Divided We Fall

Divided We Fall (2014) by American author Trent Reedy follows a teenager’s haphazard involvement in a political clash between national and state forces. It is the first book of a trilogy. Reedy was inspired by his time as a combat engineer in the Iowa National Guard. Divided We Fall was praised for its look at political factionalism, which is rarely explored in young adult fiction. Its themes include political fractions, guilt, loyalty, and friendship. The book includes many fictionalized news reports from liberal and conservative sources, which provide contextual background.

The military thriller opens to seventeen-year-old protagonist Daniel “Danny” Christopher Wright playing football. For the most part, Danny’s a typical high school senior: He likes cars (he names his truck “Beast”) and country music; has a love life with his girlfriend, JoBell; and is more concerned about working than politics. He joins the Idaho division of the National Guard because he considers himself patriotic and he likes the prospect of a free college education. His father was also enlisted in the military. Daniel knows how to shoot a gun and is proud to be an American, even though he knows next to nothing about the Constitution.

The year is around 2030, and America is less than stable. The economy has been in a recession and the country is very divided over a federal ID card program. To receive federal services, all citizens would have to carry a card (which can be tracked using GPS). President Rodriguez says the move will streamline services, saving everyone money and reducing bureaucracy. His opponents, including Governor Montaine of Idaho, say this encroaches on citizens’ right to privacy. President Rodriguez believes the system is secure and a good idea; his patience with protests wears thin.



One day, Danny’s National Guard platoon is called in to help manage a protest in Boise, Idaho. Unfortunately, the protest becomes more of a riot, and Danny is hit in the head with a rock. The projectile is thrown so fast that it cracks the gas mask he’s wearing. Danny’s startled by the assault and accidentally fires his weapon.

This throws the horde of people into pandemonium. In response, more guards fire their weapons. The mayhem ends only after twelve people, mostly aged nineteen to twenty-five, are dead. General McNabb, an old-school veteran whom Danny admires, sends them home.

Danny feels sick to his stomach over his role in the massacre. President Rodriguez says he wants a list of the troops who fired on unarmed civilians. He wants them arrested. Governor Montaine says he won’t enforce the federal ID cards (his decision is backed by both sections of the state legislature) or turn over the names of soldiers who fired on people. The governor also tries to nullify the ID program. Idaho will continue to comply with federal law, but it won’t comply with the ID program. The federal government views this as an act of rebellion. If Idaho wanted to protest, it should have gone through the court system.



Through these heated political moments, Danny continues with school. Mr. Shiratori, the US government teacher who doubles as the football coach, discusses aspects of the Constitution. Both the governor and the president can find some justification for their actions within the Constitution. The president points to the supremacy clause (Article 6, Section 2), which states that federal laws are the supreme law of the land. The governor talks about the concept of nullification, the idea that states can choose not to follow certain federal laws that they disagree with. Nullification has never officially been a part of the US Constitution or ruled as legal in federal courtrooms.

Word gets out that Danny was one of the guards responsible for the ill-fated riot. Most of his community rallies around him, including the town sheriff. Governor Montaine gives Danny a call and encourages him to put the governor’s personal number on speed dial, should Danny need anything at all. Meanwhile, Danny watches in frustration as his story is twisted to suit the particular political values of various media outlets across the nation.

When the governor announces that he will not charge any of the soldiers with homicide or manslaughter, most of the country rises up in protest. The president orders the US Army to enter Idaho and arrest the soldiers responsible for the shooting. The governor, in response, orders the Idaho National Guard to seal the state’s borders. One day, supporters of the federal government chase Danny and his friends in his car, and Danny barely escapes with his life. Worse, when his mother tries to sneak into Idaho (returning from a family visit in Washington), she is shot dead.



Idaho officially secedes from the US. Soon after, President Rodriguez is assassinated. The new president vows that Idaho’s rebellion will not be tolerated. Now Danny must choose who he’ll fight for: Idaho or the US. The novel ends with the cliffhanger of the US Army invading Idaho.