The Dragon Republic Deluxe Collector's Edition (The Poppy War, 2)

When I thought The Poppy War had already wrecked me emotionally, The Dragon Republic came along and doubled down on the heartbreak, horror, and sheer brilliance. This book is a masterclass in emotional devastation, complex character arcs, and deeply researched historical inspiration.Reading this felt like riding a rollercoaster with no brakes. I was smiling one minute, sobbing the next, feeling hope only to have it crushed underfoot by the brutal realities of war. Rin continues to be one of the most complicated, frustrating, and heartbreakingly human protagonists I’ve ever read. I found myself loving her, fearing for her, wanting to shake her—and not always understanding her.What sets this book apart is its unflinching portrayal of war and its consequences. The brutality is sickening, but never gratuitous. It’s rooted in real-world history—specifically the Sino-Japanese War and 20th-century China—and the parallels are haunting. The way R.F. Kuang intertwines fantasy with real historical trauma is nothing short of genius, and it makes for an incredibly hard, yet meaningful read.The Dragon Republic is not just a fantasy novel—it’s an emotional experience. It’s painful, immersive, and at times almost too much to bear, but I was completely captivated. I don’t know if I’m ready for The Burning God—my heart can barely take it—but I know I’ll be reading it anyway.

So I am a bit conflicted about this second book of Rin's journey in not only discovering herself, but seeing how the world deals with outcasts. The sequel begins in the same manner as the first book left off. quick pacing which helps with drawing you in effortlessly. Here is where i have an issue; it flounders for a brief moment near the middle as it provides you an overview of the developing government system being put in place. While I enjoy the depth of information your given to help you understand the characters and their mindsets, I just felt this portion dragged on far too long and kept this from being a 5 star read for me. It truly is a shame as the remainder of the book takes you back to the swift pacing that I grew to enjoy from the first book. I will have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the story development with its twists. it gave me an appreciation for Rin as she starts to see that she truly is a pawn in this story. The friends to enemies and enemies to friends twists were very enjoyable, and honestly a surprise when they occurred as I had not expected them. Overall this was a solid read, and I cannot wait to continue on with the finale.

I’m speechless. Another 6/5 stars for RF KUANG. I never expected the sequel to poppy wars could top the first. 10 out of 10

This is a fantastic follow up to The Poppy War. It expands on the world of the first book with a focus on naval combat and introduces new characters while deepening recurring characters. Basically everything one could want in the second book of a trilogy. I greatly enjoyed the expansion, now on to the conclusion!

My favorite was Book 1. Through the ravages of war in Book 2 Rin escapes to lead. Her character seemed so sharp and intelligent in Book 1, but she seemed naive and unable to strategize in Book 2.

I TORE through this book like literally read it in 4 days. So good had me super locked in. Less graphic than the first one which I really appreciated and I also loved all the love political elements. Pacing was great and there were definitely some twists that caught me by surprise!!! Can’t wait to read the 3rd one

Okay, let me start by saying this book was excellently written. It’s gripping, utterly unpredictable, and action packed. The intricacies of the plot and political structures are so impressive. Kuang did a fantastic job.Now, that aside, I’m a romantic. I can’t help it. And this is not a romance. I understood this going in, but that understanding did nothing to alleviate my inevitable disappointment. I really REALLY wanted certain relationship developments to happen, and just when I had been teased into thinking they would, they did about the opposite. And it was a little bit heartbreaking. Actually, multiple things about this book were heartbreaking. I think they were meant to be.Also, our dear heroine just flat pissed me off. A lot. Many, many times. In fact, I think I disliked her more often than not. I don’t remember a character that I enjoyed reading about so much who simultaneously made me want to rip my hair out. I think this was also intentional and that thought alone gives me hope for her further development in book three.There are so many plot points that could come back into play, so many different directions this could go, and I’m very interested to find out how Kuang polishes off this trilogy.

It seemed like Rin might be going down a path that I wouldn't align with, but I had to continue her story and see where things went.I was grinning like a fool at the end of this one!