R. F. Kuang

The searing follow-up to 2018's most celebrated fantasy debut - THE POPPY WAR.

The Dragon Republic

Yenale

"Oh child. We are not going to kill you." The Sorquan Shira reached out and stroked the back of her fingers down Rin's cheek. "We're going to fix you."

"My people are mud," she said. "And you're still going to let them run a country."

"I don't think they're mud," Nezha said. "I think they're still unformed. Uneducated and uncultered. They don't know better because they haven't been given the chance. But the Republic will shape and refine them. Develop them into what they're mean to be."

"It's not about who you are, it's about how they see you. And once you're mud in this country, you're always mud."

"Democracy's not going to work. Look at them." She was gesturing at trees, not people, but it hardly made a difference to her. 

"They're cows. Fools. They're voting for the Republic because they're scared - I'm sure they'd vote just as quickly to join the Federation."

"When did you let the Mugunese into your gates?" she asked. "Before they burned Golyn Niis, or after?"

"We didn't have a choice," he whispered. 

By an overwhelming majority, the village of Radan had elected to join the Republic.

Nezha looked both pleased and relieved. "That's what you get when you let the people decide."

Kitay shook his head. "No, that's what you get when you've killed all the brave men and let the cowards vote."

"I don't care that my father thinks the sun shines out of your ass," he said. "You'll act like soldiers or you'll be punished as deserters."

"Asshole," Rin muttered as they left the office.

"He's absolutely awful," Kitay agreed. "It's a rare person who makes Nezha look like a pleasant sibling."

"I'm not saying that I want him to drown in the Murui," Ramsa said, "but I want him to drown in the Murui."

"It's either your ship or Nezha's. And frankly, he and I have been getting on each other's nerves."

"Oh, it absolutely is," he said. "Don't care. Besides, I like you better. Aren't you flattered?"

"Negotiations?" she screeched. "You think I give a fuck about negociations? They want to dissect me!"

"And Father won't let that happen! You think he's about to give you up? You think 

 let that happen? I'd die before I let anyone hurt you, Rin, calm down -"

"Yes. But you'll really like this one. Nice uniform, by the way."

"I'm just saying the colors look good on you. You make a good Dragon."

"People will seek to use you or destroy you. If you want to live, you must pick a side. So do not shirk from war, child. Do not flinch from suffering. When you hear screaming, run toward it."

"Do you think the Nikara are so altruistic? What if you asked a village to give up their homes so that thousands of others might live? Do you think they would do it? The Nikara are selfish. This entire country is selfish. 

 are selfish. The provinces have always been so 

 parochial, unable to see past their own narrow interests to pursue any kind of joint action."

"When my dogs go mad, I put them down," Jun said.

The Empress spoke from the doorway. "But little girls arent's dogs, Loran." 

This was what the balance of power looked like now. People like her waved a hand and millions were crushed within the confines of some elemental disaster, flung on the chessboard of the world like irrelevant pieces. People like her - shamans, all of them - were like children stomping around over entire cities as if they were mud castles, glass houses, fungible entities that could be targeted and demolished.

Sashi

“They believe in a singular and all-powerful deity, which means they cannot accept the truth of other gods. And when nations start to believe that other beliefs lead to damnation, violence becomes inevitable."

"You need discipline," said Vaisra. "You must concentrate. Fortify your mind. I know you hear the screaming. Learn to live with it. Altan did."

"Like you know how it feels," Kitay snapped. "The closest thing you had to a family was a suicidal maniac who got himself killed on a mission almost as stupid as this one."

She could tell he knew he'd crossed the line, even as he said it. Rin hoped for a moment that he might cave, that he'd apologize, but he simply looked away.

She felt a pang in her chest. The Kitay she knew would have apologized.

"I would never," said Nezha. "But glad to have you on board."

They burned for someone else's war, someone else's wrongs; someone they had never met had made the decision they should die, so in their last moments they would have no idea why their skin was scorching off.

