[10/27:20 After nearly a year of thinking: this book was definitely the best for me in the whole series... because we can ignore all the plot holes and lack of build-up in the other two HAHA]

In case you’re wondering about my reaction to the ending: I knew it was going to happen in some way… but I didn't expect to be this affected by it, you know? *me while sniffing and sitting in between buckets of tears*

I am shocked at how much R.F. Kuang grew in the year between TPW and TDR. This is greatly tied to historical events but Kuang was able to create her own world out of it. I really don't know if I can confidently say that this was a story that I highly "enjoyed" the whole time but I was certainly invested and it's a story that needs to be told.

I highly suggest that you should know at least the basics of the history that this is based on (Opium Wars/Sino-Japanese Wars) before diving into the series because you appreciate the messages so much more. You don't need to go in-depth for each of the people involved in case you don't want to be spoiled but at least know what happened... plot wise?

“You gods have no power except what we give you.”

The series in general focuses a lot more on Rin’s journey and the politics of war/military (especially during the opium wars era in china) so if you go into this for the detailed action/battle sequences, you might not be getting as much of that. Besides, what I love about Rin’s character is that she was never made to be this unbeatable force like we see in so many stories that can take down armies all by herself. Matched with being in her head and watching everything unfold based on her decisions made her so much more human and is just another reason I love Kuang’s writing as much as I do.

Rin is extremely unlikeable but well-written characters don't need to be lovable. I loved how her internal struggles were correlated with the phoenix god. It added a supernatural element to sort of hyperbolize those strong feelings and accentuate just how intense her mind flips were. From her dark thoughts you already see how her mindset feels both wrong and human, you get to feel just how torn she is.

I’m pretty sure that every character is morally grey and flawed. I would recommend this series just for how each of the characters are written and portrayed. There may be times when it’s not blatantly obvious until you dissect their decisions and thought spaces, but it’s there. And you won't help but be attached to them in some way.

Spoiler

I want my own Kitay and Venka. Nezha hunny, you have a lot to make up for.

“You taught me the meaning of fear, nothing more.”

It has such a fresh take and perspective on a war-centered fantasy. Which doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a dark story because it portrayed all kinds of brutality and cruelty that you would think a war would bring. When I think about how literal scenes can be interpreted metaphorically, particuarly Rin basically losing her mind, I can’t help but attribute it to how children of real war could be feeling. AND I AM JUST A SAD MESS because at the end of the day, they really are just children at the center of all this chaos.

Internal and external politics between the different groups of characters, makes you wonder who is on the “right” side and if there even is one. You really understand where each of their perspectives are coming from and because this is rooted in history, makes you really think about it a little harder.

All elements of story-telling were so beautifully written and executed, the pacing, the build up, world buidling, character relationships and dynamics, ++ I’m pretty sure I cried at some point just because of how good the writing is.

And it’s absolutely crazy how she weaved the supernatural concepts into the historical constructs... I’m so speechless. Everything just hits harder when you understand the metaphors. The last time this happened to me was when I read the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson.

I mentioned in my Poppy War review that Rebecca Kuang tended to “tell” rather than “show” but in this book… she SHOWED. She pulled through and I am satisfied.

“Could they be winning? If winning meant killing as many people as they could, then yes.”

↣ There was a time when I thought everyone was exaggerating with how much I would be destroyed by this book but they were right. Read this for all the historical significances that we need more of in literature and one of the best executed ideas I have read. ↢

this took me longer to write than usual because I was a sad potato for the 24 hours post TDR and I had to piece myself together

— overall thoughts: 4.5 —
It’s not a poppy war book if we aren’t starting with the:
⇢ trigger warnings// drug usage, drug abuse, drug addiction, self harm, cannibalism (off screen), rape, massacres, (including children), human experimentation, gore, animal death, mutilation, war, hallucinations, physical abuse, emotional abuse, ableism, abortion (mentioned)

---------------
- beware spoilers ahead for TPW -

at around page 100:

No matter how much I love them, I can’t shake feeling that Nezha and Rin’s relationship sometimes feels cliche to me. There are just too many missing pieces that would have created a proper build up between their characters. I found it weird that when they’re apart, Rin barely even thinks about him? But the moment he’s back in the scenes, it’s like her feelings went up a whole level without the baby steps in between that would make for a proper slow burn. My opinion might change as I go on but I am writing this for the record.

---------------
11/30/20: I have the overwhelming urge to ignore all my responsibilities and binge read this series.

instagram | blog | ko-fi