Since I read this as a buddy read, I was really surprised to find a lot of the things I didn’t love were being pointed out by other people as well. I think almost all of us were surprised by that given exactly what you said-everyone seems to be raving about it!
Me: "Why does everyone say this book is so violent and brutal? It's not even that bad!" Me in the latter half of the book: "Oh God! Please make it stop! Why is this all happening?!?"
There are specifically two pages that I think should be unwritten. And some things past 65 percent mark in terms of horridness that I did not find particularly well foreshadowed. The writing pre 50 percent is LIKE ANOTHER BOOK. Your comment is the most accurate representation of my feeling for real. Now let's get ourselves cleansed...
@@qine6559 I don't think it should be unwritten as it's detailing things that actually have happened in history and the author is a BA in Chinese history. This aspect of Japan's blatantly evil war crimes has been shadowed over so often to the point where Japanese government officials still claim they never happened. It's not just shocking for shock value.
@@marky6456 I know that, but you are mixing moral and personal opinion. If you believe that my personal feeling of discust is wrong because I was not aware it was based on a true story, then you are wrong in thinking you can change my opinion. A feeling is a feeling. Maybe it could be helpful to know such fact, but first of all, I knew that before you telling me. WARNING: IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE DONT READ FURTHER. When I grew up in Norway, we were taught very early in school that Vikings took small babies and had spear poking competitions. They threw the babies up in the air and tried to land them on spears. We were also taught that some tribes in Africa, when in war, cut off the breasts of women, cut open pregnant ladies and threw carcases of dead cats inside and sew them up. I cannot shake it. The horriedness. And I am conflicted about children being taught such vile things as part of history. Clearly. We need to learn, but we need to learn how a person (like you and me) can become evil. And storytelling is about that. What resonates with us. How we grow. And I am of that school of thought that violence actually has schock value, but if you want to learn betterment that's from another technique than reciting historical accurate grusome events. I applaut her for her attmpt. But reading that page brought me in a place of horror, not of learning. So often, you cannot get both learning and horror. For my part I read that book as entertainment. My reflection on how a justified act can turn out so bad, would actually have been better without those pages. But maybe for others, and my presumption is you as you wrote your comment, you actuaøly need the violence in order to learn "more". So you need it happen on the page to actually care. Google "what's in the box" and read about the storytelling technique done in the movie Seven. This is what I am trying to say: good writing and extreme emotional impact can be done with less as more. I value your opinion as well. We are different and our goal is to learn to become better people. You resonating with more historically accurate books means that you would never sacrifice history for convenience, and there is respect in that.
I agree on the part that characters stopped developing and they just kind of started doing things just to move the plot forward And i really like your reviews as you never say "it is a bad book you should never bother with it" ^^
Saif Tokath well thanks! I definitely try to highlight various elements throughout the book and not bash things I’m not personally a fan of as I know that other people might enjoy those things. So thanks for mentioning that! :)
I couldn’t really connect to the characters and I didn’t really understand what was driving them. However, I did enjoy the worldbuilding a lot. Being chinese myself, I picked up a lot of things that people who are not/haven’t lived there may not be able to pick up. The scene where Rin’s roommate gave her winter melon soup really stuck with me because the soup sounds like some fantasy vegetable, but it’s actually real and a very common dish in China (at least in Beijing). The Sinegard accent (shorter sounds, r at the end) totally reminds me of Beijing dialect, which is my native dialect. The city also reminded me of my home city Beijing and it made me really happy. The school reminded me a lot of name of the wind (Jiang was totally giving off Elodin vibes) and that kind of bothered me. I was a little put off by the violence in the book, but the history that inspired those events is still very much alive, even in my own family’s memories. While I didn’t really connect with the characters, I think all the worldbuilding bits made me a little biased because I can pick up all the little cultural references the author put into the book. Great review and I can’t wait for the spoilery chat!😁💖
I absolutely loved hearing all that! I wouldn’t have known so many of those things were inspired by or were actual things in Chinese culture and not just fantastical elements. That must be so awesome to see :D I’ve already recorded the chat video and I’m excited to get into spoilers with people! The chat is pretty long :O
I totally agree with your pacing criticism. Everything moved way to quickly especially in the second half. I never felt much tension or suspense because there was no buildup. Also, most of the relationships felt shallow to me. Definitely think this book should have been split into two longer books
Poppy War was an ok read in my opinion, I struggled between a 3 or 3.5 star rating. There were elements I liked, Rin’s early years at the school, her growth, I liked her friendships and actually preferred those characters for their wit brought to the story. I loved the fact it was Asian perspective in fantasy as it was a nice change from usual king/queen/knights/church plot line. I enjoyed the pantheon diety aspect and martial arts. But second half of the book fell flat for me, I loved the war scene developments but it was like brutal war then meh let’s move this plot to set up next book.
How you described the war and ending is basically exactly how I felt. I go a lot more into that in the chat video-which will be up next Saturday! But I was really engrossed by the war stuff and then felt like-as you said-the ending felt like a set up for book two.
Nihad O.o I almost thought at one point there would be, but I think the severity of a lot of the other events in the book didn’t really leave time for that.
I agree 100% with what you’re saying. The book is by no means bad, it’s a good read. But for me, like you’re saying, I really miss all the details and the character development. I think that’s why I don’t really connect to any of the characters and also why I’m going through the book without feeling really invested in the story and without too many emotions like I can sometimes feel when reading a book. All in all, still a 3 out of 5 stars for me.
Yeah, it’s tough for me to review it because those elements play a huge role in my enjoyment, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the lack of them makes the book bad. I guess it just makes the book not my thing? But I know other people will be SO GLAD that the details get skipped a bit!
Elliot this video definitely puts you as one of the great book reviewers of our time. I like how you gave your opinion on of this story yet you was able to present to us what the author was intending for us to feel when reading. I can't help but feel bad for Ren(feel free to correct my spelling) she has gone through soo much horrible treatment cuz of how she looks & being traded off to some man Is soo cruel. I actually like (from what you told us here) that this book has a hint of real life & fantasy. The author probably didn't want us to be bored lol 😄. Imma check it out. As for this video, you deserve this 🏅. Your channel is in my top favorites for a reason.
Gah, you’re always so nice!!! Can I just compliment you on that? 😆 I find that people seem to be uncomfortable being kind these days, and you are so awesome for always being so nice! And not just to me, but lots of people. From other conversations we’ve had in the comments, I know you care about the well-being of others in general :) And this book gets incredibly violent, but its violence is rooted in real events. It’s hard to read but it’s for sure trying to show the cruelties that have been carried out in history because of war. If you like the historical fiction vibe in fantasy, you’ll probably like this a lot 😊
Elliot Brooks Haha Wow thanks a ton my booktube pal 😁. I really appreciate you saying that. For me, its how I been raised & the experiences I went through growing up. So it's easy to be kind then mean. Plus you always give us so much of your time so it's the least I can do. I am a big history fan so I may check this out if its cheap lol. You are the best 💯
I gave the book 4.5/5 stars so I really enjoyed it although it definitely wasn't perfect. Some parts were very predictable (especially if you read Name of the Wind, same tropes) and I actually found myself rooting against Rin at times just so she's learn a proper lesson. Nevertheless, it was still a lot of fun, interesting premise, good cast of characters, and the some of the dark scenes made me uncomfortable which I loved (as creepy as that sounds). ALSO NO ROMANCE! :D Hopefully the next books will have some good character development.
No romance is definitely hard to find these days! And I also found myself rooting against her at times, purely because I wanted to see her grow. I’m glad you enjoyed the book overall! It ended up not really being for me, but I’m happy to see so many other people liking it :)
I just found that R.F. Kuang said on her website that this will be a trilogy. Not a stand alone. I am almost finished with The Poppy War and wonder what will happen next. Although some of the atrocities did off put me a bit.
Yeah, I saw that it would be a trilogy too. I still thought this first book could’ve been three books on its own though! But I always like to dive into the struggles of characters rather than fast forwarding through that stuff 😆
Elliot Brooks I totally agree. Your review was on point for me as well. I was hoping it wasn't because the hype had gotten to me that I felt the book had fallen a little flat.
I tried really hard to go in not thinking about the hype. Idk that I can say I completely and successfully ignored it, but I think I would’ve felt pretty much the same regardless 🤷🏻♀️
Freaking loved this book. Some parts were hard to read but overall I really enjoyed this one. I also felt like this book could've been more than one. But I'm stoked about the future ones
I am 3/4 of the way through this books and it seems like a very okay book. The book is not spectacular, it has some parts that I quite enjoy and others that I don't. Overall if you think you might be interested in it then give it a go. If not, then you can comfortably give this book a pass.
I think that’s totally fair! I find that no matter what opinions I have, I generally want people to give books a try just because everyone is so different and has such different tastes. Like you said, if someone is interested they should definitely give it a go!
It definitely wasn’t really for me, but I’m happy so many people are loving it. I’m sorry it wasn’t really your thing either. But I’m excited about the next buddy read! :D
I always recommend doing the historical research before reading into historical fictions. You're not going to appreciate this book as much if you don't know what the author is trying to accomplish. It's not just some grimdark that uses brutality for entertainment purposes. It's an exposé on the human condition and how people feel justified to commit atrocities like the Rape of Nanjing, the fire being of Tokyo, and the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This isn't the kind of fantasy world you escape to so you can hide from the real world, this is the type of fantasy that forces you to face what the real world actually is.
The purpose for why a book was written or the weight of the events within don’t alter whether a book is subject to criticism. Knowing the events of this particular story will never change the style in which it was written, the pacing, the characterization, etc. People can appreciate the intent without appreciating the execution.
@@ebnovels I appreciate the reply, but the execution is more/less irrelevant to my comment. My point was that if you read historical fiction without knowing the history behind it, then you're missing a very real piece of the book and that goes for all of the historical fiction genre, not just the Poppy War. Whether or not it was executed correctly is a different point entirely, much of which I'd agree with you on.
Hello! This book had some great points that just fell flat. By the end of the book I really had no idea what was driving the characters to do what they were doing. I'm still confused as to whether all those history lessons were actually important or just fillers because if they did have any importance to the story it was definitely lost on me. =P
christine sabotta I agree that I couldn’t really identify some of the character motivations near the end. I think maybe if I’d seen more of Rin’s struggles and been in her mind AS she was struggling I would’ve connected to her more? Idk 😐 I’m glad so many people are enjoying the book though! It turned out to not really be for me but there are some elements I can for sure see being appealing to other readers :)
The first part of the book was OK, enjoyable but predictable, like an ordinary good story. The second part of the book was however crazy, in a dark good way. I haven't read many protagonist that made the choices Rin made. Because of the second part I loved it.
I just finished it, I was pretty disappointed. I thought, as you said people might, that is was too fast-paced and that the characters were only acting to serve the plot especially towards the end, I also thought the mention of rape was only trying to serve the plot, to justify Rin's future actions and Altan just made me crazy so yeah... Not great in my opinion but I did love the first part though!
It ended up not really being for me either. Also, since you mentioned the rape in the book, have you seen the author talking about her reasoning for that? She basically says she wanted to base that scene on real events in history. I don’t want to misconstrue her words though, but it was interesting to read her thoughts behind it!
Elliot Brooks I heard about that, yes and it's interesting, I agree but the thing is I wasn't bothered by the fact that there was a rape scene or other horrible things described, what I really didn't like is that it came out of nowhere and in the end, the only reason it seemed to be there at all is to justify Rin's actions, there was barely any reflection on it so I just thought it was poorly done 😐 I personally think you shouldn't use things such as rape just as plot points in a book, it really bothers me, there should be big reflections on those topics, not half-formed ones... x)
Yeah, I was chatting with some people about that scene and we were talking about the author’s reasoning for including it. I thought the most interesting thing I saw was that she said the book is centered around that scene. I didn’t really feel it was centered around that scene at all :/
I agree with you that this book could have a lot more details. Wouldn't mind at all splitting the book just after part 2 starts and sizing the first part up. With that said it's also refreshing with some books that are much more direct.
I love how objective you are as a reviewer and I can't wait to watch your spoiler discussion. Regarding the novel though, I totally feel the same way! I absolutely loved the intense war themes and see the merit behind them (though that may sound a little morbid), but I also found it hard to connect to the characters because of the pacing. By the end, I was only invested in about two of them :( Are you planning on reading the next book when it comes out?
Well thanks! The chat will be a little more “unfiltered” but still not a rant or anything. But anyway! I get what you mean about the war setting. I always feel morbid talking about it too but don’t worry-I’m right there with you! And no, I don’t see myself reading the next one. The last 80 or so pages of the book really didn’t appeal to me unfortunately :/ How about you?
Elliot Brooks The book definitely took quite the turn at the end! I think I'll pick up the next one to see how the narrative plays out from there since I'm still a bit curious. I'm in no rush, though!
I can't wait for your spoiler video! I definitely felt a disconnect from the characters... It seems like in our group it's 50/50 on likes verses dislikes of this book
It definitely does! I’m actually editing the chat video for this RIGHT NOW and...it’s long :O But I’m excited to finally go super in depth with all the spoilers!
I really didn't like this book, character development was basically nonexistent in the second half, especially for the MC, they all just started acting to advance the plot and none of their choices felt like they fit with their previous characterization. Also, the book was praised for being "inspired" by Asian culture and history rather than by European culture and history, which really interested me in the book. But I expected this "inspiration" to be more subtle... It's not subtle at all, it's just straight up 1 on 1 comparisons, one country is Japan, one country is China, there's another country that represents white colonists. The rape on Nanjing happens, I don't remember the name of the fictional city it happens in but it might as well be named Nanjing. Every aspect of the writing just feels really forced and amateurish to me, the characters, worldbuilding, overal plot, all of it. I enjoyed the first half the most, but even that didn't really impress me, it kind of felt like I was reading a remake of The Name of the Wind, except without the beautiful prose. It was just a super tropey school story of an outsider getting into a prestegious school, contenting with bullies and hostile teachers, and being closely mentored by the one wacky teacher. Nothing really made me feel like it was really worth it to once again read this same story that I've already read so many times. And it's not like second half then subverts those tropes, it just replaces them with blatant historical analogies and sloppy characterization.
I really dont get the praise it recieves. I absolutely wanted to read an asian setting, but this book had major flaws. The first half wasnt impressive and the writing was amateurish. Tho i have red worse e.g. the secound half of this book, which was honestly terrible. Does Rin even have a character? Not sure. I would give the book 5/10.
I almost took this book back when I started reading it after hearing great reviews, because so help me God if I read another fantasy book about kids going to magic/army/apocalypse/superhero school.... But yeah it was awesome!
Safina N Happy Reading to you too from Louisiana lol 😄📖. Heres tea ☕to go with your book. Imma start back reading my Joel Osteen Book this weekend now that I found some book reading tips online. Be safe!
Safina N aww thank you!! No need to apologize lovely 😊. I wrote you that comment right before bed lol. I knew you would see it eventually. I'm doing great! I had a great time at the anime convention yesterday. The few comic books were a bit pricey lol. But to plan to do a book haul. Hope your always ok 🌼
I've looked at the trigger warnings for this book, and as a 16 year old, I don't know if I would be able to read it. People who have read it, should I?
Honestly? Yeah. Especially after finishing TBG, the last book in the series. Never wanted an MC to die so bad. I think that was the point though. She's very much an anti-hero. The reason why I love the series was because of everything around Rin, and how Rin is just so dumb. That's really part of why I like the series lol I don't get it either
I've heard nothing but good things about this book, and I'm glad that you pointed out some weak points like the character development!
Since I read this as a buddy read, I was really surprised to find a lot of the things I didn’t love were being pointed out by other people as well. I think almost all of us were surprised by that given exactly what you said-everyone seems to be raving about it!
Me: "Why does everyone say this book is so violent and brutal? It's not even that bad!"
Me in the latter half of the book: "Oh God! Please make it stop! Why is this all happening?!?"
Is it that violent? Im planning on buying it, but if its too much idk if i should.
There are specifically two pages that I think should be unwritten. And some things past 65 percent mark in terms of horridness that I did not find particularly well foreshadowed.
The writing pre 50 percent is LIKE ANOTHER BOOK.
Your comment is the most accurate representation of my feeling for real.
Now let's get ourselves cleansed...
@@qine6559 I don't think it should be unwritten as it's detailing things that actually have happened in history and the author is a BA in Chinese history. This aspect of Japan's blatantly evil war crimes has been shadowed over so often to the point where Japanese government officials still claim they never happened. It's not just shocking for shock value.
@@marky6456 I know that, but you are mixing moral and personal opinion. If you believe that my personal feeling of discust is wrong because I was not aware it was based on a true story, then you are wrong in thinking you can change my opinion. A feeling is a feeling. Maybe it could be helpful to know such fact, but first of all, I knew that before you telling me.
WARNING: IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE DONT READ FURTHER.
When I grew up in Norway, we were taught very early in school that Vikings took small babies and had spear poking competitions. They threw the babies up in the air and tried to land them on spears. We were also taught that some tribes in Africa, when in war, cut off the breasts of women, cut open pregnant ladies and threw carcases of dead cats inside and sew them up. I cannot shake it. The horriedness. And I am conflicted about children being taught such vile things as part of history. Clearly. We need to learn, but we need to learn how a person (like you and me) can become evil. And storytelling is about that. What resonates with us. How we grow. And I am of that school of thought that violence actually has schock value, but if you want to learn betterment that's from another technique than reciting historical accurate grusome events.
I applaut her for her attmpt. But reading that page brought me in a place of horror, not of learning.
So often, you cannot get both learning and horror.
For my part I read that book as entertainment. My reflection on how a justified act can turn out so bad, would actually have been better without those pages. But maybe for others, and my presumption is you as you wrote your comment, you actuaøly need the violence in order to learn "more". So you need it happen on the page to actually care.
Google "what's in the box" and read about the storytelling technique done in the movie Seven. This is what I am trying to say: good writing and extreme emotional impact can be done with less as more.
I value your opinion as well. We are different and our goal is to learn to become better people. You resonating with more historically accurate books means that you would never sacrifice history for convenience, and there is respect in that.
@@sjsjsskwjk it's based on a battle known as the Rape of Nanking during the Second Sino Japanese War, which occurred during World War 2
I agree on the part that characters stopped developing and they just kind of started doing things just to move the plot forward
And i really like your reviews as you never say "it is a bad book you should never bother with it" ^^
Saif Tokath well thanks! I definitely try to highlight various elements throughout the book and not bash things I’m not personally a fan of as I know that other people might enjoy those things. So thanks for mentioning that! :)
I couldn’t really connect to the characters and I didn’t really understand what was driving them. However, I did enjoy the worldbuilding a lot. Being chinese myself, I picked up a lot of things that people who are not/haven’t lived there may not be able to pick up. The scene where Rin’s roommate gave her winter melon soup really stuck with me because the soup sounds like some fantasy vegetable, but it’s actually real and a very common dish in China (at least in Beijing). The Sinegard accent (shorter sounds, r at the end) totally reminds me of Beijing dialect, which is my native dialect. The city also reminded me of my home city Beijing and it made me really happy. The school reminded me a lot of name of the wind (Jiang was totally giving off Elodin vibes) and that kind of bothered me. I was a little put off by the violence in the book, but the history that inspired those events is still very much alive, even in my own family’s memories. While I didn’t really connect with the characters, I think all the worldbuilding bits made me a little biased because I can pick up all the little cultural references the author put into the book. Great review and I can’t wait for the spoilery chat!😁💖
I absolutely loved hearing all that! I wouldn’t have known so many of those things were inspired by or were actual things in Chinese culture and not just fantastical elements. That must be so awesome to see :D I’ve already recorded the chat video and I’m excited to get into spoilers with people! The chat is pretty long :O
I totally agree with your pacing criticism. Everything moved way to quickly especially in the second half. I never felt much tension or suspense because there was no buildup. Also, most of the relationships felt shallow to me. Definitely think this book should have been split into two longer books
Poppy War was an ok read in my opinion, I struggled between a 3 or 3.5 star rating. There were elements I liked, Rin’s early years at the school, her growth, I liked her friendships and actually preferred those characters for their wit brought to the story. I loved the fact it was Asian perspective in fantasy as it was a nice change from usual king/queen/knights/church plot line. I enjoyed the pantheon diety aspect and martial arts. But second half of the book fell flat for me, I loved the war scene developments but it was like brutal war then meh let’s move this plot to set up next book.
How you described the war and ending is basically exactly how I felt. I go a lot more into that in the chat video-which will be up next Saturday! But I was really engrossed by the war stuff and then felt like-as you said-the ending felt like a set up for book two.
I heard there is no romance in it. And iam SO GLAD that that is the case. I'm just sick of romance in every book😥
Nihad O.o I almost thought at one point there would be, but I think the severity of a lot of the other events in the book didn’t really leave time for that.
I agree 100% with what you’re saying. The book is by no means bad, it’s a good read. But for me, like you’re saying, I really miss all the details and the character development. I think that’s why I don’t really connect to any of the characters and also why I’m going through the book without feeling really invested in the story and without too many emotions like I can sometimes feel when reading a book.
All in all, still a 3 out of 5 stars for me.
Yeah, it’s tough for me to review it because those elements play a huge role in my enjoyment, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the lack of them makes the book bad. I guess it just makes the book not my thing? But I know other people will be SO GLAD that the details get skipped a bit!
Elliot this video definitely puts you as one of the great book reviewers of our time. I like how you gave your opinion on of this story yet you was able to present to us what the author was intending for us to feel when reading. I can't help but feel bad for Ren(feel free to correct my spelling) she has gone through soo much horrible treatment cuz of how she looks & being traded off to some man Is soo cruel. I actually like (from what you told us here) that this book has a hint of real life & fantasy. The author probably didn't want us to be bored lol 😄. Imma check it out. As for this video, you deserve this 🏅. Your channel is in my top favorites for a reason.
Gah, you’re always so nice!!! Can I just compliment you on that? 😆 I find that people seem to be uncomfortable being kind these days, and you are so awesome for always being so nice! And not just to me, but lots of people. From other conversations we’ve had in the comments, I know you care about the well-being of others in general :)
And this book gets incredibly violent, but its violence is rooted in real events. It’s hard to read but it’s for sure trying to show the cruelties that have been carried out in history because of war. If you like the historical fiction vibe in fantasy, you’ll probably like this a lot 😊
Elliot Brooks Haha Wow thanks a ton my booktube pal 😁. I really appreciate you saying that. For me, its how I been raised & the experiences I went through growing up. So it's easy to be kind then mean. Plus you always give us so much of your time so it's the least I can do. I am a big history fan so I may check this out if its cheap lol. You are the best 💯
Well it’s probably not cheap right now since it’s new, but I hope you can get your hands on it with a good discount soon! :D
You are my favourite reviewer. I AM SO GLAD i found you. After I finish a book I jump at my phone excited to see what your opinion is. Mad respect!!!!
Just started this, the author certainly gets us invested in the character of the poor orphan girl, Rin from the get go.
I gave the book 4.5/5 stars so I really enjoyed it although it definitely wasn't perfect. Some parts were very predictable (especially if you read Name of the Wind, same tropes) and I actually found myself rooting against Rin at times just so she's learn a proper lesson. Nevertheless, it was still a lot of fun, interesting premise, good cast of characters, and the some of the dark scenes made me uncomfortable which I loved (as creepy as that sounds). ALSO NO ROMANCE! :D Hopefully the next books will have some good character development.
No romance is definitely hard to find these days! And I also found myself rooting against her at times, purely because I wanted to see her grow. I’m glad you enjoyed the book overall! It ended up not really being for me, but I’m happy to see so many other people liking it :)
I just found that R.F. Kuang said on her website that this will be a trilogy. Not a stand alone. I am almost finished with The Poppy War and wonder what will happen next. Although some of the atrocities did off put me a bit.
Yeah, I saw that it would be a trilogy too. I still thought this first book could’ve been three books on its own though! But I always like to dive into the struggles of characters rather than fast forwarding through that stuff 😆
Elliot Brooks I totally agree. Your review was on point for me as well. I was hoping it wasn't because the hype had gotten to me that I felt the book had fallen a little flat.
I tried really hard to go in not thinking about the hype. Idk that I can say I completely and successfully ignored it, but I think I would’ve felt pretty much the same regardless 🤷🏻♀️
Freaking loved this book. Some parts were hard to read but overall I really enjoyed this one. I also felt like this book could've been more than one. But I'm stoked about the future ones
I am 3/4 of the way through this books and it seems like a very okay book. The book is not spectacular, it has some parts that I quite enjoy and others that I don't. Overall if you think you might be interested in it then give it a go. If not, then you can comfortably give this book a pass.
I think that’s totally fair! I find that no matter what opinions I have, I generally want people to give books a try just because everyone is so different and has such different tastes. Like you said, if someone is interested they should definitely give it a go!
Might check that one out but i am hearing good things about a book coming out in the future - Peace And Turmoil,that is going to be awesome
Hahaha, I think I’ve heard about that one. Isn’t there like a snake on the cover or something? 🤣
skijumpnose ohh yes!! I heard about this Peace & Turmoil book too. Now that book right there is gonna be a classic 😃👍
I loved buddy reading this so much! I was overall pretty dissapointed, because I felt like this book was definitely not worth the hype.
