caitlinblencowe's review against another edition
having to dnf this book made me cry bc i love love this series but i just haven’t picked this book up in months after it started giving me awful dreams💔💔 i will come back to u one day i promiseÂ
alindstadtcorbo's review against another edition
5.0
Star Rating: —> 5 Stars
A brilliant ending to a brilliant series.
RTC
A brilliant ending to a brilliant series.
RTC
sennaje's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
bubbleteas's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
drowningfaithh's review against another edition
5.0
5 out of 5 stars
The book is by no means perfect, but that ending.It was very fitting and I could not have imagined it any other way. Everything tied up in the end, eventually. This last installment really showed what “War doesn’t determine who’s right. War determines who remains.” from The Poppy War meant. Anyway, my only regret is not seeing more of the Trifecta (give me more Jiang, Daji, and Riga!). I would want to see them interact with the would-have-been next Trifecta aka Rin, Kitay, and Nezha. But, I do understand that this isn’t their story anymore. It’s Rin’s.
At first, I, too, thought the momentum of the book slowed down from the ending of The Dragon Republic. It also seemed like Rin was going on and on in circles on this cycle of trusting then being betrayed. I kept wondering, where was this going? when will it pick up? I was frustrated at what was happening, but that is exactly what R.F. Kuang wanted. Everything about this book is intentional. Whatever you were feeling while reading a scene, it was exactly what the author wanted so that it can lead the readers to the clear conclusion. The empty victory in the battle of Arlong? Rin’s rashness and seemingly stupid decisions? All of it makes sense in the end.
Now, for some thought dump and ramblings. Please look away. Major spoilers ahead!
1. Rin dying is the only way I imagined this series would end. She couldn’t rule, she was a soldier. And what was a soldier without a war? She was unstable, unhinged, self-destructive, directionless, and experienced. In her narration, she even admitted that she had not thought far enough for the aftermath of the war. She was scrambling and lost when she seized power towards the end. Without Kitay or Venka, she would have crumbled sooner.
2. In contrast, Nezha is more fit to rule. I was angry at him and his actions at first because he was a coward. He wouldn’t fight back, he only kissed ass. But I realized that he was looking at the bigger picture—a long-term solution that involved cooperating with the Hesperians. He, on the inside, has known since then that the Nikara Empire is broken. Famine, poisoned rivers, infertile soil, etc. He knew his nation was dying and that the only way to save it was to bow down to the Hisperians. He did what he had to do for the future of Nikara. Like he told Rin, "Duty." It doesn’t mean he’s right, but he did what it takes to survive.
3. Rin and Kitay having conflicting values was brilliantly displayed throughout the whole book. I often brushed it aside thinking it was typical of them to squabble again and again and again. But it was for good reason. For Kitay’s betrayal to make sense. He was her better half, Souji even mentioned once. In the end, it was Kitay who pushed Rin to make her final decision.
4. It was a satisfying yet unsatisfying end to the story because they never defeated the Hesperians—they may even have become a colony under Nezha’s rule. But the war isn’t about winning or losing. It was about surviving. It’s the reality of war. Their land was poisoned and dying, the citizens are dying from starvation, thousands of soldiers are dead. Where does it end? You can keep fighting and fighting, but sooner or later, there might be nothing and no one left to fight for.
The book is by no means perfect, but that ending.It was very fitting and I could not have imagined it any other way. Everything tied up in the end, eventually. This last installment really showed what “War doesn’t determine who’s right. War determines who remains.” from The Poppy War meant. Anyway, my only regret is not seeing more of the Trifecta (give me more Jiang, Daji, and Riga!). I would want to see them interact with the would-have-been next Trifecta aka Rin, Kitay, and Nezha. But, I do understand that this isn’t their story anymore. It’s Rin’s.
At first, I, too, thought the momentum of the book slowed down from the ending of The Dragon Republic. It also seemed like Rin was going on and on in circles on this cycle of trusting then being betrayed. I kept wondering, where was this going? when will it pick up? I was frustrated at what was happening, but that is exactly what R.F. Kuang wanted. Everything about this book is intentional. Whatever you were feeling while reading a scene, it was exactly what the author wanted so that it can lead the readers to the clear conclusion. The empty victory in the battle of Arlong? Rin’s rashness and seemingly stupid decisions? All of it makes sense in the end.
Now, for some thought dump and ramblings. Please look away. Major spoilers ahead!
Spoiler
1. Rin dying is the only way I imagined this series would end. She couldn’t rule, she was a soldier. And what was a soldier without a war? She was unstable, unhinged, self-destructive, directionless, and experienced. In her narration, she even admitted that she had not thought far enough for the aftermath of the war. She was scrambling and lost when she seized power towards the end. Without Kitay or Venka, she would have crumbled sooner.
2. In contrast, Nezha is more fit to rule. I was angry at him and his actions at first because he was a coward. He wouldn’t fight back, he only kissed ass. But I realized that he was looking at the bigger picture—a long-term solution that involved cooperating with the Hesperians. He, on the inside, has known since then that the Nikara Empire is broken. Famine, poisoned rivers, infertile soil, etc. He knew his nation was dying and that the only way to save it was to bow down to the Hisperians. He did what he had to do for the future of Nikara. Like he told Rin, "Duty." It doesn’t mean he’s right, but he did what it takes to survive.
3. Rin and Kitay having conflicting values was brilliantly displayed throughout the whole book. I often brushed it aside thinking it was typical of them to squabble again and again and again. But it was for good reason. For Kitay’s betrayal to make sense. He was her better half, Souji even mentioned once. In the end, it was Kitay who pushed Rin to make her final decision.
4. It was a satisfying yet unsatisfying end to the story because they never defeated the Hesperians—they may even have become a colony under Nezha’s rule. But the war isn’t about winning or losing. It was about surviving. It’s the reality of war. Their land was poisoned and dying, the citizens are dying from starvation, thousands of soldiers are dead. Where does it end? You can keep fighting and fighting, but sooner or later, there might be nothing and no one left to fight for.
kristinarr's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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
5.0
annedreya's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
alienor's review against another edition
5.0
"Take what you want, it said. I’ll hate you for it. But I’ll love you forever. I can’t help but love you.
Ruin me, ruin us, and I’ll let you."
Ah, fuck. You know what's hilarious? I thought I was prepared. I knew [b:The Burning God|45857086|The Burning God (The Poppy War, #3)|R.F. Kuang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1584965579l/45857086._SY75_.jpg|70666057] would ruin my life but it all came to pass in a way I hadn't anticipated—and really, after [b:The Dragon Republic|41118857|The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War, #2)|R.F. Kuang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539963703l/41118857._SY75_.jpg|64240081]? I should have known better. I should have known that Rebecca Kuang would slowly make me accept a fate I dreaded, only to rip it to shreds and give my pain another face instead.
The sheer brilliance of that ending will haunt me for years to come—I've finished it at 10pm yesterday, spent 3 hours rereading the last 20 pages, read [b:The Drowning Faith|55927316|The Drowning Faith (The Poppy War, #2.5)|R.F. Kuang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1606919817l/55927316._SX50_.jpg|87139336], and sobbed. Then I reread the last 20 pages and all my favorite scenes, again. I woke up this morning and thought of dragons.
“I am the force of creation… I am the end and the beginning. The world is a painting and I hold the brush. I am a god.”
This book was PERFECTION. This book—this series—Rin, Kitay and Nezha—will stay with me forever.
nermo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
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
4.25