A review by thewordsdevourer
The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
i read the dragon republic w/ increasing dread and trepidation bc i knew things wouldnt go well and shit would hit the fan eventually--if not intermittently--so now i feel torn between relief and disappointment that it wasnt as brutal as the first book. oh, things were still painful and the body count was high (so sad abt the cike casualities esp), but maybe bc i was expecting them, so they were a tad predictable.
this was a rly good book still, filled w/ the series' signature intricate war strategies, politicking, and complex motivations that culminated in satisfying and sometimes surprising character development, exploring themes of war and power, and adeptly showing that yts are shit, as so are most men (fcking nezha man..).
my major issue, however is w/ the middle chunk: this book's thick and filled w/ events, but part 2 was kinda forgettable somehow, w/ most of the battles blurring into one another. i know that things happened but i still cant recall what exactly. nevertheless, my fav thing abt this book is hands down the relationship between rin and kitay; i'll be ok w/ everything turning to shit as long as kitay's ok. looking forward to seeing how going up against rank yts and snotty aristocrats w/ popular support will turn out for rin and her (sadly now very numerically diminished) gang.
this was a rly good book still, filled w/ the series' signature intricate war strategies, politicking, and complex motivations that culminated in satisfying and sometimes surprising character development, exploring themes of war and power, and adeptly showing that yts are shit, as so are most men (fcking nezha man..).
my major issue, however is w/ the middle chunk: this book's thick and filled w/ events, but part 2 was kinda forgettable somehow, w/ most of the battles blurring into one another. i know that things happened but i still cant recall what exactly. nevertheless, my fav thing abt this book is hands down the relationship between rin and kitay; i'll be ok w/ everything turning to shit as long as kitay's ok. looking forward to seeing how going up against rank yts and snotty aristocrats w/ popular support will turn out for rin and her (sadly now very numerically diminished) gang.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Racism, Violence, Confinement, War, and Addiction
Moderate: Colonisation, Drug abuse, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, Body shaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, and Torture