Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

572 reviews

adventurous dark medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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dark sad tense 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: Complicated

A very dark and twisty war story with gods that bestow incredible powers to select humans. Not for the faint of heart with some very gory descriptions of massacres. 

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adventurous dark emotional 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: Complicated

*deep breath* *VIOLENT SCREECH*

okay okay.

- I loved this book. RF Kuang is my favorite author. I just…AGSJSHSJSJJE

- It’s tragic, i felt like the book was stomping on my heart half the time. I loved every second of it. I was able to sit hours on end reading with no interruption (a rare phenomena to me) and i wouldve finished faster if outside factors didnt stop me. It’s engaging and for people who can see visual images while reading, i felt like i was watching a movie while reading, the descriptions are really well written. 

- The characters…I read Babel before I read TPW and I love Kuang’s characterization. I love how she gives them emotions and internal conflicts. I love how sometimes their actions arent aligned with whats “morally right” and they acknowledge it and do it anyway. The characters are unique and even tho the book is from Rin’s POV i could deeply understand all the characters that mattered. (i ❤️ ramsa, he’s my boy)

- The world building is magnificent. The details. The explanations. The slow reveal of the universe. I loved it all. I did have to re-read some passages & google some things but only because im a fast reader and sometimes my mind doesnt fully absorb what i read. I read a negative review that said the world building is inconsistent, but for me I didnt see it as such at all. 

- The plot is great but I dont really care about that usually. I also hate unresolved issues that foreshadow following books…Kuang changed my mind on both tho. I think the foreshadowing is great and i want to pick up the second book instantly. 

- I love Rin. I just. I love her. IDC what anyone says, shes my girl. I also love Altan. Some of his moments weren’t the greatest but he was real and I loved him for it. Jiang, i wanna give you a hug. Kitay, I have some unresolved feelings for you, I hope the second book repairs those bc I love(d) you (I WANT TO DROP THE D SO YOU BETTER ACT RIGHT)

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adventurous challenging dark slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Love Love LOVE this book! R F Kuang has written a real masterpiece of dark historical fantasy. 

The Poppy War will force you to think about privilege, oppression and what it means to be human. Your beliefs will be challenged and your views will change. It is not for those looking for a happy ending. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Tiktok really didn't disappoint! I'm so glad I've decided to read this.
It is amazingly well-written. The complex world building doesn't leave you confused and exhausted - instead, you actually get right inside this new world and it's so easy to imagine what's written. The main character is what I would say is a very good example of YA heroine - she has her unique character with actual flaws, she's interesting to be with and you sympathize with what she's going through. 

I really enjoyed the description of
school and classes - the introduction of class difference as well as the intensive of the environment that Rin was in definitely prepared well for the next chapters. Even war description was engaging - it didn't leave you hanging and not understanding what the hell is going on. Just this is worth giving 5/5.


It's a story about overcoming, finding yourself and suffering. And I think if you even remotely enjoy YA genre, light fantasy and good plot, you should read this ASAP.

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The world-building in this book is fantastic. The descriptions, especially regarding war, are brutal and graphic. She certainly didn't hold back. I found myself rooting for the characters yet frustrated with them simultaneously - it was an extremely engaging read. You are following the characters and seeing the consequences of their actions from tough decisions and circumstances. 

The Poppy War deals with essential topics in a historical, military fantasy world based on 12th-century china. And these topics are still prevalent today. This book is about so much more than war; it's about rage, grief, fear, pain, and trauma. I do highly recommend this book, but please check the trigger warnings first. 

This is an incredible debut novel. I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy. 

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I liked this book from the beginning, but had a difficult time connecting with any of the characters, especially the main character Rin. However, the last 180ish pages really pushed this book from a 3.5 star to a 4.0 (almost 4.5) star. Very intense and dark themes, but I liked the more in depth look into Rin’s emotions and mindset near the end. 

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adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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challenging dark sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book was one of the darkest I've ever read, and probably the darkest one that could be classified as fantasy. The book is based on a lot of historical research about
WWII era atrocities in the Pacific theater
, which was a part of history that directly impacted my grandmother and all of her immediate family members growing up. It is difficult to process the violence described in this book. However, I do not think this book glorifies violence. It spells out plainly the horror of war. I will be thinking about this book for a long time yet.

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adventurous dark fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The fact that the whole world isn’t obsessed with RF Kuang baffles me. As readers were always chasing that high of “fuck yeah, this is what reading is meant to be” that we get so easily as kids; The Poppy War gave me that feeling back within the first 60 pages. Kuang is a master of epic tales & truly highlights the need for publishing to make space for BIPOC authors to tell stories inspired by their cultures. She masterfully draws on history to create a fantasy world that is so realistic but also separates it enough from our world to make it feel rich & unique. Honestly, I can’t sing her praises any more, Kuang is masterful at what she does &
I’ll be starting the second book immediately. 

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