“One will die. One will rule. And one will sleep for eternity.”

WOW! JUST WOW! I don’t know where to start this review with because whatever I say, I don’t think it would do this book just. Kuang is a prodigy and I am pretty sure she will be one of the hugest names in fantasy in the years to come! How can someone my age write something this excellent like she has been writing books for decades. Kuang is already a master of the craft and she stepped up the game once again with The Burning God.

I remember reading The Poppy War before it was this known and it was one of my favorite books that year. I thought the book was excellent and I still remember some of the scenes vividly! The book then started getting more and more recognition which it totally deserves and made me happy the fandom is growing more! Then I read an ARC of The Dragon Republic and I was even more impressed by the improvement and the book became a favorite of mine too. Just when you think the series can’t get any better than that, I get an ARC of this book and holy shit! This is the best book in the series and is just on a level of its own when compared to the whole genre!

I always loved Kuang’s writing but her skills in this book were just flawless. Book 1 had a few minor problems which I can totally understand from a debut but with this book you could tell that Kuang is much more comfortable in her writing and that she learned the secrets of the business. It does not look like this was written by a 24 year old author but as someone who has been writing for 24 years!

“Hate was its own kind of fire and if you had nothing else, it kept you warm.”

The story in book 2 finished and made us all wait on our tiptoes for this book. The book continues the event after book 2 and the story is still a military/ epic fantasy at its core. The book deals with the same heavy objects it did in previous books like war, racism and violence! I was not surprised by the plot in this book but was surprised by how well it was executed. I am gonna be honest when I say I don’t know much about the history and wars that inspired this story but I could tell where the story is going! But this story is much more than just plot twists that I can see coming or not. It is an important story that carries a history of a nation within! All the respect for Kuang for making it exciting to read too! (I think I will disagree with some of the fans who think this should not be entertaining because books can be important, deep and yet entertaining).

Rin, Nizha and all the characters we love are in this book and they all grow and change in this book immensely! I remember my friend tweeting a while ago that characters growth should not always mean they improve but sometimes fall into anger and despair which quite describes some of the development happening in this book! There was one point regarding characters fate that I was not a big fan of because I thought it was rushed but other than that, I felt the characters were perfect! (I hate to think days about the ending before I could decide how I feel about it).

“And you should know by now that when you leave your enemies alive, wars don’t end.”

Summary: In short, this was one of the best trilogies ever! From the cover design to the last line in the trilogy! It is a very important story too so do yourself a favor and read it if you haven’t already!

Wow. Just wow. This was a stunning ending to one of my favorite series of all time. R.F. Kuang masterfully blends fiction with history in her Poppy War series, making it both mystical and all too real. This is a novel about a girl who was trying to survive, and whilst clawing her way through life was used and discarded and became something she never intended.

Not an easy read, TPW series requires brain power, and some emotional fortitude. That being said, it is well worth your energy. The series starts with a young Rin being accepted to study at a prestigious military academy. She is a poor Southerner, and does not have an easy go at school. The series follows her through school, through the war that comes to her country, and follows her in the subsequent years after conflict starts.

This brings me to one of my favorite parts about this series – the timing. All too often series rush through or have a million things happening in such a sort time. This is not the case here – timelines are realistic. Events are realistic. Everything that happens feels real.

The real gem of this novel comes from the characters – they are nuanced and imperfect. They do the wrong things sometimes and can be vindictive. Their pasts inform their actions. And even when they make choices that make you want to rip out your hair, you still love them. I think that is part of what makes this series and this novel so successful – everyone has their own motive and they all believe they are right. It really drives home that nobody is correct when it comes to war – every side does what they think is justified or what it will take for them to survive.

As for the Burning God itself, it is one of the best series conclusions I have ever read. It is paced perfectly, and answers almost everything that had to be tied up without giving us a play by play. The ending is tragic, and upsetting, and wonderful, and everything it needed to be. I cannot imagine it ending in a more perfectly imperfect way. I laughed, I cried, I felt like throwing the book across the room. And now its done.

I always know a book or a series was special when I feel a bit empty after reading it. After the Burning God, I felt exactly this. I don’t think I was prepared to say goodbye to this world that I resided in for so long, yet I was relieved. Needless to say, I am planning a reread as soon as release day hits!

Content Warnings: rape, cannibalism, sexual assault, abuse (emotional, physical), war crimes, drug use and abuse, gore, violence, racism, colorism

I have one word: pain.

First of all, the ending was perfect for this trilogy. I honestly would not want any other ending (I still cannot believe the series I started in 2018 which really helped me with ~identity~ things has written its final line).

Second, I was a little sad that there was not as much snarky Kitay in The Burning God. I missed him a bit. I wonder if I would take more notes during a reread because this time around, I definitely feel like I was there for the ride. When I reread The Poppy War back in the summer, I realized and commented on so much more than I had the first time I read it in 2018. The same would probably happen if I reread The Dragon Republic and The Burning God in a few months.

Anyway, back to The Burning God review. It felt like reading two or three books in one because there was so much going on but with a pace that just worked. At the end of The Dragon Republic Rin was much more vulnerable than she had been, and the beginning of The Burning God sees her clawing to regain that power she craves again. But this Rin is also so different from the Rin at the very last lines of The Burning God. She has been through so much; I can barely remember her as the eager student out to prove that she could do it.

No surprise here because music is part of my brand name ("lyrical" was very appropriate on many different levels), but if I am going to put a song to this it would be Stray Kids' "Maze of Memories." There are so many different rhythms and emotions in this song, but this rollercoaster makes "Maze of Memories" that much more intriguing and fun to listen to. This is me with The Burning God. I was completely sucked into Kuang's world, and it was only after reflecting on what I had just read after finishing The Burning God that I was like, "wow, what a journey." It never occurred to me just how much happened in this book, but it felt like no time at all. That is a testament to Kuang's writing style (which is so stark and cuts straight to the point), her characters, the strength of her world-building, and the pacing of the narrative.

•RIN•

I remember reading The Poppy War and thinking how power hungry Rin is, and I still believe that but it also struck me in The Burning God how morally grey she is. Painting her only as "power hungry" erases how human she can be at the same time. Most of the time I am like "RIN" (see: setting things on fire), but then there are other moments when I sympathize with her and her anger (she has a guilty conscious sometimes). There were moments when I kept thinking, "Should I sympathize with her? Look at all the awful things she has done." But then there also is the fact: "Look at how terrible the world is to her; she exists in a world that does not want her to exist." It is not so much a justification than another perspective to a different understanding.

While Rin struggled to maintain power and seek out more, she was also at the same time so naively hopeful to believe that once she won the war that everything would be fixed. She never allows herself to think beyond the horizons of the war, I think, because then what was the point? I cannot believe I am saying this about Fang Runin, but, in a way, she is so desperately optimistic in the darkest way. Rin desires to change history, to erase others from the narrative just as others have tried to erase her and her people (the Speerlys). This time, she has the power to do so.

Also, side note, apparently I am Rin's age. She is 21-years-old, too, so that's fun.

•COMMENTARIES•

The Burning God continues The Dragon Republic's commentary on Western colonization (equivalent to the Hesperians of this world). There, of course, is also more on elitism, racism, and colorism. Technological advantages in warfare, however, is a new topic, and I found it intriguing to see how Rin and her army reacted and responded to this new threat. It was also interesting to see how this advantage and the path of the war impacted the characters' sense of identity.

Something that had struck me when reading The Poppy War was its musings on humanity. As a history major, I was also fascinated how these books contemplate humanity through the lens of history and consider whose stories are being told and who has been erased from the narrative. It is astonishing how simple it is to see another person as a human being and just as effortless to not. Rin often surprised herself about how easy it was to convince herself that the people she caught in her fire deserved to die once they stopped being humans in her eyes.

As The Burning God says, "Who decided who counted as human?"

•LAST THOUGHTS•

Reading The Burning God was an experience, to say the least. I was so caught up in the story itself that I did not write as many notes as I thought I had, but I do remember highlighting so many incredible paragraphs. Of the notes I did write, a fair amount of them were "oh f*ck" and "well" lol.

In this conclusion, Rin and company fight against forces larger than themselves, whether it be the gods, white superiority, or trying to rebuild a country with rotten foundations (I personally loved the parts about structural issues and running a nation). There are some...unexpected appearances, some which I was not a fan of at all (but in a good way). The characters in The Burning God also are surrounded by the barest of certainties; everything is up in the air.

If I were to make a literary moodboard for The Burning God, it would be something like this:

When the options are limited, make your own with what you have left.

"History moved in such vicious circles."

Accompanied by one of my last notes: "HIGH PITCHED SCREAMING"

And there you have it! The Burning God.

As I have mentioned before, The Poppy War trilogy is a series that tackles some incredibly heavy topics. So while I highly recommend the books for its commentary on history, colonization, humanity's power and the crave for a power beyond reach as well as western imperialism (among other things), this recommendation comes with a warning of caution.

I found this book to be mind-blowingly amazing. It took my breath away. It rocked me. It gave me goose-bumps. It made my heart hurt. It made me laugh. It left me stunned.

This is a series that takes the reader on a journey that spans years and crosses continents. I don't believe that I will ever be able to forget this book and Rin's story. It vastly surpassed any of my expectations and will always hold a special place in my heart..

I am devastated. Torn between praising this as the best book I've read this year and cussing out Kuang for being so brutal. Not for the faint of heart, not recommended for those who like their fantasy light and positive. But for those who can take it, you will find yourself rooting for people you probably should despise.

What a beautiful conclusion! RF Kuang is a goddess! How could she bring that entire chaotic ending of The Dragon republic to such an wonderful end?, I don’t know. That took black magic or something!

This was the descent into madness that I was looking for! This was a beautiful end to the trilogy and the ending that none of us wanted. It was heartbreaking but beautiful. My only complaint is that it took so long for me to finish, but I think some of that was due to my mental health at the time. Overall a beautiful book and I will read anything Rebecca puts out.

Wow! This stunning end to The Poppy War series took my breath away. RF Kuang truly outdid herself. This is incredible!!

It's hard to say much about the third book in a trilogy without giving the plot away but some things I can say are:

This book is complete and utter perfection. Probably one of my favorite endings of all time.

This book is completely unpredictable. I have never once in this entire series correctly predicted what was going to happen, but not in the way that everything came out of nowhere. When you finally do realize what's really happening, the signs were all there (or maybe I'm just dumb).

The writing is so immersive that you can feel the panic and the anxiety, like you yourself are trapped and unable to breathe or feel the heat on the battlefield.

After TPW and TDR, I was suspicious of every single character which made for an anxiety ridden reading experience but it is 1000% worth the pain.

Rating: 7/10

Murder, mayhem, tragedy and loss; the final instalment of the Poppy War Trilogy is packed with enough story-line and events for a trilogy, let alone a finale as devastating as this. It is a treat of epic proportions with a lot to live up to with the first two in the trilogy – which it certainly fought hard to do, with enough heartache and despair to last. With a final scene that replays constantly in my mind (the only thing I can now think about when I consider this trilogy) and also a middle that left me feeling somewhat … peeved? I think would be the right word. I have no idea how to effectively synthesise my mix of thoughts and feelings into a review that will do it justice. Preface: this is my mixed opinion and I’m going to try and explain without too many spoilers. There will be hints at the plot, so if you want to go into the third book completely fresh, don’t read on.

Rin, and her final descent into villainy, starts off hidden in bushes, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting, to continue a story of slaughter. She’s now part of the leadership in the Southern Coalition, and she’s out for revenge … out for blood still, in the shape and form of Nezha and the Hesparians.

