Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Haşhaş Savaşı by R.F. Kuang

1376 reviews

makmammalattack's review against another edition

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

5.0

It’s incredible to read a book that appeals to YA fans but hits much deeper. Kuang doesn’t shy away from describing hardships, trauma, and the horrors of war which is both devastating and refreshing as a fantasy reader. Rin is a character that even by the end, I don’t know if I like. I don’t know how much she’s grown as a person and I don’t agree with many of her decisions but it’s so exciting to read from a character perspective that isn’t some perfect heroin with a clean and palatable character arc. The Poppy War feels like it’s about people not just characters. Kuang’s nuance in balancing caricatures versus the characters we get to know brings a spotlight to the power of propaganda and racism in a way that feels obvious but never heavy handed or dumbed down.

Not definitive spoilers, but Kuang also manages to lay the perfect web of foreshadowing and smoking guns throughout the book. It felt like a spy film - the agent gets a cool gadget, the bad guy talks about his evil plan, the love interest mentions some event and suddenly you know how act 3 plays out. And just like a spy movie, it’s so exciting. It’s the buildup on a rollercoaster. You know what’s coming but it’s so fun to feel the build up and get to the part where it all comes together. The few moments that I would call “plot twists” felt so right, like I couldn’t believe I hadn’t realized it sooner. The story feels focused but still educates you on a long geopolitical history without ever feeling like it’s useless lore dumps. 

So glad the second book is already published. 

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smurphiavelli's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad 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

4.0


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clight's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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mathildereads5's review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • 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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jsmulan96's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.75


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celah's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense slow-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

3.5


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rgralnek's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-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? Yes

2.25

If you want to hate the narrator this is the book for you! Amazing writing but just dark and tense 

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kmemme's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0


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elenacgi's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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

One of the most compelling novels I've ever read; I've lost so much sleep to Kuang's writing, because I simply could not put it down. Kuang's character development is next-level, and the story that unfolds connects to those characters so well. Not a book for the faint of heart, but still one of my favorite books of all time. 

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viiperouss's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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