The Poppy War
- 511
- Pages
- about 9 h
- Reading time
Affiliate link: buying through it supports BookRank at no extra cost to you.
About the book
The Poppy War is a 2018 high fantasy novel by American author R. F. Kuang, published by Harper Voyager. A grimdark fantasy, the book's plot draws on politics from mid-20th-century China, with the conflict in the novel inspired by the Second Sino-Japanese War, and an atmosphere evocative of the Song dynasty. A sequel, The Dragon Republic, was released in August 2019, and a third book, The Burning God, was released November 2020.
Reading order · The Poppy War
Full order & progress →- The Poppy WarThis book
7.97.9 / 10 - The Dragon RepublicThe Dragon Republic–Not ranked yet
- The Burning God
8.18.1 / 10
Where the score comes from
The sources average 7.8 across 1,623 ratings. With that many, the reader vote carries 90% of the weight and the score stays at 7.9 — the Rankings average of 7.8 barely moves it.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 7.5 | 53 | 3% |
| Hardcover | 7.8 | 1.6K | 97% |
Reader voices
The most-liked reviews on Hardcover (credited to their authors).
“I have to say I love this book, what a great way to end the yr of reading!. I love the idea of power and magical foces being obtain via drugs. and overall just such a good read ”
“The Poppy War was my first fantasy book. Unfortunately it starts off extremely slow. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great as far as world and character building, but still really slow. The book lacked action. I waited and waited. Somewhere near the 200th page it picked up, but quickly slowed back down. I still enjoyed it but to be honest, it was kind of a let down. I buddy read it and my buddy DNF. Since I’m invested, I will be completing the series. Maybe the other two books are full of action. I’m giving it four stars for the world building, some of the fighting scenes, and the graphic depictions …”
“Have you ever read a book that is so good you don't know what to say about it? It's taken me almost two weeks to even attempt this review because I just don't know what to write. The Poppy War is your typical story of downtrodden, disadvantaged girl testing into the highest school in the land and gaining the opportunities and privileges that come with that, but then the book takes a sharp twist into war. Rin doesn't exactly get the most typical of educations, even before war breaks out. And when war breaks out, the school is disbanded, the students getting flung all over the land to where the …”
Frequently asked
What is The Poppy War rated?
7.9 out of 10, from 1,623 reader ratings across 2 independent sources.
Is The Poppy War worth reading?
Readers give it 7.9/10 from 1,623 ratings in open sources.
How long does it take to read The Poppy War?
About 9 hours at an average reading pace — 511 pages.
Which volume of the series is The Poppy War?
Volume 1 of 3 in The Poppy War. The full reading order is one tap away above.