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932 reviews by:
rotatinglibrary
I liked a lot of the elements of the book, but found that they didn’t tie together very well.
The world building was somewhat lacking. I got the vague impression of a pseudo-British world.
I wanted to know more about the Salt culture. I loved what we did see- the grotto, the sea burials, the light house etc. I wanted to know more about the relationship between the people and the sea.
The religious elements should have been brought in earlier on and made more important. The sudden addition of gods as characters felt jarring.
The sisters felt somewhat indistinct to me, but I liked their dynamic overall.
Classic fairy tale trope of evil/ mean step mother and dead mother. Handsome prince vs the boy next door
I loved the gothic overtones of the book. I could really visualize the spooky mansion.
Overall, not a terrible book, but not one I would want to read again. 2.5 stars
E-galley courtesy of Netgalley and Random House
I wish there had been more focus on plot, especially on the filmmaking aspect.
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
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