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A review by saslovesbooks
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Very difficult book to rate.
Parts of it I loved. Kuang managed some epic world building and always submerses you in the story. There was so much potential.
But I just couldn't love it. There was too much jumping around; with the plots, the timescale, the loyalties and Rin's thought process.
On the one hand she's a lethal genocidal general, but then she can't decide what she wants or who's on her side. Every time she meets someone it's like magically she's persuaded to their cause, when a few pages earlier she was intent on burning them alive. It's exhausting.
The gods were great, the main characters were great, putting loyalty jumping aside, and I really enjoyed the lack of traditional romance bit forced in. It did feel like a lot of the secondary characters weren't really bothered with as they'd be wiped out again in a few pages. I enjoyed the author's willingness to have morally grey (dark dark grey) characters and plenty of brutal warfare.
The more I think about it the less I liked it.. but it is certainly one I'll remember which counts for something.
Parts of it I loved. Kuang managed some epic world building and always submerses you in the story. There was so much potential.
But I just couldn't love it. There was too much jumping around; with the plots, the timescale, the loyalties and Rin's thought process.
On the one hand she's a lethal genocidal general, but then she can't decide what she wants or who's on her side. Every time she meets someone it's like magically she's persuaded to their cause, when a few pages earlier she was intent on burning them alive. It's exhausting.
The gods were great, the main characters were great, putting loyalty jumping aside, and I really enjoyed the lack of traditional romance bit forced in. It did feel like a lot of the secondary characters weren't really bothered with as they'd be wiped out again in a few pages. I enjoyed the author's willingness to have morally grey (dark dark grey) characters and plenty of brutal warfare.
The more I think about it the less I liked it.. but it is certainly one I'll remember which counts for something.