A review by hanarama
The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Good:
  • Well developed characters.
  • Challenging topics, specifically concerning the cycles of war and violence. 
  • Engaging plot, keeps you wanting more. 

The Bad: 
  • Characters are extremely morally gray (may be off-putting to some readers). 
  • Slower middle section. 

The second installment of the Poppy War trilogy builds exponentially on the themes introduced in the first book. Even as the war ends, another begins while Rin struggles to strengthen and stabilize her bond with the Phoenix. 

The story is an extremely frank depiction of wartime and the life of a soldier, while still integrating fantasy elements. Readers picking this series up should be extremely cautious for this reason. Additionally, even "good guys" commit heinous acts as a part of their effort to win. Readers need to be aware that the protagonists are not necessarily in the right or moral people. Kuang's world setting is very grey and morally complicated. 

The character development in this book is excellent. Kuang is great at writing charismatic characters that are likable despite their evil actions. Likewise, she is excellent at subtly building up to twists in the narrative that are at once surprising, but totally in line with the characters as they have been written. 
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