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

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.0

If we're being technical, I'd really put my star rating between a 3.8 to 3.9. This is a very strong and engaging debut novel, especially for a teenage author, though not without its flaws. Because R.F. Kuang is first and foremost an academic, she's going to give in-depth descriptions of 'magic school' without it  feeling dry. As a protagonist Rin was near immediately a girl after my own heart from her unorthodox studying moments to
going "nah, take out that uterus I'm not dealing with that" immediately after her first period.
Aside from the first big twists being as subtle as a brick (especially with the special edition covers), I have very few complaints from the book's first half. It is the second half, when the book's tone switches, that cracks revealed themselves. 

The previously set up cast of supporting characters disappear entirely
until needed for brief *trauma cameos*
and an entirely new, more forgettable group takes their place. There is a tonal inconsistency within the introduction of these quirky magical misfits that feel out of place and silly within the character's transition into a brutal war. At this point, side characters act as set dressing with no unique voices, relationship dynamics, or personality attributes. Kinda like the kid in a 4th grade school play waiting and waiting to shout their one line before going back to being a tree. 

In terms of inspiration, there are points where it feels copy-and-pasted enough to take you out of the story and world being made. Sunzi as a not so subtle rip of Sun Tzu and his 'Art of War' are frequent references, and then there's Chapter 21. On this, I'm torn between whether this direct lifting of events comes across as self-insert fan fiction into real life atrocities or is an accessible way to encourage audiences to learn more about the history. 

Despite how this review is mostly my thoughts on the negative, I did enjoy this book. But it's definitely a series I need to take a break from rather than feeling a rush to finish the whole story. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings