The Poppy War

This book was really well-written, and deeply detailed, almost to the point where it was exhausting. The military fantasy was well done, I loved how the world was created, but I didn't really want to root for the main character for a lot of the book. Some of it was so graphic that I had to skip ahead. I don't think I'll read future ones in the series, but it really was well done for those who might like the genre.

The Poppy war combines a bunch of different popular sci fi/fantasy tropes in one story. There's an orphan plucked from obscurity, a school for special people, political battles, a complicated war in the past and a difficult one in the present. I like how fast paced the story was - setting the stage then advancing forward to keep the story going. I'll definitely pick up the 2nd book when it's released later this year.

The Poppy War, which is partially based on the Second Sino-Japanese War, is a darkly compelling story about how war changes people, particularly for the worse. I found it engaging from the very first page, and I enjoyed its rich history and appreciated the boldness of Rin's character progression. Though she makes horrible choices, her choices are hers and are not waved away as having been influenced by her god. I didn't quite LOVE The Poppy War but came close, and it's certainly among the best books I've read this year!

Full Review on My Website

TW: Brutal descriptions of war and its aftermath, torture, rape, substance abuse, self harm, genocide, racism, bullying

I'm feeling a lot of things and I can't decide, but I think I'll go for a 4.5.

I have held back from reading this book for almost an year despite the rave reviews because grimdark is so not my thing, and this story seemed brutal. Finally, my dearest friends from the Stars and Sorcery book club gave me no choice when they selected this book as our September BOTM and I decided I had to give it a try. And what an experience this was. I literally started and finished this monster of a book on the same day because I just couldn't put it down for a second. But to be honest, any review I write will not be able to do justice to this book.

As you all are already aware, I'm always skeptical about adult fantasy because I have this feeling that they'll be too complicated for me, but this book had no such issues. The author's writing is just so easy and straightforward, very clear on what she wants to tell us, and I really appreciated that. This world which she created inspired by the early 20th century China is very detailed and the history and culture of this land felt like something very real and familiar. And a for a book that is majorly a historical military fantasy, I thought the author did a brilliant job incorporating the magical elements (shamanism). I particularly liked the allusion to Buddhism when describing about spiritual realms and the importance of meditation when navigating out of the mortal plane. The book is divided into three parts - military training, learning about shamanism and finally the war - and I was amazed by how brilliantly the author was able to write each of these parts, though they are far different from each other. She never minces her words and every terrifying truth is laid bare for the characters (as well as us) and we are left feeling extremely uncomfortable and introspective in its wake. This is not an action packed novel (though there are some brilliant strategy as well as fight scenes) but there is a steady pace throughout, and the size of the book gives room for the characters and the plot to breathe, and develop in their own time. This book is not exactly full of twists and turns in the usual sense, but lot of unpredictable things do happen - it's just that I never felt shocked by them, they all felt inevitable. I had a similar reaction to many of the character deaths too - maybe the extremely brutal nature of this story numbed me and I couldn't comprehend the devastation that was happening on the pages.

While there are a whole host of characters in this book, we get to exclusively follow the journey of Rin. She is ill treated by her foster parents, bullied by her fellow students and even teachers and told repeatedly that she doesn't deserve to be among them, but it's through her sheer will and determination that she succeeds at whatever she sets her mind to. She burns with rage at every slight and hones her anger to be used at the right time, wants to achieve all the power that she can so that no one will ever get to control her again - but she is also afraid of losing control to that lust of power. She is mostly ruthless in her ambition and quest for vengeance which makes her not a very typical fantasy heroine, but nonetheless we root for even if completely hate the decisions that she is making. Even when she utterly frustrated me, I couldn't stop marveling at the author's prowess in creating this very realistic, raw and gritty female character.

There are also many many side characters and while I can't talk about all of them, I can promise you that every single one of them is excellently developed and we get to deeply understand each one of their desires and motivations. Master Jiang is one of my favorites because he is the eccentric mentor who sees promise in Rin but also the darkness she can succumb to, and tries very hard to impart wisdom to her. Kitay is probably the only witty character here, a privileged kid with eidetic memory who uses humor to get through horrible circumstances - and the only person who ever treats Rin like a friend. Altan is her second mentor, and it is by being with him that Rin realizes the extent of the brutalities that have happened in the past to her people and what she might have to do get her justice. There is also an unlikely gang of other shamans whom Rin works along with, and it was lovely seeing their fascinating group dynamics.

As the primary inspiration for this book is the second Sino-Japanese war and the Nanjing massacre, it was inevitable that the depiction of the aftermath of war is brutal. But it never feels gratuitous or unnecessary, just something that's very much integral to the story and the character development. We also see how continuous wars and brutal killings shape the minds of generations of people, resulting only in more destruction. Through the characters, we too get to question why the war was necessary, did it need to be so brutal, and what kind of retribution is justified. The author brings to life the fact that seeking vengeance only creates a circle of never ending violence and not everlasting peace or safety. The other important theme which I found fascinating was the discussion about religion and myth - how much of the lore we know is really true and how much is just born out of human imagination, is all the history we are taught true or have we been manipulated to believe in things that are convenient for the powers to be. There are also other important elements like finding one's purpose in life and the importance of friends and found family, but the grim reality of war is the main underlying theme throughout the story and there's no way to escape it.

