A review by drjoannehill
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

dark sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Can I read something else now please?

I powered through The Dragon Republic and The Burning God in 2 weeks for Close Encounters Book Club. It should have been on Thursday but was pushed back to next Wednesday... and I needed it, because this one was a slog in the middle and my reading pace dropped.

Like Rin herself, this book is relentless and single-minded in burning through the country in civil war. Yet it remains focused only on Rin - she is the only person who matters to herself and to the story arc. Anyone else can die or just disappear out of the story, and it's Oh well, carry on burning it all down. There's nothing else for her to do. It's desperate and hopeless. I did not enjoy it as much as The Dragon Republic, but this is not really a story to enjoy - it's about how revenge and anger keep going until: Now what? What is left afterwards? 
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