R. F. Kuang

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

The Dragon Republic

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

The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War, Book 2)

Kaitlyn

"Let Nezha come for us," she said. “I'm going to burn his heart out of his chest."

Chaghan shrugged. “You’d have to ask the other two. Have you finished drinking?" 

Kitay drained the cup and winced. “Ugh. Yes." 

“There's no agaric in that cup," Chaghan said. 

Chaghan gave him a thin smile. "I just wanted to see if you'd now drink horse piss."

“Don't be disgusting," she snapped. "They're horrible. And they smell awful. They're… I don't know, it's like something curdled." 

"It's because they drink cow's milk, I think. All that dairy is screwing with their systems." 

“I just thought they weren't showering."

“Have you seen their penises?" Kitay asked. 

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

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT NEZHA 🫣🫣🫣

"Negotiations?" she screeched. You think I give a fuck about negotiations? They want to dissect me!" "And Father won't let that happen! You think he's about to give you up? You think l'd let that happen? I'd die before I let anyone hurt you, Rin, calm down—"

"Hello." Baji whistled behind Rin. “Who is that?" 

 shot him a disgusted look. That's my mother."

"Sort of. They're scientists, too. In their religion, the scientists and priests are one and the same."

They were all men, and each held a strange-looking weapon across his chest. Rin couldn't determine the weapon's purpose. It looked like a series of tubes of different lengths, joined together near the back with something like a handle.

YOU’RE CRAZY CHAGHAN, but you’re just like me for real.

She realized that Chaghan felt this fear often. 

She realized that Chaghan probably enjoyed it.

“What do you mean, that's a nice ship?" 

"I mean, if that ship were a person, I would fuck that ship," said Baji.

um so i did not see this coming at all. what in the actual fuck. what the fuck. what the fuck just happened. what in the cursed lover in this. i cannot do this

Luoyi

Then awareness came slowly and painfully-her mind lapsed into flashes of images, fragments of conversations. Nezha's face. The sour aftertaste of sorghum wine. A knife. A kiss.

OHMYGOD IS THIS HAPPENING OR IS THIS HAPPENING AHHHHHHH

Nezha pulled her head toward his and kissed her hard, his lips forming a seal around hers. A bubble of air passed into her mouth. It wasn't much, but her vision cleared, her lungs stopped burning, and her limbs began to respond to her commands.

Why was it that whenever she looked at Nezha, she wanted to either kill him or kiss him? He made her either furious or deliriously happy. The one thing he did not make her feel was secure.

He rested his head against her shoulder. She clutched at his hands. Neither of them could sleep. They were both watching the library windows, waiting to see Hesperian troops lined up at the door, to hear the fall of heavy boots in the hallway.

I defect for them. This is how I will protect them. I weep for you, my student. I weep for your Republic. I weep for my wife and children. You will die thinking I have abandoned you all. But I do not hesitate to say that I value the lives of my people far more than I have ever valued you.

i cannot do this. i just need them to be together but i know this isn’t happening

"Can I?" he asked. She stretched her arms toward him. He pulled her in against him so hard that she stiffened on instinct. Then she relaxed, because Nezha was so warm, so solid, and hugging him was such a wonderful feeling that she just wanted to bury her face into his uniform and stand there for a very long time.

Or maybe, she thought, with stars this bright, if you believed that above you lay the cosmos, then you had to construct a yurt to provide some temporary feeling of materiality. Otherwise, under the weight of swirling divinity, you might feel you had no significance at all.

A wall had been built in her mind, a psychic structure that repelled and muted the god to just a faint whisper. Fuck you, said the Phoenix, but even now it sounded amused. Fuck you, little Speerly. She shouted with delight. She hadn't just recovered, she had tamed a god. The anchor bond had set her free.

But where her rage Was explosive, immediate and devastating, Kitay's burned with a silent determination; it festered and rotted and lingered, and the strength of his hate stunned her. We're the same.

yes many toxic and manipulative and haunts you even after they die i take it 

“You would be stunned.” The Sorqab Sira looked very sad. “You have no idea how many men are like Allan Trenton.”

