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moosethemoose 's review for:
The Poppy War
by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"Fear was impossible to eradicate. But so was the will to survive."
CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE YOU PROCEED TO READ THIS BOOK
Wow this book was - wow. I had heard of the hype of this book with BookTok and Bookstagram and part of me worried that it was just another hype book that wouldn't be all that shit. That was not the case. This book is an amazing - very historically accurate - fantasy retelling of the Sino - Japanese war with very obvious inspirations from the Opium Wars and both World Wars. As a historian, this made me INCREDIBLY happy. I know Kuang herself is a historian and I can tell that she researched and used as much history as she could to make a fantastic fantasy.
There was so much to this book that just made the story incredibly fascinating to read and enjoy. I did myself a serious disservice reading The Fourth Wing before I read this cause this is what Fourth Wing was trying to be. This is what I say when I want a fantasy war story. I felt for the struggles of each of the characters. The feeling of not being connected to your own country from Rin really hit me where it hurt. Having to be the absolute best at everything so they don't take advantage of you, having to be absolute best so you can finally get the validation you so badly crave. Fang Runin is an incredibly endearing character to me.
Throughout the book, Kuang does not shy away from the horrors of war. That there are no "good" sides of war. It has such a strong anti-war message but still carried all those fantasy elements that I commonly enjoy. Fantasy like this is always political and Kuang does not shy away from that. She knows the history and turned that history into a COMPELLING fantasy.
Unlike The Fourth Wing, the characters in this story were all different and unique while still being compelling. Kitay is one of my favorites and after everything, I ended up feeling for Nezha. My favorite overall was Jiang. He reminded me so much of my favorite bathsit professor in college. Atlan was also rounded out and just - not the booktok steryotype that I expected him to fall into.
I was also shocked that there was no romance in this book. I was SURE that this book would have romance in it. These book ALWAYS have romance in them. But no. I personally really related to Rin just getting her first period and going "ew fuck that" and getting a form of a hysterectomy. Me too Rin, me too.
I understood the anger of the characters. I understood the emotions and the hate and the fear and the disgust. I understood the motivations of these characters. I see where they come from.
This is arguably one of my top books I've ever read. Def one of my top fantasy book - up there with The Priory of the Orange Tree and The Witcher. It is a must read for anyone who's into fantasy and history.
CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE YOU PROCEED TO READ THIS BOOK
Wow this book was - wow. I had heard of the hype of this book with BookTok and Bookstagram and part of me worried that it was just another hype book that wouldn't be all that shit. That was not the case. This book is an amazing - very historically accurate - fantasy retelling of the Sino - Japanese war with very obvious inspirations from the Opium Wars and both World Wars. As a historian, this made me INCREDIBLY happy. I know Kuang herself is a historian and I can tell that she researched and used as much history as she could to make a fantastic fantasy.
There was so much to this book that just made the story incredibly fascinating to read and enjoy. I did myself a serious disservice reading The Fourth Wing before I read this cause this is what Fourth Wing was trying to be. This is what I say when I want a fantasy war story. I felt for the struggles of each of the characters. The feeling of not being connected to your own country from Rin really hit me where it hurt. Having to be the absolute best at everything so they don't take advantage of you, having to be absolute best so you can finally get the validation you so badly crave. Fang Runin is an incredibly endearing character to me.
Throughout the book, Kuang does not shy away from the horrors of war. That there are no "good" sides of war. It has such a strong anti-war message but still carried all those fantasy elements that I commonly enjoy. Fantasy like this is always political and Kuang does not shy away from that. She knows the history and turned that history into a COMPELLING fantasy.
Unlike The Fourth Wing, the characters in this story were all different and unique while still being compelling. Kitay is one of my favorites and after everything, I ended up feeling for Nezha. My favorite overall was Jiang. He reminded me so much of my favorite bathsit professor in college. Atlan was also rounded out and just - not the booktok steryotype that I expected him to fall into.
I was also shocked that there was no romance in this book. I was SURE that this book would have romance in it. These book ALWAYS have romance in them. But no. I personally really related to Rin just getting her first period and going "ew fuck that" and getting a form of a hysterectomy. Me too Rin, me too.
I understood the anger of the characters. I understood the emotions and the hate and the fear and the disgust. I understood the motivations of these characters. I see where they come from.
This is arguably one of my top books I've ever read. Def one of my top fantasy book - up there with The Priory of the Orange Tree and The Witcher. It is a must read for anyone who's into fantasy and history.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, War
Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail
Yeah check the trigger warnings