She couldn't lose her chance at revenge. Revenge was the only thing she had.

"It's not about who you are, it's about how they see you. And once you're mud in this country, you're always mud.”

It must be nice, possessing all the power, so that you could approach geopolitics like a chess game, popping in curiously to observe which countries deserved your aid and which didn’t.

“What you don't get to do is remain neutral. When you have the power that you do, your life is not your own."

Rin already knew the answer. Why not hunt for delicacies? Lusan was clearly untouched by the refugee crisis that had swept the rest of the country; it could afford to focus on luxury.

"You spend your whole life chasing after some illusion you think is real, only to realize you're a damned fool, and that if you reach any further, you’ll drown.”

The searing follow-up to 2018’s most celebrated fantasy debut – THE POPPY WAR.

The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War, Book 2)

Luke Harkness

Another very good fantasy tale

So I don't think I've quite jumped on the hype of this series quite like everyone else. I do love the setting and the unique lore, but there are just too many onconsistencies. My biggest gripe with this series is just how grumpy everyone is. I understand the main character is supposed to have a short temper as it helps flare her power but this shouldn't stop her from being able to joke and take a joke either - neither of which she does. Luckily some of the other characters really brought in some personality and humour to the book which made it a more enjoyable character tale to read. My only other gripe is there's a lot of war involved - which I know is the premise and I knew going into it - but it is mostly all they talk about and it can be hard to keep track of sometimes.

Selin Igten

oh my fucking god oh my god i did not expect that ending oh my god

aleksandra

5/5

I LOVE this series. I ADORE this series. I WORSHIP this series. I TREASURE this series. I’m ON MY KNEES for this series. I want to start a NEW RELIGION for this series. I want to PROPOSE to this series I want to MARRY this series. I want to DIE for this series. I’m INSANE for this series. I want to buy EVERY POSSIBLE COPY of this series. I want to START A FAMILY with this series. I want to worship this series on my knees UNTIL THE DAY I DIE.


I don't remember the last time I was so absorbed in some books that I couldn't function like a normal person. I got up, I went to read this book, I ate and read this book, I read instead of studying because this book was more important, I tried to sleep and thought about this book, I was taking a shower and couldn't wait to finally go to bed and read this book instead of going to sleep. I don't know what kind of crack R.F. Kuang put into this trilogy, but I'm absolutely obsessed. I know Rebecca will never see this, but thank you. Your books reminded me why I love reading. 

I never expected the second book to be even better than the first one, which I already rated five stars - and believe me, it’s a rare occurrence for me to rate a book that high - but yes, it pushed the first part off the podium. The plot, the twists, and that end. There was action after action, even when it seemed calmer, suddenly something happened and instead of talking a break for a second, you kept reading because you had to know what was happening. If there was one thing I would wholeheartedly recommend before starting this series, it would be to not get attached to any of the characters. Seriously. This is definitely not your typical young adult fantasy story where all the characters got what they deserved, whether it was a happy ending or not. It’s a book about war, its ugly and painful consequences and the people who, regardless of age, had to participate in it, losing their loved ones, friends and even themselves. 


The characters here clearly stole the show. Kitay, the greatest best friend, I never thought I could love this man more, but I do. Nezha, I know he has a lot going on in his complicated life, I hate him for what he's done, but I don't think it's possible for me to dislike him. Ramsa, Suni, Baji, Venka, I love these people, I have become so attached to them, I just love them with my whole heart. You could see here how much these characters had changed, how the war had changed them all, from young people with aspirations to people who lost some faith in their future but still wanted to fight for what they thought was good.


  
    "But eventually, you'll have to ask yourself precisely what you're fighting for. And you'll have to find a reason to live past vengeance"

"Fire and water looked so lovely together. It was a pity they destroyed each other by nature."
  


Let's not forget about the most important character here, Fang Runin. You could so clearly see how much she had changed since the first book - from a still young girl attending her dream academy, to a girl who had lost many important people, to a girl who had to make choices that no child should have to make, to a girl who people treated like a machine, not a human, to a girl who was lost and wanted to give up, but still found the strength to fight. I think her character was portrayed in the most real and authentic way. She was far from perfect, but are any of us perfect? She was not, but that doesn't change the fact that she's still one of the best characters I've ever read about. Did I agree with all of her choices? No, some of the paths she chose frustrated me or I just simply didn’t understand them, but I kept forgetting that she was a young girl who grew up in difficult conditions, and when she finally found herself in the place she chose, a war began in which due to her newfound abilities, she had no choice but fight. I have this great feeling that I know what will happen in the third book with her, and not only with her, but for my own peace of mind I will try to be delusional and pretend that I am wrong.


I could probably write and write about this book forever, but I'll stop here and just say that I highly recommend it with my whole heart. I know that this is a series that you have to be in the right mood and time to start, I picked it up after it had been on my shelf for two years, but it was so worth it. Despite the pain, tears, betrayal and trauma I experienced here, it was worth it.

OH MY GOD THAT ENDING 😭😭😭😭😭 this book has made me confused on who to side on.... all i know right now is kitay best boy 🫡 anyways THIS WAS SO GOOD I LOVE IT SM

When I began reading the second book, I initially hoped it would get all the way better than the first one. And it did. Upon reaching the halfway point of the book, it became apparent that Kuang deliberately wrote The Dragon Republic with a significantly slower pace compared to The Poppy War. I have no objections to this. I appreciate a deliberate pace as long as there are continuous and coherent connections between plot points. However, I must confess that despite the Kuang’s intention to create a seamless flow through the plot, it still feels overly drawn-out, leading to a sense of frustration as we eagerly anticipate the next significant development. In contrast to the first book where we barely got to know anyone at all, the second book delves into the depths of characters we were introduced to in The Poppy War.

I appreciate the opportunity to explore more of Kitay’s character, gaining insight into the overwhelming emotions concealed within him. Being accustomed to his intellectual judgments, understanding his motives adds a new dimension to his character. The bond formed between Kitay and Rin adds to his importance. I feel compelled to bring up The Cike as they not only serve as Rin’s sole friends, but they hold significance for Rin’s character development. I am overly saddened that they are given so little mention, considering the unfairness of their deaths. God, I am going to miss them so terribly.

Then of course, there’s Yin Nezha, our beloved yet pitiful character. Throughout the book, I found myself questioning a lot about him. In the end, was he in the wrong? I don’t think so. In a way, he appeared to be a convergent to Rin—whereas he was a victim of destiny. He didn’t desire a war against Rin, and he certainly didn’t ask for the dragon curse. Nezha simply came into the world, raised as a northerner, the son, and the male heir to the House of Yin. At this rate, it seems like nobody has ever really grasped Nezha’s true nature. In the third book, my only wish is that everything will be clarified for us.

 the conclusion approaches, the tension escalates like a rollercoaster ride, and I find myself queasy in realizing that, from that point forward, Nezha will be Rin’s enemy. Yet again, we are treated to an epic concluding line. In those final moments, I particularly appreciated that, for once, Rin could make up her mind about at least one thing.

Little Flower

When I began reading the second book, I initially hoped it would get all the way better than the first one. And it did. Upon reaching the halfway point of the book, it became apparent that Kuang deliberately wrote The Dragon Republic with a significantly slower pace compared to The Poppy War. I have no objections to this. I appreciate a deliberate pace as long as there are continuous and coherent connections between plot points. However, I must confess that despite the Kuang’s intention to create a seamless flow through the plot, it still feels overly drawn-out, leading to a sense of frustration as we eagerly anticipate the next significant development. In contrast to the first book where we barely got to know anyone at all, the second book delves into the depths of characters we were introduced to in The Poppy War.

