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A review by shay_talksbooks
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Close Encounters book club pick for June
The final book in the Poppy War trilogy, and what a way to end things! This was my favourite book of the three and even across this series I can see how much Kuang has developed as an author from the first book to the last...excited to read her newest books too!
A lot of discussion on colonisation in this one, and a look at how war has affected all of our characters, and the country as a whole. I always appreciate that Kuang doesn't shy away from the hard stuff, the tough topics and realities of a country at war with itself, and I love that she writes a good 'fight scene.'
The ending felt like it dragged a little for me, butI liked that we saw the realities of what happened after the 'victory.' We didn't get an "and everything was fine" ending, where everything was resolved. We saw a country just barely surviving, with its people starving, displaced and and exhausted by what had happened, and a victor who had no idea how to fix it. It felt much more realistic, and I really appreciated that.
The final book in the Poppy War trilogy, and what a way to end things! This was my favourite book of the three and even across this series I can see how much Kuang has developed as an author from the first book to the last...excited to read her newest books too!
A lot of discussion on colonisation in this one, and a look at how war has affected all of our characters, and the country as a whole. I always appreciate that Kuang doesn't shy away from the hard stuff, the tough topics and realities of a country at war with itself, and I love that she writes a good 'fight scene.'
The ending felt like it dragged a little for me, but
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Xenophobia, and War