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A review by theravenkingx
The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I'm a big fan of R.F. Kuang. I'm a big fan of R.F. Kuang. She always entrances me with her skill in blending real-life events into her works of fiction. While it may be a sore point for some, I absolutely love her approach to writing. Most importantly, her books are extremely readable. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have spent hours learning about the Sino-Japanese and Opium Wars. I think her ability to weave historical events and her somewhat opinionated writing style makes her stand out from the rest. I sometimes feel like she is voicing my own personal opinions and far better than I ever could. That said, if she were to write a book without using any historical context, her books would be pretty generic, in my opinion. Most of her books read like YA and even though I had a great time with this book, it felt like it was switching back and forth between YA and adult constantly. The topics and themes she explored were definitely more adult, but the way she propelled the narrative was very YA. It wouldn't be wrong to say that this book read like YA but for a mature audience.
The book had plenty of dark and thought-provoking moments, which is what I have come to expect from Kuang. I enjoy collecting and devouring the nuggets of information that she leaves for the readers in her narrative. This book explores the themes of covert colonialism, religious crusades, the tactics of divide and conquer infamously used by the British, and economic coercion of a poorer country by a more dominant foreign power (which is more relevant now than ever before). All of this resonates deeply with the harsh realities of our world, making it a stark reminder of the ever-present struggles for power and justice.
I was ready to give this book a 4-star rating, but the ending changed my mind. It was so well-orchestrated that I couldn't help but be impressed. Instead of fitting the puzzle pieces neatly into place, Kuang defied our expectations and left us with scrambled pieces. We thought we knew where the pieces would fit, but she turned everything on its head in a brilliantly unexpected way
Synopsis
This book continues the story of Rin as she deals with the consequences of her actions and the death of Altan. Burdened with grief and a vendetta against the Empress, Rin loses herself in opium. The collapse of the Mugenese Empire has left a significant power vacuum triggering new conflicts among various warlords, each vying for control and influence. Rin is taken up by a visionary who wants to replicate Hesperian democratic ideals in the country. To achieve this, they need to dethrone the Empress first. The book delves deep into war strategies and political maneuvers, making it an intense and gripping read.
The book had plenty of dark and thought-provoking moments, which is what I have come to expect from Kuang. I enjoy collecting and devouring the nuggets of information that she leaves for the readers in her narrative. This book explores the themes of covert colonialism, religious crusades, the tactics of divide and conquer infamously used by the British, and economic coercion of a poorer country by a more dominant foreign power (which is more relevant now than ever before). All of this resonates deeply with the harsh realities of our world, making it a stark reminder of the ever-present struggles for power and justice.
I was ready to give this book a 4-star rating, but the ending changed my mind. It was so well-orchestrated that I couldn't help but be impressed. Instead of fitting the puzzle pieces neatly into place, Kuang defied our expectations and left us with scrambled pieces. We thought we knew where the pieces would fit, but she turned everything on its head in a brilliantly unexpected way
Synopsis
This book continues the story of Rin as she deals with the consequences of her actions and the death of Altan. Burdened with grief and a vendetta against the Empress, Rin loses herself in opium. The collapse of the Mugenese Empire has left a significant power vacuum triggering new conflicts among various warlords, each vying for control and influence. Rin is taken up by a visionary who wants to replicate Hesperian democratic ideals in the country. To achieve this, they need to dethrone the Empress first. The book delves deep into war strategies and political maneuvers, making it an intense and gripping read.