I appreciate the opportunity to explore more of Kitay’s character, gaining insight into the overwhelming emotions concealed within him. Being accustomed to his intellectual judgments, understanding his motives adds a new dimension to his character. The bond formed between Kitay and Rin adds to his importance. I feel compelled to bring up The Cike as they not only serve as Rin’s sole friends, but they hold significance for Rin’s character development. I am overly saddened that they are given so little mention, considering the unfairness of their deaths. God, I am going to miss them so terribly.

Then of course, there’s Yin Nezha, our beloved yet pitiful character. Throughout the book, I found myself questioning a lot about him. In the end, was he in the wrong? I don’t think so. In a way, he appeared to be a convergent to Rin—whereas he was a victim of destiny. He didn’t desire a war against Rin, and he certainly didn’t ask for the dragon curse. Nezha simply came into the world, raised as a northerner, the son, and the male heir to the House of Yin. At this rate, it seems like nobody has ever really grasped Nezha’s true nature. In the third book, my only wish is that everything will be clarified for us.

As the conclusion approaches, the tension escalates like a rollercoaster ride, and I find myself queasy in realizing that, from that point forward, Nezha will be Rin’s enemy. Yet again, we are treated to an epic concluding line. In those final moments, I particularly appreciated that, for once, Rin could make up her mind about at least one thing.

Isabella 

4.5
The plot is super detailed that I honestly don't remember every detail, but it was so interesting and well-written that I couldn't stop reading. The story and complex were complex and I loved it. Everything that happened made sense, and although I saw it coming, it still made me speechless (in a good way). (view spoiler)[Why are you killing my favorite characters :( + Despite me expecting the betrayal that happened, it still HURT. I want to hate Nezha so bad, but I can't do it. (hide spoiler)] This book was full of pain. PAIN. This book was full of pain. PAIN. I am honestly terrified to read the next book.

It was a masterpiece. My favorite of the trilogy. I loved the political aspect of the book, the Cike's characters and the shifts of power. As usual, it's beautifully written. I laughed, I was horrified, and I cried a lot.

gabby

… i don’t even know. like i hate this. (this book is amazing but wtf)

Pia 

If it were possible, I'd get every word of this trilogy inked into my skin.

Grace M

i feel absolutely insane. i am not sure how to move on

this book is wayyyyy better than the first one, and it leaves you wanting more from the story!! loved how the way it was written doesn't filter out the pain, the agony, and the ugliness of having to go through a time of war. being in rin's position, clueless as to where she's born to, only lets her struggle more to find her place in this world and to whoch side she's really on. even with the immense power she beholds, there's still that feeling of being trapped under the presence of someone who already left the physical realm. she's entitled to something but has nothing she can call home, as every side she let's herself get into always finds a way to disappoint her. basta grabe !! those moments where she thought na may assurance na siya na she can rely on this person only for her to feel stupidly blind after just because for once in her life she let her emotions get first. i just want to give ber a bigger hug rn. she makes stupid decisions most of the time but i still find myself rooting for her until the very end. looking forward to book 3<33

a!thea 

asmooth

“Between us, we have the fire and the water. I'm quite sure that together, we can take on the wind.”


Fire and water looked so lovely together, it was a pity they destroyed each other by nature.

REVIEW: 
The Dragon Republic is the second serial of The Poppy War Trilogy. Tells the story about Rin, a girl who has harnessed the power of Phoenix. A mythical creature that gives her ability to control a fire. She also has a grudge with an Empress who sold out her country; Su Daji.

In previous book, Rin joined forces with Cike, the shamans to fight a war against the Federation. The book ends with a devastating massacre on Mugen Federation, carried out by Rin and the power of Phoenix. Rin also loses Altan, which leaves her to take over the leadership of Cike.

After making an alliance with the Pirate Queen, in furtherance of mission, Rin and Cike eventually joined The Dragon Warlord who has the same purposes as Rin and Cike. To further empower the dynasty, The Dragon Warlord found himself dependent on the Hesperian fleet. This is where all the destruction and bloodshed really begins.

