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

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

5.0

I knew going into this that there was something....
Start felt very standard
Suspicious 
Determination, obsessive student
Academy, teachers are such characters, especially the high one
This guy reminds me of all my martial arts teachers
Getting nostalgic and…
Oh no…
Uh oh
This author writes really well about war
I like it when historians write fantasy tomes 
They’re really good at it
Glares pointedly at nonhistorians putting tobacco in medieval england 
The ocean battle thing was so vivid 
I love that there are consequences for things
And that’s a great idea for a monster. 
Oh no…
That’s what they meant by dark
Ok so I’m not crying 
And I”m worried about myself because I don’t think that’s a good sign
Though I did read a lot of thing kind of stuff when I was a teenager 
Which is also probably concerning.
Choices choices choices 
This theology is as triggery as the violence
Look what you made me make you make yourself do. 
Still doesn’t cry, wanders around in a self reflective funk for two hours. 

Other things I’ve read/looked at for this
The Barnes and Noble Review by S. Qiouyi Lu
Kris Mauna's Review on Goodreads
@chroniclesofnoria ‘s youtube video. 
what the poppy war means to me // a guest post by kevin yang on the read by tiffany blog
(I know I’m probably missing some folks because a lot of people have talked about this book and if that’s you I would love to have it pointed out so I can read it again)

 
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