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

dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

i really wanted to like this one, but rin remained as unlikable as ever— maybe even moreso than the first book. like every other character reads her like a book and is just as frustrated with her, so why doesn’t the author allow her to grow??? 

i started off trying to give the book a chance, then got hooked during part 2 only to be let down by the end.

it feels like a lot of what was built up as important in the first book was easily dispensable in this one (
ex. the cike being killed off/barely playing a role unless convenient, the way rin’s altan grieving arc resolved, etc
)

i really just stayed to see how this one concluded, but it just helped me learn that i don’t enjoy gratuitous descriptions of warfare and violence. i’ll probably just read a summary of the final book. i promise im not that negative, but the book really puts you in that headspace lol
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