Atlan was no hero. That was clear to her now, so stunningly clear that she felt as if she’d been doused in once water, submerged and reborn.

Her heart slammed against her rib cage. She tried to focus on her pulse, counting her heartbeats with every passing second to calm down. He's gone. He's dead. He can't hurt me anymore. She reached for her anger, the anger that had always served as her shield, and couldn't find it.

Kitay whistled under his breath. "Lovers' spat, you two?" Rin's face suddenly felt terribly hot. She sat down beside Kitay and busied herself by pretending to fiddle with the cow intestine. “Something like that.”

What a relief it would be to know that at the end of this life there was a better one, that perhaps upon death you might enjoy the comforts you had always been denied instead of fading away from an indifferent universe. What a relief to know that the world was supposed to make sense, and that if it didn't, you would one day be justly compensated.

Compared to the first book, this lacked in many aspects..and it did feel repetitive although its only natural, wars are circles and you could never find the way out, but it felt deeply terrible that each one of the characters that were there for rin and had sacrificed so much for her died in the process, the cike was still wonderful even after Altan's death, I'll miss each and every one of them 

🐚

unsure if it’s only because i haven’t read something lengthy in a while, but i could only describe the pacing of this as a single tedious arc—fitting, considering the nature of war. 

this definitely doesn’t shy away from describing the damage dealt by the throes of battle. it’s graphic, but realistic.

on a personal level: as someone who hails from a country that has never been politically stable, i found myself drawing parallels. of course, this exacerbated all sorts of emotions.

if anything, i loved whenever i could see the relationships develop between the characters. kitay remains my favorite, but venka is a surprising addition to the roster.

rini

real ✰: 4.5

unsure if it’s only because i haven’t read something lengthy in a while, but i could only describe the pacing of this as a single tedious arc—fitting, considering the nature of war. 

this definitely doesn’t shy away from describing the damage dealt by the throes of battle. it’s graphic, but realistic.

on a personal level: as someone who hails from a country that has never been politically stable, i found myself drawing parallels. of course, this exacerbated all sorts of emotions.

if anything, i loved whenever i could see the relationships develop between the characters. kitay remains my favorite, but venka is a surprising addition to the roster.

jade shen

• They knew not to touch her without asking. Not to approach her from behind. Not to make sudden movements or sounds around her unless they wanted to end up a stick of charcoal floating to the bottom of Omonod Bay.

• You're frightened all the time. You think everyone's out to get you, and you want them to be out to get you because then that'll give you an excuse to hurt them.

• "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."

• What a relief it would be to know that at the end o this life there was a better one, that perhaps upon death you might enjoy the comforts you had always been denied instead of fading away from an in different universe.

• She'd always thought Chaghan so ethereally powerful, so detached from the realm of mortals. But he was human after all, smaller and thinner than the rest of them. And for the first time in his life, he was alone.

• Rage and grief were so different. Rage gave her the power to burn down countries. Grief only exhausted her.

• She wanted to tell him it was all right, he didn't have to tell her, they never had to speak about this again, but Nezha was talking faster and faster, like he was afraid the words would be buried inside him if he didn't spit them out now.

• She'd adapted to fit in. She'd erase her identity to survive.

• Yes, I know he's a prick. But l also know that he'd throw himself off a cliff for you. Please stop trying to break him.

• Vaisra's parade wasn't a testament victory, but an acknowledgment of sacrifice.

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

Kath

• They knew not to touch her without asking. Not to approach her from behind. Not to make sudden movements or sounds around her unless they wanted to end up a stick of charcoal floating to the bottom of Omonod Bay.
• You're frightened all the time. You think everyone's out to get you, and you want them to be out to get you because then that'll give you an excuse to hurt them.
• "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."
• What a relief it would be to know that at the end o this life there was a better one, that perhaps upon death you might enjoy the comforts you had always been denied instead of fading away from an in different universe.
• She'd always thought Chaghan so ethereally powerful, so detached from the realm of mortals. But he was human after all, smaller and thinner than the rest of them. And for the first time in his life, he was alone.
• Rage and grief were so different. Rage gave her the power to burn down countries. Grief only exhausted her.
• She wanted to tell him it was all right, he didn't have to tell her, they never had to speak about this again, but Nezha was talking faster and faster, like he was afraid the words would be buried inside him if he didn't spit them out now.
• She'd adapted to fit in. She'd erase her identity to survive.
• Yes, I know he's a prick. But l also know that he'd throw himself off a cliff for you. Please stop trying to break him.
• Vaisra's parade wasn't a testament victory, but an acknowledgment of sacrifice.
• Fire and water looked so lovely together. It was a pity they destroyed each other by nature.

