Review – The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War, Book 2) by R.F. Kuang (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Length: 675 pages
Publisher:‎ Harper Voyager
Release Date: August 6, 2019
ASIN : ‎ B07CRKXQ1Y
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in The Poppy War trilogy
Source: Got in Paperback as a Birthday Gift
Rating: 5/5 stars

“Three times throughout its history, Nikan has fought for its survival in the bloody Poppy Wars. Though the third battle has just ended, shaman and warrior Rin cannot forget the atrocity she committed to save her people. Now she is on the run from her guilt, the opium addiction that holds her like a vice, and the murderous commands of the fiery Phoenix—the vengeful god who has blessed Rin with her fearsome power.

Though she does not want to live, she refuses to die until she avenges the traitorous Empress who betrayed Rin’s homeland to its enemies. Her only hope is to join forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who plots to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new republic.

But neither the Empress nor the Dragon Warlord are what they seem. The more Rin witnesses, the more she fears her love for Nikan will force her to use the Phoenix’s deadly power once more.

Because there is nothing Rin won’t sacrifice to save her country . . . and exact her vengeance.”

Series Info/Source: This is the 2nd book in the Poppy Wars trilogy. I got a copy of this in paperback for my birthday as a gift.

Thoughts: This was an amazingly easy read that was so hard to put down. I loved this just as much as the first book in the series.

The story is told mostly from Rin’s POV. After the events in the first book. Rin and her crew are adrift. Rin is hooked on opium in an effort to control the Phoenix god that tries to take over her thoughts and body. Rin doesn’t want to live but she wants to see the Empress killed before she dies. In an effort to get her revenge on the Empress, Rin and her team end up joining the Dragon Warlord and fighting for his vision of a Republic.

I continue to enjoy Rin as a character. Rin is put through difficult situations again and again, and she makes some flat out awful choices. However, she is tough, single-minded, and determined. Despite the number of times she is hurt and betrayed, she somehow manages to survive and power through.

There are a ton of amazing side characters in here as well. I never had trouble following all the characters or remembering who they were, even though it had been some time since I read the first book. Kuang does an amazing job giving you little hints and back story bits to jog your memory without dragging down the story.

I think this story also does a wonderful job of bringing up larger philisophical questions too. For example, what do you do with people who are raised to be good at war when there isn’t a war? Do people in power have a right to destroy thousands of lives in pursuit of a vision that they believe will make everyone’s lives better in the long run?

I am usually not a fan of books about war and conquest. However, the way Kuang writes the story it completely draws you in. I think some of this is how amazing all the characters are, they really make a lot of the story. I also think the fast-pace and all the action in the story contribute to how hard it is to put this book down!

My Summary (5/5): Overall this is really amazingly well written. I loved the characters, the world, the magic and how easy it is to fall into this story and stay engaged in it. Very well done and I can’t wait to read the third book!