The Poppy War

A Novel

By: R. F. Kuang

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s 20th century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N. K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.

When Rin aced the Keju - the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies - it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard - the most elite military school in Nikan - was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the South is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power - an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive - and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away....

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity...and that it may already be too late.

R.F. Kuang studies modern Chinese history. She has a BA from Georgetown University and is currently a graduate student in the United Kingdom on a Marshall Scholarship. The Poppy War is her debut novel.

©2018 Rebecca Kuang (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Opium, War Crimes & Magic!

The Poppy War by R.F Kuang is a book with many faces.

We begin our journey with Rin, a war orphan fostered by a pair of illegal opium traders. The first third of the book deals with her journey to the capital city where she attempts to gain entrance into a military academy and trains there. This part, while never light, feels a lot like Ender's Game or Red Rising. Rin struggles to make friends, learn strategy, and outwit the bullies who are upset that a peasant has risen so high. It's brutal, but fun.

The fun stops around act two.

It happened gradually enough that I didn't realize how dark the book was until we reached the end of it. Dark revelation after dark revelation unfolds, not just about the world around the characters, but about their internal lives and vices. It doesn't surprise me that this book was written by someone who studies "collective trauma". By the time I'd reached the last page, I felt if I understood the emotional cost of war in a way I hadn't before.

This is an author with something to say about war, power, and addiction, and she says it so beautifully. As much as I love books like Red Rising or even Ender's Game, I feel since they aren't as strongly rooted in one countries history they lack the intimacy and raw rage I found in the Poppy War. Despite being a book about a whole country, every sentence, every plot moment felt personal. It helps that the prose is excellent. I can't wait to read the next book.

Side note: I also really enjoyed the magic system, which is based around the use of drugs. I found the role Opium played in the world fascinating. Some of the most heart-breaking moments of the book dealt with addiction.

Performance notes:

I really loved the performer of the audiobook. She did a great job, with the exception a the fighting masters voice which really did sound like someone strangling Kermit the frog. Otherwise, though she killed it!

Good but parts are rushed

The first part before a lot of things go down is kind of a hard listen/read. Parts are rushed and places/characters feel under developed. The best way to put it is that its 2 dimensional, but later we get to see a more expressive text from the writer, there's side yet to be seen by the characters and the conflicts they face. it was a total 180 from the first part. The writer was only 21 (same age I am) when she wrote this, so it's impressive none the lease that she was able to tell these characters stories in the way she did especially in part 2 of the book.

Oh boy!

I'm not sure where to begin but this book is all over the place. The protagonist oscillates between so many different point of views and moods that you counter if she has a mental / emotional handicap. On the one hand I want to applaude the originality of the Character but on the other hand I can't understand why a female protagonist should be defined by the men in her life.
There is a great epic story in this book but it is surrounded by alot of noise. Maybe a better editor would have been able to polish the story to a relative sheen.

Fantastic

Excellent and compelling story as read by a truly talented narrator. Highly recommended for those who like multiple genres.

Promising.....and disappointing

This book was so promising. The main character starts off strong, willful, smart and determined. And then....she regresses. I’m so disappointed with the latter parts of the story. The author built a pretty good character and then dismantled her all in one book.

Great, but...

Amazing narrator.

I think atleast the most graphic chapters set during the war should have triggerwarnings.

Interesting.. yet unsatisfying

The story line started out captivating and totally had my attention. As the book went on it was complete lack luster. The main Character Rin was disappointing. I appreciate a book that shares roles of heroes and I liked that part of this book. Sadly Rin had so much promise and I was excited to see her grow and develop in her strengths and maturity until she didn’t. What started out to be a promising series fell flat to my expectations. By the end I felt like the author was more worried about trying to put the “f” word in nearly every sene then to develop her characters. When I read the review it said it was a live story, it definitely had the potential to be but she never pulled the trigger. I couldn’t even easily define who her main heart throb was. Between her obsession with Two of the boys and a true friendship with another you will be left confused and frustrated.

Emily did a fabulous job narrating this. She truly is amazing with each charter. Even with her amazing skills it can’t make up for the authors story line. I won’t be continuing this series. When a book feels like a chore to get through it’s not worth reading.

Good, not great

Not sure why this book is on so many lists. It's good, but doesn't leave me caring for any of the characters or transformed in a meaningful way. The audibles score is correct. Goodreads score is odd. Worth the credit, but not the best underdog story out there.

Tough to get through the second half

Book gets real dialogue heavy and ponderous in the second half. Not the good type of heavy either. I mean Im constantly skipping with the little 30 second button as folks just drone on and on about choices and stuff. Great story. Need to slim it down.

I'd like to beat tf out of Rin

overall I love this book. its a fantastic story and the world it's set in is nicely fleshed out. but for the love of god I want to smack the main character. she infuriates me, but I had to stick around to see how it ends