Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

1644 reviews

milaju's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Violence, Drug abuse, Child death, Addiction, Sexual violence, Torture, War, Murder, Physical abuse, Death, Genocide, Rape, Drug use, Animal death, Blood, and Sexual assault

indrabindra's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I appreciate that there is no romance plot!

Quite graphic, handles grim themes responsibly. Not as sophisticated as her more resent works and waxy at times. Engaging nonetheless! I will be reading on in the series

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Cursing, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Infertility, War, Medical content, Racism, Abandonment, and Drug use

thebibliomaniac_27's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual violence, Racism, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Body shaming, Gore, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Rape, War, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Blood, Drug abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Self harm, and Torture

carriehaley89's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Genocide, Violence, and War

Moderate: Infertility

punzy8's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Addiction, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, War, Classism, Drug use, and Grief

ariangel's review

dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Torture, Sexual violence, Self harm, Rape, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Murder, Gore, Child death, Violence, Trafficking, Racism, Addiction, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, Grief, and Genocide

adisiki's review against another edition

4.5

Wow I loved this! So glad I finally got around to reading this series, I knew I’d be obsessed with it. Reminded me so much of She Who Became The Sun which I love too. R.F. Kuang is one of my favorite writers, this was so well-written and full of interesting characters. The story is beautiful, tragic, and complex; I loved Rin and could see how she is slowly becoming a morally grey main character, I’m excited to see where her story goes along with everyone else.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Torture, War, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Violence, and Rape

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, and Drug use

drjoannehill's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I'm not sure if I wasn't concentrating or if this is a mess. In places the writing is great, the story is interesting.... And then it all gets in a jumble, rushed, and head in a spin - what is happening? Why did this character just do that? Why is this storyline being skimmed over? I much preferred the first part in the war college to the later parts when they were actually at war.

Reading this at the same time in listening to the audiobook of Iron Flame is also a mistake, because both are about war college with unlikely, physically weak, heroines who find their niche ... And The Poppy War does not compare well to Iron Flame unfortunately (and surprisingly).

Babel demonstrated a much improved writing style for Kuang. Still contemplating if I'll read books 2 and 3 (for a book club)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Animal death, Racism, War, Torture, Drug use, Blood, Child death, Colonisation, and Confinement

kimreads14's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

First rating 3.75⭐️… but I think I need to digest it a bit more before sticking to a final rating. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Gore, Grief, Self harm, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Animal death, Blood, Xenophobia, Violence, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Torture, War, Death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Colonisation, Drug use, Excrement, Genocide, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization

voypel's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

If you read this review before you read the book:
Pay attention to the content warnings. This book is very explicit in some tropes.
The chapters:

Chapter 21: All the warnings below apply heavily in this one.

Summary:
The Poppy War is, in my opinion, one of the best fantasy epos debuts of the last few years. People who like fantasy concepts with a dark reality behind and grand strategy elements will love this book.
Yes, it’s dark, horrible and sometimes downright depressing,  but this instills realism, high stakes and emotion into this book, something I personally have missed in recent times.

I docked .25 stars for the really heavy content this book carries, I believe a similar effect could have been created without this level of explicitness. However, I concede the point the author tries to make, applaud her even for integrating it seamlessly into the story, but it may not be everyone’s cup of tea.

In times when genocide and extremist politics become socially acceptable again, this book narrates a clear warning.

Storytelling & Characters:
I have seldomly read such a compelling plot in a fantasy debut. The main character steadily evolves throughout the story, taking you with her through her darkest times. Even the „explicit scenes“ are integrated so well, that it doesn’t feel like splatter or gore but more like the horrible reality of an Auschwitz documentary. The plot is heavily driven by all the different actors in such a realistic, even historically accurate way, that it resonates heavily after.

Pacing:
It’s great, I read this in two days, couldn’t really lay it aside.

Tldr:
Great book. Honestly, one of the best ones I’ve read in the last few years. Big recommendation. 

Short Note:
I have read many reviews that criticise the war/post-war scenes as completely needless. I understand that to some degree, but you probably didn’t grasp the clear political and humanitarian statement 🤷‍♀️. A documentary about concentration camps or modern day China genocidal activities without some explicitness is a euphemism of reality.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Addiction, Child death, Torture, War, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Death, Genocide, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, and Violence