For years, Robin Thorpe has kept her head down, staying among her people in the Riverside neighborhood and hiding the magic that would have her imprisoned by the state. But when Grace Hensley comes knocking on Clan Thorpe’s door, Robin’s days of hiding are at an end. As freed witches flood the streets of Kingston, scrambling to reintegrate with a kingdom that destroyed their lives, Robin begins to plot a course that will ensure a freer, juster Aeland. At the same time, she has to face her long-bottled feelings for the childhood love that vanished into an asylum twenty years ago.
Can Robin find happiness among the rising tides of revolution? Can Kingston survive the blizzards that threaten, the desperate monarchy, and the birth throes of democracy? Find out as the Kingston Cycle comes to an end.
Soulstar by C.L. Polk is the third and final book in the series.
While my personal favourite remains book two, Soulstar is the book that feels most urgent and resonant right now. It centres on a revolution against a king who, from previous books, seemed competent and reasonable, but now we experience the story from the perspective of a commoner leading the charge. This shift completely changes the view of the kingdom and its people, showing the stark contrast between the privileged and those who bear the brunt of power.
The political threads at times felt a little rushed, but I didn’t mind this. The story manages to convey complex social and political ideas in a digestible way, without requiring a reader to slog through endless exposition. For those who want a compelling story with thought-provoking themes, it works beautifully.
One minor challenge in the audio format was the neo-pronouns of the main character’s non-binary partner. The narrator’s pronunciation made khe sound like he and kher sound like her, which took a few chapters (and a quick Google) for me to parse. In text form, this isn’t an issue at all, but in audio it was initially confusing.
I appreciated that romance remained part of the story, but it appropriately took a back seat to the larger stakes. The main couple carries significant trauma, including being secretly married only for one partner having been confined to an asylum for 20 years. Yet the survival of the kingdom and the wider rebellion take precedence, which made the narrative feel grounded and realistic. The tension and friction between the couple, layered with personal and political stakes, added depth to their relationship without overshadowing the main plot.
At times, I wished the book had at least half again the page count, as certain plotlines and character arcs felt a little compressed. There is so much going on, revolution, intrigue, social upheaval, trauma, and personal growth, that a longer canvas would have allowed each thread to breathe fully. Even so, the story is tight, impactful, and emotionally charged.
Soulstar is a timely and important conclusion, exploring power, social inequality, and resilience. It’s an intense, thought-provoking read that balances romance, politics, and personal struggle, leaving a lasting impression well beyond the final page.
