Cover Image: The Dragon Republic

The Dragon Republic

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Member Reviews

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Another unforgettable read from R.F.Kuang in this behemoth of a book. Loved it from start to finish!

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I loved this sequel! This series is brutal and there are a lot of triggering events so please check the trigger warnings before picking the books up. But if you're okay with those, I would highly recommend picking these up. I enjoy the world building and love the complexity of the characters. The most important characters aren't simply good or bad, they have a lot of layers. And I'm rooting so hard for two of them, they are infuriating together but I love them a lot. There were some twists along the way and I enjoyed the story a lot. I can't wait to read the final book and see where the story will end.

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If you haven't read this book yet, what are you waiting for? The writing is amazing, the characters are spot on and we continue right from where we left off in the previous story! love love love it.

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This book was bloody brilliant.
We get to follow along as Rin keeps making her way towards self-destruction and being in her head is fascinating.
Rin is a complicated character at best and a monstrous one at worst, but you can’t help but root for her anyways.

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We rejoin Rin struggling with addiction and guilt, despised by the long-suffering Cike and living for vengeance against the Empress. When they're captured by the Dragon Warlord, he's both supportive of Rin and taking none of her shit - as eager as she is to have a commander, he's just as keen to harness her unspeakable power to help him depose the Empress and introduce democracy. Too good to be true? Yes, well.

Where The Poppy War was teens force-grown during a horrific invasion, The Dragon Republic dumps them into the cauldron of a civil war and shows how much further they have yet to go. Often unpleasant, regularly confrontational, overwhelmingly bleak, this is all about character growth... and the number of people who will die to pay for it. Expect fragile alliances, new threats, political backstabbing, class tensions, sexual tensions, and the horror of fighting your own people as classmates become enemies - whilst trying not to go mad. Yes, there are a lot of moving parts, but Kuang does a good job of moving her pieces on and off the board as needed to keep them in check. If it felt slow at times, it was never dull; there was always a hook to pull me as a reader through the slack waters of campaign planning and predictably poor decisions from generals under pressure.

There are two things that keep me coming back for more in spite of the primarily military plot. The first is Rin herself, who remains as compelling as she is flawed. Kuang rapidly put to rest my concerns that I wouldn't be able too engage with a character who has committed genocide, and if I never felt sorry for her, I always remained interested. The second is the way Kuang is reshaping 20th century Chinese history within her fantasy world. I'm fascinated by how well this is working, and utterly intrigued to see how events play out in the final book.

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Intense characters and amazing world building, but it’s not for me. It’s kind of slow but I can appreciate it’s a good book.

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Following on weeks from the ending of The Poppy War, The Dragon Republic is fast paced from the get go - Rin is still reeling from the events of her time as a captive, Altan's death, and the catastrophic destruction that she reaped - along with her newfound leadership responsibilities, which place a heavy burden on her shoulders.

I found Rin to be initially fairly unlikeable which was a struggle as I liked her consistently throughout TPW - her struggle with opium was difficult to read at times though it made sense as it helped her to forget her atrocity that she committed. When she is taken before Yin Vaisra and agrees to be a figurehead for his war against Daji, the story really picks up.

Loved the dynamic between Rin / Nehza / Kitay and Venka - the shamanism is well done too, really interesting to read those parts - I've got a theory for book 3 which I hope will come into play, but we shall see.

I'm still reeling after that fairly shocking final few chapters and can't wait to dive into The Burning God.

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The Dragon Republic by R.F.Kuang is a book unlike any other I’ve read this year.

I didn’t know if this sequel would be able to keep up with the amazing debut that was the Poppy War, however as Kuang takes us through this truly epic war fantasy, barely letting us breathe, she more then measures up,

There are twists and turns, and betrayals I never saw coming.
There is more magic to learn, and many more fights, and a anger rising from the sentences like they themselves could reach out and grab the reader.

This is a book of vengeance, of drug-use and the spoils and wins of war.
I wasn’t prepared for its ending and yet it came like a sword in the back.

I have no idea how to properly articulate how I feel about this book.
Other then the fact that it is so expansive that I had a hard time holding on to the world of the book in my mind.

However the pacing and the sheer need to know what comes next keeps you glued to the pages till the very end.

I will also admit to being unsure of whether I really liked out MC - she is morally grey, and angry and oh so full of suffering and I kept waiting for her to learn from her mistakes and it just never happened.
And I think in the end that might be why this isn’t quite a five star as I kept struggling with my need to chuck my ipad across the room in frustration.

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I was given a free copy of this booj from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I read The Poppy War last year, and was infatuated with it, and was so excited to be accepted for The Dragon Republic on Netgalley. It took me forever to pick up though because The Poppy War was so traumatising. R.F Kuang is not afraid to shy away from difficult subjects, and she writes them so well you come out of her books sobbing into your pillow.

This book was no excellent, the highs and lows of war were captured so well, the battle scenes were completely nail-biting, and there's a side plot going on in this book that's so fascinating I just wanted it all. As always, the writing was absolutely exquisite, it's that that pulls me in so hard with these books, and even though they're on the bigger side and deal with such difficult topics they're really easy reads.

I'm so excited to see where the next book will take us, the ending of The Dragon Republic was like standing on a cliff, waiting to jump, and i just want to dive right in.

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Quality Rating: Five Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Five Stars

I enjoyed The Poppy War, but Kuang upped her game very fast into one of the most impressive high fantasy war novels I've ever read. It handles a very dark and complex story with the maturity, imagination and heart that few writers I've come across even come close to.

It's maybe a little misleading to just summarise this book as a war story because it feels much more like a fantasy adventure, but it is ultimately a mix of politics vs. strategy vs. action. And it's all grey area, with morality you have to learn as you go, which is so engaging. I feel like I'm playing a game of chess just reading it, trying to work out who to root for and trust. It's doubly effective when you have such a compelling and flawed character as Rin at the centre, making those tough decisions and having to live through the consequences. The magic system also works perfectly with it; I sometimes forgot I was reading a fantasy novel because the shamanism is layered so well into the worldbuilding and is totally believable.

What I think jars most people about these books is how graphic and grim and violent they can be, but there (so far) hasn't been a moment where I feel like it's not being taken seriously. The killing and the hurting and the terror aren't indulgent or used for excitement, and arguably not always even plot devices; it's treated with the maturity and depth needed. There were a few points in this book where my stomach turned when things nearly crossed too far for me, but actually Kuang plays the balance well.

A little sidenote for me is that Kuang writes exactly the kind of romance I love; where it doesn't have to be said between the two people or even to the reader because it's clear they care deeply for the other person. The fact that it's rooted in friendship is another element I adore and think frames it so well in a novel like this, where the character's personal lives aren't necessarily the main focus but inevitably affect their motivations and decision-making.

I absolutely loved The Dragon Republic, and if the next book jumps up in intensity and/or emotional involvement then I predict tears. Seriously, how much is The Burning God, the final book in this series, going to kill me?

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I don't even know where to start with this review. I put off reading The Dragon Republic for almost a year. A YEAR. I adored The Poppy War and after THAT. ENDING. I knew I had to be in the right headspace for the sequel. So I waited, and waited, and waited. Then I finally though screw it, and picked The Dragon Republic up and never looked back.

Rin is still going through a lot of crap. After the way The Poppy War ended, I wasn't too sure what to think or expect of her character. She did some awful things, and I think it takes a very talented writer to pull off a character in such a way that Kuang did. Honestly, Rin's character development (or, sometimes, lack thereof) is done wonderously and it makes so much sense. She has grown in lots of ways, but in others she's still the same ol' Rin, leaving lots of room for her to continue to grow and work on her sh*t in the final book in the trilogy.

I do have a bone to pick with Kuang, though, because she completely destroyed my ship. Like, blew it out of the harbour. I'm mad and angry and super sad. And yet I'm still clinging onto the fact that it might resurface somewhat in the third book. PLEASE GIVE ME THIS.

In all seriousness, the only issue I have with this series so far is that Rin has, like, no female friends. All her close friends are guys, and she often shuts out female characters and looks down on them and belittles them. I really hope that this is addressed and tackled in the third book, as I think it's the only downfall of the series for me. I don't want to read about a badass main character if they don't have any badass female friends! GIVE ME FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS, DAMMIT.

Read the book. That is all I wish to say on the matter.

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A searing follow up the The Poppy War! R.F Kuang's tale is gut-wrenching and beautiful in equal measure. It is easy to see why this series is making people sit up and pay attention.

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I've been wanting to read this book since finishing The Poppy War almost 2 years ago. I think I was scared to pick it up, both because it's MASSIVE and also because it deals with all of the heavy topics

In the first book we follow Rin who, despite her poor upbringing, manages to get into the most prestigious military school in the country. While there she learns to channel a type of magic linked with opiates and gods, the extent of which is further explored in this sequel

This book is very heavy on the politics and the war strategy, which wouldn't usually sound exciting to me but Kuang's writing makes these discussions so interesting. I also loved the further discussions of religion, building on book one, including the religions of other regions and countries

Rin is such an interesting and frustrating character. Often you can see where she's coming from, but she makes such rash decisions that's it's difficult to fully support her. She's written so well, as such a flawed, furious, and complex character...it's exhausting seeing the world from her perspective and watching her make mistakes

I'd recommend this series if you're looking for an epic war strategy and magic centred book set in an Asian-inspired fantasy world. I'm excited for the final book later this year

TW: drug abuse/dependency, rape, war/graphic violence

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I wasn't sure whether I wanted to read "The Dragon Republic" because I didn't like "The Poppy Wars" all that much, but I'm definitely glad that I did.

This part in the series is far superior to the first installment and I loved the character development and conflicts throughout the novel. The story felt much better paced and planned than the first part and I can't wait for the final part in the series.

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Thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in the series and a follow up to the sublime The Poppy War. What I really enjoy about this series is how mature it is. The author doesn’t treat her characters or readers like idiots, she takes risks and there is no simple black and white. Morally grey characters are my jam, so I really appreciate that as a reader.

Rin is a complex, well-developed character. I didn’t always agree with her actions but that’s what I really like about these books. The other characters are well-written and it’s great to see some familiar faces return.

The world-building in again excellent with a clever magic system and rich political and cultural context that doesn’t bog down the plot.

It’s dark, and problematic stuff happens. Characters make dubious choices and do horrible things. If you like complex characters and sophisticated world-building, you will enjoy this series. The pacing isn't perhaps quite as good as in The Poppy War but overall, this is an excellent and satisfying sequel.

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Well this was a ride. Following almost immediately on from the conclusion of The Poppy War, we find Rin adrift without any real idea of where to go and what to do. With devastation in her wake and guilt and grief waging a war within, Rin ends up aligning with an old school friend to start another war that will bring her the vengeance she craves.

I adore Rin as a character, and I appreciated her personal development throughout the book. At the start of the novel she’s grieving for so many things - relationships, her loss of self and also warring with a god inside her. A god that wants to destroy and consume, growing stronger on her hate and need for revenge. She displays obvious elements of PTSD, and makes awful decisions sometimes as a result. She’s the epitome of a morally grey character that you root for, but also want to shake some sense into because of her poor choices. I appreciated that the novel takes the time to delve into the consequences of war and how it changes people. Friends suddenly become expendable and civilians are simply used for diversion tactics, and it was insightful to see how negative effects of war, which are so often overlooked in fantasy novels.

I also loved Rin’s evolving relationship with both Kitay and Nezha. Kitay is so delightfully superior in intellect, with some truly laugh out loud moments early on involving his obsession with order and taxes, that he becomes a soundboard against Rin’s obvious chaos. She doesn’t think before she acts, whereas Kitay is the calming influence staying her hand. Nezha on the other hand is the ultimate confusing friend who could be more if it wasn’t for the fact there’s a war. I liked that there’s little to no romance in the plot - these characters have far more important things to be thinking about, and also they’ve seen very little of love in their war torn lives. Rin’s relationship with Nezha is often fraught and tension filled because of their differences, yet there’s always something drawing them back together. It was very well written and deeply compelling.

