The Poppy War

Personal Rating System:
5 stars: Exceptional - I was hooked from beginning to end, and this book stayed with me after putting it down.
4 stars: Thoroughly enjoyed it, a great read with minor flaws.
3 stars: Literal definition of OK. 3 stars is NOT a bad book. It is also not a good book.
2 stars: Didn't enjoy it. Honestly probably should not have finished it.
1 star: Hated it, a terrible book that I couldn't finish.
“War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who remains”
Overall Impression: It might be an odd way to start this review, but I felt like I should have liked this book more. On the surface it has all the things I look for in a good book. Political intrigue is everywhere. Action is well written and compelling. It even had a school trope (I love a good school trope). But for whatever reason I enjoyed this a bit less than the 4 star rating would have you believe.
Feel: The vibe for this book was pretty dry. I don't think describing Rin as an inaccessible heroine is fair, but overall this felt like a book that had been poorly translated. When I found out the author was 19 when she wrote this book it made a little more sense.
Strengths: The world for this book is incredible. R.F. Kuang created a giant sweeping landscape full of villains, heroes, and various other poi's that captured my imagination. The magic system is very compelling. The tragedies in the book are very well written, and kept me engaged.
Weaknesses: I honestly don't know. This book just didn't connect with me. It isn't the fault of the author, the book, or the subject. I think if I was a different reader this book would be an easy 5 star rating.
Recommendation: Do you like a bit of military violence immediately after graduation? Do you like a flawed protagonist grasping with her own mortality? Do you like enigmatic teachers that don't say anything while teaching, but say everything in between the words spoken? This book is very very good! Don't let my lukewarm review keep you from picking this one up!