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Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

574 reviews

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

Make sure you read the trigger warnings before going into this book. 

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging 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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous fast-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

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-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

wow. wow wow wow!! I haven't been this obsessed with a book in a while. i finished it in two days, really. i'm so upset i procrastinated starting it for so long. i love everything about this. i love the attention given to the psychology of all the characters, the history parallels to real life, the fantasy elements, i love every part of this. it makes me want to learn more about the real life history that inspired this story, and i cannot wait to begin the next books. i strongly recommend this, but be wary of triggers, cause the author really didn't hold back.

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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging 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

This book is purely emotional damages. I cried, I screamed, I let out a lot of breathes i didn’t know I was holding. Also I had so many TW please be careful. 
But I loved it. It was hard putting the book down. I can’t wait to read volume two. I’ll just wait a bit because I need to prepare myself psychologically 

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

08/24/21: 
This is one of the only books to ever make me actually sob. Chapter 21… please read trigger warnings before reading this. This book is so well written, the sheer detail in it is shocking to say the least. I’m truly at a loss for words.

04/12/22: 
Reading this book a second time is so interesting, being able to see the development and knowing what’s to come. The Poppy War is one of my all-time favorite books, and that solidified even more upon my second read. I noticed more details that I didn’t on my first read, and I am once again utterly blown away by this book. 

This is one of the most emotionally devastating books I’ve ever read, especially given the fact that it is based on events from WWII in China (such at the Rape of Nanjing). Not only is the history and research that went into this book incredible, but the lore and magic is so rooted in Chinese mythology that I feel like I’m stepping directly into an expertly fleshed out world and universe. 

I am completely immersed every time I read this book and I will never stop recommending it. All the stars!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark funny reflective 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

 
After reading more of the rest of the series, and reading interviews and articles from the author, I've edited my review to a higher rating. Something I initially didn't mesh with with this book was that I was promised emotional damage, and when I finished it, that's not what I felt. (at least with book 1). But after reading everything and doing more research, I've come to realize that that was because of my personal cultural perspective.

I was an uneducated reader going into this- I had no idea that it was based on the Second Sino Chinese War and the Rape of Nanjing. I didn't understand a lot of the cultural nuance and historical perspective that was placed into this book. I liked the heroine, sure, and I liked how she's an antihero. But now, knowing what I do about the cultural depth and the nuance and references, how can I not give this book five stars? How can I not be horrified and in awe of this book (and series) as a whole?!

This should be a required read for all fantasy readers. It's not pretty. It's not nice. But it is absolutely astounding.


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