The plot is highly political, with many descriptions of planning for war and all its intrigues and tactics. There’s also a lot more siege warfare, bringing in naval elements alongside shamanic plot points which expands of the previous novel but definitely felt less ‘magical’. My favourite moments were those in the Pantheon with the Gods arguing between themselves, but I found these scenes too few and far between. As a result the plot does get bogged down every now and again in the various talks about war, and expanding the world politics that it does slow the pace somewhat. However, I found myself so invested in these characters and this world that I didn’t mind. I also think it delivers several important messages that mirror true historical events in a really insightful way.

I can’t wait for the conclusion for this epic, highly political and interesting fantasy series. Rin has well and truly stolen my heart and soul.

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Rin tries to deal with what she had done during the Poppy War while struggling with the Pheonix too, addiction to opiums, PTSD and regret, and anger and revenge mix in this story.

Also, I loved the return of Venka! She has gone through some serious shit and pulled through stronger. By the end of the book, she is probably my new favourite character. And the joins forces of her and Rin is just badass!

The story continues straight after the first book. The war is won, but a second war, an internal war approaches. Rin wants revenge for what happened to Altan but she does not have the resources to pull it off. At the same time, she struggles with the pain of the Pheonix, her addiction to opiums and her guilt. The cocktail is well mixed and spicy.

I enjoyed the line of the story. I did see the ending coming and the direction she would take mainly because I really wanted that to happen lol. But I did not see a certain back-stabbing event happen...! And I was shipping them all along. I think I still do even though I don't see it happening.

There were some events in the end which were really sad like with the Cike, but all in all this book was badass and not sad. Yes it's brutal and some of this brutality is sad, but in the end, I just felt empowered.

I like those small Asian details, and I always love these in books, like chopsticks, or dress codes, written language, curry and rice etc.

It's well written as this is the author's second book. I did find some of the description just a bit too short which made me re-read a sentence or paragraph and interfered with my flow.

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Another absolutely Brilliant book from R F Kuang!! I adored the first and jumped at the chance to read the second book early and I am SO glad I did. It was so easy to slide back into this world, to get back into the Characters lives. I can’t wait to see what happens next, this was SO much fun to dive into!!

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This book took me on such an adventure. I could not ask more from a book! Rin is a shaman who has an affinity for fire, in the last book she destroyed the federation, whilst also killing a lot of innocent people this book is the aftermath of that event. The ending had such a twist that I did not see coming, I liked this book even more than the first book, which does not often happen. I can not wait to read the next book in the series.

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4.5 stars

The Poppy War is one of my favourite books this year so, suffice to say I was nervous going into this. However, after a mere two chapters in, my worry was unfounded and Kuang’s prose captivated me once again.

You thought The Poppy War was dark? The Dragon Republic is on a whole new level. Following the catastrophic conclusion of the first book, we’re reunited with Rin who is now riddled with guilt, regret and anger, all while struggling with opium-addiction. The highlight of this series is its rich, 20th-century Chinese history incorporated in an intricate world of gods and beasts. Kuang's portrayal of the political system, the magic, the military strategy is so well-executed. Full of darkness, tactics and shifting allegiances, she expands on her skilfully crafted world and continues to vividly depict the horrors of war.

This series’ crowning achievement is its characters. Rin’s drastic transformation from war orphan to a battle-hardened killer is incredible. Having honed her shamanic abilities, she is worlds apart from the meek girl we’re introduced to. Not only our protagonist but Kitay, Nezha and Co. are all just as nuanced and make morally grey decisions. War changes everyone indiscriminately, and no one came out of it unscathed. I also appreciate how this series isn’t drenched in romance. Rather, it’s an illustrious portrayal of war, friendship and sacrifice.

The only reason I’m docking half a star is due to the relentless war and violence. It’s not a fun book; it’s brutal and is comprised of many incidents which some readers may find distressing. Nonetheless, it is a rich depiction of what happens when two nations go to war. The final quarter of the novel especially, comprised of gruesome battle scenes and unanticipated plot twists, was breathtaking.

Overall, this series has not yet failed to leave me speechless. The book ended on a monumental cliff-hanger, laying out the pieces for what I can only anticipate will be an unforgettable conclusion of the series.

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