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sashasgarden 's review for:
The Poppy War
by R.F. Kuang
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first time reading grim dark fantasy, and it felt like a punch in the gut. Never before had I been rendered helpless by a book the way The Poppy War left me.
My stomach had turned completely upside down. I couldn't eat for a couple of hours, because I was certain I would throw up.
Now, I confess that I am a very empathetic person, so usually war-related things leave me in a dazed, numb or frozen state.
Nothing had prepared me for this.
You get thrown into the middle of a war, simple as that is. The story follows Rin, a girl that from the beginning has to fight with all she's got to make a future for herself, only to discover the future that awaits her isn't looking that bright either.
I don't like Rin as a person, but I don't believe I'm supposed to. Most, if not all characters show to be ambiguous and crossing the path between good and bad. The world presented by R.F. Kuang is cruel and merciless, and it becomes even more terrifying once you realize it's based off of real chinese history.
The Poppy War has a perfect combination of fantasy and history, and makes one thing clear: nobody wins during times of war.
My stomach had turned completely upside down. I couldn't eat for a couple of hours, because I was certain I would throw up.
Now, I confess that I am a very empathetic person, so usually war-related things leave me in a dazed, numb or frozen state.
Nothing had prepared me for this.
You get thrown into the middle of a war, simple as that is. The story follows Rin, a girl that from the beginning has to fight with all she's got to make a future for herself, only to discover the future that awaits her isn't looking that bright either.
I don't like Rin as a person, but I don't believe I'm supposed to. Most, if not all characters show to be ambiguous and crossing the path between good and bad. The world presented by R.F. Kuang is cruel and merciless, and it becomes even more terrifying once you realize it's based off of real chinese history.
The Poppy War has a perfect combination of fantasy and history, and makes one thing clear: nobody wins during times of war.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Colonisation