I think for the most part of this book I was in a massive reading slump and just couldn’t get into it, even though the pacing of this book is a bit better than book 1. I LOVED The Poppy War. It was an infinity star read for me.

I will have to reread this book again at some stage and be completely corrected about my 4star rating! 

That said, the last 100 pages of this was BONKERS! It completely turned it all around for me and I can’t wait to see how this series finishes.

Aims

I think for the most part of this book I was in a massive reading slump and just couldn’t get into it, even though the pacing of this book is a bit better than book 1. I LOVED The Poppy War. It was an infinity star read for me.

I will have to reread this book again at some stage and be completely corrected about my 4star rating! 

That said, the last 100 pages of this was BONKERS! It completely turned it all around for me and I can’t wait to see how this series finishes.

Lydia Enge

Claire Jorgensen

I love how it immediately made me buy the next book

angel

Rebecca Kuang you are a legend i’ve never been so caught off guard by a story. the historical references and the intricate detail of each character is a piece of art. i know imma be so heart broken by the next book but it’s too good not to read

Feeling all the feels while reading The Dragon Republic! From intense emotions to deep thoughts, this book really tugs at your heartstrings. It's like riding a rollercoaster of emotions with unexpected tear-jerking moments that hit you right in the feels. Can't help but get emotionally invested in Rin's journey and the powerful themes explored throughout. Get ready for a wild ride of emotions with this one!

Hey there, back in action with another round of The Poppy War series: The Dragon Republic from the #InkedLibrary collection. Finally managed to wrap up this book after a bit of procrastination. Just like the first one, this sequel packs a punch and leaves a lasting impression. Still absolutely blown away by it! The storyline delves deep into historical and political conflicts that escalate into full-blown warfare, all while shining a spotlight on the power of friendship and family ties. The character development, the rich settings, and the overall vibe are still spot on, especially with our main character, Rin, taking center stage. Just like before, this book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, stirring up a mix of feelings, thoughts, and inner battles that really draw readers in. The author's knack for balancing humor and horror hits the mark perfectly at all the right moments. Oh, and a friendly reminder to always check the Trigger Warning before diving in, as this book tackles some heavy themes like drug use, warfare, propaganda, violence, rape, massacres, and murders. The pacing of the story keeps you engaged without rushing or dragging, but get ready for some unexpected tear-jerking moments in this second installment. So, buckle up and get ready for another wild ride through The Dragon Republic!

Breed'Reem

Feeling all the feels while reading The Dragon Republic! From intense emotions to deep thoughts, this book really tugs at your heartstrings. It's like riding a rollercoaster of emotions with unexpected tear-jerking moments that hit you right in the feels. Can't help but get emotionally invested in Rin's journey and the powerful themes explored throughout. Get ready for a wild ride of emotions with this one!

Hey there, back in action with another round of The Poppy War series: The Dragon Republic from the #InkedLibrary collection. Finally managed to wrap up this book after a bit of procrastination. Just like the first one, this sequel packs a punch and leaves a lasting impression. Still absolutely blown away by it! The storyline delves deep into historical and political conflicts that escalate into full-blown warfare, all while shining a spotlight on the power of friendship and family ties. The character development, the rich settings, and the overall vibe are still spot on, especially with our main character, Rin, taking center stage. Just like before, this book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, stirring up a mix of feelings, thoughts, and inner battles that really draw readers in. The author's knack for balancing humor and horror hits the mark perfectly at all the right moments. Oh, and a friendly reminder to always check the Trigger Warning before diving in, as this book tackles some heavy themes like drug use, warfare, propaganda, violence, rape, massacres, and murders. The pacing of the story keeps you engaged without rushing or dragging, but get ready for some unexpected tear-jerking moments in this second installment. So, buckle up and get ready for another wild ride through The Dragon Republic!

