Reviews with content warning for War - The Dragon Republic

Reviews tagging 'War'

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

846 reviews

areadersrevel's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

I was so done with Rin in this book. She became this whiny little b***h seeking validation and was overly obsessed with Altan. They weren’t even that close and the AH slapped her that one time, like tell me why all of sudden she’s determined to honor his memory? Also, aren’t we supposed to be developing her character? Why does she feel underdeveloped? This is the SECOND BOOK!!!! I was expecting her to be way more badass. Make it make sense!

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valeriaq24's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? No

5.0

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jordanamackey's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

HOLY. SHIT. this series is sweeping me off my feet, in both a good and bad way. i will be a Rin apologist until the day i die. she can do no wrong in my opinion. this book hits more on the strategic side of war and you spend a good chunk watching people go back and forth. once you get to part 3, just buckle down and prepare for the worst.

Nezha, you are number 1 on my shit list. I will never forgive you and will blame you for Suni, Baji, and Ramsa for EVER.

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kistlca's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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

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ashreads2beats's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional informative tense fast-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

5.0

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plantsnbooks_'s review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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maggieraemarrinan's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

5.0

It’s a lot to digest but the politics were so well done! I’m fully invested in this story.

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queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

3.5 ⭐ CW: violence, blood, gore, vomit, self-harm, rape, death, war, substance use/addiction

The Dragon Republic by R.F Kuang is book two in The Poppy War trilogy. I had been putting this book off for a while, because although I enjoyed the Poppy War, it was a gruesome story. This was just as gruesome, but it dragged on and was way too long.

We continue following Rin as she struggles with the guilt of what she's done. Consumed by grief and rage, she drowns herself in opium. Then the Dragon Warlord recruits her and the Cike to join him in a revolution against the Empress and the Empire to create a democratic Republic. Rin joins in order to take revenge on the Empress who betrayed Nikan by letting the enemy in. But neither the Empress or the Dragon Warlord are what they seem, and Rin finds herself in an impossible position with the Hesperians and their religion looming over the Republican army, and Empress Daji's destructive reign.

This book was entirely too long. The entire part two needed to move quicker than it did. It was a lot of army marching and waiting, and not a lot happening. The pacing just didn't work for me. Part three was much better. Rin is a bit of a frustrating character, but you can't help but root for her and her friends. I do like that along with Rin, you can't be sure what the right side of this war is. We get a brutal examination of colonization and how religious conversion is tied inextricably to racism. The Hesperians are the West, and view Nikarans as inferior and barely human. We get more from some of the other characters like Kitay, who is my favorite, and Venka who I wish we saw more of.

I don't think I'm going to finish this series. It's so much work to read these books, and I'm not enjoying them enough to push through. I think this series would make for a brilliant TV series, but I just don't want to take the time to read it.

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herceia's review against another edition

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adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Rf kuang is INCREDIBLE AHHH. Usually I get a little lost in giant fantasy epics (and I have gotten a little lost) but every plot point and character is so compelling that I can fairly immediately find my way back. What a massive story full of so much visceral action

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mgavre's review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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