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I think my only real complaint about The Poppy War is something that probably falls under personal preference, since I feel the same about other books that do the same thing. It always bothers me when authors slip up and use modern vernacular, especially crass modern vernacular, in high fantasy novels. These words just take me out of the story. Kuang obviously invented her own interjections for this fictional world, and they fit really well, so mixing in swear words from our world felt jarring. There were a few other vocab choices that also felt odd to me, but these were minimal.
Other than that I don't think I have any complaints. This was an experience.
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infertility, Suicidal thoughts
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Rape, Self harm
Moderate: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts
Graphic: Gore, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, War
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury
Also definitely check the content warnings!!!!!
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Abandonment
My stomach had turned completely upside down. I couldn't eat for a couple of hours, because I was certain I would throw up.
Now, I confess that I am a very empathetic person, so usually war-related things leave me in a dazed, numb or frozen state.
Nothing had prepared me for this.
You get thrown into the middle of a war, simple as that is. The story follows Rin, a girl that from the beginning has to fight with all she's got to make a future for herself, only to discover the future that awaits her isn't looking that bright either.
I don't like Rin as a person, but I don't believe I'm supposed to. Most, if not all characters show to be ambiguous and crossing the path between good and bad. The world presented by R.F. Kuang is cruel and merciless, and it becomes even more terrifying once you realize it's based off of real chinese history.
The Poppy War has a perfect combination of fantasy and history, and makes one thing clear: nobody wins during times of war.
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Colonisation
when i started this book i wasn’t super into it if i’m honest. but i’m telling u— PUSH THRU those first 200 pages. it gets so good.
the stakes are SO FRICKEN high and every choice comes at a cost — and the characters don’t always make the right (or most morally sound) choice. but who am i to say what is immoral ?? they’re so real and flawed and broken and i love them all. <3
on one hand the world/culture/religion are so rich and vibrant (the psychedelics may contribute to this) but on the other hand everything is so dark and grim.
the story is based on chinese history and culture which makes it even more interesting and just adds another layer of complexity that i can’t wait to look deeper into and learn more about.
read this book but be aware that it is not always pretty.
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Animal death, Excrement, Vomit
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War
Moderate: Bullying, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Abandonment
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Grief