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A review by edilyaaang
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I have love-hate feelings for this book. I love how the story kept me on edge but I hate how events are vague sometimes. Like what the hell is happening and how did we get here all of a sudden. I love that it draws from real historical events but hate how some parts seemed exaggerated. Maybe because it is a fantasy fiction so that cant be avoided.
I love the other characters but hate how brutal and unreasonable and heartless they could be. I also love how fierce Rin's love for her people is but hate how she lets anger and revenge and her hunger for power consume her to the point that she refused to see reason. Her retaliation when things don't go her ways is immature and childish. Someone needs anger management sessions.
The battle scenes from this book also disturbed me. As someone from an Asian country who was under Japanese occupation in the past, the horrors narrated in the book regarding their brutality presented me a mental picture if the watered down versions I learned in school. It turned my stomach getting blow by blow descriptions of the atrocities done by the Japanese during that time. Sure, I learned what they did through history class and from what my grandparents who were kids during the invasion told me but never in graphic detail. It made me angry because it really did happen in the past and there are people still alive today who went through all that suffering.
Anyways, ranting aside, I really did enjoy the book even though here were "huh?" and "wtf!" moments. Reviews state that the 2nd and 3rd installment to this book gets better so, I am so looking forward to that.
I love the other characters but hate how brutal and unreasonable and heartless they could be. I also love how fierce Rin's love for her people is but hate how she lets anger and revenge and her hunger for power consume her to the point that she refused to see reason. Her retaliation when things don't go her ways is immature and childish. Someone needs anger management sessions.
The battle scenes from this book also disturbed me. As someone from an Asian country who was under Japanese occupation in the past, the horrors narrated in the book regarding their brutality presented me a mental picture if the watered down versions I learned in school. It turned my stomach getting blow by blow descriptions of the atrocities done by the Japanese during that time. Sure, I learned what they did through history class and from what my grandparents who were kids during the invasion told me but never in graphic detail. It made me angry because it really did happen in the past and there are people still alive today who went through all that suffering.
Anyways, ranting aside, I really did enjoy the book even though here were "huh?" and "wtf!" moments. Reviews state that the 2nd and 3rd installment to this book gets better so, I am so looking forward to that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Death, Drug use, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Colonisation, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Police brutality, War, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture