The Poppy War Trilogy | Series Breakdown and Review

Book 1 | The Poppy War

Book Summary

Fang Runin “Rin” is a war orphan living in dire conditions working under her foster family in smuggling opium to put food on the table. Though no one says it, opium is the aftermath of war and crisis facilitated by Nikara’s long standing enemy: The Federation of Mugen.

When Rin’s parents forces her hand into an arranged marriage, she rebels and crafts her own path by excelling at the rigorous Kenju examination and making her way onto Sinegard academy.

There she discovers her supernatural abilities to summon gods and otherworldly beings, and with The Federation on the shores of the Nikara Empire Rin may just be the key to ending this longstanding war once and for all. But the question is: at what cost?

Rating

This has to be one of the hardest reviews I’ve ever written because I can’t explain fully what this book does to you. This is one of those books that you’ll read and have altered your way of thinking completely. It’s a book that forces you to think and entertain other ideas which is an incredible feat for a YA book.

This book is all about high stakes where you have no idea who’s going to be left standing, it’s like reading Percy Jackson all over again with Rick torturing us with cliff hangers, character deaths and agony.

All of the events in the book were inspired by real life happenings that just make your heart falter.

The only thing I would fault here is that the main character Rin can get too impulsive and reckless, and that brings me major anxiety especially with fantasy novels. It’s like I’m already worried about the plot of the story I do not need to worry about you too lol.

Book 2 | The Dragon Republic

Book Summary

In book 2, Rin is haunted by the atrocities she committed and has witnessed in order to save a crumbling empire.

Yin Vaisra, The Dragon Warlord, has glorious plans to reconstruct the crumbling empire into a democratic and civil republic.

Rin desperately trying to right her wrongs, sees the vision in Vaisra’s dream republic and agrees to fight in his war towards Nikara’s salvation and freedom. But politics as Rin soon finds out is a bloody and cunning business…

Rating

This second book effectively destroyed me. So many things happen, and you’re left with a more scarring perspective on the vile effects of warfare.

I can’t speak for the accuracy about mental health representation but as a reader the way Kuang has demonstrated PTSD, grief, depression, and the rage that follows those who have been in war to me was the most believable representation in historical fantasy yet. It is absolutely incredible how she continues to wield all of these emotions and allows us readers to envision clearly what is going on in the characters’ minds.

I was definitely invested more in this book than the first one, mainly because the first book left off in a major cliff hanger!

A lot of character development also happened in this but not from Rin in my opinion. She’s still impulsive and reckless, and dare I say it sometimes downright bratty.

Book 3 | The Burning God

Book Summary

THE FINALE. Rin has been betrayed, allies became enemies, enemies became pawns, and more enemies crowded the shores of Nikara as the blue eyed blonde haired Hesperians invaded Nikara provinces and cities.

Returning to her Southern roots, she is determined to take back Nikara by leading the common masses who see her as a goddess and are willing to go through hell if it means getting their vengeance on the Nikara authority who has left them for dead and on the Hesperians who thought them as worthless as dirt.

Meanwhile in the back of her mind, The Phoenix God is alluring Rin into insanity as he tries to paint the world in fire and blood. Will she be strong enough to resist it?

Rating

Holy cow, I made it. I’m still reeling but I freaking made it. This was an incredibly captivating read! By now Kitay, a side character who cemented himself forever in my heart has become my absolute favorite. In the last two books, Kuang depicts even more of a brutal and merciless picture of war, colonization, and religious discrimination. So things get reallyyyyy dark.

What scares me is that Kuang proved her point that war changes people; by the third book I found myself slightly desensitized by the gore and blood because she has written and depicted them so many times it isn’t as shocking.

To me the ending was magnificent, eye bawling, heart stopping, and PERFECT.

The reason why this lost that half star is because there are events were I thought were a bit rushed and others were prolonged. But that did not deter me from the book at all.