This book really did a number on me and I mean that in the best possible way. I absolutely love The Poppy War, it was one of my favorite books from last year. When I love a book so much, I often go into a sequel with a little bit of worry--will it live up to the greatness of the first one? The answer to that is, thankfully, yes. And not only that, I think this surpasses the first book in a lot of ways.

Like the first book, this one has three parts to it, each roughly a third of the book. In the first section, Rin is busy dealing with the aftermath of the events that occurred at the ending of The Poppy War. Thanks to Rin, victory is theirs. But it's a hollow one, and the war most assuredly isn't over. The Cike are in shambles and Rin is struggling with her guilt, her grief, and a sense of inadequacy to be any good to them, let alone their leader. Not to mention she has a terrible drug addiction which is slowly killing her. Rin's a girl who really needs to get herself together. But, you also can't help feeling for her, the weight of all of these things bearing down on her, and you kind of understand why it's easier to just pass the time in a drug filled haze rather then try to confront the pain of reality.

Eventually Rin manages to get herself together enough to get involved in another war. Content to be used, she lets others use her. But that's the thing--she isn't content. Rin is smart, so very smart. She's just as capable at military strategy as any of the generals she works under. Her temper and her impulsiveness get her into trouble, as does her single-mindedness and her unwillingness to compromise. Even when she does finally compromise, it's grudgingly. She's such a beautifully complex and flawed character, and I love her to pieces even when I want to scream at her. I also love all of the relationships she has with other characters in the book, which really just serve to enforce how alone she is, and how alone she's always been. She's part of the Cike, she's their defacto leader, but she still feels like an outsider there as well. It's hard for her to trust people, as to be expected. She has a really interesting character arc here, where her progress comes back to bite her later. Welp!

The pacing of this one was pretty good. I did think the beginning and middle section were more steady, but compared to the last third of the book they felt slow because things really ramp up towards the end. One thing after another starts happening and sometimes I found myself thinking 'wait, did that just happen?' and had to go back and reread because there's so much going on. There's some pretty great twists and turns and unexpected surprises, which I loved as a reader, but also left me feeling shocked and completely discombobulated. Thanks, book, for all the feelings.

I love how Kuang, once again, didn't pull any punches or try to sugarcoat things. This book is just straight up about how war is hell, humans are trash, everyone is capable of the worst kind of evil, and also no one is ever on the right side because there is no right side (see humans are trash statement). We get to see some of the worst of humanity again in this book and sometimes it's the characters we're rooting for. Let's unpack that 'no one is on the right side because there is no right side'. The 'sides' are just people who want something fighting other people who want the same thing--in this case, mostly that thing is to be in charge and shape the world in their own vision because they think they know what's best for everyone else. Power is part of that because it goes along with the territory. But what you really have here is an ideological battle played out in epic scale, and it's not until too late that Rin begins to realize this. Rin is too focused on her own vengeance and being a cog in a machine, a good little soldier, because she thinks that's all she's good for. It's a bit heartbreaking when you see her finally figuring things out, looking at the bigger picture and putting all the pieces together.

Even though this book is dark, and deals with many dark things, it's not one of those books that is grim just for the sake of being grim. The darkness in this book is very deliberate and serves a purpose, reminding us that we're not so far removed from this side of humanity. This, too, is us, if we let it be. But, even when everything is terrible there's still people willing to fight for what they believe in, whatever that may be, filled with hope for a better future. So it's not really nihilistic in any way. And yet, every side has the same sense of hope of one day bringing their vision of order to the world, and they're willing to do terrible things to get there. Hope is a great and terrible thing.

Overall, I loved The Dragon Republic, it was a fantastic follow up and it's left me a bit breathless waiting for the final book. 5/5 stars.

NOTE: THIS REVIEW WILL BE NOT BE POSTED ON MY BLOG UNTIL 7/11/19

The Dragon Republic is The Poppy War x10000000. The scale of the politics and action is multiplied enormously in this sequel, and the pages are full of plot twists that help to flesh out the world we're reading about.

This is the continuing story of Fang Runin, after the… uh… the events of The Poppy War (I’ll try my best to avoid spoilers here). Rin is having a bit of a tough time with her shamanic powers, that of the Phoenix, one of the many, many gods of her people. She has the ability to call up fire, but with a god screaming in her head for the power to do it… well… it’s a bit difficult to not go a bit insane. Or, instead, to do what a great deal of people like her do to shut off most of their higher functions: opium.

The first part of this novel deals pretty heavily with drug abuse and recovery, and it was often times difficult to read, in that I have known people with drug problems, and so I truly felt for Rin here, as I have felt before for others.

The writing was fantastic. All kinds of twists and turns and ups and downs happened throughout this one, and I didn’t see most of them coming, but I ultimately sat glued to my seat much of the time. Although it took me a little more time to read than other books have lately, when I got to reading it, I was immersed and on the edge of my seat for most of my time with it. Kuang really knows how to ramp up the action and intrigue. This was a very difficult book to have to put down. Reading it when I was short on time/in a waiting room/on my lunch break was sometimes frustrating when my free time ended and I had to put it away.

The last quarter of this book was an absolute rollercoaster though. There wasn’t enough free time in the universe for how much I wanted to gobble it all down in one go. So good. Dat ending though. 😭😭😭😭😭

We got to see a few characters a little more closely, such as Nezha and Kitay, and I enjoyed that because I really liked them as characters throughout The Poppy War as well. We also get to see a little more closely into Chaghan and Qara’s people, and the nature of the bond between them, which was interesting. I loved some of the banter in this one too, usually between Kitay and Rin or Baji and… anyone, really. Rin and her relationship with both her peers and her powers was the driving force of this one for me though. Rin oftentimes makes rash decisions, and those decisions backfire realistically from time to time. There were times where I wanted to just say ‘Rin. No, that’s… no. Just no.’ at her. She is a protagonist who isn’t infallible, and I like that in a protagonist.

So, all told, I absolutely loved this one, as I did the book before it, even when they hurt my feels (maybe especially then). At times, it deals with really tough subject matter, and it gets dark AF on the regular, but then, this book is inspired by actual history, and war, famine, drug abuse are a huge part of that history. You can see a lot of real life in this particular fantasy, which hit me right in all of my feelings, and that, to me, means stellar writing.

Thanks to the author, as well as Harper Voyager via NetGalley for the review copy.

When I was approved for an ARC of The Dragon Republic, I was so excited and relieved to get my hands on it. The Poppy War was one of my favorite (if not my #1) book I've read this year so far and I'm happy to say its sequel did not disappoint! I am amazed by this series that has so much power over my feelings and emotions.

I've already pre-ordered a copy to have on my shelves because let's face it, those books are beautiful and I'm going to re-read them sooner or later.

In The Dragon Republic, we follow Rin and the Cike right after the events of the first book. I don't know if I can say anything without spoiling The Poppy War. I finished this book two hours ago and my thoughts are still reeling. My mind is still in this really well-developed world and with these characters who I gave a piece of my heart.

This story are so well-done and well-written. I have to say however that I found the FMC, Rin, annoying (especially in the first 15%) but it didn't bother me that much. You might see her described as a whiny brat making tantrums in other reviews, but honestly, I don't care. I still love her and if you can push past that, then this book is just amazing. If you like fantasy, please give this series a try if you haven't already.

When I first started it, I wasn't sure if this series was a duology or not and with that ending it's clearly not over and I'm so happy about that! However, that means I'll have to wait who knows how long to find out what's going to happen next. I cannot wait. OMG.

The next book I'm going to read is going to have a hard time. I mean... how can you compare to this? You just can't.

(Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley to let me read and review an e-ARC of this book)

R. F. Kuang’s follow up novel of Poppy War, The Dragon Republic was EPIC! We return to Rin three months after the Poppy war has ended. She and her team are working assassination missions for a pirate smuggler. In return Rin will receive payment with ships and supplies so she and complete her mission, but things don’t work out as she plans.

Kuang wasted no time going in full force in this sequel. Driven by the power of revenge Rin draws her focus through angry and the only thing she wants is to be is a solider. Moving past Nikara and the Mugenese federation, we are now introduced to the Hesperian’s. The Hesperian is a race of Westerners that bring technologies, arquebuses and airships into the story.

Told though her perspective this fast pace fully charged novel will keep you wanting more. Full of darkness, tactics, shifting allegiances, war and death this is a must read if you love fantasy. Thank you, Harper Collins/Harper Voyager, for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review. 5 out of 5

While I really enjoyed The Poppy War, there were a few things that were a bit off for me, namely I felt no connection to Rin and the violence in the book came really close to crossing a line for me at one point (which is saying something because I’ve become pretty desensitized to violence in books at this point in my reading career).

I feel like The Dragon Republic fixed those two problems. Rin, while still nowhere near the most lovable character, became more human. While I didn’t necessarily agree with her decisions all the time, I always understood where she was coming from and why she made the choices she made. I didn’t feel this in the first book, so I was really happy with the character development this time around.

The violence was also tamed down a bit which for me, at least, was a big plus. Maybe that makes me sound like a prude. However, as I mentioned before, there was a scene so brutal in The Poppy War that I almost had to quit the book. I can see how it was beneficial to the story, yet nonetheless, it shook me. If another scene like that had popped up in this book, I probably would have had to pull the plug. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. Don’t get me wrong, there was violence. Some real cringeworthy moments. But they didn’t make me feel the repulsion that I felt while reading the first book.

Also, the ending to this book was badass. The last two chapters had me staying up late into the night to finish. I can’t wait to see how book three plays out.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced review of this book. I also won the paperback ARC from Goodreads. That was my motivation to read these books.

I was so excited to get the advanced review of this.

This book is book 2 to the Poppy War series. This book was so amazing!!!!! That ending!!! The world building and development was very well done. I can not wait to see where the author goes from here. I loved the characters of the story. I don't really want to give to much information because if you have not read book one, I don't want to spoil this book. I just highly suggest picking up this series.

After being betrayed by the Empress, Rin and the Cike are on the run and in mourning. Motivated only by revenge and opium, Rin finds a new ally who promises to improve the lives of the people and help Rin destroy the Vipress. More sweeping, bloody battles ensue, familier to readers of The Poppy War. Characters from the first book return and others die. The mysterious Hesperians enter the picture, with their own complex motivations. While exciting and engaging, The Dragon Republic spends a great deal of time arranging characters and events to set up the next story and is ultimately somewhat unsatisfying. Many of Rin's choices are obvious far in advance and the casual culling of the Cike is juxtaposed with more of Rin's school chums resurfacing.

Continuation of the poppy war series. Didn't feel it was quite as strong as the last book, but still enjoyable, with the same level of manipulative and Machiavellian characters. Would recommend to most fantasy/sci fi readers, particularly those who like the political and war aspects of clashing kingdoms and empires.

I love love loved The Poppy War, so I was ecstatic to have gotten a Net Galley copy for the sequel. But 10% in and I'm not sure if the same author wrote it.

Rin may have had her faults in the first book, but I can sympathize with her and understand her motivations. But the sequel starts off with Rin as a completely different person from the one we've known. She acts like a brat despite being captain, and all she can think about is opium. She's basically a useless toddler. I get that she has a drug problem and a God problem, but pages of her wanting to get high and then getting high, is not interesting to read about. And her "I want revenge and kill everyone" thing just gets tiresome. She's no longer a sympathetic character and I found her extremely annoying.

Worse off, there are so many inconsistencies in the story right off the bat, and the writing reads like a first draft, so cringe worthy, and not anywhere close to a finished piece. Maybe the finished copy will fix everything? Some sentences don't make any sense, the number of adverbs just shows how lazy the writing is, and why all the profanity all of a sudden? I have no issue with profanity when the situation calls for it, or if it's a stylistic choice, but characters are using them just because, and only the word "f*ck", as if it's all they know. It's like a kid who just learned their first bad word and now uses it everywhere because he thinks it's provocative.

Last point, the story is just not interesting. Rin has a goal in mind but doesn't strategize in anyway. It just seems the author had no clue how to begin this book and didn't think through the rest of the story beyond where the first one ended. There is one scene, after which I stopped reading, where Rin threatens a woman who is helping her, that just completely took me out of the story. Rin is not a kid anymore, and after all that she had been through, you'd think she would know how to deal with people and situations better. Instead, she acts like an impetuous and ungrateful little brat, just because she has the power of the Phoenix.

I'm DNFing this at 10%, unless someone tells me it gets a lot better later. Right now, it's just too frustrating to continue. It's a shame because The Poppy War was one of my favorites of 2018. But there are better written books out there so I'm letting this one go for now.

The only thing I liked about this book was the world building. I think the mythology and world was interesting and I really liked it. But I didn't like how they used addiction and drug use as a plot device. I was excited when Rin was getting sober around 20% into the book but then two chapters later they had her high on opium again. That really bothered me because if she's an addict shes not going to be okay with using again after finally getting sober. I understand that it's their connection to the gods, but I just couldn't get past that.

This is my very first ARC review (yeehaw!) – thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As with so many other amazing authors, I first heard about R.F. Kuang while attending Sirens Con this year. People were raving about her first book – The Poppy War – and I finally had the chance to start reading the series in April. On GoodReads, Kuang describes the series as: “If you liked Avatar: The Last Airbender but always wished it were a little darker and more fucked-up, you might like this.” And fucked-up it is!

Grimdark wartime fiction isn’t usually my ideal genre, but Kuang is just so good at constructing the world of her story and the characters that inhabit it. I didn’t find The Dragon Republic to be as overwhelmingly violent as The Poppy War (which grapples with The Rape of Nanjing, an extremely violent massacre during the Second Sino-Japanase War) but the sequel definitely doesn’t shy away from the violence and horrors of war. Kuang does an excellent job of balancing the fucked-up things with a lot of darkly funny dialogue, which I appreciated so much (the character interactions were really what kept me going when I got too overwhelmed by the violence).

The first half of the book took about two weeks for me to get through – there’s a lot of necessary fallout from the ending of The Poppy War that Kuang has to deal with before moving us forward in The Dragon Republic. The Third Poppy War is over, but no one is satisfied by its conclusion. Vaisa, the Dragon Warlord (and Nezha’s father), wants to conquer Nikara, unseat Empress Daji, and turn the country into a Republic. Rin and the Cike have been trying to assassinate Daji on their own, and so after a bit of convincing they join forces with Vaisa and begin their military campaign against the Empire. As this unfolds, we learn two very important things: 1) the Mugenese army is still alive and 2) the Hesperians (the verrrrry untrustworthy Western powerhouse mentioned briefly in the first book) arrive and may/may not agree to assist Vaisa’s army.

While all of this is geopolitical maneuvering is happening, Kuang also forces Rin to grapple with her addiction to opium, come to terms with the destruction she wrought on Mugen, and, deal with her grief from Altan’s death. I’ll admit it – I really hated Rin’s character in the first half of the book (though I think we’re supposed to!!). She’s impulsive, irresponsible, and sooooo self-centered. There were quite a few times where I felt like throwing my ereader across the room, because she was being so freakin’ reckless!! But, this being said, all of this made me love her so much more in the latter half!

When I reached the 60% mark (thanks ereader) the pacing of The Dragon Republic really picked up again and I had such a hard time putting it down! Rin has a truly breathtaking character arc in this book, and it was beautiful watching her evolve throughout the story. I particularly loved the way Run’s relationship to the fire/the Phoenix (and, in effect, her own anger/rage) matured in this book – there were quite a few moments where I got all teared up thinking about how much Rin had changed since The Poppy War.

Of course, Rin couldn’t have done any of this without the help of the Cike, Kitay, or Nezha (!!!), all of whom I was soooo excited to have back on the page. Ramsa, Baji, and Suni were such a delight to read, and I was so thrilled to get more backstory for Chagan and Qara. Nezha and Kitay in particular take center-stage in The Dragon Republic (both in terms of plot and their relationship to Rin), and I’m very excited to see what happens with them next.

The Dragon Republic is such an amazing follow-up to The Poppy War. While it was a bit of a slow burn at the beginning, I was internally screaming throughout the entire final quarter of the book. (Seriously – shit gets WILD). I’m so excited for the third installment in the series (whenever that is!). But for now, I’m content with filling that void by crying about Rin/Nezha and daydreaming about firebending. Pre-order your copy of The Dragon Republic ASAP!!

9 Tiger’s tits out of 10!!!

REVIEW
The Poppy War is one of the top fantasy novels I've read in the last five years, and it is the book I find myself recommending frequently to those looking for an epic story. Kuang's sophomore novel had big shoes to fill, and The Dragon Republic does a mostly strong job in living up to the challenge.

This book plunges immediately into war, darkness, and action with Rin running from herself and her addiction. She made a bargain with the Phoenix in order to save Nikan, but the cost was high. This book unfolds through the building of alliances while navigating the will of the gods. It's a book that will leave readers wanting more in Book 3.

PRAISE
“Her story’s refreshing, shocking, and there’s some sort of invisible phoenix fire god controlling everything. Behold the horizons of fantasy expand.” -Wired

“Kuang brings brilliance to this invigorating and complex military fantasy sequel to The Poppy War.” -Publishers Weekly

AUTHOR
R. F. Kuang is a 2018 Marshall Scholar and a graduate of the 2016 Odyssey Writing Workshop. She studied Chinese history at Georgetown University. The Poppy War was her debut novel. She lives in Cambridge, UK.

The Poppy War was not only one of best books I read in 2018, it's also one of the best books I've ever read and I was really excited to get an ARC of The Dragon Republic from the publisher. Unfortunately, this book fell victim to the typical second-book-in-a-trilogy-slump I find myself complaining about with most trilogies.

The Dragon Republic follows Rin after her victory in the Third Poppy War. Although she's still a strong, yet flawed, character, she begins to make more errors and seems be suffering from the holy trinity of PTSD, opium addiction, and also the part where she has a psychotic god living inside her head. In a way, this combination makes her story incredibly frustrating; while I see her actions as a result of the aforementioned PTSD, addiction, and crazy god, her characterization does come off as a little too "women be overemotional and irrational". She flies off the handle in multiple instances and nearly gets people killed because of her inability to behave like a trained commander. One of the few things Rin gets right in this book is her reaction to the Hesperians but her opinions are repeatedly discounted or ignored because of her overall behavior.

The Hesperians are western colonizers who want to bring their religion and way of life to the "savages" of the Nikara Empire. The conflict between Ren, the various warlords, and the Hesperians is the most interesting part of The Dragon Republic. As in The Poppy War, The Dragon Republic pulls inspiration from real events and history, and bringing western meddling into the story adds a very interesting layer to the plot. This alone does not save the book entirely, but these plot points did get me through the parts of the story that really dragged.

And sadly, my main takeaway from The Dragon Republic is that the book was kind of slow. I do remember thinking that the first part of The Poppy War was a little slow and maybe even a little boring, but R.F. Kuang more than made up for that with the rest of the book. Here, Kuang is setting the stage for the finale and the book does suffer for it. Plot points are introduced and then seemingly forgotten, new characters pop up and then disappear, and there were odd jumps between events that made the story somewhat difficult to follow. That's not to say that I disliked the book. I still really enjoyed this, and I'm still incredibly excited for the third and final book in the series, but I was definitely let down and slightly bored at points. Regardless, I recommend reading this book because it is interesting, I think it's a unique concept, and I strongly suspect that the trilogy as whole will be well worth it.

You know how sequels sometimes aren't as good because you're constantly comparing it to its amazing predecessor? Well, make no mistake, The Dragon Republic does not suffer from second-book syndrome. Kuang carries on from the momentum of The Poppy War to write a sequel that somehow surpasses its predecessor. The Dragon Republic immerses you in Rin's world; you'll experience these events as if you were the one stabbed or betrayed, in pain or in power.

I've been sitting on this review for so long because . . . I'm still dying over it, really. There's truly so much pain in this book, partially because there are so many betrayals. Conversely, Kuang gives us a lot more good, almost heartwarming scenes than the first book. I say "almost" because, well, you're filled with so much dread for what's to come that it's hard to appreciate them; I mean, immediately after these scenes, something bad happens, and this is why we can't have nice things.

There's not much to say without completely spoiling a lot of the events in this book, so much like my review of The Poppy War, I'll be vague and talk more about the themes.

Rin has so much character development. The Poppy War has her angry, permanently overfilled with rage. Don't get me wrong, she still is in this book, but in The Dragon Republic, we get to see a more controlled anger, which in a way is much, much worse. Her anger in the first book was so destructive and unchanneled; really, that would get her nowhere if she kept it up, a fate like, or worse than, Altan's. Now her rage is more channeled.

In line with this, her relationship with Altan is called into question. She's obviously his foil, toeing the line of giving into her anger like him, a cycle of self-destruction that will only end in ruin, but did she really know him? Were they friends, pseudo-family, something more, or something less?

I also love how she's a horrible commander and can recognize it. Sometimes when you have greatness thrust upon you, you screw it all up. Rin's always been able to follow someone else's orders and is fine with that. Eventually she's obviously so desperate for someone else to give orders and be responsible for the consequences that she turns to a certain unexpected someone and their cause. She wants to be a soldier again, but she is destined for bigger things, something she comes to realize over the course of this book.

We get to meet a new enemy, and their rhetoric is truly sickening. Kuang has been open about the inspiration she's drawn from real life events, and remembering how these beliefs were once commonplace (and still are, to some people) is horrific.

I did relate to Rin, though, and how she almost starts believing their rhetoric. Having grown up Asian and non-religious in a predominantly white, religious setting, I understand how easy it is to almost want to give into their proselytizing and believe in something more than yourself. Also, the amount of preaching and attempts to convert you is very true.

Similarly, when Rin realized how much she changed herself to fit in with the higher classes, I really felt that. I went to Kuang's signing last year, and knowing the school she went to (I say that in the least creepiest way possible; it's just that I also went to private school and it's a relatively small world, private schooling in this area, so I've been to that school for events) and that she's an immigrant, she's been through similar feelings. What person of color or first/second-generation immigrant hasn't? There's a line between acclimating to your new environment and adapting by changing yourself completely to fit in; sometimes the pressure pushes you to adapt.

Kuang's writing has somehow gotten even better. I found parts of the first book to be jolting, but The Dragon Republic is strongly cohesive from start to finish. Also I reread The Poppy War after reading this ARC and there is so much foreshadowing and little bits of plot that she connects. I recommend reading the first book again before jumping into this one so you'll catch all of it because honestly, Kuang's mind works on another level.

There's so much more that I want to talk about because SPOILERS, so just know that I'm silently sitting here, suffering and waiting for this book to release so you all can relate to the pain I'm still feeling, months later. I'll just say that her relationships with people we've met in the first book grow, in some cases, into something more. Who'd have thought that in a book about war, I'd be most devastated by . . . oh never mind. I'll just leave you with this quote, no context.