There’s cruelty in good measures here, a Rin type of cruelty that we’ve grown accustomed to throughout the rest of the series, carefully, deftly written by Kuang’s masterful hand. A kind of well-spoken brutality that is so very raw. Rin uses her power to manipulate and outright kill her way into full command of the rebel forces, making a beeline for her beloved Tikany. One of the things I have enjoyed about the series proper is the morally questionable lead and it is still the same in this final book, which takes full-frontal control in the first part. It is there she meets the Vipress, now a withered husk of her former glory, and from here that we kick into – what I thought – was the main, final story thread. A quest to revive the Trifecta, and with it, the powerful and undeniable Dragon Emperor. At this, I was fully hooked. The fight scenes were fully imagined spectacles as always, the action: scripted, clear madness. The characters: desperate, gritty, relationships fraying.

From the middle of the book, where the story-line I loved is fully realised, then quickly binned off, destroyed, I was left reeling and not knowing what to make of the final part. Something that happens here just didn’t and hasn’t sat right with me … Kuang’s ability to keep us guessing, never knowing what is around the corner hit me hard in this book and, for once, it was not a surprise that I liked. To say I was devastated for this book at this point would be right.

The last half of the book left me moody, and I don’t think I got over the disappointment that I spoke about above. A red herring in its truest form. As a huge fan of the series, or any series, you always have some way you think it will go or end up and this was the first time that I was very wrong, to the credit of Kuang; in this respect, it is a very well-executed series.

And, that ending. Despite what happened between, it hit me hard. It hurt. It was not what I expected, but was wholly satisfying in the most despairing way. All in all, it was a great series, but has a lot of twists and turns that could turn out unsavoury depending on the preferences of the reader. It’s definitely a series that will stay in my mind for a long while.

this was a great way to end the trilogy, it had what I was looking for from the previous books. The characters were great and I enjoyed going through this read.

R. F. Kuang has, once again, emotionally destroyed me.

This gut punch of a book follows Rin as she is consumed with vengeance - not just her god's, but her own. Kuang has crafted such terribly flawed characters that you simultaneously are repulsed by and rooting for. This was a wonderful, miserable, fitting ending that will satisfy and outrage fans in equal measure.

I won't waste your time listing the reason's I didn't love it because I do not think this series was one for me,
This was an accidental request on my end, as I don't typically read adult fiction and had not read the first two books when approved. Out of the three, this is the one I enjoyed the most!

What I enjoyed:
The writing and world-building were really great!
The battle scenes were some of the best I've ever read!
I am in awe of how young R.F. Kuang was when she started writing this series!

What I didn't enjoy:
Mostly, I didn't love the MC. Because this is an adult book, it has much heavier themes than I am used to in my YA reads and took much longer for me to get through,

“I am the force of creation… I am the end and the beginning. The world is a painting and I hold the brush. I am a god.”

The Poppy Wars series has finally come to an end. I rarely ever attempted reading a series, and this would be my second that I have ever completed. And what a journey this has been. This final installment, like its predecessors, was filled with violence, loss, torture, dead bodies, and endless sufferings – everything that you’d find in a war. And Rin was sick and tired of it all.

Rin was determined to win. She joined to Southern Coalition to fight the Republic led by her nemesis, Vaisra and his son, Nezha. She gathered her troops hoping it’d be big and strong enough to topple the Northern and Hesperian armies. She approached the Monkey Warlord for help only to be rejected by Gurubai, but was surprised when Souji and Zuden decided to help and join forces. Rin regained her confidence.

Her confidence dissipated almost as soon as it came when she saw her hometown Tikany, in Rooster Province being torn apart by the Muganese. There, a girl she found took her to Su Daji, who had been waiting for her arrival. Always a foe, never a friend, Daji somehow managed to convince Rin that she was on her side. But Kitay doubted Daji and he and Rin had a big fight over it. Before they could decide if they could trust Daji, they were attacked by Nezha and the Republic, and to Rin’s horror, Kitay couldn’t be found. Without her anchor by her side, she felt weaker and weaker with each passing moment.

