Hello friends!
Before we begin
It’s been a while since we last connected. During this time I graduated from law school huzzah! and begun my ‘quarter life crisis’ era LOL!, which is something I wish to explore in an upcoming article. I poured all my energy into applying for jobs( where everything requires 15 years of experience). Also, I am doing a little bit of rebranding!
I'm thrilled to announce our rebranding to 'PaperMouth.' This new name reflects the heart of what we do – engaging in meaningful conversations and exploring life through the magic of words, just like a 'chatterbox' would. I will be writing about what I’ve been up to: the books I’m reading, the Tv shows and movies I’m watching. I will also be exploring more long form essays rather than blog posts.
Without further ado, let’s get into a fantasy series I recently finished reading.
Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers. It also contains descriptions of war and sexual violence.
The Poppy War Trilogy: An Introduction
This story is set in the Nikara Empire, the empire was formed under the rule of the Red Emperor and he created a unified state. He built a system of roads connecting his new empire, standardized the measurements and weights, and made a uniform Nikara language. Unfortunately, the empire did not survive his death with his sons turning the country into a bloody mess grappling for power which led to the empire being conquered, exploited, shattered and then reunified again. The once reunified empire was divided into 12 provinces ruled over by warlords.
The series, penned by R.F.Kuang , explores the timeless themes of war, resistance and the corrupting influence of power. In this review, we delve into how these themes shape the narrative and offer a compelling backdrop for the trilogy’s' intricate storyline. Our main character, Fang Runin(Rin), a student at the top military academy in the country is conscripted to serve during the third Poppy War before her class graduates from Sinegard. Runin finds out that she can channel the Phoenix, a Nikara god who grants her the power to channel fire. This ability was possessed only by the Speerlies, a race that was massacred by the Muganese.
A Warring State
The Nikara Empire had proven itself unconquerable. But it was also unstable, disunited, and the current spell of peace held no promise of durability. If there was one thing Rin had learned about her country’s history was that the only permanent thing about it was war.(excerpt from the book)
Poppy Wars masterfully delves into the harsh realities of war, shedding light on the devastating consequences it inflicts upon a nation and its people. The author's vivid portrayal of the rampant issues such as starvation, disease, and the desperate measures taken by individuals and leaders in the face of conflict adds a layer of authenticity to the narrative. Notably, the depiction of women forced into degrading roles within military encampments illustrates the broader exploitation that accompanies war. It also portrays the aftermath of war where the state has achieved victory against foreigners but are left to deal with a broken country.
The contrasting colonial goals of the aggressors, be it extermination or exploitation, exemplify the depths of human ambition and cruelty. One faction (The Muganese Federation) seeks to annihilate the indigenous Nikara people to make way for their own dominance, while another(The Hesperians) aims to enslave and exploit the region's valuable resources. These divergent agendas underscore the multifaceted nature of colonization and the suffering it inflicts upon the colonized.(The word colonization is not actually used in the book, R.F.Kuang uses ‘occupation’)
Fantasy Elements:
Amidst the harsh realities of war and colonization, the author introduces an element of fantasy that enhances the story's depth. The ability for some characters to become shamans and channel the power of the gods adds a mystical dimension to the narrative, showcasing the fusion of magical elements with the harsh realities of war and colonialism. The Poppy Wars excels in its ability to merge these elements, offering readers a thought-provoking and multi-layered narrative that explores the darkest aspects of human nature in a fantastical setting.
Heroes or Villains
During the second war, a trio of formidable figures emerged, known as "The Trifecta." United by a shared dream of liberating the land of Nikara from the iron grip of foreign oppressors, they turned to shamanism—the ancient art of channeling the power of the gods—to fuel their righteous cause. With newfound, awe-inspiring abilities at their disposal, they embarked on a relentless campaign to rid Nikara of foreign dominance. Their methods were ruthless, unyielding, and brutal.
The Trifecta spared no one who stood in their way, for their unwavering goal was to free their homeland, no matter the cost. Their audacious efforts culminated in the eventual expulsion of foreign forces and the reclamation of Nikara's sovereignty. They are remembered as saviors and liberators of the Nikara Empire, however, as we delve into the depths of The Poppy War books, a stark revelation emerges: victory came at a staggering price. The path to liberation was stained with blood, and betrayal.
Their actions were driven by a genuine desire to liberate themselves and their people from foreign occupation. They were orphaned children who grew up under occupation(colonization LOL) and had witnessed first hand the suffering of the people. Su Daji was kept in whorehouses and had her body violated. Riga and Jiang were so starved and still they were expected to work in the fields. While their campaign did lead to liberation, it also left a trail of suffering and death.
