A review by ellenwm
The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.25

“…They cannot accept the truth of other gods. And when nations start to believe that other beliefs lead to damnation, violence becomes inevitable.”
The world building and cadence of Kuang’s writing is mesmerizing. I’m not normally one for war-focused literature but it’s very compelling. The moral quandaries pondered in this book overtly and through the plot and character growth are weighty. Who is responsible for a society’s violence and inhumanity? What do we owe other humans? What is actual kindness? Like the first in this series, it covers colonization, war, violence, white supremacy, religion as weapon. So it’s a little difficult to continue at times when you’re not up to being emotionally slayed. All the content warnings.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings