A review by maya1watson
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

3.0

This was so disappointing. I have really enjoyed R.F Kuang’s novels and love a good fantasy trilogy, but this was not for me. I wish I had maybe read more  reviews going into this because I was not prepared. This book is one of the most violent, gruesome, and disturbing things I’ve read, but you would not know that from the beginning. The book takes a hard turn a quarter of the way in. I actually quite enjoying the beginning and the school environment. Rin was unlikeable and flawed, but still an underdog you could root for. Later I just despised her and the choices she made. It just got so dark that the violence became gratuitous and there was no one more to root for, no hope, and no reason to keep reading. I almost DNF’d it, but managed to finish it. Will not be reading the sequels though.