High fantasy is frequently inspired or even modeled on British or Continental history. The Poppy War is different in that it takes China in the twentieth century as it's brutal paragon.

Honestly, I don't know anything about Chinese history (other than the famous buzz words), and I don't think I would have cared if that was the series' only selling point. The reason why this is awesome is much more rooted in pop-culture and very well converts with my current interests. It's only as of late that I rediscovered my love for Naruto, and along came this book that reads as if martial-arts anime (or especially Avatar: The Last Airbender) were turned into prose.

After centuries of war there is now peace between the Nikan Empire and the Mugen Federation. Our protagonist Rin was orphaned by the war and is living with foster parents. In her teenage years she learns of the exam for the prestigious military academy in the nation's capital, Sinegard. With hard and painful work, and to everyone's surprise (except of the readers, maybe), she is able to get in. Not exactly popular, not even among her teachers, but at least with the promise for some purpose in life.

I think this is the strongest aspect of the entire narrative, the idea of Rin's purpose in war. There is genuine character development marked by war and hate all around her. In the beginning it's all about recognition. As everywhere in the academy the familiar mechanisms of social injustice are in place, and due to her background, for her it's much more difficult to succeed than it is for the offshoots of the prestigious families. She has to follow her path with much more intensity and in a way it pays of. She is recognized as being special and one teacher takes her on to develop her potential.

Her teacher might be addicted to the eponymous drug, though he's careful in his guidance. In tumultuous times and with her background it's understandable that the for Rin the point is not always evident. R. F. Kuang has a great sense for how teenage emotions would play out in a scenario that bleak. Frankly, when all hell breaks loose Rin's ambition becomes to use her superhuman powers to crush the enemy.

Unlike most franchises where there is a distinct dichotomy of Good vs. Evil, here the temptations of the dark side are very real. When Rin discovers her true heritage, being an offspring of a people that was obliterated in a genocide, she is even more determined to put an end to her people's suffering no matter by what means.

However, the dark promises are never presented in undisguised or unambiguous form. For the the perpetual uncertainty made for an even more engaging read. Reveals are well interwoven with other things happening in the plot. Circumstances change, her relationships to other characters change, and the Lore at play in the background is never easy to interpret. Neither for Rin, nor for the reader.

One thing becomes totally clear, though; there may be religion and gods, but it's Rin herself who is responsible for her decisions and it is her who has to live with the consequences. I think it's a rare thing in SFF that characters honestly feel the weight of their actions. Here it's not even Rin alone. There is a cast of characters who make meaningful decisions and who often turn out to be very different from what you might have thought in the beginning.

So, it's only in the beginning that the picture is as colorful as the animations of Avatar. But even then it can be quite visceral in its descriptions, as in how Rin deals with her menstruation pains. Later on Kuang doesn't shy away from depicting the horrors of war. I think the graphic prose serves a purpose and it's because of this that Rin's darker motives become more intelligible. With the suffering from massacre, bombs, and rape it becomes understandable how for her the enemy becomes this faceless monster that has to be extinguished at all cost.

I think the emotions are even mirrored by the pacing. After Rin left the academy and suddenly finds herself a soldier in war, the plot is not as streamlined as it was in the first part of the book. There is no clear goal, and certainly no clear path to follow. Rin's actions become more erratic as events become more unpredictable and intense. At first I was a bit taken aback by the change of quality, but especially towards the end it all makes sense.

It's only then that the effects of the eponymous drug are fully introduced in the story. It's terrible to think how the soldiers of Rin's special army would experience the uncertainties through the drug-induced haze. More importantly, though, by the end it's frighteningly understandable how the drug becomes the means too ease the pain. A weakness that is at first repellent, yet later presented with empathy for the fact that life can be become unbearably difficult.

It was fun when the first act made me re-experience the light-hearted tension of a Dragonball tournament. However, The Poppy War became so much more powerful when it dared to go to some truly horrifying places.

4.5/5