Book Review: The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang 🐉🔥🐲🔥
I am so disappointed that I didn’t like this one. I read the Poppy War last year and found it too jarring and gory, with a weird timeline. I was hoping Kuang would have ironed out her timing issues and amped up characterization. No dice. Don’t hate me. 🤷🏻‍♀️

The concept is there. The research is obviously there. I love the idea of most of the characters. It just didn’t work for me. The style is youthful in a way that’s inappropriate for the violent context of the story.
The whole Rin-Altan- Nezha dynamic is one I’ve seen plenty. Rin is an underdeveloped “strong female character,” with so much talk about her powers and addiction without any emotive narrative.

The plot felt like one long climb, with no peak or descent. I appreciate, though, that TDR was less graphic than its predecessor during battle sequences.
I like the concept of Kuang’s world so much that I’m willing to give the next book a try. However, I would love to see some major growth in style and characterization. 🐲
ARC courtesy of Harper Collins and Net Galley