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weiwuxivns 's review for:
The Dragon Republic
by R.F. Kuang
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was a wild trip, filled with so much war and rage. You got a better look into the politics between the provinces of Nikara, as it’s split into a civil war as people take sides between a centralized empire rule and a Hesperian-backed democratic republic. I thought it was interesting to see how the politics between the nations played out, how they were similar and also different to the real history they were based on.
This book really focuses most on the exploration of Rin’s character and morals. She constantly flips back between being horrified by her actions, unable to deal with the consequences, trying to shift the blame off herself, and being justified in her genocidal tendencies. There’s a question into whether these tendencies are a product of the Phoenix god in her brain or something integral to her, her rage and her desire for revenge. I felt sometimes like there was an inconsistency in her beliefs, and I had first thought that was carelessness on the author’s part, but there was a specific line highlighting the fact Cike sometimes didn’t even know they were being manipulated by the gods. That made the characterization of her a little more interesting to me, as it’s not explicitly stated every time the Phoenix may be manipulating her and it leaves it up to the reader to guess.
I both enjoyed and got frustrated over the development of Rin’s relationships with other characters. I think this book did a better job of it than the first, and some of the grievances I had went away as they resolved later, but I think they still stand. A lot of the relationship development between Rin and characters like Nezha, Kitay, and the other Cike would happen “off screen” early in the book, and while they did flesh out more later I did still feel like the characters felt far away and changed at the whim of the author rather than developing naturally. During the second half of the book I felt it was done better, which funny enough is the exact same thoughts I had with the first one. Maybe this trilogy is filled with better second halves lol.
I will say that RFK has managed to make a protagonist that’s both so unlikable but so easy to root for. Rin is frustrating, selfish, and just a bit maniacal, but I keep hoping she will make it out onto the other side. She’s FAR from a perfect victim but she is a victim the same, and I like that approach, it’s realistic. The ending of this book really does set up for the finale really well and I’m anticipating which characters will return, what is to come of Rin’s dwindling team, and what will become of Nikara and its opponents.
This book really focuses most on the exploration of Rin’s character and morals. She constantly flips back between being horrified by her actions, unable to deal with the consequences, trying to shift the blame off herself, and being justified in her genocidal tendencies. There’s a question into whether these tendencies are a product of the Phoenix god in her brain or something integral to her, her rage and her desire for revenge. I felt sometimes like there was an inconsistency in her beliefs, and I had first thought that was carelessness on the author’s part, but there was a specific line highlighting the fact Cike sometimes didn’t even know they were being manipulated by the gods. That made the characterization of her a little more interesting to me, as it’s not explicitly stated every time the Phoenix may be manipulating her and it leaves it up to the reader to guess.
I both enjoyed and got frustrated over the development of Rin’s relationships with other characters. I think this book did a better job of it than the first, and some of the grievances I had went away as they resolved later, but I think they still stand. A lot of the relationship development between Rin and characters like Nezha, Kitay, and the other Cike would happen “off screen” early in the book, and while they did flesh out more later I did still feel like the characters felt far away and changed at the whim of the author rather than developing naturally. During the second half of the book I felt it was done better, which funny enough is the exact same thoughts I had with the first one. Maybe this trilogy is filled with better second halves lol.
I will say that RFK has managed to make a protagonist that’s both so unlikable but so easy to root for. Rin is frustrating, selfish, and just a bit maniacal, but I keep hoping she will make it out onto the other side. She’s FAR from a perfect victim but she is a victim the same, and I like that approach, it’s realistic. The ending of this book really does set up for the finale really well and I’m anticipating which characters will return, what is to come of Rin’s dwindling team, and what will become of Nikara and its opponents.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, War