This trilogy review has been a long time coming, considering I read these books years ago and then finally did my first reread a little under a month ago. Now, after letting it settle in, I can write to my heart’s content about how awesome, emotive, and gripping this trilogy is. The Poppy War Trilogy is an adult militaristic historical fantasy written by R.F. Kuang which follows Runin “Rin” Fang as she enters the most prestigious military school in the country and becomes a soldier at the dawn of the Third Poppy War.

Note: As this is a trilogy review, I will be giving brief outlines for the plot coverage of each novel, and as such, spoilers may be given. If you have not read the series or completed the series, I suggest using caution and clicking off this review. You may check out my individual book reviews given below if you wish to see what I think about each book.

The Poppy War starts us off, introducing the world of Nikan to the reader. We see Rin – a war orphan from Rooster Province – prepare for the Keju, the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth, despite and in part pushed by the developing situations around her. Her foster parents are lining her up for marriage, and she knows she needs to get out of Tikany. She puts everything she can into preparing for the Keju, and when she passes she doesn’t do it at a whim. She excels. She’s permitted entrance into Sinegard, the most elite academy in the nation where all the warloads and noblemen send their children, and Rin sticks out like a sore thumb. That’s not even the half of it, but she grits her teeth and fights for her spot at the prestigious school, and in doing so finds herself in a unique, dangerous, and life-changing position.

The Poppy War holds a lot of world building and development of concepts and norms which can come across as heay-handed or boring for some. I find them to be incredibly engrossing, interesting, and appealling for the fleshing out of this adult fantasy world. What’s more, when things really start to kick off with the Third Poppy War, the level of detail and emotive language really hammers home the themes and imagery of the novel. R.F. Kuang is not afraid to bring the grim, horrifying descriptions of war, famine, and destruction to the page, and it makes for a truly impactful read. The Poppy War is intense and packed full of information for the reader, possibly to a point of excess, but it is exciting and immersive all the same. I rate The Poppy War 4.5 stars.

The Dragon Republic brings a different light to the situation. Things are changing – things have changed – for Rin and her friends, and now she is at a tipping point. On the run after her actions at the end of the Third Poppy War, Rin is a shaman – or was one – and the reseults have been catastrophic. Her addiction is killing her, as is her connection with the Pheonix that drives her powers, and there is no one who can ground her. But there is a solution in sight, and it brings her to the door of one of the Dragon Warload, and back in touch with a friend from Sinegard – Yin Nezha.

The Dragon Republic takes a slightly different approach to story telling in the sense that we see things a little more from Nezha’s perspective. We still see a lot of Rin and Kitay, but with the setting and environment shifting to include more of the Dragon warlord’s offensive, things between the three students are covered in more layers of conflict, complication, and emotion. I really like the plot and ideas explored in The Dragon Republic, and the wider implications of themes and character actions and decisions has hugr impacts on the trajectory of the plot and on other characters. It’s an easy 4.5 stars from me.

The Burning God is the culmination of many themes, characters, actions, conflicts, decisions, and relationships, and it is a whirlwind of a novel. Narrowly escaping a fate as a test subject for foreign powers, Rin is fighting for the Southern Coalition – the Southern provinces – in what will be the fight of their lives. Split from Nezha, Rin and Kitay are returning to their roots in a sense, fighting alongside the gods against the invading foreign forces trying to wipe out shamanism and Nikan civilisation. There is no coming back from this, no other options, and Rin is done being told what to do. Now, she will fight for her country – even if it means teaming up with one who has been her enemy since the beginning.

The Burning God is one of those final books in a series you just want to stop reading so it doesn’t end. It is rife with emotion, the characters’ pain and anguish tangible, and their actions and decisions will make you want to cry and throw the book across the room. There is a bittersweetness to The Burning God, and I know I will be reading it again before the year is over because it is a novel not to be forgotten. The Burning God continues the mesmerising power and enchantment of this series and finishing the trilogy off with a solid 4.5 stars.

All in all, The Poppy War trilogy is an exceptional series well deserving of a 4.5 star rating. What’s more, The Poppy War trilogy is a stellar showcase of powerful writing, expert description, immersive settings, and authentic characters that are living and breathing on the page. I will continue to hold this series up as a marvel of adult fantasy and a series I endeavour to replicate in its energy and influence with my own writing. I love The Poppy War trilogy, and I plead with all of you who haven’t read it yet to at least bump it up to your next reads on your tbr lists. You do not want to go another day without starting this series.