ARC Review: Revolutionary by Colleen Cowley

My Review:

The epic conclusion to the Clandestine Magic Trilogy, Revolutionary picks up where Radical left off. Peter is in the hospital with Beatrix holding vigil by his side. The pressure mounts as Peter remains in a coma, and Beatrix has to deal with outside forces that continue to try to manipulate them. Beatrix, who has realized that her feelings for Peter are real and not because of the vows, determines to do whatever it takes to pull Peter out of this suspicious coma and figure out who is targeting them.

Not only do Beatrix and Peter have to deal with his coma, hospital bills, scandalous rumors, and changing powers, they also continue to face governmental spying and threats, as well as the pressures and dangers of endorsing and promoting a cause that threatens the patriarchy. Death threats, kidnappings, weapons of mass destruction, and murder add to their troubles and reveal the precarious and deadly situations the couple finds themselves in. How will Beatrix and Peter ever find their happy ending?

In my reviews of the previous books in the series, I commented on the richly developed characters, but the character development is so fantastic and layered that it deserves repeating. Cowley introduces so many different and dynamic characters, both old and new, with defined and interesting stories. I loved seeing their stories grow, develop, and change and was especially pleased to see Rosemarie, Ella, and Martinelli’s stories expanded upon. Even the antagonists are fascinating in their manipulative and deadly ways. However, at the heart of the story is Beatrix and Peter.

The love story between Beatrix and Peter is one of my favorites this year! Vow or no vow, they have a strong and unshakable connection, and their love for each other only seems to grow. I loved how their relationship progressed and that they finally had a chance to examine their feelings without any magical influence.

Beatrix and Peter’s references to Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 are beautiful and poignant, as are their heartfelt declarations. Of course, their actions further exemplify how much they care for each other. They are each other’s staunchest supporters, and they continually come to each other’s rescue. Theirs is the love of a lifetime, and their swoon-worthy relationship progresses to new levels in this story. Now that they’ve embraced and can trust their feelings for each other, they seem much more willing to show and say how they feel.

“I love you,” he whispered, taking her hand. “Every day of my life I swear I will prove that to you.”

Peter to Beatrix

Beatrix and Peter understand each other well, but in this book, they really learn to understand themselves. Both learn to forgive, share their burdens, and depend on others. Beatrix and Peter also learn to trust in those who support them. The couple learns who their true friends and allies are, and they open themselves up to embracing these relationships. I think Peter shows tremendous growth in this regard, as he started the series so closed off and distrustful, which is understandable considering the horrible burdens he faced.

Though the story is a piece of fiction and takes place in a dystopian, patriarchal, and magical society, the themes and situations in the book strongly resonate in our world. Job loss, oppression, sexism, government control and domination, betrayal, and discrimination are just some of the issues that Beatrix and Peter face. I found myself comparing their society to ours, and there are many similarities. The author suggests that the story is about 100 years behind in women’s rights, and it really made me think about how hard people worked for equal rights in America and how far we still have to go.

Clandestine Magic is the type of series that you think about long after you finish it, and Revolutionary is a wonderfully satisfying conclusion. The characters, the plot, the themes, the love story – there is a poignancy and depth in every aspect of this beautifully nuanced story. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Rating:

Favorite Parts:

• The romance. Ahhhh – I adore Beatrix and Peter!

• The surprising twists. Cowley never fails to astonish me with her unexpected twists and revolutions!

• The powerful themes of equality, rights, the influence of power, fear, and more.

Favorite Lines:

It really comes down to this: Do we have principles, or don’t we? Are we willing to stomach some uncertainty to save people’s lives…or aren’t we?

‘We all have inalienable rights and I won’t impinge on yours’ shouldn’t be a radical idea.

“No one should have that much power over another person,” he said quietly. “If we do…” he swallowed. “If we do, we’ll discover sooner or later that we’re not nearly as good as we think we are.”

“I know you inside and out,” he said, “and I will never stop loving you.”

Recommendations:

This is not a standalone, so I would recommend reading Subversive and Radical, the first two books in The Clandestine Magic series.

Check out my review for Subversive and/or Radical!