sofia mae

i personally love when the second book in a series is somehow even better than the first.... rf kuang you're amazing and terrifying....

rf kuang u are a genius i cant even get mad at u rn

turtle

khush

Rin is a pain here, but I kept reading for Kitay. Look honestly at this point I do not get why this trilogy is such a sensation, because even though it’s good I seem to be missing what makes it spectacular. Some characters here acted out of expectation, and not in good ways. The story is immensely dense, and sketched out in barest lines, so it becomes a rush of events in a whirling tornado of words and events. Much of the inspiration historically is being used and utilised but not pondered upon in a meaningful or extensive way - they’re just here as setpieces and details, but the RF Kuang I know would utilise them better overall 

Omar 

hana

Rin’s story continues in this acclaimed sequel to The Poppy War—an epic fantasy combining the history of twentieth-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters. The war is over. The war has just begun. Three times throughout its history, Nikan has fought for its survival in the bloody Poppy Wars. Though the third battle has just ended, shaman and warrior Rin cannot forget the atrocity she committed to save her people. Now she is on the run from her guilt, the opium addiction that holds her like a vice, and the murderous commands of the fiery Phoenix—the vengeful god who has blessed Rin with her fearsome power. Though she does not want to live, she refuses to die until she avenges the traitorous Empress who betrayed Rin’s homeland to its enemies. Her only hope is to join forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who plots to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new republic. But neither the Empress nor the Dragon Warlord are what they seem. The more Rin witnesses, the more she fears her love for Nikan will force her to use the Phoenix’s deadly power once more. Because there is nothing Rin won’t sacrifice to save her country . . . and exact her vengeance.

I did not see the betrayal at the end happening but it was sooo good

prawnie

plot twists and betrayals around every corner

plot twists and betrayals around every corner

had a good time

character development and personal drama definitely got better, although I still don’t understand how talented student in the first book forgot all her politics and strategy military training. I guess it shows her nature and connection to fire and whatnot, but sometimes her actions feel rather stupid

Eugene

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

It took me two years to finally read the second book in this series and I am not going to lie, this series so far has been exhausting and mildly traumatising. When I wrote my review for the first book I think I was in a state of shock because I barely even mentioned how it affected me, Part 3 of The Poppy War took a very dark turn and felt like a completely different book to the first two parts and, spoiler for book one, 

the fact it ended on a genocide borne from revenge and hatred of an entire country of people didn't sit well with me.

For a long time I wondered if I would ever even pick this series up again, to be honest, and I am glad that I did but also I think this series, while very well written for the most part, just isn't developing in a way that I completely vibe with.

It's actually not so much the topics, I think a story about war and oppression is always going to have very tough subjects discussed, betrayal, poverty, treatment of refugees, prejudice, murder, rape etc those, unfortunately, all come part and parcel with war and the way they're added into these books is realistic but I am not sure they're handled as well as they could be. For one, Rin's character is incredibly flawed - and I like a good morally grey character - but, especially through The Dragon Republic, she just does not have any character growth. At the beginning she is battling with grief and guilt for what she did and ends up addicted to opium because those feelings plus the rage she feels fuels the Phoenix and causes her to lose control of her fire. I think this would have been a great place for the story to segue into a deep dive into those feelings and a chance for Rin to grow and learn to be better, have some emotional stability and only access the rage purposefully when she needs her powers. But instead she become infatuated with a man who is very similar to Altan, the man who wrecked her and basically abused her previously, and is strong armed into sobriety and control, which somehow happens cold turkey over a miraculously short week... 