It definitely wasn’t really for me, but I’m happy so many people are loving it. I’m sorry it wasn’t really your thing either. But I’m excited about the next buddy read! :D
I always recommend doing the historical research before reading into historical fictions. You're not going to appreciate this book as much if you don't know what the author is trying to accomplish. It's not just some grimdark that uses brutality for entertainment purposes. It's an exposé on the human condition and how people feel justified to commit atrocities like the Rape of Nanjing, the fire being of Tokyo, and the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This isn't the kind of fantasy world you escape to so you can hide from the real world, this is the type of fantasy that forces you to face what the real world actually is.
The purpose for why a book was written or the weight of the events within don’t alter whether a book is subject to criticism. Knowing the events of this particular story will never change the style in which it was written, the pacing, the characterization, etc. People can appreciate the intent without appreciating the execution.
@@ebnovels I appreciate the reply, but the execution is more/less irrelevant to my comment. My point was that if you read historical fiction without knowing the history behind it, then you're missing a very real piece of the book and that goes for all of the historical fiction genre, not just the Poppy War. Whether or not it was executed correctly is a different point entirely, much of which I'd agree with you on.
Hello! This book had some great points that just fell flat. By the end of the book I really had no idea what was driving the characters to do what they were doing. I'm still confused as to whether all those history lessons were actually important or just fillers because if they did have any importance to the story it was definitely lost on me. =P
christine sabotta I agree that I couldn’t really identify some of the character motivations near the end. I think maybe if I’d seen more of Rin’s struggles and been in her mind AS she was struggling I would’ve connected to her more? Idk 😐 I’m glad so many people are enjoying the book though! It turned out to not really be for me but there are some elements I can for sure see being appealing to other readers :)
The first part of the book was OK, enjoyable but predictable, like an ordinary good story. The second part of the book was however crazy, in a dark good way. I haven't read many protagonist that made the choices Rin made. Because of the second part I loved it.
I just finished it, I was pretty disappointed. I thought, as you said people might, that is was too fast-paced and that the characters were only acting to serve the plot especially towards the end, I also thought the mention of rape was only trying to serve the plot, to justify Rin's future actions and Altan just made me crazy so yeah... Not great in my opinion but I did love the first part though!
It ended up not really being for me either. Also, since you mentioned the rape in the book, have you seen the author talking about her reasoning for that? She basically says she wanted to base that scene on real events in history. I don’t want to misconstrue her words though, but it was interesting to read her thoughts behind it!
Elliot Brooks I heard about that, yes and it's interesting, I agree but the thing is I wasn't bothered by the fact that there was a rape scene or other horrible things described, what I really didn't like is that it came out of nowhere and in the end, the only reason it seemed to be there at all is to justify Rin's actions, there was barely any reflection on it so I just thought it was poorly done 😐 I personally think you shouldn't use things such as rape just as plot points in a book, it really bothers me, there should be big reflections on those topics, not half-formed ones... x)
Yeah, I was chatting with some people about that scene and we were talking about the author’s reasoning for including it. I thought the most interesting thing I saw was that she said the book is centered around that scene. I didn’t really feel it was centered around that scene at all :/
Elliot Brooks Me neither, at all... Anyway xD
I agree with you that this book could have a lot more details. Wouldn't mind at all splitting the book just after part 2 starts and sizing the first part up. With that said it's also refreshing with some books that are much more direct.
I absolutely loved this book! I can't wait to get back to the states(only to buy the rest of the trilogy).
I love how objective you are as a reviewer and I can't wait to watch your spoiler discussion. Regarding the novel though, I totally feel the same way! I absolutely loved the intense war themes and see the merit behind them (though that may sound a little morbid), but I also found it hard to connect to the characters because of the pacing. By the end, I was only invested in about two of them :( Are you planning on reading the next book when it comes out?
Well thanks! The chat will be a little more “unfiltered” but still not a rant or anything. But anyway! I get what you mean about the war setting. I always feel morbid talking about it too but don’t worry-I’m right there with you! And no, I don’t see myself reading the next one. The last 80 or so pages of the book really didn’t appeal to me unfortunately :/ How about you?
