Review: Revolution

Author: Jenna Black
Series: Replica, #3
Released: November 11th 2014
Publisher: Tor Teen
Length: 400 pages
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: Amazon

Nadia Lake and Nate Hayes find themselves at the center of a horrifying conspiracy in this action-packed finale of Jenna Black’s SF romance series that began with Replica

From the author of the Faeriewalker series comes the stunning conclusion to the young adult science fiction thriller series that began with Replica and continued in Resistance.

At the conclusion of Resistance, Nadia Lake and the Replica of her best friend, Nate Hayes, found themselves at the center of a horrifying conspiracy. Framed for murder and wanted by the government, they have no choice but to go underground and seek refuge in the dangerous, gang-ridden slums of the Basement. 

Jenna Black brings readers an action-packed final installment that will have them racing to the finish. 

Saying goodbye to dear characters is never easy, but when they’ve been through hell and back in the time you’ve spent with them, it’s even harder to let them go. My time with Nadia, Nate, Bishop, Agnes and Dante was exciting and wonderful, and I'll gladly join them again if Jenna Black ever decides to revisit them.

Revolution is even darker than the previous two books, as our three young Executives and their two companions are forced to hide, first in the Basement, and then in Debasement, a dreadful place ruled by the most vicious gang lord. Nadia and Nate have enemies coming at them from all sides. Thea and her replica puppet Dorothy are ruling Paxco with an iron fist, aiming all their efforts towards killing Nate and his friends and making an example out of them. The Resistance is no better, and Maiden’s gang is simply terrifying. A bunch of kids, no matter how smart, stand very little chance against all of them, but Nate and Nadia have been known to beat those odds before.

Nevertheless, things looked incredibly bleak for a while, with no visible way out for the mini resistance. Their entire arsenal against no less than three powerful enemies consisted of a hope, a prayer, and some clever maneuvering. The savage world of Debasement was perhaps the hardest to handle for Executives, but they had Bishop to lead them through. In the end, worlds collided everywhere they turned, and they had to truly open their eyes and see everything that was wrong with Paxco.

Jenna Black is a seasoned writer, which is evident from her every sentence. Her sense of pacing is superb and her writing clean and tightly controlled. Above all, Revolution stands out with its characterization. It didn’t take the direction I was expecting, but the characters grew and learned the entire time.

I believe the point that Jenna Black tried to make with this trilogy is that winning the war is usually only the beginning. When the war is won, true battles are only just starting. Power doesn’t come without sacrifices, and the willingness to make those sacrifices for the greater good is the mark of a true leader. Therefore, a truly happy, fulfilling ending was all but impossible for some, but their sacrifice wasn’t at all in vain.

Jenna Black’s Replica trilogy may be somewhat underappreciated, but I highly recommend it to fans of dystopian fiction, delightful action and strong romances. Honestly, what’s not to like?

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.