Though Kuang touches on a number of intriguing, worthwhile topics/themes that many readers will love in this novel, I personally was drawn in by the utterly accurate portrayal of poverty and actions one will take to attempt to secure a future. Yes, the Poppy War has incredible writing, the world building feels real and the setup for the rest of the series is immaculate, but at the core of everything is a young woman who understands entirely that sometimes terrible actions must be made to survive.