This novel features most of the ensemble from The Poppy War. The Dragon Republic was focused on military strategy and might and not the supernatural aspects of the pantheon of gods. This epic dark fantasy novel with oriental influences has a vast world, all the political intrigue, nicely presented dramatic moments, flowing dialog, and a plot that often leaves the reader wondering if the traitor will betray the one to be betrayed first. You won't know who to trust, and unexpected events occur.

Not gonna lie, I have high expectations on this second serial since I gave The Poppy War a solid 5 stars. I really love Rin and Kitay's friendship—how they take care and protect each other it's precious. Also her friendship with Cike and Venka, or her platonic relationship with Nezha. The storyline, the word building, the character development, the plot twist, everything. All I feel is pain but I strangely loved it.

Catarina Lopes 

I really enjoyed Poppy War and I think Dragon Republic built off of that and thensome. I usually like the first book better than others when it comes to series but Dragon Republic builds off of a lot of great things PW did while upping the stakes, improving the writing and adding more action pieces. There are a lot more key players which makes it more intriguing because we, like Rin, are struggling to know who to trust it what feels like a continent full of enemies.

I really enjoyed Poppy War and I think Dragon Republic built off of that and thensome. I usually like the first book better than others when it comes to series but Dragon Republic builds off of a lot of great things PW did while upping the stakes, improving the writing and adding more action pieces. There are a lot more key players which makes it more intriguing because we, like Rin, are struggling to know who to trust it what feels like a continent full of enemies.

Excited to start the third book! 

Tatiana

The Dragon Republic: 4/5

Damn this series is so good. 

The Dragon Republic is an incredible sequel to The Poppy War with an intense plot ravaged by war, deeply flawed characters, and a whole lot of heartbreak. At every turn, you think that the plot cannot get any crazier and it does. 

It is hard to talk about this book without spoiling the events within The Poppy War so I won't harp on it too much. Just know it is heartbreaking, exciting, gruesome, and wonderful. I don't know what I'm going to do when I finally pick up the final book. I'm kinda scared shitless. 

Anyways, this series is great and I AM AFRAID.

꒰⋆ 𓏲 dells ! ✦ ꒱

nina 

Syahla Aurel

This was not a world of men. It was a world of gods, a time of great powers. It was the era of divinity walking in a man, of wind and water and fire. And in the warfare, she who held the power asymmetry was the inevitable victor. She, the Last Speerly, called the greatest power of all.

While I might be in the minority, I found the first book more enjoyable than this one. In my opinion, Rin, especially in Part I and Part II, comes across as annoying, bratty, and rude. I acknowledge that she needs a "downfall" moment after the events of the first book, but her obnoxious behavior towards everyone around her became hard to tolerate. There's a sense that her characterization could have been handled more effectively. Despite the importance of her story, I found half of the book to be rather boring and flat.

Fortunately, Part III comes to the rescue and salvages the entire book. The ending still compels me to read the last book in the series. In conclusion, despite my reservations, this book remains entertaining. R.F. Kuang skillfully weaves words to create a beautiful and impactful story that leaves a strong impression on the reader. Hence, I might take a break before delving into the final book. LOL.

kei hiroto

preparing myself for the angst in the third book, this book was just pure paIN

STRAIGHT UP BRILLIANT.

the ending has me so shook i have no idea what to say 😭😭😭😭😭 

——

in the middle of reading this book, i decided to revise on the historical events the book is based off on and honestly ive absolutely been blown away at how the book depicts the very real bloody history in a high-fantasy setting and captures the tragedy so well. im very shaken!!!!!

anyways no time to recover frm this book, its straight into the third for me. cant get enough of this trilogy-sized heartbreak 💔

Sophie Wang

for a series with this many moving pieces its incredible how readable it is; you get a thorough understanding of the motivations and emotions of extensive cast, and the personal plot points are just as moving as the bigger political ones. 

addition upon reread: was so focused on the geopolitics and historical aspect the first read that i barely comprehended how complex nezha is.

The Dragon Republic

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