The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
When Rin aced the Keju, the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies, it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard, the most elite military school in Nikan, was even more surprising. But surprises aren’t always good. Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school. For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . . Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.
Early in May I started seeing a lot of buzz surrounding a book called The Poppy War, a debut novel by a young female writer named R.F. Kuang that was military fantasy for adults and was inspired by the atrocities of the 1937 Rape of Nianjing. Then I started hearing a furore from the community because some reviewers had placed it in the YA category forcing the writer herself to come out and in no uncertain terms declare it was absolutely not intended for the YA market. They could have helped themselves out a bit by not having a girl with a bow and arrow on the front cover as it alludes to Katniss Everdeen the poster girl for YA, whilst also being a bit misleading as it's not a weapon Rin ever uses. Anyway there’s nothing like a bit of controversy to pique my interest. Kuang states her thoughts quite clearly and you can read the full article on why this book had to be written here on her website.
The Poppy War has a structure that many will identify as YA because the main character is a young adult and is discovering her power whilst enrolled in school. The contents however, what happens to Rin on her journey are much more suited to an adult reader and I think could be genuinely upsetting for someone on the younger side. One of the most disturbing scenes involves soldiers tossing babies into the air with the aim of cleaving through them before they hit the ground so when Kuang says to tread with care she is not being overly dramatic but giving fair warning of the atrocities she is representing. Apart from infanticide we also explore issues pertaining to drug abuse and addiction as the shamans of Kuang’s world use varying narcotics to access and communicate with the gods who can impart their abilities. The downside is their conduits wind up addled, shadows of the former selves with no control over their gifts, completely mad or dead. I prefer my drugs a little more hobbit weed and a little less heroin and poppy seeds but there is something here for everyone!
The protagonist Rin is great and leaps right off the page and she is ably backed by some interesting and engaging secondary characters that push her on her journey. The plot moves quickly and at a nice consistent pace until it rockets towards its hard core finale. The lack of underage love triangles, which given other content could have been distasteful, unnecessary and stolen momentum, was a plus but I'm hopeful for Rin finding some form of kinship or even love in the next book. Speaking of the next book the writing is so engaging and sublime, as soon as I finished this one I wanted to pick it up.
Without any doubt The Poppy War is going to win a slew of awards and will top a lot of Best of 2018 fantasy lists. It is at once a brilliant, beautiful and horrifying read and Kuang is an exciting new voice I cannot wait to hear more from. Do yourself a favour and get a copy of The Poppy War right now.
