Justina Ireland's Dread Nation is a timely story of an alternate version of US history. In this world, the Civil War is halted by an uprising of the dead that forces both sides to work together. However, the aftermath still leaves minorities to do the most dangerous work, as Jane McKeene knows all too well. As part of the Native and Negro Education Act, she's being trained to fight zombies, even though that's not what she wants for her future. As if this premise wasn't intriguing enough, there's also a conspiracy involving disappearing families that adds a layer of mystery to what's already a provocative and thoughtful story of race in America.