interesting but obnoxious

TLDR
I struggled to finish this book due to Rin's personality and obnoxity. But I still love it.

Detailed

I loved many parts of this book, and wish I could rate it higher. The worldbuilding is really good, and the premise of the civil war and many of the plotpoints are amazing!
HOWEVER... This might just be my own opinion, but I found the main character close to unbearable. I understand and empathises why Rin makes the decisions she does, and I know the reason why she is descending. But I found her soooooo obnoxious, selfrighteous and naive, with no real understanding of the word "Empathy". I struggled empathising with her for long parts of the book, almost feeling satisfaction when things did not go her way.
In a way, I kind of like having a flawed protagonist, and I see what the author was going for. Sadly I think that the narrator played a big part in my reason for disliking Rin as much as I did.
BUT
I... I still kind of like Rin. She is interesting, a layered character with flaws and capable. and I understand her. I can see the logical and emotional threads that guides her every decision. the author did a really good job. She reminded me a lot of Azula from Avatar the last Airbender, and also a bit of season 1 Zuko. Comparing her to them, is for the few people who have not yet see AtlA, a very high standard in my own opinion.

2 people found this helpful

Less shock value, more complex

An excellent sequel that fully realises the potential of The Poppy War. Can't for the final book!

2 people found this helpful

Struggling

After an incredible first book, I’m struggling so badly with this one. The main character, Rin, is one of the worst leads ever.
She is utterly useless, whiney, arrogant, and selfish to no end. I find myself shouting with incredulity at her stupid decisions and whiney tones. I will say the rest of the book is great, I love all the other characters and the world building, and the narrator is fantastic. I’m not sure if I will finish this one though.

heartbreaking and great

I think I've loved the most the fact that romance is barely there . Great story build. love the characters

Emily Woo Zeller is one of my favourite narrators

If you want a main character you can root for don’t bother with this

Rin is the least enjoyable part of this story she spends the majority of the second book either being powerless, stupid or both. She refuses to face the consequences of her actions she functions on a plain of more hypocrisy that makes her holy unsympathetic personally after she commited genocied and justified it with out regret I lost all interest in her characters survival I wouldn't be surprised if she died by the end of the series nor would I care at this point I'm reading for Kitay and venca. The story itself is pretty decent otherwise I enjoy the story moves fast but it's paced well and manages to keep the story engaging my main problems are with rin who's constant whining about a situation she was warned about but put herself in anyway. Her complete disregard for human life and continuous need to start wars because ‘ she's good at it ‘makes you understand the reason why the country ended up the way it did because people like her where in control. But in fairness the fact that I hate the character so viciously is a testament to R.F. Kuang’s ability to create and flesh out a character that has a believably bias and self-serving rationale.

So much war! Gripping and relentless storytelling

Gods, men, pirates and empires with lots of twists and turns and so much blood

fantastic fantastic fantastic!!!!!

Loved the first book and 2nd has lived up to the quality story and intensity of the first. The author is a remarkable story teller

I love this series

I just love this series, it’s so different from the fantasy I usually read and whilst I found it a bit slow in the middle, it is beautifully written so I carried on and didn’t regret it

Fantastical Asian Lore.

Damn this series just gets better with so many twists and turns, but I kept wanting to slap the main protagonist Rin for being so stupid, for being whiny and wallowing in her self pity and for letting herself be manipulated so easily all the bloody time. The second in the series of The Poppy War, The Dragon Republic has so much more of War, pain, betrayal, love, knowledge, power and growth. R.F Kuangs world and story is rich in tragedy, brutal realism, geo politics modelled on real world history, drug addiction issues and physical and sexual violence. I couldn't believe after reading the first book, it was based on actual real life atrocities. The worldbuilding and setting is absolutely fantastic. In the story so far Rin has unleashed the beast within her and can’t put it back, for the Phoenix god is an uncontrollable force of nature that can never be subdued by force of will alone and because of this, Rin becomes an opium addict, haunted by the terrible atrocities committed in her god’s name. Rin now commander of the Sike, a group of shamans with their own god's and problems are looking to bring down the Empire and get revenge against the empress. As I've said before this series is definitely not for the faint of heart. The narration by Emily Woo Zeller is awesome. Check it out if love asian lore, highly recommended...😁🔥💥

Brilliant

I really loved the first two books cannot wait to finish the third. A brilliant series