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"Havoc, in its Third Year" is a novel by Ronan Bennett that was first published in 2016. The novel is set in the early 1640s, during the English Civil War, and tells the story of a group of people living in a small village in Lancashire who are caught up in the violence and upheaval of the war.

The novel explores a number of themes, including the impact of war on ordinary people, the question of loyalty and betrayal, and the nature of power and authority.

One of the central themes of the novel is the impact of war on ordinary people. The novel shows how the war affects the lives of the villagers, who are torn between their loyalty to their king and their desire to protect their homes and families. As the war drags on, they are forced to make difficult decisions, and they are confronted with violence, death, and destruction on a daily basis. This theme is particularly evident in the character of John Buckley, who is torn between his loyalty to his king and his love for his wife and children.

Another theme of the novel is the question of loyalty and betrayal. The novel explores the idea that people can be forced to choose between loyalty to their country, or their religious and moral beliefs. The villagers are divided by their beliefs and are forced to make difficult choices. Characters like John Buckley, Mary and Mary's friend, Catherine, face a moral dilemmas and the pressure of their beliefs, religious and otherwise.

The novel also explores the nature of power and authority. The villagers are ruled by a small group of wealthy and powerful landowners, who use their power to control the lives of those around them. The novel shows how these rulers use their power to exploit and oppress the villagers, while at the same time they are also struggling to maintain their own position in the face of the war. The characters of the novel, John Buckley and Mary, are caught in the middle of this power struggle and have to navigate the complex and often dangerous world of politics in order to protect themselves and their families.

In summary, "Havoc, in its Third Year" is a novel that explores a number of complex and interrelated themes, including the impact of war on ordinary people, the question of loyalty and betrayal, and the nature of power and authority. The novel is set against the backdrop of the English Civil War, and it paints a powerful and realistic picture of the violence and upheaval of this period in history, and how it affected the lives of the people who lived through it.