fairly common in sci-fi/fantasy but falls sort of flat here, providing even more unanswered questions and shoehorning in a romance that happens off the page. Despite all of these complaints, Ireland is a skilled writer who weaves in powerful themes of race and representation, white supremacy, and justice. As a whole, this two-book series is an unputdownable must-read from one of YA's boldest authors.