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A review by decklededgess
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
trigger warnings: death, rape, mass murder, torture, addiction, war, brainwashing and indoctrination, ethnic cleansing, abusive parents, arson, drowning, bullying, physical injury and details, gore
As someone who has gotten into no less than three verbal altercations over the uselessness and disastrous nature of the military and war, this book was a really interesting reading experience. I was able to perceive the nuance the author put into the book that critiqued the nature of war, the military, and indoctrination into nationalism that I know I wouldn't have understood without that added perspective. R. F. Kuang doesn't pull punches when it comes to how war harms innocents on both sides of a conflict and how people are responsible for their actions and complicity within the state of war even if those actions were carried out in the name of "king and country," especially so in fact.
The whole cast of characters are incredibly fascinating and despite finding a lot of them annoying with their pro war rhetoric, I was able to appreciate their arcs and their losses throughout the book. Ryn's story is so incredibly compelling. It's an amalgamation of chosen one YET being one of millions to get indoctrinated and fight for a purpose that wasn't freely chosen. I don't want to mention any other characters because anything I say might give away what happens to them and I don't want that.
I was really entertained by how much the book packed into one, the school/dark academia setting, the high fantasy travel aspects, the international political intrigue within the world, and the magical world building. Everything was so seamlessly blended together yet it definitely felt like the book was like twelve stories packed in one. Not complaining but OOOF. I can't imagine what the rest of the books are going to follow up with.
As someone who has gotten into no less than three verbal altercations over the uselessness and disastrous nature of the military and war, this book was a really interesting reading experience. I was able to perceive the nuance the author put into the book that critiqued the nature of war, the military, and indoctrination into nationalism that I know I wouldn't have understood without that added perspective. R. F. Kuang doesn't pull punches when it comes to how war harms innocents on both sides of a conflict and how people are responsible for their actions and complicity within the state of war even if those actions were carried out in the name of "king and country," especially so in fact.
The whole cast of characters are incredibly fascinating and despite finding a lot of them annoying with their pro war rhetoric, I was able to appreciate their arcs and their losses throughout the book. Ryn's story is so incredibly compelling. It's an amalgamation of chosen one YET being one of millions to get indoctrinated and fight for a purpose that wasn't freely chosen. I don't want to mention any other characters because anything I say might give away what happens to them and I don't want that.
I was really entertained by how much the book packed into one, the school/dark academia setting, the high fantasy travel aspects, the international political intrigue within the world, and the magical world building. Everything was so seamlessly blended together yet it definitely felt like the book was like twelve stories packed in one. Not complaining but OOOF. I can't imagine what the rest of the books are going to follow up with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Body horror, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Murder, Trafficking, Genocide, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Torture, Violence, War, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Drug abuse, and Gore
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, and Excrement