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Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Colonisation, War, Classism
Graphic: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Racism, Rape, Violence, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, War
So the other day I was able to finish The Poppy War (I caved and got Spotify Premium which is on sale for a dollar) and I really enjoyed it. This review will not be long, this book is dense and deals with a lot of things: anger, trauma, genocide, war, torture, etc, etc..
R.F. Kuang's writing is really amazing. I was never confused as to what was going on or what the characters were feeling. And everything flowed so well and listening to these characters develop throughout the book was wonderful. I loved Rin, our protagonist, so much! She experiences such a wide range of emotions but they are all so well rooted in her character that there was never a moment I wasn't with her. This depth of character I also found in most of the rest of the cast. Some come off a bit simpler like Qara, Venka, and Ramsa, but for at least two of those characters I can see them gaining more depth in the sequels.
I will say, that as the book-- and war-- continues the writing gets more graphic. I don't find that the writing gets darker, I think the language is pretty consistent throughout the entire book. But, as stated in the warnings up there, the descriptions of rape are pretty graphic and may feel like too much for some readers. Much the same for a specific section about descriptions in the aftermath of a battle. It was pretty harrowing to listen to, but it set up the end very very well.
I think if a person knows about certain aspects of Chinese history (like the Opium Wars, The Rape of Nanjing, and the second, I believe Sino-Japanese War, etc) they may find deeper meanings and connections throughout this book and with its characters, but I'm only passingly familiar.
I should probably mention the narrator of the audiobook, Emily Woo Zeller, did a really good job! Really enjoyed listening to them!
All in all I'm really glad I read this book.
Graphic: Genocide, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, War
Moderate: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Torture, Medical trauma, Colonisation, Classism
Minor: Infertility
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Colonisation, War
Graphic: Addiction, Genocide, Colonisation
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Misogyny, Sexism, Excrement, Vomit, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Abortion, Abandonment, Alcohol, Pandemic/Epidemic
Graphic: Genocide, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Colonisation, War
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Infertility
Minor: Animal cruelty, Abortion, Pregnancy, Alcohol