The Burning God by. R. F. Kuang | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Burning God (The Poppy War, #3)

Author: R.F. Kuang

Pages: 570

Publication Date: 11/17/20

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Categories: War, Fantasy, Series, Political Intrigue

The exciting end to The Poppy War trilogy, R. F. Kuang’s acclaimed, award-winning epic fantasy that combines the history of twentieth-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating, enthralling effect.

After saving her nation of Nikan from foreign invaders and battling the evil Empress Su Daji in a brutal civil war, Fang Runin was betrayed by allies and left for dead. 

Despite her losses, Rin hasn’t given up on those for whom she has sacrificed so much—the people of the southern provinces and especially Tikany, the village that is her home. Returning to her roots, Rin meets difficult challenges—and unexpected opportunities. While her new allies in the Southern Coalition leadership are sly and untrustworthy, Rin quickly realizes that the real power in Nikan lies with the millions of common people who thirst for vengeance and revere her as a goddess of salvation. 

Backed by the masses and her Southern Army, Rin will use every weapon to defeat the Dragon Republic, the colonizing Hesperians, and all who threaten the shamanic arts and their practitioners. As her power and influence grows, though, will she be strong enough to resist the Phoenix’s intoxicating voice urging her to burn the world and everything in it? 

Once again, the continuation of the books in this series is pretty flawless. It carries the intensity, even more so with this one.

Rin has finally begun to learn some leadership skills which helps because she needs the Southern Coalition army behind her to defeat Nezha and the Hesperians. She also needs more shamans to go up against them.

As always Kitay is Rin’s saving grace. Without him, I don’t know where Rin would be. She doesn’t even have power without him. She needs his brilliant mind and his voice of reason even when she doesn’t listen to him, she at least considers what he says and that’s something.

The Trifecta story was fascinating and we finally get to learn about what happened between them. Nezha…oh Nezha, I never forgave him his betrayal of Rin. I know he was tortured by the Hesperians and had awful parents but I just can’t forgive him yet I also know he knows how to run the country….still….the thought of him leaves me feeling so bitter.

I liked that the story delves into questions like even though Rin is victorious…she is mostly victorious in revenge because who really wins in war? Who suffers the most? And who is left to rule? Are they good enough to rule? Rin is a killing machine and soldier but leader of a country? Nope – she has no patience for that, there is so much to learn about running a country competently, she is in over her head. She was never safe even after “winning”.

This stories ends and it’s so final, at least for Rin’s story. It’s not a pretty ending. After I shut off my ipad, I felt like I was burned by Rin’s phoenix too.

Content Warnings: violence, cannibalism, gore, stories of rape, death, grief, drug use, racism

Rin has become ruthless. She was scary before but in this one there is no turning back for her, her path is written in destruction. But the thing I hate about Rin is she NEVER LEARNS. It was absolutely frustrating and I could only tolerate her when Kitay was with her trying to talk some sense in her or drawing up battle plans and inventions. She cannot see through people for the life of her, no matter how many times she is betrayed…maybe I expect too much of her? But how many times can she be betrayed and learn never to trust people. After what happened at the end of book two? It’s her weakness and shows her to be more human than god but she’s supposed to fight a powerful Nezha and honestly…he was more powerful, he could snuff out her fire! After winning the war though she turns paranoid and kills someone close to her…I was so tired of her by then because that’s the time she chooses not to trust someone? After they won? I was just hoping after what happened with Nezha she would get it together. Most times she seemed to have things under control and then there were times I wondered what she was doing. The ending seemed like the only way this could have ended but it made me feel so empty….all of that…everything she went through and put Kitay through…for that ending. I wanted to cry for Kitay but I was too exhausted.

Was the Trifecta ended that easy? They were all so powerful and yet…I was hoping for something more I think…at least have them leave the mountain and join the fight because they were talked up so big from book one? But I guess that wouldn’t work because Daji was like Rin…she had tunnel vision when it came to the Dragon, no matter how he abused her. 😒 I did like how it came full circle of the Trifecta of the past and the trifecta of the present being Nezha, Rin and Kitay.

This book is the goriest of all I think and it involves children. It has even some cannibalism because what will people do to survive if there is no food? Still, I’m glad I wasn’t eating while reading the book. This book shows you the realities of war – real war.

Why you should read it:

• you like to torture yourself with a story with no happy ending (haha just kidding! kind of)
• amazing, intense series about war and consequences of it
• you are already invested in the series and need to know how it ends

Why you might not read it:

• sad ending
• everything in the content warnings

My Thoughts:

I read this trilogy in 4 days. I felt exhausted and empty by the end of it but that doesn’t mean it’s a good series, but it made me feel how someone who is traumatized by war would feel. Gutted, empty, questioning the action of the characters along the way – what a series. If you want something intense and can handle a dark read – read this series. Glad I did and I can’t believe it’s not off my TBR list. I wasn’t even planning to read it this year lol…but things worked out!

📚~ Yolanda