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)

Izzy 

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

lemon

"Good," he said. His hand moved behind her. She thought he was going to pull her into him, but then she felt a pressure at the small of her back. She blinked, confused. She didn't realize that she had been stabbed until Neha drew his hand away, and she saw the blood on his fingers.

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

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

Fool, she thought. You loved him and you trusted him, and you walked straight into his trap.

She just hugged him tighter. She didn't want this moment to end. She didn't want to have to go. "l just don't want the world to break you."

Nezha gave her a smile. A real smile. "I like when we're on the same side.”

"Me too," she said, and that, finally, wasn't a lie. How desperately she wished they could stay that way.

It was symbolic. Ecstatic. In this moment she was invincible, divine. She hadn't just summoned the Phoenix, she'd become it.

She saw the way he was looking at her. She knew he felt it, too. 

"Between us, we have the fire and the water," she said quietly. "I'm quite sure that together, we can take on the wind."

With him there was no neutrality, no in between. She loved him or she hated him, but she didn’t know how to do both.

Why was it that whenever she looked at Nezha, she wanted 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.

She nodded in Shayangs direction. "Nezha's over there." 

She whispered without thinking. "Im always afraid for him." 

"Ah. I get it." Baji gave her a curious look. "You're in love."

“I still love you," she said, because she had to be honest. 

“I know. Youre a fool for it,” he said. He stepped forward, reached for her hand, and entwined his fingers in hers. "Kiss me. I know you've wanted to.”

And what was there to replicate? Who was Altan, really? 

A scared boy from Speer who just wanted to go home, a broken boy who had learned that there was no home to return to, and a soldier who stayed alive just to spite everyone who thought he should be dead. A commander with no purpose, nothing to fight for, and nothing to care about except burning down the world. 

Of course it was Altan. It was always Altan, lurking behind every corner of her mind, haunting every decision she made. 

And then he was looming above her. Somehow he was still magnificent, still beautiful, even when arrested in the moment of his death. He knelt in front of her, took her face in his scorching hands, and brought their foreheads close together.

His eyes opened again. "Where are you going?"

He shifted in his bed. "No… don't go..."

“All right," she said, and returned to his side. She took his hand in hers. "I'm right here."

His eyes had returned to their normal, lovely brown couldn't help noticing how long his lashes were; they were so dark and heavy, thicker even than Venka's. It's not fair, she thought. He’d always been much prettier than anyone had the right to be.

He grabbed her wrists with a strength that startled her. “Kill me.”

She wanted to kill him. All she wanted was to put him out of his pain. She couldn’t bear to look at him like this, screaming like it was never going to end.

Sometimes, fleetingly, the visions became a terribly twisted fantasy where Altan was not hurting her. A version where he loved her instead, and his strikes were caresses.

“It hurt for a long time. Now I just can’t feel anything.” 

“What if I touched you?” She was struck by the urge to run her thumb over his scars. To caress them.

The boy she remembered was so beautiful. Skin like porcelain, features finer than any sculptor could carve, delicately arched eyebrows that conveyed precisely that mixture of condescension and vulnerability that Nikara poets had been trying to describe for centuries.

Kaitlyn

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

oh rinezha…. you’ve ruined me once again rf kuang

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.

rin continuing to grow into the legacy she was given

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

Luoyi

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

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

turtle

khush

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.

Innalilahi wainnailaihi rajiun... Mengenang Altan Bin Trengsin.. Semoga si Runin Runin itu gak cepet nyusul...

The Dragon Republic

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