Scan barcode
A review by whatevanreads
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I needed to take some time before rating/reviewing this conclusion. Was this a bad book? No. Was it a good book? Also no. Did it have some incredible parts that had me on the edge of my seat? Yes. Did it also have multiple sections that felt like a chore to get through to the point where I needed to skim? Also yes. This one has such a weird dichotomy.
The Dragon Republic was one of the best sequels I've ever read, so coming off that one I was expecting a thrilling conclusion. Unfortunately, the first 150 pages were a slog to get through and then most of the rest felt like Kuang was trying to fit in as much as possible. I don't like giving spoilers in any of my reviews (especially for series), so I won't be going into detail, but I felt certain aspects of the book warranted a lot more attention than what she gave them. On the flip side, she could've glossed over multiple parts she chose to focus on chapter after chapter.
I also felt like after doing such a spectacular job with Rin's character arc through the first two books, Kuang was in over her head with how to effectively round out her journey. This became abundantly clear in the very last chapter. It's a shame.
Overall, a "middle of the road" rating is most appropriate for how I feel about this one, so a 2.5/5 it is. Having said that, RF Kuang is and always will be an auto-buy author for me. This one just didn't reflect her impeccable talent.
The Dragon Republic was one of the best sequels I've ever read, so coming off that one I was expecting a thrilling conclusion. Unfortunately, the first 150 pages were a slog to get through and then most of the rest felt like Kuang was trying to fit in as much as possible. I don't like giving spoilers in any of my reviews (especially for series), so I won't be going into detail, but I felt certain aspects of the book warranted a lot more attention than what she gave them. On the flip side, she could've glossed over multiple parts she chose to focus on chapter after chapter.
I also felt like after doing such a spectacular job with Rin's character arc through the first two books, Kuang was in over her head with how to effectively round out her journey. This became abundantly clear in the very last chapter. It's a shame.
Overall, a "middle of the road" rating is most appropriate for how I feel about this one, so a 2.5/5 it is. Having said that, RF Kuang is and always will be an auto-buy author for me. This one just didn't reflect her impeccable talent.