laraamaee 's review for:

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

4.25

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Wow. Ok. This was the most violent book I have ever read. I’m on a mission to read all of Kuang’s work now, and I wasn’t prepared because I thought this was fantasy. Oh no…the atrocities in this book have really happened before (Second Sino-Japanese War, Rape of Nanjing). I got nightmares when I read this before bed…

But the story is intensely gripping and Kuang’s writing is incredible as ever, even if the book’s pace speeds up Very quickly after Rin’s training. Each time I thought, No, the situation can’t get any worse… it did … and there’s 2 more books?!? How am I going to cope…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pandemic/Epidemic