So recently I read The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang and oh my god. Where do I even begin to express my thoughts, this book was incredible, I’d probably go as far as to say that this is one of the best books I’ve ever read. I’ll try not to include any spoilers in this review (at least none that aren’t on the blurb) but if you’ve read it please DM me, I need to rave about this with someone!
“War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who remains.”
The novel starts out with some heavy themes straight away, following the main character, a poor orphaned girl called Rin as she tries to get out of an arranged marriage by taking the Keju (an exam) in order to try and get away from her foster family. The struggles for Rin don’t stop there as she has to overcome the prejudice of her classmates and try to uncover more about her natural aptitude for Shamanism. And then there’s the looming prospect of a Third Poppy War…
I love the way that Kuang has built this world, from the fantasy aspects to the aspects that are influenced by Asian history, it gives it a feel of being fantasy and yet still understandable and easy to grasp in ways that some fantasy books aren’t. The way that she has built the world is really well done, it doesn’t feel as if you’re being bogged down with lots of information to try and immerse you, but rather you learn as Rin does which is a really good tool and makes it feel incredibly natural. As this is adult fiction and not YA, it is done incredibly well because it does take you on that journey through typically YA tropes, but in a more sophisticated manner with heavier themes, and world builds in a way that is helpful for the reader as the character is learning with you.
“You can’t kill a movement.”
The writing is beautiful, she really makes you feel as if you are there and makes you feel sympathy for the characters, and the character growth is beautiful! Kuang also writes some beautiful quotes, when you’re reading The Poppy War you’ll pick up on quotes that are really interesting to think about or really true. One of the main themes of the book is that war is horrific, we see the devastation across the country from the First and Second Poppy Wars and learn of the genocide that was committed in Speer (an island off the coast of Nikara) and as the book goes on this is shown perfectly. However, while the main themes of the book are pretty heavy, Kuang also provides us with moments of light. She writes the characters as if they are real people, meaning that even amongst everything there are moments of laughter, characters winding the others up and being genuinely funny. I really enjoyed this as without it I think the novel could potentially have been a bit too heavy, even though these moments are not constant.
One thing I also liked about this book is that at the start we are following a very young girl, and it shows. She can be immature, she can behave like a child and I think that is really important, even if she can be frustrating at times. Her desperation for power comes across really well too, being a poor orphan it seems natural that she wants to rise up, and her ways to do so are painful and sad, but they make sense for her character. She is complex, and there are definitely some psychological issues with her but that is true for a lot of the characters, but they’re all written incredibly well, even those we do not interact heavily with.
“You humans always think you’re destined for things, for tragedy or for greatness. Destiny is a myth. Destiny is the only myth. The gods choose nothing. You chose.”
One thing that really piqued my interest about the book was the mystical aspect. Because I’m hugely into learning about religion (future RE teacher in the making here) I found it so interesting to learn about Shamanism as Rin does, and how different Shamans use it for different purposes and seeing how the Gods interact with the humans, it was really well done in my opinion. I hope that the theme continues in the two sequels! I love mythology, but I haven’t read as much into Chinese mythology as I’d have liked, but this book has made me really want to learn more about the mythology and Chinese history in general!
Before I’d read the book I’d seen people make reference to Chapter 21, and I assumed it was because it was going to be really sad, I was wrong. The chapter was sad, but it wasn’t sad in the way I had assumed, instead it was horrific. It was written remarkably well, but it was gruesome, and necessary. I think for motivations and character understanding and growth it is one of the most important chapters in the book, but it was horrendous, but then that is also the reality. I think I’ll probably process that chapter for a long time, especially considering that the things that happen in the chapter are based on a real event.
I’d really recommend this book, it is probably one of the most engaging books I’ve ever read and I love it. However, if you’re someone who might be triggered by things, there are a lot of things and themes within the book that could be potentially triggering, and it does get quite graphic at points. Other than that though, it is a truly great book and I cannot wait to get the sequel soon because I need to know what happens next! It is a truly fantastic start to a series.
Love,
Carey
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