Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Wow. This book was a dark and wild ride. The first half is quite different to the second - in the first you follow Rin in a school-based setting, while the second half is war-based and a lot darker.
I enjoyed that the characters were complex and morally grey, you really weren’t sure who to root for at times. The book may have been fantasy, but it brought many issues that our world has faced and is facing to light - including genocide, racism, war and addiction. It held nothing back, there were definitely some graphic descriptions and heartbreaking moments. There were some good twists and gasp-worthy moments, along with some slower repetitive parts which stopped it from being a 5 star read.
I would recommend this book if you enjoy dark, political and war-based fantasy books.
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
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: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Infertility
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Genocide, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, 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
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War
The way RF Kuang writes is amazing. The system of beliefs in this book that rewrite the physical world should seem far away and foreign, but feel so real.
This book is heavy. It’s devastating, but it’s real.
There are real choices (not destiny) and moral dilemmas that make me even wonder what is the right one (even if there is a right one, how would it end? Is it worth it? I’m still thinking). The cycle of pain, but also the forgotten history and abuse.
I loved reading Rin’s stubbornness, her hesitance and growth (whether for good or worse).
After thinking about, I think this book was a good debut was still missing something. I think it’ll be filled in the sequels though.
Spoilers below and stuff:
I’m stupid and stubborn, so Nezha’s death was just me going nah no way, until the end of the book where Kitay confirms it (unless… jk… unless)
Rin transforming into Altan was so intense. The same patterns of the pain, the vengeance, the opium to escape. The pattern and history of the Speerlies behind her…
Moderate: Addiction, Sexual violence, War
I knew even before starting this book that I would love it. I’m a big fan of dystopia and fantasy, and I had heard of her books and talent. But nothing could have prepared me for the experience that was reading The Poppy War.
It starts like any fantasy/dark academia vibe, with a protagonist coming from poverty and abuse that is suddenly in a place where everyone hates her for what she is. I absolutely loved the first part, I loved reading about the Academy and seeing Rin adapt to this new world. I was already sold. The book could have been 300 pages of only that and I would have loved it. The spiritual part was new for me, but I did like it.
And then all of a sudden, I understood that The Poppy War was not like other fantasy/dark academia. The second part happened and it’s like everything shattered. What once was a nice novel became a masterpiece. All of a sudden, everything I ever knew disappeared. My eyes truly opened and I saw the world for real, for what it was. I was reading part two and the only thing I could think about (except the genius of Kuang), was that it was reality. It’s happening right under our eyes, and no one is doing anything. The Palestinians are living a genocide and no one is lifting a finger.
Then part three came. Chapter 21. My soul imploded. I don’t have the words to describe the experience that was. This chapter changed me in ways I will never be able to explain nor understand. I once thought that all humans were fundamentally good, that evil was something we learned. But now? Now I know that human is selfish. Human wants one thing only, and it is to survive. Human would do anything, no matter the cost. Human will go extinct because they want to survive. Human abuse power and love. Human is the worst thing that ever happened.
After that review, it’s difficult to see how I would rate this book 5 stars. I mean, that review seems depressing. The book has literally all the trigger warnings. It is dark, darker than the darkest shade of black. This book will change anyone who reads it and who takes the time to absorbs it. As human, we never want to feel guilty. We never want to live with our mistakes. We blame everyone but ourselves. To comprehend this book, truly, you need to sit with your demons and drink tea with them. You need to confront everything inside of you.
This book was the best thing I have ever read and that I will ever read. Kuang is talent. Kuang puts words on pages that will destroy you just by being. I cannot describe how this book is simply everything and anything.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Genocide, Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use
Minor: Infertility, Vomit, Abandonment
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Murder, War