4 out of 4 stars
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France has elected its first female President, Marianne Mercier, the leader of the extreme right-wing party, Avenir Francais. With her rise to power France is going to change. As Mercier changes laws and practices, bringing in the Sixth Republic, she also brings death and destruction to France. Targeting all 'minority' groups, she wants to take back France for the French. She starts by leaving the European Union before she swiftly closes the French borders, trapping all the 'undesirables' inside.
As racist and homosexual attacks increase, spurred on by Avenir Francais's 'security force', inhumane measures are taken under the pretense of protecting the people. All groups that are considered to be threatening the French way of life are taken away to communes. They lose their homes, are separated from their loved ones, and are cut off from the rest of the world. Much like concentration camps. Will the people of France realise in time their behaviour is immoral, and be able to save their fellow man?
Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, a similar dark path is being followed. With Hugo Sherriden at the head of the NIP (National Independence Party), he is doing everything in his power to make the UK follow in the ominous footprints of France. Using the Prime Minister as his puppet he is gathering violent followers, and spreading hate and discord through the nation. With a small band of resisters, primarily using a Facebook page, they must ban together, and do everything they can to stop the spreading madness.
The Sixth Republic by Howard Robinson is a fascinating tale of a world I hope will never come into being. The story is told by several characters, their lives cleverly intertwining as the tale progresses. The character development is amazing, and I ended up caring deeply for the people, who really came to life for me. Their suffering, pain, loss, love, and victory, were all very real and relatable.
A bizarre and harrowing tale, especially after the very recent elections in France. An election where a very similar, right wing, Marianne Lepen almost made it to power. Although the incidents and situations in the book were taken to the extreme, it just goes to show how very real and present racism and bigotry is in our world. It was the unsettling, realistic aspects of the book which I found both most enjoyable and disturbing. With racism ever present in today's society, especially with recent terrorist attacks, it is horrible to think that the world, and people, I love so much could so easily turn on each other. However, it has happened in the past, and I hope beyond belief that Robinson's story, and all it holds, remains firmly in fiction.
Mercier is seen as a modern day Hitler - all the unjustifiable hatred, but also fueled by the power of social media. It was a throwback to World War II, and sometimes quite an unpleasant one at that. It includes brutal racist attacks which left me feeling uneasy. The book is written in a way that when you put it down, you can't stop thinking about it. You want justice for these fictional people between the pages, and you really care what happens to them. Within the volatile acts of hate, it was nice to read about love and dignity, which Robinson delicately weaves into the story.
With so many scenes of brutal violence and unspeakable hatred, there is only one quote which comes to mind. Robinson uses it within the novel as well which was very fitting: "The only necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." I like to think that in today's modern world, Edmund Burke's words would not ring true, and people would not stand aside and let events like these occur.
There was a few grammatical errors, and the occasional word which was not needed. However, the book did feel professionally edited. It had a certain dystopian feel, and was very gripping. It has a strong message that faith and unity will prevail, even in the darkest of times. Even if that faith is just in the goodness and equality of man. I award this book 4 out of 4 stars. It was original, and an amazingly written book. It hooked me straight from the beginning, and had me dying to know the ending. Apart from young readers, I would recommend everyone to read through these, sometimes disturbing, pages. It sheds a light on a touchy subject, and hopefully will open the eyes of anyone who holds the views that their country would be better without 'minorities'. It is their country too, and that is a lesson that should be well remembered.
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The Sixth Republic
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