The Dragon Republic

The Dragon Republic is the second book in The Poppy War trilogy by R.F. Kuang (Yellowface, Babel).The historical fantasy series unfolds against the backdrop of fictional wars inspired by early 20th-century China. It picks up immediately after the first book, with Rin grappling with war trauma and the destructive power of the Phoenix god within her. To get revenge on the empress for her betrayal, Rin allies herself with the Dragon warlord.

I read the audio edition of this book, narrated by Emily Woo Zeller. As before, I found it hard to like Rin: she’s just too self-absorbed. This may be unusual for the protagonist of a book, but it’s a common theme in works I’ve read from Kuang. By now, I’ve gotten used to that, as well as the rather two-dimensional nature of most characters. I was mostly able to enjoy the plot and the ups and downs of Rin’s psych unit. There are quite a few shocking-yet-predictable face/heel turns in this installment, so I’m eager to see where everyone lands in the final book.

Also see my review of The Poppy War (book 1 of the trilogy).