The Dragon Republic by R. F. Kuang | Review

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Rating: Five stars

~ Spoilers ~

I was worried this sequel wouldn’t live up to the first book but it undoubtedly did. The action started from the very first page and didn’t let up at all. I love the complex cast of characters and the never-ending politics of alliances and betrayals.

I find Rin endlessly fascinating. Her rebelliousness and selfishness and yet her innate need for praise of those in authority positions. The need to be given orders and her struggle with leadership positions opposed to her recklessness and going off to do her own thing. Her traits are so at odds with each other and I think that is what makes her such an interesting and realistic character.

But I loved seeing her gradually come into her own through this book and starting to take control again. She became the leader of the Cike again and is going to lead the South. She’s no longer a soldier, she’s a commander and she’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the finale.

My favourite character of this book had to be Kitay, though. He stole the show. I’m drawn towards characters with interesting character development and I think Kitay is so underrated. It was heart-breaking to see him work through what he experienced at Golyn Niis, his father’s death, and being forced to work for traitors of the Empire. It’s also fascinating to watch how a character so ruled by logic and fact has to navigate the nonsensical and unexplainable troubles of war and shamanism.

Kitay struggled so much through this book and yet he was such a solid support system for Rin. I was so happy they became bonded. I also think Kitay is the only character we’ve seen Rin tell she loves. I just love their friendship- they are platonic soulmates for sure.

I honestly think that Kitay is destined to die, though. As soon as we found out that the bond could be broken in death if they both agree, I got the terrible gut feeling that Kitay is going to become a martyr. I don’t think my heart will be able to take it.

And I have to talk about Nezha… I knew he wasn’t dead! In the first half of this book, I was a little worried that Nezha wouldn’t have any significant growth in this book. He spent a lot of time in his comfort zone- in his home province with the Dragon Republic and surrounded by water and the navy. He really needed the shaman storyline to propel his character forwards. I think Rin was very harsh with Nezha a lot of the time and she projected her own insecurities onto him without taking the time to consider his experience with his powers.

Despite this, I still shipped them with every bone in my body. I desperately wanted them together and even when they got into arguments that I didn’t think they could come back from, they proved me wrong. I was 100% Team Nezha until the end of the book and his betrayal. I can forgive Nezha for a lot but I can’t forgive him literally stabbing Rin in the back. There’s no coming back from that.

But I am kind of excited to see them now go up against each other. Fire vs water. It’s going to be epic.

I also want to touch on the Cike because I have so much appreciation for them and the ending broke me. The Cike made me feel warm and fuzzy and they satisfied my fierce need for the found family trope. The Cike had such admirable loyalty to each other. They supported Rin through her opium withdrawal and were willing to follow her at the drop of a hat. They always had each other’s backs and wouldn’t hesitate to take on the world to protect each other. They weren’t even in the majority of the book but we still saw that undying dedication to each other and I think it’s so special.

Baji and Ramsa offered a great comedic lightness to the book, Suni was a gentle giant, and I even like Chagan. He’s complicated and has a messy history with Altan but he and Qara learnt to love the Cike, despite their Ketreyid responsibilities. I am also obsessed with the fact that Venka joined the Cike. She’s another character that I used to hate in Sinegard but, after seeing the heart-breaking things she’s been through and how she’s dealt with them, I can’t help but admire and root for her.

The fate of the Cike in this book was devastating. They just started dropping like flies. Baji and Suni’s deaths were beyond painful but then to have Ramsa sacrifice himself? All so Rin could escape and avenge them? I was balling.

Altan was one of my favourite characters in the first book but he grated on me a bit in this one (I fully understand that he’s dead and this dislike in character is entirely not his fault). But he was just always there. It took so long for Rin to move out of his shadow and become her own person. Everyone was always comparing her to Altan and the Speerlies and it was so rewarding when she destroyed him to break the Seal and melted his trident down to a sword. It feels like we’ve finally said goodbye to Atlan.

What I love about this series is that the villains keep getting bigger and badder. In the first book, The Federation seemed like the worst of the worst. Then we had Daji. Now we have the Hesperians who are going to be the biggest foe of all. They have guns and ships (and so the balance shifts…) and Nezha is the emotional gut punch as an antagonist this time as well.

One thing I really hope we see more of is the story of the Trifecta. We got to see snippets through the Ketreyids and Daji and I’m so intrigued. I’m convinced we’re going to see Riga pop up in the finale and that we’ll see Jiang again as well. I’m also wondering why Rin didn’t consider killing Jiang in order to defeat Daji when they found out the three are connected? I would have immediately gone to the Chuluu Korikh and killed Jiang… sorry, Jiang, I love you.

I would just love to see a prequel of the Trifecta coming into their powers and completely obliterating their enemies.

In the next book, I really think Rin is going to raise an army of shamans. It’s been mentioned a few times and I think it would be epic to see. With the help of the Trifecta and the might of the South behind her as well, she really could win and I’m so excited to see how it all unfolds.

This book has masterful storytelling and entrancing characters and I can’t get enough. I’ll be so sad to see the series end.

What did you think of The Dragon Republic?

• 0%I absolutely loved it!!
• 0%It wasn't my cup of tea
• 0%It's on my TBR!