darkclouds's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Now, how does one go about in suing Rebecca Kuang for emotional and mental damages?
Being my 100th book of the year, I'm feeling quite the swarming tidal of harrowing sensations. I've read an exceedingly well written book, two in fact within the space of a month and reached a milestone I thought I'd never hit again, all at once.
The Poppy War had brought me to my knees and extracted the tightly bound tears that I caged so well with it's vengeful, and riveting appeal and war conflicted trauma. It took me a year to find my footing and any semblance of recovery to continue this series.
There's a sense of loss, perhaps grief, a kind of hollow feeling of emptiness but fulfilment as well - once you complete reading one of these. Anyone seen/read Attack on Titan? If you can withstand *that* abomination of a series then you absolutely have enough gall to pick up Poppy War and face it's events headstrong. There's almost a deep guilty pleasure in facing one tragic loss after another, of chasing a cast of characters with complex arcs and a ghost inkling of found family trope. You cannot stop pushing forward and experience the absolute brutality that these characters face one chapter after another. The way Kuang has readers ensnared within an endless loop of gaining some hope, she just as quickly tears it away. Even though you can expect this when going into the series, it's never quite so black and white. There'll be elements of surprise.
Whilst Poppy War had shaken me to my very core with it being so incredibly unforgiving, Dragon Republic truly throws you into a position of complete helplessness. It's truly frustrating and compulsive and I absolutely devoured every page. Every word. Rin is every part the fearsome, yet fragile protagonist with compelling characteristics that can really irk a reader. But her unlikeable traits doesn't stop us from wanting to root for her and I think that's true power in writing.
Rebecca Kuang continues to devastate and bind us readers with her incredible prose and impactful storytelling. I fear for my sanity when I eventually read Burning Gods.
Being my 100th book of the year, I'm feeling quite the swarming tidal of harrowing sensations. I've read an exceedingly well written book, two in fact within the space of a month and reached a milestone I thought I'd never hit again, all at once.
The Poppy War had brought me to my knees and extracted the tightly bound tears that I caged so well with it's vengeful, and riveting appeal and war conflicted trauma. It took me a year to find my footing and any semblance of recovery to continue this series.
There's a sense of loss, perhaps grief, a kind of hollow feeling of emptiness but fulfilment as well - once you complete reading one of these. Anyone seen/read Attack on Titan? If you can withstand *that* abomination of a series then you absolutely have enough gall to pick up Poppy War and face it's events headstrong. There's almost a deep guilty pleasure in facing one tragic loss after another, of chasing a cast of characters with complex arcs and a ghost inkling of found family trope. You cannot stop pushing forward and experience the absolute brutality that these characters face one chapter after another. The way Kuang has readers ensnared within an endless loop of gaining some hope, she just as quickly tears it away. Even though you can expect this when going into the series, it's never quite so black and white. There'll be elements of surprise.
Whilst Poppy War had shaken me to my very core with it being so incredibly unforgiving, Dragon Republic truly throws you into a position of complete helplessness. It's truly frustrating and compulsive and I absolutely devoured every page. Every word. Rin is every part the fearsome, yet fragile protagonist with compelling characteristics that can really irk a reader. But her unlikeable traits doesn't stop us from wanting to root for her and I think that's true power in writing.
Rebecca Kuang continues to devastate and bind us readers with her incredible prose and impactful storytelling. I fear for my sanity when I eventually read Burning Gods.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, War, Colonisation, and Rape
ghost_cat99's review
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Rape, Death, Addiction, Religious bigotry, and War
Minor: Abortion
mdiffer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Torture, Sexual assault, and War
ironandsilver's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Rape, Violence, Death, War, Xenophobia, and Genocide
akajam's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
There is so much in this book. So much I found uncomfortably relatable. Rin feels authentic and I love watching her power and her sense of self grow. The Poppy War series is only hard to read in that it is full of violence on every level - and worse is that it’s just a reflection of the real world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Racism, Murder, and War
laughingkatana's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Dragon Republic takes the amazing world, culture, and pantheon of The Poppy War and expands on every subject. You get to see more of the world, more defining features of the different cultures and how they interacr, and a better understanding of the gods and how the affect/are viewed by society. This book is arguably even heavier than the first one, and the subject of war and the atrocities that come with it are the main plot of the entire book. That being said, it's written very well and it never feels like horrible things are happening for no reason. It paints a beautiful picture that just happens to be very hard to look at. The thing that surprised me the most while reading was the fact that even the segments of war planning and political nonsense did not slow the pace that much and I was never bored of it. So far it's the best series I've read this year and I can't wait to start the 3rd book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Colonisation, Confinement, Rape, Violence, War, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, and Panic attacks/disorders
katieb_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Sexual assault
brainrot_197's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Racism, Medical content, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Drug use, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, Colonisation, Grief, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, and Drug abuse
ewinnk's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Confinement, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Torture, War, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Murder, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Blood, Addiction, Grief, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
nadia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.0
So, I enjoyed this more than The Poppy War, but it was still a lil' struggle to keep on top of all of the different characters' histories, loyalties, motives, motivations, etc. But it felt like this one had a better pace on the whole and if I sat and thought through most of things I was presented with I could piece them together enough.
Much more intrigued to continue on to the next book!
Much more intrigued to continue on to the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Rape, Blood, Death, Murder, and Body horror
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Self harm