Rin then goes on to lose access to her power through Daji's Seal and basically throws tantrums and then gives up and becomes a shell of herself, and is only happy again once she finds a way to access her rage again. She yells and screams about basically committing near genocide again on the remaining Federation soldiers, the Hesperians and even, at the end, the Dragon Republic itself 

Through all of this, Kitay remains my favourite character. His friendship with Rin is amazing, his balance of knowledge and morality juxtaposed against Rin's chaos and hatred is so refreshing, and as we learn in this book he's fuelled by anger himself but the way he channels that is just so much healthier than her. At the end of the book, 

when everything goes down with Nezha and Vaisra's betrayal, Rin talks about wanting to find other kids just like her, wanting to harness their rage to fight a civil war and Kitay is resigned to going along with this plan even though it's clear he hates it. 

I just hope he gets a happy ending, I don't really care what happens to any of the other characters because honestly, I don't really like any of the other characters, but Kitay deserves peace and his dream of becoming a scholar. The other side characters are kind of non-consequential to be honest, they're still pretty 2D in my mind. We lose a lot of pretty important people in this book and I just didn't feel attached enough to them to be upset, sadly.

I think I am in a bit of a shock again writing this review too to be honest, so I am probably going to take another break before I read the third book but overall, I did enjoy this story. The plot meanders quite a lot and I do think this book suffers a bit from middle book syndrome but altogether I found it action packs, thrilling and fascinating to read. If I wasn't so entertained by the story itself I think I probably would've given this book less stars, but I'm settling on four because it's something I would absolutely recommend to some people but there is just a little something missing. If you are going to pick up this series you 

 to check your triggers because this is not an easy read, but I do think it's good writing to an extent. RF Kuang is clearly an accomplished writer and has important things to say, but I do think it could use a little bit more refining to give those messages punch rather than resorting to endless trauma and shock value.

Genevieve 

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

4 ⭐

It took me two years to finally read the second book in this series and I am not going to lie, this series so far has been exhausting and mildly traumatising. When I wrote my review for the first book I think I was in a state of shock because I barely even mentioned how it affected me, Part 3 of The Poppy War took a very dark turn and felt like a completely different book to the first two parts and, spoiler for book one, 
SPOILER
the fact it ended on a genocide borne from revenge and hatred of an entire country of people didn't sit well with me.
END SPOILER 
For a long time I wondered if I would ever even pick this series up again, to be honest, and I am glad that I did but also I think this series, while very well written for the most part, just isn't developing in a way that I completely vibe with.

It's actually not so much the topics, I think a story about war and oppression is always going to have very tough subjects discussed, betrayal, poverty, treatment of refugees, prejudice, murder, rape etc those, unfortunately, all come part and parcel with war and the way they're added into these books is realistic but I am not sure they're handled as well as they could be. For one, Rin's character is incredibly flawed - and I like a good morally grey character - but, especially through The Dragon Republic, she just does not have any character growth. At the beginning she is battling with grief and guilt for what she did and ends up addicted to opium because those feelings plus the rage she feels fuels the Phoenix and causes her to lose control of her fire. I think this would have been a great place for the story to segue into a deep dive into those feelings and a chance for Rin to grow and learn to be better, have some emotional stability and only access the rage purposefully when she needs her powers. But instead she become infatuated with a man who is very similar to Altan, the man who wrecked her and basically abused her previously, and is strong armed into sobriety and control, which somehow happens cold turkey over a miraculously short week... 
SPOILER
Rin then goes on to lose access to her power through Daji's Seal and basically throws tantrums and then gives up and becomes a shell of herself, and is only happy again once she finds a way to access her rage again. She yells and screams about basically committing near genocide again on the remaining Federation soldiers, the Hesperians and even, at the end, the Dragon Republic itself 
END SPOILER

Through all of this, Kitay remains my favourite character. His friendship with Rin is amazing, his balance of knowledge and morality juxtaposed against Rin's chaos and hatred is so refreshing, and as we learn in this book he's fuelled by anger himself but the way he channels that is just so much healthier than her. At the end of the book, 
SPOILER
when everything goes down with Nezha and Vaisra's betrayal, Rin talks about wanting to find other kids just like her, wanting to harness their rage to fight a civil war and Kitay is resigned to going along with this plan even though it's clear he hates it. 
END SPOILER
I just hope he gets a happy ending, I don't really care what happens to any of the other characters because honestly, I don't really like any of the other characters, but Kitay deserves peace and his dream of becoming a scholar. The other side characters are kind of non-consequential to be honest, they're still pretty 2D in my mind. We lose a lot of pretty important people in this book and I just didn't feel attached enough to them to be upset, sadly.

