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A review by alestotle
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Ended in the only way it possibly could.
As always Kuang’s depiction of war, the chaos and uncertainty of battles and its impacts both on individuals and the country are some of the most realistic that I’ve ever read. She never romanticises it or skips over the brutal aspects of it that so many other books do in order to glorify it. Some victories are not won with a triumphant cheer but by a pure twist of fate and chaos.
My favourite character, Jiang, comes back which I’m glad about. A lot of the characters in what are meant to be emotional moments don’t say anything they either sit in silence or get cut off. And she seems to always understand what they mean to say before they have to discuss any of their issues or feelings and i honestly find it a bit of a cop out to not let any of your characters converse with one another each and every time. But I’ve always thought that Kuang’s character writing is weak and is the only thing holding this book back from being a 5 star read for me.
Rin however continues to be one of the most interesting characters to read from. I understand all of her decisions and despise them at the same time. She did what she had to do to survive but it drove her to insanity, and I think that’s the only plausible way someone in her situation could’ve ended up. She’s insane but only because the world around her is insane. I called the ending. I knew that she had to die in the end, I thought she would go too far give into the phoenix and Kitay would have to kill himself to stop her but it was more satisfying to see her catch herself right before she set the world aflame and end things before she could. She never could have ruled Nikawa it’s not what she was built for. All she ever wanted was to stop the people who were causing the wars and suffering, she did - she toppled systems - and now she can rest before she becomes the very thing she hated.
As always Kuang’s depiction of war, the chaos and uncertainty of battles and its impacts both on individuals and the country are some of the most realistic that I’ve ever read. She never romanticises it or skips over the brutal aspects of it that so many other books do in order to glorify it. Some victories are not won with a triumphant cheer but by a pure twist of fate and chaos.
My favourite character, Jiang, comes back which I’m glad about. A lot of the characters in what are meant to be emotional moments don’t say anything they either sit in silence or get cut off. And she seems to always understand what they mean to say before they have to discuss any of their issues or feelings and i honestly find it a bit of a cop out to not let any of your characters converse with one another each and every time. But I’ve always thought that Kuang’s character writing is weak and is the only thing holding this book back from being a 5 star read for me.
Rin however continues to be one of the most interesting characters to read from. I understand all of her decisions and despise them at the same time. She did what she had to do to survive but it drove her to insanity, and I think that’s the only plausible way someone in her situation could’ve ended up. She’s insane but only because the world around her is insane. I called the ending. I knew that she had to die in the end, I thought she would go too far give into the phoenix and Kitay would have to kill himself to stop her but it was more satisfying to see her catch herself right before she set the world aflame and end things before she could. She never could have ruled Nikawa it’s not what she was built for. All she ever wanted was to stop the people who were causing the wars and suffering, she did - she toppled systems - and now she can rest before she becomes the very thing she hated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Colonisation, and Child death