A review by emmaisnotavampire
La repubblica del drago by R.F. Kuang

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Very lovely book just like the rest of the saga, I already expressed my more than positive opinion about Kuang’s world-building. However, I feel like it didn’t excite me as much as the first chapter because of how predictable the plot twists were: the Nezha thing had already been heavily foreshadowed earlier on, and I think everybody knew about who the “real” villain had been all along. That’s probably what I felt like was lacking: truly morally grey characters, that keep switching sides in the reader’s heart, from hated to beloved and viceversa.
I liked the depiction of Esperians though, they really appeared like insane fanatics blinded by their irrational beliefs justified by claims of scientific research and progress towards perfection.