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

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

5.0

This is my second time through and I still absolutely love this book. There is so much that challenges my worldview while also shaping the same worldview. I agree with some aspects and disagree with others. There are times that I forget just how young the characters are, but it makes it that much more impactful. The book has a lot of challenging scenes. It is based on Chinese history and some parts of it make me question my own Japanese heritage. It feels so far removed from myself and yet so obviously tears at the fabric of the societies that it affected. I am glad books like this exist and I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
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