The Dragon Republic

This is a worthy successor to the amazing "The Poppy War." Rin, along with her compatriots, suffer a lot more. I mean, that's not really a spoiler, because things weren't going to be peaches and cream after the Poppy War ended. Rin doesn't know how to cope, and no one knows how to help her. I spent a lot of time yelling - both in my head and occasionally aloud - "INVENT THERAPY AND THEN GO TO IT." (And then much, much later there is a kind of therapy and I get very relieved.)

There's not much I can say about the plot in the review that won't be a spoiler. I can't even tell you who she spends most of her time with. I will say this took me a lot longer to read than I expected because it's pretty brutal - not surprisingly, given the plot of show more The Poppy War, but aftermath books are always harder on me. I don't deal with when people I care for are bogged down or taking wrong emotional turns for reasons I want them to rise above. (See above re: INVENT THERAPY AND THEN GO TO IT.) It's one thing to have brutality done to you; it's another to inflict it on yourself because you don't think you deserve any better. It's a journey that's sadly far too common, but it's really very tough to witness, even in fictional form. So be ready, and be warned. It's such a very good book, and story, and I still can't believe this series is a debut series. But gird your hearts well.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. show less

Welcome back to the Nikara Empire, where if anything can go wrong, it will, in the most spectacular, cinematic fashion possible. What ever else one wants to credit Rebecca Kuang with it's her ability to lovingly work the atrocities of real-life history into the mosaic of her magical take on the modern Chinese experience. With so many twists of fate, betrayals, and simple moments of one damn thing after another, it's difficult to know what one can say with out giving away too much. Do know that our protagonist Fang Runin has run the gauntlet of horrific experiences and, at the end of the book, finally has her own vision that she is going to impose on the world; whether it wants it or not.

I received an advance copy of the book via Netgalley.

The Poppy War kicked off this grimdark Chinese history-inspired series, which continues with The Dragon Republic. Rin is an abrasive protagonist--she's a survivor, in part because of her own ruthlessness. She also is a shaman, able to channel a Phoenix and wield fire. Amid the topsy-turvy politics of her homeland, she is a weapon capable of genocide. As this book begins, she's suffering from severe PTSD, mired in grief from the losses rendered at the end of The Poppy War, and heavily addicted to opium as her coping mechanism.

Full confession: I almost stopped the book a short ways in. Rin's impulsive, brutal nature is pretty much the opposite of my own, and I felt a profound urge to show more slap her and yell, 'Grow up!' Fortunately, I stuck with the book, and fortunately, she did just that. This is a book about maturing as a person and in terms of power. Like its predecessor, this book is incredibly dark and gruesome at times. Kuang does not shy away from showing the full nature of war and its aftermath, and no character is sacred or safe. The ending contains jaw-dropping twists that leave me very curious about what the next volume will deliver. show less

Such a gorgeous and horrific depiction of war, deception, and loss. The way the writing draws you in to the story is so perfect. It's like you're actually there. And the way death is depicted? So quick, impossible to really avoid. I was on my toes the whole time, because genuinely there was NO plot armor for the characters, so you never knew if they were going to die. (except for maybe Rin cause of the third book... even then, there are ways to continue a story without the og main character...)
I also adore that this didn't suffer from "second book/ middle book" syndrome! it didn't feel like a means to get to futher storyline, there's just so much going on! it's so chaotic!/pos

I was surprised by this book so many times I can't even count it. I was SO sure I knew where the book is going, or at least what is going to happen next and I was wrong time and time again and i LOVE that. It all makes sense though. Twists never feel forced or random , they are just the best kind : the unexpected one. Other than that the character development is great in the book, the complexity of each situation is excellent and poses good thinking points. Its never to much to fly over your head, but it is always satisfying. War feels believable in this, from the people/soldier perspective. Unnatural powers aside this feels realistic, epic and fucking amazing. Some of the best writing and pacing I have ever read! LOVE IT. Recommended!!

Few sequels can demand as much love as this one can.

I mean, Poppy War was all kinds of fantastic, leading us up a fairly well-worn path only to rip the rug out from under us and get BRUTAL. But this one takes that brutality and cranks it up a notch or two, showing us that all consequences can meet their match with idealism, honor, and hope.

Not that there is much idealism, honor, or hope for Rin. But she can follow it. Lend her fiery arm to the cause. Even lose big, maybe even lose bigger, and still keep killing in the name.

I'm just going to come right out and say it. I love this book. I think I like it a lot more than the one before it. It's more heartbreaking, higher stakes, more desperate, and the full war and the hope of something show more great rises to one hell of a fever pitch.

So what if you have to kill a few gods. So what if the populace starves. So what if allies betray or are betrayed. The end is all that matters.


But that end? .... speechless. Brilliant.

And now I'm completely hooked for the next. Burn bright, Rin! Burn sooooo bright! show less

I honestly don't know where to start it's everything I like in The Poppy War and more.

What I like
• Worldbuilding!
• How the book tackles PTSD. I'm no expert, but reading it through the characters' thoughts and Kuang getting us into their minds, gave me more insight into it. Some books tend to gloss over it, and for me, reading their thought process made me pause and process that. My heart goes out to anyone who has and has been through the condition

" You don't have to suffer alone, you know." Suni gave her one of his rare, slow smiles. "You're not the only one" Suni to Rin
"You're so strong," he said. "Whatever you're seeing, whatever you're feeling, it's not as strong as you are." Suni to Rin

• Two books in, and so far, there's show more never a boring moment in this series. By that, I mean that something's always happening but not in an overwhelming kind of way for the reader. There are mundane moments but it's written in a way that's not dragging. (You know how in some books there's like almost a paragraph written to describe something? that's what I mean)
• I love Kitay and Rin's friendship. I rarely see that kind of platonic relationship between characters of the opposite sex. Not to mention we get more of Venka too!
• Rin's character growth! From burying, denying, and running away from her emotions and the events from The Poppy Wars, she learns to process them. Decides to stop standing in Altan's shadow and chasing his legacy and finally take initiative and not just take orders, looking for approval and be someone's weapon.
• The ending! That scene transitions in the sampan before shit went down for Rinzha

What I didn't like or made me go what?

• When Rin said, Nezha made her deliriously happy. Did this develop during the times they were sparring or training together? I know there's always been that tension and attraction between them, but I think there wasn't enough interaction to warrant this level of affection, but maybe that's just me.

"You asked how large my sorrow is, " Nezha recited. Rin recognized the line—it was from a poem she'd studied a lifetime ago, a lament by an Emperor whose last words became exam material for future generations. " ' And I answered, like a river in spring flowing east.' " show less