The Poppy War

R.F. Kuang erzählt in ihrem Debüt eine fesselnde Geschichte über Götter, Schamanen und die Grausamkeit des Krieges. Die Welt und ihre Charaktere haben mich dabei sofort in ihren Bann gezogen. Im Mittelpunkt steht Rin, ein einfaches Waisenmädchen, das überraschend an einer angesehenen Militärakademie aufgenommen wird. Dort beginnt für sie nicht nur eine harte Ausbildung, sondern auch ein ständiger Kampf um Anerkennung in einem Umfeld, das von Vorurteilen und Ausgrenzung geprägt ist. Während sie versucht, sich gegenüber ihren Klassenkameraden zu behaupten, kommt sie zugleich mit der geheimnisvollen Macht der Götter in Berührung. Doch noch bevor sie wirklich versteht, worauf sie sich einlässt, bricht ein Krieg aus, der sie zwingt, sich den grausamen Realitäten ihrer Welt zu stellen. Rin ist dabei eine der moralisch fragwürdigsten Protagonistinnen, die mir je begegnet sind. Gerade das macht sie aber zu so einer faszinierenden Figur. Der Einfluss von Gewalt, Ausgrenzung und göttlicher Macht treibt sie immer weiter in eine düstere Abwärtsspirale. Wer High-Fantasy mit komplexen Figuren und intensiver Spannung schätzt, wird hier definitiv auf seine Kosten kommen.

R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War is the first installment of the Poppy War-trilogy, and is set in a dark fantasy world that will completely shatter your expectations. The story follows a fiercely determined war orphan who fights her way into the empire's most elite military academy, only to discover a terrifying, mythical power within herself just as a brutal, continent-spanning conflict erupts. Do not let the familiar "magical academy" setting of the first few chapters fool you. This book takes a sharp, unflinching turn into dark and gritty territory, drawing heavy inspiration from the atrocities of 20th-century Chinese history. Kuang explores the devastating cost of war, the corrupting nature of power, and the weight of impossible choices with intensity. This is an absolutely gripping, emotionally devastating, and phenomenal read, but be warned, as it is not for the faint of heart.

It has been a long time since a book has gripped me as strongly as Rebecca Kuang's Poppy War. A warning up front: if you're looking for an easy and softly entertaining fantasy novel, please walk away, this is not the book for you. Poppy War is dark in tone and gritty in setting, with one of the most ruthless heroines I have yet encountered in fiction. It draws on classic Wuxia tales and is inspired by Asian history of the last several centuries, with the themes transcended into a world of its own which we recognise as something hitting very close to home. There is magic in this setting, but it has a high price, which makes it rare and very unsettling. This novel unflinchingly explores what people do to each other. What kind of hate and horrible deeds are bred by alienating another human being as "the other" or "the enemy" or "not human". It shows the price of resisting *and* of giving in. What it does not do, is offer easy solutions or heroism. It is one of the few fantasy novels that show war as the dirty, horrible business it is. I very much recommend this book, if you dare.

What started as a rough read ended up becoming the best trilogy I've read this year. The Poppy War explores heavy topics such as the horrors of war, colonialism, racism and the complexity of making "right" decisions. Kuang manages to blend fantasy with a realistic potrayal of the world as we follow Fang Runin's journey from a poor girl in the south to a shaman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants: power and revenge. What I loved most, though, was the friendship between Rin and Kitay, which was both beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. It's the kind of bond that stays with you long after finishing the last page.

This book blew me away with it's rich and eventful plot and a stunning and well crafted world-building. The book has three parts, and whereas the first one feels like a dark academic YA fantasy, the story quickly develops into a grimdark military war fantasy which is definitely for adults only! I loved the way the author builds up the plot and manipulates the reader's opinion in regard to certain characters. However, Kuang doesn't shy away from depicting brutally honest and graphic war images - this book is not for the faint of heart. Also, this book is pure fantasy - no romance included. I really dived into the plot and enjoyed the book. BUT sometimes I had to step aside for a moment and reflect how I felt about certain aspects.