A review by droopyswan
The Drowning Faith by R.F. Kuang
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
(didn’t find the main character lovable at all but I think I do find him compelling — & I definitely pity him)
admittedly, I went into this thinking it was merely fan service, expecting I’d like it less than I did. but I found it to be an interesting & emotional character study. the writing is beautiful, nezha’s tragedy is heartbreaking (though his confinement to duty & his evil parents can’t make me not hate him for parroting their beliefs and ideals). these three “stories” do a really good job at fleshing out his character, & I’m probably saying this because I just finished the second book in the original series, but I really wish they were incorporated into the novel(s) somehow. I wouldn’t want to break the original series’ structure & include another POV besides rin’s, but it feels like there’s enough material in “the drowning faith” to include just enough of nezha’s POV in “the dragon republic” where it’s not disrupting the structure. the prologue already opens with nezha’s POV & it’s stylistically very similar to this text, so “the drowning faith” already feels like a part of the book.
f*ck nezha but still I really enjoyed this writing!! my favorite part that I feel like sums up his duality very well:
admittedly, I went into this thinking it was merely fan service, expecting I’d like it less than I did. but I found it to be an interesting & emotional character study. the writing is beautiful, nezha’s tragedy is heartbreaking (though his confinement to duty & his evil parents can’t make me not hate him for parroting their beliefs and ideals). these three “stories” do a really good job at fleshing out his character, & I’m probably saying this because I just finished the second book in the original series, but I really wish they were incorporated into the novel(s) somehow. I wouldn’t want to break the original series’ structure & include another POV besides rin’s, but it feels like there’s enough material in “the drowning faith” to include just enough of nezha’s POV in “the dragon republic” where it’s not disrupting the structure. the prologue already opens with nezha’s POV & it’s stylistically very similar to this text, so “the drowning faith” already feels like a part of the book.
f*ck nezha but still I really enjoyed this writing!! my favorite part that I feel like sums up his duality very well:
She’s everything he’s not: unbound, reckless, free. He’s never known anyone like her. She terrifies him, and he loves her so much it hurts.
In all of his worst nightmares, she’s dying. She’s fading away in his arms, helpless and whimpering, while hot, dark blood spills over his fingers.
This, he tells her.
He doesn’t tell her that his hand holds the blade.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts