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Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Colonisation, War, Classism
Things take a bit of a downturn once the
There are also moments in the story that don’t really go anywhere. For example, when Runin
That said, things really pick up once the
In part three, the story dives into more disturbing territory with the
The novel also critique the "Us vs. Them" mentality in wartime, but by only showcasing the more sanitized side of the Nikara war while not shying away from describing the grotesque brutality of the Mugen, the message feels somewhat diluted.
Overall, I really liked the book's exploration of power, race, gender and violence, even if the way it handles those ideas sometimes feels uneven. The portrayal of the violence of war and the dehumanization inherent in such conflicts is important and I thought the theme of ancestral rage is really powerful.
Graphic: Child abuse, Genocide, Pedophilia, Rape, Torture, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, War
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, War
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Infertility, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Slavery
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Genocide, Blood
A mix - this book is a perfect mixture of plot and character-driven narrative. Whist there are plenty of moments where it is the actions of the main characters, in particular Rin, that are pushing the story forward, there is an equal amount of time where the events surrounding them are pushing the characters forward. It was a really nice balance, and the writing style really helped to solidify that. I wouldn't say that it's the best writing I've ever come across; there were times where I couldn't tell whether this book was meant to be adult fiction or young adult because of the way certain sentences were structured, but ultimately this was a very compelling novel.
Is there strong character development?
Yes, absolutely. Focusing purely on Rin, as she's the character we follow for the majority of the novel, there is definitely strength in her character development. And not necessarily positive character development. The thing is, I love that it was dark development. Rin was a protagonist on a mission, but she fell more into the Anti-Hero category. She felt bad after certain things happen in this book, yes, but ultimately she was willing to follow a dark path and see it through to the end. It was fascinating watching her journey, and I'm looking forward to seeing just how far it will progress in books 2 and 3.
Did you find the characters loveable?
It's complicated - again, my answer above can cover that. Whilst I enjoyed the majority of the characters and the complexities around them, they aren't exactly "loveable". Characters like Rin, Nezha, and Altan do truly detestable things. But they're compelling and interesting characters for it. They aren't boring or bland.
Would you say the cast of characters is diverse?
Yes, purely because I know not a single character in this novel is a Eurocentric white person.
Are the flaws of the main character(s) a main focus of the book?
Yes. Rin, from start to finish, is willing to cause harm to herself and others to get what she wants. Her wants evolve over the course of the novel from a simple education to avenging a country due to war, and so her willingness to cause harm evolves as well. It's a fascinating journey to watch her go through, and a terrifying look into human nature.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Rape, Classism
Minor: Trafficking
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Classism, Deportation
I was not prepared for Rin to seemingly be 90% motivated by sudden lurv and grief and revenge specifically for Altan when she decided she wanted to destroy the federation - Golyn Niis didn't matter, the rest of her people didn't matter, just Altan mattered - as if her characterization in the rest of the book was just "this is her, but she'll forget because of sudden desperate love for him I've not shown before, she's fine with accepting this terrifying power upgrade and shrugging off the consequences (and the understandably appalled reactions from the other people who know her) for a boy."
I'll have to decide if I want to read the rest of the trilogy - and I'd definitely planned to go straight on, before the last two chapters twisted her into a sudden boy-inspired genocidal revenge fit.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
Though, and I cannot stress this enough, please go into Chapter 21 with caution. Huge content warning for that chapter specifically.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War
Kuang creates an immersive world full of conflict, war, politics, and destruction that you are thrust into from the very first sentence. Within her diverse and extraordinary world building, is complex and diverse characters navigating a cruel and dark world. She does not create a hero in the FMC - Rin - she creates a woman - in all her rights and horrible wrongs - flawed and imperfect, yet relatable and lovable still. History mixed with exaggeration and fiction with immensely creative fantasy and magic sets up The Poppy War to be on the best fantasy books you will ever read. Your heart will break, and your mind will be blown often, but one thing is for sure - this book will not leave you for a long time.
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism