The Poppy War - R. F. Kuang

The Poppy War

By R. F. Kuang

  • Release Date: 2018-05-01
  • Genre: Historical Fantasy
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 989 Ratings
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Description

One of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

“I have no doubt this will end up being the best fantasy debut of the year...I have absolutely no doubt that [Kuang’s] name will be up there with the likes of Robin Hobb and N.K. Jemisin.” -- Booknest

From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel and Yellowface, the brilliantly imaginative debut of R.F. Kuang: an epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.

When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

Reviews

  • Goosebumps!

    5
    By Tiffens
    Amazing from beginning to end! Never been captured by a book just by reading the first chapter! I even went back to read past chapters just to get goosebumps again!

  • Darkness and Lore

    4
    By mikemjohnson86
    The lore was probably my favorite aspect of the story—I'm simple-minded that way. Watching Rin undergo her training, witnessing her growth, and learning to harness her gifts was captivating. She's the classic underprivileged character who thrives in a privileged society. She's not the best in her class, but—well, you get the idea, and so did author R.F. Kuang. Rin's character arc was straightforward, yet her development felt refreshing. It's not often that we see a protagonist driven by greed and a thirst for power. There was a wonderfully in-depth exploration of the world of the gods, the Pantheon, and what the gods want, or in this case, what they don't want. Of course, Rin needed this power to help win a war. Kuang was unflinching in her depiction of the consequences of war and how conquerors view the conquered: "...if your opponent was not human, if your opponent was a cockroach, what did it matter how many of them you killed? What was the difference between crushing an ant and setting an anthill on fire?" [The Poppy War, R. F. Kuang] The only issues I had were that I would have liked to have seen more of Rin's life outside school. We're told that Rin was raised by some cruel people, but unfortunately, we only get a glimpse of this, and it's mostly forgettable. The same happens with her younger brother—she reflects on him, but the emotional connection isn't fully developed. The side characters needed more depth; they came across as two-dimensional, which didn't engage us in their fates. I loved the passage of time in this story. We don't always need our hands held through lengthy training montages, so that was a plus. There were some very dark, morbid events, some revealed by a former classmate of Rin's. These revelations motivated Rin more than anything else and the impact was plausible, considering she was the only woman to express what she had endured. Kuang provided a "boots on the ground" feel with a character who was fantastical. On a side note, 'The Poppy War' made me wonder... what if Naruto existed in the world of X-Men? I think this is a strong opening novel for a series.

  • Rin isn’t a good person

    5
    By SlideLees
    Spoiler alert: I loved his novel wholeheartedly, I hear the next books only get better. Still on the first few pages of the second book, i just needed to get this down. Rin’s story is captivating and grueling. Rooted in so much history and struggle; it’s easy to see where the historical influence came in during the creation of the story. The disturbing details and descriptions of a relentless war against a major enemy reflect the horrors of the Japanese occupation during WW2. This story is told in such a morbid and beautiful manner that it’s hard to look away. All the tiny flaws can be overlooked in favor of the marvelous characterization. Altan and Rin felt so genuinely passionate as characters, i felt myself feeling the anger they felt. By the end of the book you’ll realize what war and desperation do to a young fragile mind. Rin can be argued to be a fragile person at heart, doing drastic things just to put an end to her suffering. Her final act in this novel only serves to prove this point. It is because of her actions that I truly fell in love with this character. Not that I agree with her, but that through RFKuang’s writing, I could empathize with someone who had destroyed an entire country of innocent people. In the midst of tragedy and war, would you still be compassionate?

  • Intense and beautiful

    5
    By Emtramos1
    This is the first fantasy book to have me hooked from the first chapter, I loved this book so much. I was so fascinated with the main character Rin and her story. I was definitely emotional during some parts for sure! It gets dark and very real towards the end which just adds to the intensity of the story. I loved it so much and I’m excited to read book 2.

  • Enjoyable

    4
    By Gavpat
    Regardless of your beliefs in eastern or western culture - the discussion on free will is on fascinating display with some fun personalities and strong heroin at the center.

  • so good

    5
    By Mella Nicole
    loved this book and was captivated throughout its entirety :) there were some slight issues with pacing that other reviews talk about as well, but that shouldn’t deter you from reading this book because it’s genuinely amazing. The violent scenes that come in the later chapters were not there solely for shock factor or anything either, as they were all portrayals of real war crimes that occurred in China during the Second Sino-Japanese war. There were also a lot of cultural “Easter eggs” that I loved (as a Chinese person) coming across as I read, since I understood their origin :)

  • Amazing

    5
    By La SamiSam
    The story of Rin and how great the author enchants you with her story is an amazing book you will not be able to stop reading!

  • Poppy Wars

    5
    By Antnida
    Read the first in series and can’t wait to read Book 2 and 3! It’s GOOD.

  • Good read!

    5
    By magbowen
    Couldn’t stop reading. It’s fun and exciting and very easy to get lost in. Highly recommend. Gruesome and violent but in a way that makes you feel proud and you really get a deep understanding of the characters.

  • Rins autonomy

    5
    By 1678329
    She isn’t like a normal character in any other book. She is herself and makes very unpredictable, sometimes selfish decisions. It makes for an amazing book! When you yell at the main character because you are forced to hold her accountable, you know you have found something truly great. She is equally unpredictable as she is core to her beliefs. She is a mess, I love it.

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