The Dragon Republic: The award-winning epic fantasy trilogy that combines… (edició 2020)

The intensity definitely ratcheted up in this second book. Rin's naivety is getting a little old, but the politicking is complicated and detailed. Still loving the world and the exposure to some aspects of Chinese history - makes me want to read further. Any recommendations for a good book on Chinese history? ( )

It's been long enough since I read it that you’d think I’d know where I stand on The Dragon Republic. And I do, kind of. I remain in awe of what RF Kuang sets out to achieve with this series and of the manner in which she goes about – but it is very much outside my comfort zone, so my praise comes with the subtext of but it’s not a lot of fun, is it. That may be true – in spite of Ramsa’s best efforts – but damn, The Dragon Republic is compelling: an unpleasant, uncompromising, confrontational epic. But Kuang's greatest success here? Wringing sympathy out of even my hard heart for her toxic heroine (and hooray for a fantasy that allows its women to be so angry they can literally set the world on fire).

Full review

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ( )

The Dragon Republic is the second book in the Poppy War trilogy. It picks up pretty close to where the first book left off. I had finished that first book with mixed feelings, having greatly enjoyed the first half but not being thrilled with where things went in the second half. The first maybe 75 pages of this book had a similar feel to the end of the previous book, and I was second-guessing my decision to continue the series.

I can’t say things drastically improved. It definitely didn’t get more cheerful, and I always had mixed feelings about the main character Rin’s choices. However, I did get interested in the storyline again and made it through the book faster than I expected to for its length and my available reading time. Every time I started to feel like things were getting a little tiresome, some new element was introduced that regained my full interest. There’s so much death and destruction and misery though, I sometimes felt like surely everybody in the country was dead or soon going to be dead. This kind of thing gives me a sense of futility and removes some of my investment in a story.

Although I didn’t dislike the end of this book as much as I disliked the end of the first, I still wasn’t very happy with the direction things seemed to be going and my feelings are still mixed. I’m really curious about what will happen in the third book, but also concerned that another book full of war and destruction might finally push me past the saturation point. But I’m still curious, and the books so far have entertained me (in a bleak sort of way) while I was reading them, and there’s only one book left. So, I’m on to book three! ( )

This is where I really wish Goodreads allowed half stars; this is really more of a 3 1/2 (or even 3 3/4) than 3 stars, but it's not as good/thrilling/breathless as the first book. Though I will say I found myself reading slower at the end because I didn't want it to end!

For one, we retread the same plot with Rin being sealed off from her powers and unable to use them. For the vast majority of the first book, she was too scared to use her powers. Which worked then, and I wasn't happy the same thing was basically happening again. And she's just as impulsive as before, even ruining a plan that was going perfectly trying to kill the Empress on, basically, a whim. At least the first complaint kind of works to balance out the second, since she's basically forced to learn humility.

And then the whole thing with the Dragon Republic - it's understandable why this was such an attractive proposition for her; a chance to get revenge on the Empress, a chance to bring Nikan into Democracy and the future; but it became pretty clear early on that Vaisra was committing just as many, if not more, atrocities than the Muganese a few months ago. And when it's brought to Rin's attention, she steadfastly ignores it and continues on. But, just like in the first book, so much happens in a relatively short span, and her eyes are forced to open. Rin's confusion and feelings of being lost finally come to the fore, and she starts to doubt herself. It certainly doesn't help that the Hesperians are there, studying her and watching passively as thousands die, and that Kitay, who (thankfully) survived all the horrors of the first book changed is now somehow both the voice of reason and someone who eggs Rin on. And, just to really confuse Rin, Nezha is back with a secret and a fanatical loyalty to his father. But instead of taking this chance to really understand herself and what she wants, she instead wants to be a pawn, and to be led, so that she doesn't have to take responsibility.

But while all that was engaging and thrilling, the end kind of left me flat. Kitay becomes Rin's anchor, so that she can call the fire through him in order to not let the Phoenix overwhelm her, but that seems to hardly effect anything. Qara and Chagan were anchored when they were 10 days old (how did they manage to kill the sacrifice? Unclear and unimportant), so it makes sense that they're so emeshed, but anchoring Kitay and Rin seems to fly against what we've learned about the whole thing (also, when Qara asks if she's been diminished by her bond with Chagan, which is a very fair question, she basically says "idk we've been anchored for so long that we're basically the same person so I wouldn't know," which is frustrating. Qara has always been a shadow of Chagan, even in her death.). Channeling the fire through him is seen to effect him in some way, but it's totally glossed over (maybe she's saving that for the 3rd book?), and there's hardly any change in interaction between Rin and Kitay (like, come on, you two are bound together for life, how does that affect your relationship??).
The final 100 or so pages of the book were a whirlwind - the Empress reveals to Rin that the Trifecta was born out of hatred for the Hesperians, that Vaisra allowed the Muganese to invade so he and the Hesperians could take control, Nezha betrays her, and then Rin starts on the path to becoming a Southern Warlord and starting another war. And Rin takes a few weeks to clear her system of opium and is magically not addicted anymore. She doesn't experience any cravings or worries about relapse when she's given opium and other drugs, and even crows that her tolerance is higher than expected. ( )

The intricacies of political power play coupled with back-stabbing friendships make this one of the best plotted out series that I've read so far. And, I mean literal back-stabbing! ( )