Any expectations of this novel that you might have, Kuang shoots out of the water and sets on fire. This book is one of the strongest sequels I've ever had the privilege of reading, and I cannot wait to see how she one-ups herself again in the third book, especially after THAT ENDING. If you think you're ready for this book, be prepared for how little you can prepare to experience the masterpiece that is The Dragon Republic.

**This review will be posted on my blog, Magical Reads, on July 6, 2019.**

3.5 stars. I think this book is strongest when it's doing magic and battle scenes. The action is riveting and exciting. Rin gets very repetitive throughout the book, but the characters around her are solid. The religious overtones are a bit heavy handed, but the different factions and shifting alliances are good. So a mixed bag, but definitely a series I'll stick with.

Rin is back, and still making poor choices (from a very limited choice set) about who to trust in her quest to kill the Empress. Given the horrors of the last book, it’s not surprising that more death and coercion follow, but the greater threat of the Hesperians (English/European analogues) emerges as they want to study Rin so they can destroy the gods, which they consider agents of chaos compared to their superior monotheism. I kept thinking of N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season, because it is also about how abuse does not ennoble and how existing structures can make it all but impossible for someone who has power to use it well.

Title: The Dragon Republic
Author: R.F. Kuang
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Publication Date: Aug. 6th, 2019
eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.



"The sequel to R.F. Kuang’s acclaimed debut THE POPPY WAR, THE DRAGON REPUBLIC combines the history of 20th-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating effect." (Goodreads)



My Review:

Sometimes it is hard for sequels to live up to the first book. I had high hopes for this book because I fell in love with the characters and the writing of the author. Let me tell you, this book exceeded my expectations!

Rin finds herself in the aftermath of war. She is filled with emotions because of it and at times those emotions lead her to make some poor decisions. Grief and loss are powerful things to deal with. Throughout the book she is developing more and more because of what she has gone through and the knowledge she comes to know. It makes her a stronger person and helps her create bonds with the ones who have always been at her side.

Characters from the first book come back and new characters are also introduced. I loved the development of some that didn't get much page time in the first. I also enjoyed Vaisra who at times becomes the voice of reason for Rin.

As for the plot, it is dark, bloody, and full of battles on land and sea. It is heartbreaking, raw, and draws you in. I wouldn't expect anything else from this series. It takes a lot to get through but it is such a thought provoking series that I think everyone should read.

I will be anxiously waiting for the third book in the series. If you haven't picked up The Poppy War yet, go read it so you can pick up The Dragon Republic!

4.5/5 Stars:

Received an advance copy from Netgalley. While I gave the first book 5 stars, this one rounds down to 4 because the main character was more unlikable in this second outing. In the first book she was a genius, getting into Sinegard on her own merits and becoming a top student, shaman, and all-around excellent soldier. This book she's a just makes mistake after mistake, a real step backwards. However, the supporting characters are still strong and compelling, while new characters from different lands are introduced in a very interesting way.

It started slow but really picked up in the final chapters and I'm excited for the final book.

The Dragon Republic is a continuation of the chaos Rin has left behind in her wake- only this time, it is different. Rin is no longer the same girl from Sinegard and Nikara is far from the empire she fought so desperately for. Now, amid an inevitable civil war, Rin is forced to choose sides and fight for an uncertain and possibly unattainable future.

The character development continues to grow dramatically and transforms Rin, Nezha, and Kitay into desperate humans seeking for the truth. Rin's narrative is continuously flawed reflecting her human-like mishaps and making this war story all the more heart-wrenching. Furthermore, much of the story focuses on strategy and warfare, resulting in a lesser focus on world-building and characterization. This aspect was crucial, however, it slowed the pace of the book. This is not a bad thing, but being a reader with a short attention span, I favor gripping books with fast-paced action. Despite this, the last few chapters of the book were exhilarating enough to change the novel from a four-star read to five-stars. Unforeseen plot twists paired with raw pain and emotion delivered the perfect, climatic ending. I will most definitely be looking forward to reading the next book.