What can I say about this book that hasn't already been said. Despite whatever frustrations I had with the main character, this book is near perfect and deserves all the accolades it has received. I'm definitely late to the party but if you haven't read this book yet, and love the grimdark genre or historical/military fantasy, then it can't get better than this. If you love Asian inspired fantasy novels, then this one is just the right pick for you. Just be prepared for the brutality, and maybe consume it in low doses to fully appreciate it.

Have you ever read a book that is so good you don't know what to say about it? It's taken me almost two weeks to even attempt this review because I just don't know what to write. The Poppy War is your typical story of downtrodden, disadvantaged girl testing into the highest school in the land and gaining the opportunities and privileges that come with that, but then the book takes a sharp twist into war. Rin doesn't exactly get the most typical of educations, even before war breaks out. And when war breaks out, the school is disbanded, the students getting flung all over the land to where the government thinks they will help the most. For Rin, that's joining The Cike. The Bizarre Children. The division of people who can do....things. Things the rest of the military isn't comfortable with. The Cike can call on the powers of gods, and doing so makes them not-quite-untouchables. Rin, who was never short on resentment before this, grows ever more resentful.

Rin is an interesting character; she's been hard done by, yes, but she makes decisions that only make things harder on herself. So I feel for her a little, but at the same time, girl. Check yourself. What's been done to you doesn't justify what you plan to do to others. I am hoping she comes to see that in the next book, because her rage and need for vengeance definitely gets the best of her in this one.

The Poppy War is an excellently written blend of military fantasy, epic fantasy, and coming-of-age novel. Unlike some books, where the military aspect far overshadows the characters, leaving them flat, Poppy War doesn't ignore the characters to focus on the bigger picture. It's a very good mix of both close-up focus on characters, fights, battles, and zoomed-out strategy and war. It's probably the best military fantasy I've read, and the Asian aspect of it makes it even better. So much military fantasy is western European, or Steampunk, or both. I've been finding more and more Asian and African fantasy, and I am SO HERE FOR IT. I need to try to find more South American fantasy. I know it's out there.

I will definitely be watching for the next book in this series, because it's awesome.

You can find all my reviews at Goddess in the Stacks.

This book was so different and oh so good. I like how the story didn't get glossed over by romance or cliches.
Rin was a strong-willed and level headed girl (at least till before the last quarter 😥). The ending had me screaming. I stopped reading after that devastating thing happened and had to forcefully take a break. This book also did a very good job at describing war, its victims and its repercussions. Considering my country is gearing up for a war right now, there were parts in here that had me screaming. You can't punish a whole nation, or a whole race just because of the atrocities committed by a few people. That's why the ending hit real hard. I don't know whether to sympathize with Rin, or to be angry with her actions.

If we do what they do, we'd be exactly like them. Strength isn't the abusive power.

All the people in this book are shit at decision making and can collectively GO TO HELL! (Except Kitay).

A nice, fast-paced fantasy read! The plot was very engaging, and the characters were well-developed. I enjoyed the Sino-Japanese setting and the fantasy twist on it. There were some dark and messed up moments in the book, which I didn't expect from the school setting in the beginning of the book. I will definitely read the next book in the series whenever it comes out!

The Poppy war combines a bunch of different popular sci fi/fantasy tropes in one story. There's an orphan plucked from obscurity, a school for special people, political battles, a complicated war in the past and a difficult one in the present. I like how fast paced the story was - setting the stage then advancing forward to keep the story going. I'll definitely pick up the 2nd book when it's released later this year.

This book is a rollercoaster ride, and it is well worth it. We meet Rin, and follow her journey from orphan, to student, to shaman, to warrior, and everywhere in between. Her story sparks questions of morals and how far is too far, but its hard not to be captured by her persistence and determination. R. F. Kuang has woven an hypnotizing epic fantasy that was impossible to put down and leaves us ready for more.

Kuang has written something that will make you laugh, cry, rage and sometimes gasp at the horrible, barbaric scenes.

Rin is a character you can't help but root for, she grows so much already within this first book, I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for the next two books.

Warning - some scenes are hard to get through, but it does paint a vivid and cruel painting of what war can be. I'm glad, in a way, that Kuang went into this detail as life, especially war, isn't all rainbows and butterflies.

This morning I traded extra sleep to finish The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, this is an Adult fantasy and the author's debut! Set in the imaginary world of the Nikara empire that is based on historical China (which era I am not too sure as there are no guns or motorized vehicles but many scenes and events in the book are pulled from historical accounts of World War 2). This book was excellent, it had a morally gray and ambitious female main character, it never went where I expected it to go, and it presented these hard decisions that the main character had to make and it seemed no matter the choice it was never going to be the right one.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because it is an excellent read it had me hooked from the beginning and did not let me go. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because it is brutally heart wrenching. I most likely will not re-read this book and I definitely need a lighter and fluffier read because this it not a book you read to escape hard times. It's called The Poppy War it's about war and the author does not gloss over the horror that comes with such a conflict.

Trigger warnings for: self-harm, rape and sexual assault, child abuse, torture
Content advisory for: drug abuse, violence of all kinds

Recommended for fans of:
high fantasy
Asian inspired fantasy
war books
morally grey characters (heroes who aren't 100% good people)
a heroine's journey