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carmenghia 's review for:
The Poppy War
by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am conflicted. I want to praise this - especially because the history that inspired this has all of the components that are great inspiration for a bloody, morally conflicting high fantasy. Then add in the martial arts and the vengeful gods, the mentor of questionable methods, and the complex relationships. A great formula! But everything didn't click into place... there are a lot of actions that don't seem to fit the characters, there are unearned relationships, there's pacing issues... I wanted to love it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, War