Elliot Brooks The book definitely took quite the turn at the end! I think I'll pick up the next one to see how the narrative plays out from there since I'm still a bit curious. I'm in no rush, though!
I personally really loved this book, but I think I’m the only one in my instagram group that did.
I’m sorry if you felt like you had no one to connect with! I’m glad you liked it though!!! It’s hard when a lot of people feel differently :/
I can't wait for your spoiler video! I definitely felt a disconnect from the characters... It seems like in our group it's 50/50 on likes verses dislikes of this book
It definitely does! I’m actually editing the chat video for this RIGHT NOW and...it’s long :O But I’m excited to finally go super in depth with all the spoilers!
Finished the book a week ago and wondered whether I am the only one not liking the book. Thank you for conveying it as I would!
I really didn't like this book, character development was basically nonexistent in the second half, especially for the MC, they all just started acting to advance the plot and none of their choices felt like they fit with their previous characterization.
Also, the book was praised for being "inspired" by Asian culture and history rather than by European culture and history, which really interested me in the book.
But I expected this "inspiration" to be more subtle... It's not subtle at all, it's just straight up 1 on 1 comparisons, one country is Japan, one country is China, there's another country that represents white colonists. The rape on Nanjing happens, I don't remember the name of the fictional city it happens in but it might as well be named Nanjing.
Every aspect of the writing just feels really forced and amateurish to me, the characters, worldbuilding, overal plot, all of it.
I enjoyed the first half the most, but even that didn't really impress me, it kind of felt like I was reading a remake of The Name of the Wind, except without the beautiful prose.
It was just a super tropey school story of an outsider getting into a prestegious school, contenting with bullies and hostile teachers, and being closely mentored by the one wacky teacher.
Nothing really made me feel like it was really worth it to once again read this same story that I've already read so many times.
And it's not like second half then subverts those tropes, it just replaces them with blatant historical analogies and sloppy characterization.
All of this yes.
I really dont get the praise it recieves. I absolutely wanted to read an asian setting, but this book had major flaws. The first half wasnt impressive and the writing was amateurish. Tho i have red worse e.g. the secound half of this book, which was honestly terrible. Does Rin even have a character? Not sure. I would give the book 5/10.
I almost took this book back when I started reading it after hearing great reviews, because so help me God if I read another fantasy book about kids going to magic/army/apocalypse/superhero school....
But yeah it was awesome!
Hi from 🇬🇧 uk!! Happy reading everyone here!!!!!!! 😄👍📖
Safina N Happy Reading to you too from Louisiana lol 😄📖. Heres tea ☕to go with your book. Imma start back reading my Joel Osteen Book this weekend now that I found some book reading tips online. Be safe!
GEORGIO MOSLEY I hope ur well? Sorry for late replay because of the time difference.. take care have s great weekend!!
Safina N aww thank you!! No need to apologize lovely 😊. I wrote you that comment right before bed lol. I knew you would see it eventually. I'm doing great! I had a great time at the anime convention yesterday. The few comic books were a bit pricey lol. But to plan to do a book haul. Hope your always ok 🌼
I've looked at the trigger warnings for this book, and as a 16 year old, I don't know if I would be able to read it. People who have read it, should I?
For an asian inspired fantasy check out the sunset warrior cycle by eric van lustbader
Will do. Thank you!
Please please review this book : Military Neuroscience and the Coming Age of Neurowarfare
Book by Armin Krishnan
What are the titles of the books in the background with red bloodish numeric delineations and samurai illustrations on the spine?
That’s the manga series Vagabond :)
I dont think I have ever hated an MC more than Rin
Honestly? Yeah. Especially after finishing TBG, the last book in the series. Never wanted an MC to die so bad. I think that was the point though. She's very much an anti-hero. The reason why I love the series was because of everything around Rin, and how Rin is just so dumb. That's really part of why I like the series lol I don't get it either
This book is so important! Thanks, I will never forgive Japan their war crimes.
This literally came to my mind especially since the japanese occupation in my country in wwii
Do you annotate? or book tab😊
Have you read sea of poppies , it's a part of ibis trilogy , three books which shows about opium manufacturer , supply and demand ,
Mulan for adults?
I think I'll check this story out
Completely unrelated but has anyone said you look like lana del rey?
I don't like the setting not fitting the language. It's too modern day
Where are the specs 😭😭
great review!
Thanks! ❤️
I wish I knew how to read