They sanctioned the genocide of the Speerlies to defeat the Muganese. They betrayed the very people who taught them shamanism and took their lands and killed them. Entire families were executed and their lineages wiped from history if one of their families whispered of treason against their emperor.
As far as internal conflict went, of the three felt only Jiang felt any guilt for what they had done that it eventually drove him mad.Su Daji justified all their actions as necessary to secure peace in the Nikara Empire, while Riga developed an unquenchable bloodthirst that lead to his eventual death.
The Third Poppy War
The Muganese had fun. They made it a sport. They threw babies in the air to see if they could cut them in half before they hit the ground. They had contests to see how many civilians they could round up and decapitate within an hour.
This chapter was a hard read. When people describe war in books they don’t get into such horrible details, and this is just an excerpt. I could not imagine human beings doing this to people, but the ,Muganese viewed the Nikara as bugs that needed to be squashed. Their goal was not to conquer but to eradicate the Nikara.
Rin, our main character, as we know, was conscripted to serve in the third Poppy War. At first, she resisted becoming a shaman much to the annoyance of her allies. She knew she either risked her sanity like Jiang or turn into a power hungry monster like Riga. Then she witnessed the brutality of the Muganese during the third Poppy war and she quickly changed her mind.
Rin gave in to the rage, fear and humiliation and rid the world of Longbow Island, the homeland of the Muganese, one genocide for another.(yes, you read this correctly). Afterwards, in a new alliance promising a democratic Nikara republic Rin joined their war effort by taking down anyone in support of the monarchy (the people she committed genocide to protect). When the members of her new alliance cruelly betrayed her(both of us were not expecting it, I was waiting for a wedding), she returned to her hometown and started another war against them.
Living in The Morally Grey.
Should you command, I will call something terrible. I will wreak a disaster to destroy the island of Mugen as thoroughly and completely as Speer was destroy. By your choice many will die.
This was a conversation between her and her god, who gave her a choice warning her of the consequences.
And Rin chose to commit genocide!!
I am a very fast reader, I thought I would be done with this trilogy in three days, but this shook me! Main characters, especially if they are female normally hate bloodshed, they look for every possible way to subdue their enemy without killing them. Here was R.F.Kuang saying: Fuck that! I had to take a break before I could continue.
The worst part she enjoyed it. WHAAT!!! I was screaming internally. Not the act of murdering innocents, but the fact that she had the power to do it.
In the beginning, she felt ashamed and guilty,thus she develops a heroine addiction to escape from what she had done however as part of new alliance promising a new Nikara Republic, she begins to believe that what she did was a necessary sacrifice to bring peace. Rin of course believes that she is on the right side of the war coming up with many reasons; Su Daji betrayed the empire; the Nikara Republic want to collaborate with foreigners who would eradicate Nikara’s culture and heritage. She even managed to convince herself she was chosen by the gods to liberate Nikara.
After the devastating wars, as the people of Nikara still grappled with the repercussions of their costly victory, Rin found herself consumed by a relentless thirst for vengeance. The foreign oppressors had fled Nikara, leaving her homeland in ruins without a second thought for the suffering they had wrought. And instead of focusing on rebuilding the country, she wanted to rebuild the military and start another war!!
Final Thoughts
I love character driven stories; where the story is driven by the choices the characters in the book rather that the book having a overarching plot.
But my favourite part about this trilogy was its masterful portrayal of morally grey characters and the constant shifting of alliances. Within the pages of this epic tale, heroes were not merely virtuous, nor were villains purely malevolent. Instead, the narrative was a nuanced exploration of human nature, where characters danced on the precipice of their own duality.
R.F.Kuang kept me on the edge of my seat, for I never knew when the hero would teeter toward the path of the villain, or when a steadfast friend would metamorphose into an unexpected foe.(my friends say I get too invested in these things)
Rin underwent a profound transformation(character development). Much like The Trifecta before her, she became a vessel for the power of the gods. With her newfound abilities, she saw no end to the cycle of wars and conflicts that had gripped Nikara for so long. The oppressive conditions under foreign rule, which she knew all too well, painted a grim backdrop, justifying in her eyes the extreme measures she adopted. I understood this but like Tyrion Lannister told Khaleesi in GOT ‘you cannot be queen of the ashes’
Her actions undoubtedly yielded the liberation of Nikara, but the price paid was steep and indelible. She refused to admit the Hesperians had more power than her and maybe they were better off collaborating; I also did not want this outcome. However, when facing an enemy clearly stronger than her, Rin was willing to sacrifice everyone to come out on top.
Her journey serves as a moving exploration of the corrupting influence of power, as she treads a precarious path that mirrors the very figures she once condemned.
Power tends to corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
I first heard this in an ethics class, and it was the first quote that came to mind when I finished this trilogy.
Thank you for reading.