A review by pages_with_panda
The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.0
I tend to dislike Book 2s of trilogies because they always seemed bloated with nothingness - but this book was action from start to finish and we see Rin and the other characters develop even more.
Every character had their own personality, their own desires and felt fully fleshed out in a way that was not done in the first book.
Rin’s desperate to fight for someone, anyone, and in this book she finds just the person who could command her towards vengeance against Empress Daji.
The writing of her character was great - you’re not supposed to like Rin, especially after all she’s done but I still sympathized with her. She talks a lot of compartmentalization but she has to cope with everything she’s done and I’m glad Kuang forces that onto her. It seemed like her character developed more in this book than in the first one when she went from peasant girl to soldier.
Kitay and Nezha are also in this book, as well as the Cike, and I really loved that they didn’t seem like side characters in the background. Kuang has a way of writing everyone into a story that makes them seem real.
The politics and war get even deeper in this book as well, and it’s hard not to get sucked in to the story.
It was great in the worst way because of the violence, gore, war, blood, etc. It’s hard to say I enjoyed a book where nothing good happens, but I did. Read the content warnings. But also there’s so much that happens I may have missed a few triggers.
Off to the next book!
Every character had their own personality, their own desires and felt fully fleshed out in a way that was not done in the first book.
Rin’s desperate to fight for someone, anyone, and in this book she finds just the person who could command her towards vengeance against Empress Daji.
The writing of her character was great - you’re not supposed to like Rin, especially after all she’s done but I still sympathized with her. She talks a lot of compartmentalization but she has to cope with everything she’s done and I’m glad Kuang forces that onto her. It seemed like her character developed more in this book than in the first one when she went from peasant girl to soldier.
Kitay and Nezha are also in this book, as well as the Cike, and I really loved that they didn’t seem like side characters in the background. Kuang has a way of writing everyone into a story that makes them seem real.
The politics and war get even deeper in this book as well, and it’s hard not to get sucked in to the story.
It was great in the worst way because of the violence, gore, war, blood, etc. It’s hard to say I enjoyed a book where nothing good happens, but I did. Read the content warnings. But also there’s so much that happens I may have missed a few triggers.
Off to the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Drug abuse, Torture, Racism, Violence, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Abortion, and Medical trauma