The Poppy War
Books | Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
4.3
(5.9K)
R. F. Kuang
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.” -- BooknestFrom #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.
Fantasy
Coming Of Age
High Fantasy
Dark Fantasy
Magic
AD
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More Details:
Author
R. F. Kuang
Pages
544
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published Date
2018-05-01
ISBN
0062662597 9780062662590
Ratings
Google: 4
Community ReviewsSee all
"Parts were intense and parts were so boring I almost didn't finish "
Meagan Khatthaname
"I felt this book was fine. I expected to like it more than I did, maybe it’s because this felt more YA-ish than I tend to read. Regardless, this book clearly has a huge fan base, but I am apparently not it. "
C
CaitVD
"I tried to like this book, but i'm pretty sure young women in essentially imperial China DO NOT swear like that, especially to people of authority. Nor would they have known some of the words used. Sounded waaaaaay too modern."
Jennifer
"This is somewhat similar, but it is definitely darker. The writing and storyline were both amazing imo though. "
Rylee Elyse
"The Poppy War series is my favorite series of all time. The writing is so amazing, & I loved that Rin’s narration was so straightforward & calculative. This book was a breath of fresh air, & I will forever be searching for something that can top it. The elements of fantasy are so effortlessly intertwined with the references to actual history, religion and politics it’s just *chef’s kiss*. I was so crushed by the ending yet I knew it was absolutely necessary and 100% the right choice. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"
Ghostie Gal
"OMG, OH MY GOD!!! This book was literally freaking perfection. I was super scared that the book was going to be overhyped but it is better than I ever could have imagined! My hands were shaking as I turned the pages, my hands had to cover the other half of the page so I wouldn’t skip ahead. This book has broken me and will probably send me to a book slump. I don’t think I will find anything better for a while. (I still love TOG don’t get me wrong).
•MAJOR SPOILERS•
Rin’s slow decent into madness was AMAZING. Heart breaking, head pounding, non-comprehendible. Altan’s death was soul crushing. I just can’t put my thoughts into words, nothing can describe how good this book is.
"
KyKy
"A wonderfully written book. I felt like the characters were well written and I actually wanted to know more about each one. The world building was very interesting but be warned that the author doesn’t hold back on details. The events are based on true events and the wonderful writing combined with the horrendous war crimes definitely made me feel sick at times. Still, the story and characters were great. I couldn’t stop reading half way through."
T
Tori
"This reminded me a lot of The Name of the Wind. An orphan struggling for a better life and of course, the crazy teacher taking them in. I was in shock at forty pages in. Getting all glassy-eyed with Rin as she said goodbye to the only person in the world who gave her a chance. It was hard to believe the author made me feel so much so quick.
Seriously this is why I don't read summaries. When Rin started bruning up I had no clue what would happen. It was a surprise to me in a world that didn’t seem to have magic at all just fairytales. Again and again, R.F. Kuang impressed me. My allegiances changed often. Sometimes I followed Rin thinking she knew best. We became ashamed together when she took things too far. Still, the author gave the reader the space to figure things out for themselves instead of forcing objectives.
And honestly, I don't know why but it makes me so very happy when writers remember women's monthly agony. There is a lot to be said about a woman struggling to even get out of bed once a month and it shouldn't be glossed over. Rin's hardships seemed never-ending at times. But I do love the orphan trope as horrible as that might sound. They have to claw and fight for their dreams and inevitably have more grit. Rin fought harder because to lose is death.
The Poppy War is somewhat of a historical fantasy retelling of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre. The author I take it studied a lot of history and the book became bolder and more complex because of it. Even as I bounced around with my loyalties I also couldn't figure out which way the story would take me. I'm still not sure where it will go. War changes people. It changed a little jerk in this story and I love him now for some reason. I know that's cryptic but I just wanted to remember him. Sometimes misunderstandings can wreak havoc."
Ashley
"If you are looking for a fantasy book with a strong female lead, this is the book for you! Such a great story line. I will be reading book 2!"
Golene Moreno
"Based on what I had heard about The Poppy War I was expecting it to be a bit more fast paced, but I did still love the journey R.F. Kuang took me on. <br/><br/>It was fascinating to watch Rin go from her one track mind of becoming a solider, to declaring Lore, to becoming involved in a war, and finally to harnessing the power of a God for destruction. <br/><br/>I felt Rin’s arc was very believable, although it did seem like her motives were a bit surface level. I never really felt like I knew why she personally wanted to fight other than to bring glory to her country which seems misguided if you know anything about the ugliness of war. <br/><br/>The ending was fantastic and I’m excited to pick up the next book."
A C
Alyssa Czernek
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