Claire Isenthal’s The New Order brings her dystopian series to a powerful and emotionally charged conclusion, plunging readers into a crumbling Chicago ruled by a brutal terrorist regime known as REDS. Gritty, urgent, and unflinching, this final installment is as much about the cost of survival as it is about the fragile hope of redemption.

At the heart of the story is Flynn Zarytsky, a deeply conflicted protagonist who once played a role—however unwillingly—in the fall of her city. Now a fugitive hiding among the ruins, Flynn carries the weight of guilt and responsibility while scraping by with the remaining Allies, a scattered resistance movement clinging to the idea of freedom. Isenthal paints a stark picture of a city hollowed out by fear, where every step forward feels earned through grit, loss, and sacrifice.

The tension ratchets up when Flynn encounters a figure from her past, and the lines between ally and enemy blur. The dynamic between Flynn and Nate—marked by betrayal, uneasy loyalty, and flickers of something deeper—is one of the novel’s strongest elements. Their reluctant partnership forces both characters to confront uncomfortable truths, not just about each other but about themselves.

Isenthal’s strength lies in her ability to blend cinematic action with moments of raw vulnerability. The stakes are high as Flynn, Nate, and a ragtag band of rebels launch a final, daring mission that could turn the tide against REDS. But The New Order is not content to rest on plot alone—it digs into complex emotional terrain, asking whether people can ever truly atone, and whether trust can be rebuilt amid the ruins.

Themes of forgiveness, empathy, and love are explored with surprising tenderness against a backdrop of violence and desolation. The pacing is swift, the dialogue sharp, and the emotional payoff well-earned. Isenthal doesn’t offer easy answers, but she does offer the one thing that makes dystopian fiction resonate: hope, even in the darkest of places.

A gripping and satisfying finale, The New Order is a must-read for fans of the series and a compelling reminder that even in a world shattered by tyranny, the human spirit remains stubbornly unbroken.

This was a very well written book. Very descriptive and thrilling. The author of this book makes you feel like you are actually there with how descriptive every aspect of this book is. I would recommend this book to anyone who loved the other books in this series.

Wow, I feel like I need a recovery day after finishing this. What a great follow up to The Rising Order. The author is VERY good as descriptions. Whether it's near death experiences, dying, love, sex, turmoil - the way its presented makes you feel like you're there - like you're the person going through the experience. That's not always easy to do, but she does it!

I never knew how this story was going to end, right up to the conclusion. I also found myself reading far longer than I should've at times because I just couldn't pull myself away from this story. Kudos to the author for a job well done and I would recommend this one to anyone!

Thanks to Victory Editing and Net Galley for this ARC. #TheNewOrderTheRisingOrderTNOTRO #NetGalley

Thank you Netgalley, Victory Editing, and Claire Isenthal for this advance copy! I love these books and these characters. Isenthal does an amazing job showcasing the complexity of human nature and how people are not simply one thing or another. We all have different sides, different facets that make us who we are. This follow up to The Rising Order was fast paced, thrilling, and keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. I can't wait to see what else Claire does in the future!