The Dragon Republic

This book delivered on everything I was missing in book one! The flow was much better in my opinion, and the story itself was also generally more compelling. The stakes kept rising and the focus on naval warfare was incredibly interesting to me. Though I have to admit that at this point I'm mostly reading the series to find out what happens to Kitay.

The Dragon Republic is a deeply emotional continuation of Rin's journey, though it definitely suffers a bit from the classic "middle book syndrome." In the devastating aftermath of the First Poppy War, a traumatized and addicted Rin aligns herself with a powerful warlord to overthrow the Empress, only to find herself trapped in a new, deadly web of political deceit. Kuang’s exploration of trauma, colonialism, and the ugly realities of warfare remains as incredibly sharp and unflinching as ever. However, the pacing takes a noticeable hit in this installment. Rin's constant cycle of making the exact same mistakes, combined with a very heavy focus on military and naval maneuvering, can feel quite repetitive as the story progresses. Despite these pacing issues, the character dynamics are complex, and the stakes continue to rise. It might be a slower, more exhausting read than the first book, but it remains a gripping and absolutely necessary bridge that sets up the final act of the trilogy.

Eine gelungene Fortsetzung, in der wir uns als Leser sehr viel mit Rins Gedanken und Gefühlen auseinandersetzen. Actiongeladen und spannend bis zur letzten Seite!

I've tried to love this book. I've tried so hard, but after everything I just can't... It's not that this story didn't catch me. I love Kuang's style of writing and I really want to know what's gonna happen next, but it all just feels like it's so repetitive and I honestly just don't vibe with Rin. Her character developement is pretty stagnant in my opinion and idk, I was always just wishing for more. I did like her in the first half of the first book, but afterwards it all went downhill and I don't think it will get better in book 3. I did enjoy reading this book for the most part, but I sadly don't think I'll continue the series.

Band zwei der Trilogie. Es geht spannend weiter und die Handlung schraubt sich immer weiter hoch. Den moralischen Kompass müssen wir als Leser:innen hinter uns lassen.