Reviews

La guerre du pavot by R.F. Kuang

lukeknight's review against another edition

3.0

While I think The Poppy War examines some compelling themes, the worldbuilding felt quite poor and I really did not enjoy the direct historical analogues. Kuang writes with a certain thematic symmetry that feels very rewarding upon the completion of the novel, but I really felt as if her themes were squandered by the almost shock-value usage of real historical events, specifically the Rape of Nanking and the atrocities of Unit 731. I don’t feel like these things were written into the novel in a meaningful way, simply dropped into the narrative in a way that felt unproductive. This is a book I really wanted to love, but unfortunately it let me down. I do, however, think this series has potential, and I hope to see it strengthen in the subsequent books.

lady_bee_11's review against another edition

5.0

“The Poppy War” unprepared knocked me off my feet, broke my heart, and tied me to characters like few books. The book deals with some difficult topics, and Chapter 21 definitely destroyed me. I grew up in an area ravaged by war, so the book really shook me. I can't wait to continue with this series.

bw_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional slow-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? Yes

4.0

cardigansandcandles's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

twogreenpenguins's review against another edition

Graphic rape 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

nayxlli's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

5.0

claireguillet's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Just really did not connect with any of the characters 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, and War

tanikon's review against another edition

5.0

By far one of my most anticipated reads of the year. This book was amazing but not like anything I had expected it to be. First and foremost, this book is definitely more Adult than YA. It is dark, grim, and brutally realistic and in-tune with how life treated women and the non-nobility back then. It veers away from classic YA tropes and feel-good plot. You won't find a cute romantic subplot or battles where everyone can breathe a sigh of relief after or even familial ties that survive even as the world burns. It is a historical fiction piece with a splash of fantasy elements.

I was surprised (but in hindsight not that surprised) to recognize a lot of cultural elements in this book-- the gaokao-esque exam, the hair tie study method, the arrow in dummies war strategy, and even Baji and Suni's names/weapons/descriptions. Having just come from reading Yellowface and the whole dialogue of "stealing others' experiences to write into her books," it was a little bit shocking to consider what else in other books I've read have come from culture and experiences rather than an author's creativity.

itskaitw's review against another edition

5.0

horrifying! insane! i will be recommending this to everyone i know

graygali16's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.75