Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

136 reviews

letterpress's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective 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

4.5

Wow! This is my first time reading anything by R. F. Kuang and she did not disappoint. This is an adult fantasy based on real Chinese history. I enjoyed this very much and I look forward to reading book two.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Blood, Death, Murder, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, War, Addiction, Abandonment, Classism, and Violence

Minor: Suicide

cepbreed's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I'm still processing. To think that this book is a debut is insane to me. R. F. Kuang can do no wrong. I love her storytelling but I am so glad I started the Poppy War series after reading her two standalone novels. I fear the others would have disappointed me if they followed a read of this. 

The first half of the novel felt slow. I wasn't able to get into the storyline because it was so glaringly unoriginal. There, I said it. Sure, a tried and true plot is only tried and true because it works, but I picked up this book expecting more. It took weeks to find that more thanks to my modules and plain disinterest. Smack dab in the center of the book lies that gritty tonal shift that I could really sink my teeth into. I appreciate so much that Kuang is a historian because she never shied away from the brutality of war. The inspiration drawn from the atrocities committed by the Japanese made me sick to my stomach.

Venka, and the real women who were forced to become "comfort women" bring out a deep hatred for men within me.

That quality saved a novel that plateaued in the first half. I understand a world like this needs exposition and I also get that for that shift to take effect the beginning would have to be more tame in comparison (I'm struggling to find the right words here because I don't think "tame" correctly describes a girl

removing her own uterus

but alas). I can forget all of my grips with this book because any ending that makes me feel like this one did is deserving of innumerable praise. I balked when I turned the page and "Acknowledgements" stared back at me. I'm simultaneously thirsty for more and unbelieving that a book such as this one should or could be followed up. In a way, even with the loose ends in the plot, I think I would be content if the story just ended here. I thank Kuang for never being afraid to

kill off main characters, but at the same time, nearly all of the original cast is gone. New characters won't endear themselves to me in the same way the academy kids did. In the Tiktoks I sometimes get about this book people seem to have endless praise for Nezha so maybe he isn't dead? But that's lowkey overkill because c'mon, no way one teenage boy can miraculously dodge paralysis and death consecutively. Then again it is mentioned he's hiding something, maybe he's got like healing powers thanks to his family god or something.

The power system of this universe is convoluted in the best way. However, I can't entirely wrap my head around it so the confusion is getting to me. 

In the wake of the new Avatar live-action series I hope this never gets greenlit for any sort of on-screen adaptation. Not to deprive Kuang of her bag, but there's just no way in hell any show or movie would do this book justice. If they do make one though trust I will be watching the second it comes out. 

Song:

• Lipstick on the Glass - Wolf Alice

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Death, Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Mental illness, War, Sexism, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Body horror, Bullying, and Infertility

Moderate: Animal death, Medical content, Animal cruelty, Confinement, and Abandonment

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual violence

03zfilm's review

adventurous dark sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, War, Violence, Rape, Torture, Murder, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, Self harm, Hate crime, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Racism, and Physical abuse

kshertz's review

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

This book feels like a slow burn long epic journey. I really enjoy the writing. This author is the best at inserting magical realism when things in life become predictably unequal and unfair. I love the themes of the book. It’s equal parts heartwarming and heart wrenching. So much is accomplished by our protagonist and also so much is taken away. It’s so heartbreaking and yet magical and epic. I’m glad I read it!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Drug abuse, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, Addiction, Bullying, Child death, War, Body horror, Classism, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Xenophobia

chronicacademia's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Drug use, Genocide, Kidnapping, Abortion, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Death, Gore, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, War, Child abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicide, Ableism, Colonisation, and Fire/Fire injury

mir_frog73's review against another edition

challenging 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

5.0

This book man. Chapter 21 has probably the most gruesome account of war I’ve ever read or been told about and the fact that it was based on true events is horrific. I’m naming my bat rin because she’s an icon. Part 1 was incredible I read it in one day, the school setting was so much fun to read and learn about everything. Part 2 felt a little long but the end of part two was very intriguing. I enjoyed the plans and strategies. Part 3 was horrific, I also read it in one day I’ll never get over venka’s dialogue. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Kidnapping, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Vomit, War, Abandonment, Body horror, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Sexism, Trafficking, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Violence, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, and Cursing

jrswiontek's review

adventurous dark hopeful medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Abandonment, and Drug use

jhbandcats's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

A story of epic proportions, The Poppy War is a fantasy-infused telling of the repeated Japanese invasions of China in the 1930s. The first third is about the outcast Rin at a military academy, the second third corresponds to the Battle of Shanghai in 1937, and the third is the Rape of Nanking and its aftermath as Rin seeks vengeance for the destruction of her country and the deaths of her friends. 

It’s beautifully written and violent and ghastly and imaginative, an amazing endeavor for any writer but especially one who was writing this as an undergraduate. As in her later book Babel, Kuang’s scholarship shines throughout. The best part, though, is the storytelling. I was riveted by the first sentence (‘Take off your clothes!’) and my attention never flagged. 

I’m glad this is a trilogy because I am NOT ready to say goodbye to this world.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Bullying, Classism, Genocide, Gore, War, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Addiction, Drug use, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, and Physical abuse

shannonverra12's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Beautifully terrifying. Had me questioning my morals.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Genocide, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Sexual assault, Violence, Slavery, Self harm, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Drug abuse, War, Torture, Sexual violence, Death, and Rape

xx_salem's review

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I liked the book and loved the main character and how far she was willing to take it. However I slowly began to dislike how she took over the motives of others and lost her own motives, I couldn’t understand her stake in anything or why she cared that much. The ending left a little to be desired, like it was brushed over, but I hope to see more consequences in the next book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, Genocide, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Addiction, Animal death, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Murder, Body shaming, Colonisation, Self harm, Mental illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Torture, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Animal cruelty, Grief, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Infertility, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Body horror, Death, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Vomit, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and War