A review by kdelhan
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

adventurous dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book started as a 4.5-5 rating for me then fell as I progressed through the book. Part 1 was an inventive twist on the orphan/ragtag underdog gifted character facing adversity at an elite school/academy which I really enjoyed. But the main character hero to antihero arc was challenging, because I started to quite dislike Rin and Altan and found myself exasperated with their choices and rationales. I was also not prepared for the extremely explicit violence - physical, mental, sexual, self-harm - so major trigger warnings needed. At some points it just felt over the top without adding any additional depth to the story. I went to get the sequel from the library and I was still so annoyed with Rin that I didn't get past 20 pages. This book did make me want to read the author's other (not this trilogy) books, though!
Expand filter menu Content Warnings