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A review by abhirupa
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
I'm so sad. Like truly. Everyone said this book was going to be incredibly sad, including RF Kuang herself, but I didn't fully grasp how much it would hurt until I finished it. I feel like I knew what was going to happen at the end, like since the very first book because of how much emphasis Kuang puts on the cyclic nature of war, violence, and trauma. However, the execution really truly took my breath away.
Despite the masterful way Kuang wrapped up Rin, Kitay, Nezha and Venka's stories, my main complaint about this book is that the other plotlines fell flat. I was especially disappointed by how the Trifecta's storyline ended because I felt like it was super abrupt. I also didn't really understand the whole plotline with Hanelai, Ziya, and Riga because I felt like the Speer storyline was already fully developed and the additions in this book just made that whole situation more confusing. Also, there were some allusions made to Rin's parentage and I think I kind of understand what Kuang was trying to get at, but I didn't like the lack of catharsis about that question. Like if the point was that Rin was just supposed to be a random, unnamed, non-fated Speerly child who had this role of being the last Speerly thrust on her, then there were whole conversations in this book that detracted from that message. But if her parentage was actually supposed to mean something like in terms of fate, it wasn't executed super well in my opinion.
Regardless, this trilogy was such an insane ride. There's so much to take from it, I'm definitely going to have to read all of it again with a finer focus on the details.
Despite the masterful way Kuang wrapped up Rin, Kitay, Nezha and Venka's stories, my main complaint about this book is that the other plotlines fell flat. I was especially disappointed by how the Trifecta's storyline ended because I felt like it was super abrupt. I also didn't really understand the whole plotline with Hanelai, Ziya, and Riga because I felt like the Speer storyline was already fully developed and the additions in this book just made that whole situation more confusing. Also, there were some allusions made to Rin's parentage and I think I kind of understand what Kuang was trying to get at, but I didn't like the lack of catharsis about that question. Like if the point was that Rin was just supposed to be a random, unnamed, non-fated Speerly child who had this role of being the last Speerly thrust on her, then there were whole conversations in this book that detracted from that message. But if her parentage was actually supposed to mean something like in terms of fate, it wasn't executed super well in my opinion.
Regardless, this trilogy was such an insane ride. There's so much to take from it, I'm definitely going to have to read all of it again with a finer focus on the details.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Genocide, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and War