Description
“The Poppy War” is the first book in a fantasy trilogy, R.F. Kuang wrote in 2018. While immersed in Chinese history’s Second Sino-Japanese War and its brutalities, elements of military fantasy and grimdark fiction are intertwined. Brief summary:
A young orphan from a war-torn, impoverished Rooster Province in the Nikara Empire, who unexpectedly passes the super competitive Keju test and, because of that, is rewarded with an entry to the elite military academy, Sinegard-from dark skin, poverty raises no barriers for her and can even be overpaid. She finds out that she has a gift for shamanism-an ancient, dangerous art of magic that lets her speak with gods-at Sinegard.
When tensions between the Nikara Empire and the Federation of Mugen, a neighboring nation inspired by Imperial Japan, are raised to a boil, Rin is dragged into a brutal and devastating war. She meets a mysterious opium-addicted master named Altan, who helps her learn how to harness her powers as a shaman; however, it costs her dearly, as the magic she taps into will tie her to the Phoenix, a god of fire and vengeance, as well as push her to dangerous extremes.
The novel delves into the horrors of war and addiction, and the moral ambiguity of power. Rin tries to balance her desire for revenge, her identity, and the aftereffects of using such immense power. “The Poppy War” is known for its visceral descriptions of war crimes and how trauma and oppression are distinctively featured in shaping individuals and nations.
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