The Burning God (BOOK REVIEW)

SPOILERS

“Ruin me, ruin us, and I’ll let you.”

This series is a whirlwind of emotions following an unlikable protagonist that you can't help but sympathize with. Fang Runin is by far one of the most tragic anti-heroines I've read of to date and from the beginning of her long journey in The Poppy War I could see the end of this series would inevitably break my heart.Though I had guessed the ending about halfway through the book, I thought Rin's madness that consumed her would have led her to a different alternative.

R.F Kuang does a masterful job at portraying the horror of colonialism from the point of view of the victim and takes her time to explore the true horrors of war and victory. There are no heroes in this story, Rin is a monster and there are no attempts to convince you otherwise. Her actions are often cruel and unjustified.Though her actions may technically be for the benefit of the south, her pride and cruelty allows her in victory to erase the names of those who fought against her. This horrifying view on the reality of victory is emphasized through how clueless and hateful our protagonists become.

“Theirs was a bond forged from necessity, hurt, and a shared, intimate understanding of hell.”

This series is built on vengence and in its last honourable moments it accepts that vengance will not raise a nation to success and peace, but will only raze it further and allows Rin and Kitay to enact one final act of justice by killing themselves. The end of this story was written thousands of times through the cycles tyrannical leaders and war heroes most go through.Rin was always meant to go out as a sacrifice and a force of nature.

“Oh, but history moved in such vicious circles.”

Through Rin's cycle of bowing to leaders who would only use her.

Through the cycle of good and honest people dying for a cause.

Through the cycle of smart and driven people losing themselves to tyrants.

Through the cycle of a starving nation looking for a leader who cannot save them.

The Burning God shows you exactly what the cycle of war will do to everyone. And in the end the war is fought by the three children we started with, Kitay, Nezha, and Rin. Three children who went out blazing but were destroyed by their own actions and the consequences of their existence.

I love it and hate it

I'm going to go cry

add to favourites