Then out of the blue, the Monkey Warlord Gurubai appeared with the rest of his crew. Things took a sudden turn, and Rin and Daji were taken away on a dirigible to Chuluu Korikh where shamans were captured. Jiang, her master at Sinegard returned. With a turn of events, together with Daji, they’d fight the Republic. Will they succeed? Will this war ever end, and will Rin get what she fought so hard for?

What stuck out to me in ‘The Burning God’ was Rin and her relationship with everyone around her. When Rin lost Kitay, she realized how much he had meant to her and how much she relied on him for stability, strength, wisdom and power. She was rage, Kitay her reason. It was almost like she existed because of Kitay. Without him, the Phoenix could've burned her to death.

And then, her complicated relationship with Nezha – their love and hate for each other. Their loyalty towards their people pulled them apart and brought them back again. Nezha was always teasing her, playing her like a puppet, frustrating Rin to no end, yet when they met, they couldn’t and wouldn’t kill each other. I loved how Nezha's so-called 'point-of-view' was written; he was not too involved, that it'd turn this into a partial love story. That would've turn me off! LOL

Venka returned in this series. Theirs were the unlikeliest of friendship as they were as different as night and day, but war brought them together – both survivors, both marred and toughened by war. However, at one point, when Rin felt she was constantly watched, and she accused Venka of spying for Nezha.

The war consumed Rin. She was overcome with more paranoia, fear mixed with fury and vengeance, pushing her sometimes to the brink of madness. As she rose higher in power and rank, so did her mistrust. Who were her allies? Who weren’t? On their march to Mount Tianshan, she was warned by her master Jiang that she shouldn’t trust Daji. Was he right? Was it why Daji had never left his sight for fear of being exposed? Or was Jiang just hurt and delirious?

Many times, I got really frustrated with Rin. Yes, she was a brilliant soldier, tough, unafraid of death, and powerful. “She was capable of such cruelties, even without the Phoenix, and that both delighted and scared her.” But she was vulnerable and often too emotionally driven. Her trust misplaced, her anger always at the wrong person or time, her impatience often led her to mistakes, and her pride always put many lives at risk. If not for Kitay, I would’ve given up on her.

Kuang is a masterful storyteller. She did really well with The Burning God. She knew her characters and pace, she deftly set up and choreographed fight scenes, wrote interesting warfare strategies, painted war and post-war scenes, dug into complicated relationships, and showed the sufferings of the soldiers and victims of war, and yes, things can get really, really graphic – both visual and language. So, be warned.

I was a little disappointed though that there wasn’t more of Moag. She and her crew were such an interesting cast!

Oh, the ending. I didn’t expect it honestly. But it was one great satisfying ending. Sad but satisfying. But sad. Very sad. Am I giving too much away? LOL

The book explored racism, Chinese history and mythology, racism, colorism, and oppression, and Kuang didn’t romanticize anything. So this means, expect all kinds of TW.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced page-turner, this is it. But be prepared, it’s harsh, brutal and cruel. Well, what do you expect, it’s war. Just get ready for sleepless nights.

This book took me longer to read than it should have. Was it me or was it the beginning of the book? I'm not sure I can objectively say.

The Poppy War series is one of my favorite adult fantasy series of all time. The Burning God adds a final novel which perfectly encapsulates the plot arc as a whole, starting with masterful character arcs and leaving you with a contented feeling of knowing your time was well spent with this trilogy.

R F Kuang really knows how to write complex, realistic, flawed characters. You love the main character Rin just as much as she can frustrate you. Her character growth (and missteps) is one of my favorites in any series I've ever read. Few have pulled off - from what I've read - what R F Kuang was able to with her main character. And every single side character is fully developed, fully realized, and also so realistic with their flaws and their motives and everything that makes them human.

