A Second Revolution

I enjoyed this book and once into it I could not put it down.
The main character Jerrett has a hard time from the start trying to understand why his country is in such a bad place.
Meeting others who are also not happy helps him and his family move on from loss of loved ones.
I personally found the book very thought provoking as our world is in trouble.
I can imagine this happening now

This is a book that I found hard to put down but didn't want it to end as we encounter the best and worst of humanity.
Enforced restrictions are the culprit of the worst whilst family love, friendships, kindness and survival are the best.

Kelly Noll did a fantastic job creating characters and situations that drew you in and made you care. It’s a thriller and a war story about the worst case scenario in the US, but still she manages to keep politics out of the story, and that’s appreciated.

The brothers of Jerrett and Dean are relatable and have the right amount of flaws to make you feel they are real, and enough empathy to make you care about them and their families (both real and extended).

I’ll definitely be watching for future novels by her.

A Second Revolution is a fiery, dystopian debut by Kelly Noll that resonates with unsettling echoes of our own world. This gripping tale of love, loss, and loyalty unfolds in a near-future USA, where the government’s oppressive control looms large over its citizens.

The story begins with the protagonist, Jerrett, witnessing a disturbing event: an elderly man being beaten and forcibly taken away by the ‘Elite Guards,’ a shadowy police force seemingly connected to the government. This harrowing scene immediately sets the tone, immersing readers in a world fraught with danger, where state power is wielded to crush the will of the people. The tension is brilliantly mirrored in an adrenaline-charged bike race that opens the novel, foreshadowing the frantic journey that lies ahead.

Noll excels in portraying the intimate and close-knit relationships within Jerrett’s family and circle of friends. The Nolan family initially appears ordinary—a tight-knit group focused on supporting one another and getting through life’s challenges. But as political tensions reach a boiling point, it is Jerrett’s deep love for his family that propels him to stand against the shocking and extreme persecution they face.

In a world that mirrors our own, where oppressive government actions are all too real, Noll’s novel provides a glimmer of hope through the indomitable power of the human spirit. Jerrett’s relentless fight for his values and loved ones drives the narrative forward with relentless energy. The pacing is masterful—Jerrett’s cross-country journey is swift and intense, yet the underlying dystopian menace remains ever-present, lending the book a chilling sense of realism.

Noll’s style and thematic consistency ensure that the novel’s messages hit their mark. While the prose may not stand out for its literary flourishes, Noll’s storytelling is undeniably compelling, never losing focus or momentum. For a debut tackling such weighty themes, A Second Revolution is remarkably coherent and engaging. The world Noll builds is both convincing and disturbingly familiar, with threats that feel all too real. While the characters occasionally brush against cliché, their everyday nature is what makes them so relatable and grounds the story in a daunting reality.

Ultimately, A Second Revolution is an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable read. What is particularly satisfying is that Noll doesn’t compromise readability for the sake of delivering powerful political messages—those are as impactful as one could hope for, without detracting from the novel’s pace or engagement.

Calling all freedom fighters, patriots, those who demand liberty. Pull on your biker boots, adjust your helmet and get ready for the ride as Kelly Noll brings to life a motorcross community with Jerrett, the All-American everyman, at its heart. He is us, happy enough, getting by, he’s not setting the world on fire, but he is the constantly burning ember for his family to orbit.
Quickly we discover life is not so ordinary, his world order has changed, freedoms have been eroded by an authoritarian state, life is now based on fear, fear of martial law, of curfews, and Elite Guards, disappearances and mind control camps. The context is uncomfortably familiar, in a post-pandemic real world where anything feels possible, and information is a manipulated commodity.
The action is present and constant revving and skidding at pace through a family’s tragedy, from a campfire community hit at its core by devastating grief, through a courageous escape and to the bitter hope of their final rescue mission. At times the narrative takes on a purpose outside of itself, to ask how freedoms are so easily worn away as Jerrett and his friends reflect on “How fragile it all was. How had life changed so irrevocably?” It is a powerful cautionary tale of how by dismantling the status quo we can spiral into the horror of dystopia.
Written with clarity and determination Noll brings into close focus a debate that resonates, Jerrett’s dilemma is ours, how far should we go to protect our liberties. We watch as Jerrett, is compelled by his own tragedy to become the beating heart of a new second revolutionary movement. At the centre he is a hero defying injustice and overcoming adversity, a potent testimony to what we are capable of when propelled by the pursuit of love and brotherhood.