A review by lyfebylau
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

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

3.0

 “War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who remains.”

Reviewed in 2025 - the more that i think about this book the more i realize it's not 4 star read for me. so i'm moving this down to 3/2.75
I knew my feelings with this book would slightly change with a reread, but I am not the same woman I was in 2018. And yet my original review still rings a bit true.

I still believe that the characters in this story are good because of the complexity of each character. Being able to see how war, oppression, and other atrocities changes each individual person in such different ways is what moves this story forward. Someone becoming like their oppressor, someone becoming a martyr, someone being able to still have empathy of others who ruined their entire lives, etc. But I also think they are not shown enough to understand their relationship with Rin or with one another. It's a bit lacking.

I can't decide if this story is still as fast paced as I originally thought or if it's much slower. Is it slower because I still remembered certain parts or is it simply a story that slowly takes you up just to instantly bring you down then slowly makes you climb back up just to restart the same cycle. But I do think the pace of the story fits the message and historical components of the story. We need to sit with the atrocities of war and feel the pain of every person in this story.

“Children ceased to be children when you put a sword in their hands. When you taught them to fight a war, then you armed them and put them on the front lines, they were not children anymore. They were soldiers.”

Also, I swear I thought Chaghan and Altan had more scenes when I first read the book because I was obsessed with them, so I was a bit disappointed when I got them together or even separate and it wasn't enough. I am thoroughly excited to finally get to the rest of the series and discover what happens with each and every character.

Reviewed in 2018
I honestly don't know where to start. How does one even explain what The Poppy War is? It's just so good.

The Poppy War takes you on a rollercoaster ride. It slowly brings you up the hill faster than you could ever believe then it pushes you down through so many obstacles and loops of the story and the characters.

R.F. Kuang handles the world she written so well. I don't remember reading a fantasy book as fast paced as hers before. It started off like any other fantasy book with its slow introduction, yet you are instantly engrossed into the story and characters. You quickly learn about the history and world she has written about. You quickly like almost everything about the story because she doesn't drag the story on for so many pages. Kuang keeps you interested in every page because there is always something new to learn and like. You also come to love the characters even if they only show up for a couple of scenes. She writes each character so well that their characteristics stick their claws in you and pull you under their spell.

Aside from an amazing protagonist and "side" characters, the best thing that Kuang did was keep the book very fast paced and full of action. There was never a dull moment. It was always interesting in some way, whether it was the characters, the action, or the history and mythology.

I am in awe and can't wait for the rest of the trilogy. I very much miss the characters already. The Poppy War is definitely a 2018 favorite of mine! 
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