It did take me almost three weeks to finish the first half of the book. It is largely about planning, plotting, war strategy, and the pacing during those times is always a bit slower for me. I also have a lot less free time these days which does impact my ability to inhale a book in a few days. However, I read the last forty percent in just over 24 hours so take from that what you will!

I highly, highly recommend this series. Especially if you like complex characters, long-standing war dynamics, and gods intermingling with humans.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the advanced reader copy!

4.5 stars.

The conclusion of the Poppy War series, The Burning God is as astonishing as the shamans and gods of its story. Rin hasn't stopped fighting since she arrived at Sinegard. Having broken with the Dragon Republic, Rin begins the novel trying to remove the Mugenese from her country, growing from commander to leader of her own movement. Rin, however, is beginning the slide into madness that haunts members of Cike, while trying to protect her people from the cruelty of the Mugenese and from the hidden horrors brought by the Hesperians. Wrenching, beautiful, cynical, hopeful, Kuang's writing forces the reader to look at the cost of hero narratives and the hard, brutal truth of warfare. I can't wait to see what Kuang comes up with next!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for giving me an eARC!

So the end is here. And it was 100% worth the journey to get here.

We reach the conclusion of Rin's saga and the end does justify the journey to get there and I'm happy I picked up this series.

This was by far better than Dragon Republic, and at least on the same level as Poppy War. Rin gets more growth, as does the world. We have more deaths and more realistic depictions of war.

It is basically everything we liked in the first two books, and it still feels satisfying to read. There are still SOME loose ends, but they're there for a reason and it is probably to show just how much is left unanswered after a war ends. I honestly don't have words because this was just a ride and it was so worth it. Definitely one of the most satisfying endings in a series.

* Thank you to the publisher for an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review*

CW: Violence, death, gore, drugs, war, mutilation, murder

I’m reeling. I had to stay awake to finish and I feel hollowed out by this series. It’s a masterpiece. It’s easily one of my favorite adult fantasy series’s ever written and it’s absolutely heartbreaking.

The third installment of The Poppy War trilogy was just as brutal and hard hitting as the first two books. I can’t believe I started these books at the beginning of the year and I was blessed by an early arc. Each book is brutally perfect and this ending followed suit.

We watch as Rin grapples with her own decisions, journey, and ultimately what it means to have power. The book is fast paced and ties up the story perfectly. I was absolutely a wreck by the end and I’ll continue to recommend this series to literally any fantasy lover who will listen.

phew, i finished this a few days an am still working on my feelings. honestly, i feel that a re-read must happen before i can fully process the conclusion to this amazing trilogy. it is always hard for me with sequels to books i love because i always go in with certain expectations. of what you want to happen. well, even knowing the inspiration behind rin's arc, i still held some hope that things would end differently. from the beginning, this trilogy has been far from your average cookie cutter fantasy. it goes hard. it goes so fucking hard and the conclusion is no exception. it's one of those instances, where even though i KNEW how things would end, my brain still has been conditioned for a fantasy series to end a certain way. and since my brain did not necessarily get that i am having a difficult time processing it. all that i can say is that rf kuang accomplished exactly what she wanted to do with this trilogy and she did it well.

My review of this book is very similar to how I felt at the end of the previous book. I really enjoy the magic and the relationships between the different mages, and I like the world building of this series. Unfortunately I just never really have been able to connect with Rin, particularly as she has progressed through the story to just a very one-note grimdark character. I wish this book had 50% less complaining about how hard it is to be Rin, and 50% more conversations between her and other more interesting characters.

Overall, I think the author has a ton of potential for her career. I think this series started stronger than it finished, as this book never quite captured the band of misfits quality I enjoyed about the first book, or the different warring factions and intrigue of the second. But I hope the author continues onto additional series, will definitely be looking out for new work.