The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
rsb12's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Drug abuse, Racism, War, Child death, Drug use, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Sexual assault, Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, and Blood
Minor: Misogyny, Suicide, Classism, Confinement, Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Infertility
ehrycyna's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Classism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Addiction, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, War, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
kibiiiariii's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Drug use, Slavery, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Abandonment, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Torture, Trafficking, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child death, Toxic friendship, War, Xenophobia, Animal death, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Violence, Child abuse, Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Cursing, and Death
bookishreadersclub's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Mental illness, Abortion, War, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gore, Grief, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death, Addiction, Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Vomit, Violence, Self harm, Genocide, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, Forced institutionalization, and Cursing
hunter_uhl's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Torture, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Gore, War, Drug abuse, Murder, Self harm, Colonisation, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Drug use
_mariaen_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Physical abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Grief, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Addiction, Child death, Child abuse, Cursing, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War
nushka_online's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed the Poppy War and devoured it rather quickly but I did have some things I didn't love so much. I read about half of this as an e-book and the other half I listened to the audiobook, switching frequently between the two and the narrator also did a great job.
I see a lot of comments comparing Book One to The Name of the Wind, initially I saw some minor similarities but I felt as though the school thing was a fairly common trop in fantasy, especially YA/middle-grade so it didn't feel that comparable, but admittedly nearly everything to do with Jiang/Lore brought The Name of the Wind to mind. The tone shift after they leave Sinegard was a little sudden, Rin's relationship/feelings towards Altan felt a little inconsistent too but maybe that's understandable given circumstances.
I also felt that since it was a fantasy, but almost everything had a direct real world equivalent (aside from Speer which was Taiwan but only barely), I felt a lot less drawn in by the world-building than I normally am in fantasy. That being said, I still enjoyed the historic parallels, though at some points I was like oh so that's literally just the Art of War, or recountingÂ
I still found it an easy book to get into and enjoy, although there were some scenes especially listening to the audiobook made me uncomfortable, and I did enjoy most of the characters. I like (view spoiler) I have somewhat mixed feelings about Rin and Altan's characters but I do like how their choices were portrayed and I'm interested to see how the story progresses in the next twoÂ
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Physical abuse, Torture, War, Sexual assault, Genocide, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Slavery, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Xenophobia
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Slavery, and Infertility
k_o's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Child death, Infertility, Murder, Violence, Drug use, Physical abuse, War, Sexual violence, Vomit, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Genocide, Grief, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Torture
ibroughtyouknives's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Confinement, Body horror, Classism, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Genocide, Gore, Medical trauma, Mental illness, War, and Cursing
Moderate: Abortion, Alcohol, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Sexual violence
Minor: Ableism
raisinbrann's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Violence, Gaslighting, Drug use, Mental illness, Drug abuse, War, Sexual harassment, Murder, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Gore, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Misogyny, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Slavery, Trafficking, and Vomit
Minor: Pregnancy, Body horror, and Infertility