I think I am in a bit of a shock again writing this review too to be honest, so I am probably going to take another break before I read the third book but overall, I did enjoy this story. The plot meanders quite a lot and I do think this book suffers a bit from middle book syndrome but altogether I found it action packs, thrilling and fascinating to read. If I wasn't so entertained by the story itself I think I probably would've given this book less stars, but I'm settling on four because it's something I would absolutely recommend to some people but there is just a little something missing. If you are going to pick up this series you NEED to check your triggers because this is not an easy read, but I do think it's good writing to an extent. RF Kuang is clearly an accomplished writer and has important things to say, but I do think it could use a little bit more refining to give those messages punch rather than resorting to endless trauma and shock value.

my life is forever changed this book series has literally changed me

amelia <3

okay so without getting too detailed, i think this was a shockingly bad follow up to the poppy war (do keep in mind i read tpw over a year ago). I did 

 the book, in general, i think, but I find myself having the same issue with Kuangs writing. She is so heavy handed with info and messages, and leaves nothing to be interpreted. When she wants to tell you something, SHE WILL. 

 why Rin is the way she is, I understand the parallells to Mao Zedong, and I understand an unlikeable mc. I LOVE an unlikeable mc, they're my fav actually. Rin, on the other hand, is not as much an unlikeable mc or anti hero, as much as she is just an asshole who throws tantrums whenever she doesn't get her way. I do believe this again boils down to bad writing, bc I won't doubt for a second that a mc could be entertaining even if they follow the same arc as Rin does. Rin has no ambitions for herself, cannot do shit unless there's a man involved, and it seems her character changes personality whenever Kuang needs to further the plot, with no sense, meaning or reason. 

As with babel the side characters are definitely there! idk who they are but they're there!! Rin is a mouthpiece for Kuang and her history lessons, and AGAIN its just the same issues with the writing that i had with babel.

I've compared this a lot to babel, and we all know how that went...but i WILL say this series (and book) is better, because it feels more focused on the plot? Prob because she chose a different historical event to rewrite but you get the point. 

also i think Kuang might benefit from rebranding? go into historical fiction instead of covering up lackluster writing and plotholes with bad and poorly executed magic systems

ANYWAYS, idk how to end this so i will simply be fainting

Stas

not the mao zedong fanfic

okay so without getting too detailed, i think this was a shockingly bad follow up to the poppy war (do keep in mind i read tpw over a year ago). I did like the book, in general, i think, but I find myself having the same issue with Kuangs writing. She is so heavy handed with info and messages, and leaves nothing to be interpreted. When she wants to tell you something, SHE WILL. 

I also understand why Rin is the way she is, I understand the parallells to Mao Zedong, and I understand an unlikeable mc. I LOVE an unlikeable mc, they're my fav actually. Rin, on the other hand, is not as much an unlikeable mc or anti hero, as much as she is just an asshole who throws tantrums whenever she doesn't get her way. I do believe this again boils down to bad writing, bc I won't doubt for a second that a mc could be entertaining even if they follow the same arc as Rin does. Rin has no ambitions for herself, cannot do shit unless there's a man involved, and it seems her character changes personality whenever Kuang needs to further the plot, with no sense, meaning or reason. 

As with babel the side characters are definitely there! idk who they are but they're there!! Rin is a mouthpiece for Kuang and her history lessons, and AGAIN its just the same issues with the writing that i had with babel.

I've compared this a lot to babel, and we all know how that went...but i WILL say this series (and book) is better, because it feels more focused on the plot? Prob because she chose a different historical event to rewrite but you get the point. 

also i think Kuang might benefit from rebranding? go into historical fiction instead of covering up lackluster writing and plotholes with bad and poorly executed magic systems

ANYWAYS, idk how to end this so i will simply be fainting

ploral

4.5

This book was painful. I want Rin to burn the world down in the next book. I don't care for anyone but the cike. Fuck everyone.

The Dragon Republic

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