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A review by mel_sh
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
where do i find the words to talk about this book? i was hooked from the first sentence where a teacher yelled at rin to take off her clothes until the very last sentence. between that time, things in this plot change so drastically its hard to process just how much changed. the characters grow so much, the stakes become so much higher, the events much darker.
i've had this series marketed to me as YA fantasy but it is 1000% an adult series with adult themes so please do not go into this book thinking it will just be yet another tiktok recommended fluffy ya fantasy with magic. chapter 21 will forever be ingrained in my head as one of the saddest and most gruesome things i’ve ever read and it is not something that should be gone into blind.
that being said, there is no denying that this book is a masterpiece and i’m so upset it’s taken me this long to read this but also so happy because i feel like i wouldn’t have enjoyed this as much as a 16yr old as i did as a 19yr old. this was wonderful and life changing and i cannot wait to read the rest
i've had this series marketed to me as YA fantasy but it is 1000% an adult series with adult themes so please do not go into this book thinking it will just be yet another tiktok recommended fluffy ya fantasy with magic. chapter 21 will forever be ingrained in my head as one of the saddest and most gruesome things i’ve ever read and it is not something that should be gone into blind.
that being said, there is no denying that this book is a masterpiece and i’m so upset it’s taken me this long to read this but also so happy because i feel like i wouldn’t have enjoyed this as much as a 16yr old as i did as a 19yr old. this was wonderful and life changing and i cannot wait to read the rest
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, War, Addiction, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Blood, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Grief, Violence, Animal death, Classism, Death, Genocide, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Bullying, and Child death
Moderate: Body shaming, Death of parent, Misogyny, Abandonment, Ableism, Infertility, Racism, and Emotional abuse