The story had a lot of momentum to keep up with and R.F. Kuang does it spectacularly with the final installment in her trilogy. By far the strongest part of this book was the writing style and the story's atmosphere. Once again readers get to see the horrors of war but the new perspective for Rin as a military leader and her journey having to reckon with the fact that one person truly cannot change systems and power structures built in place for hundreds of years.

A brilliant finish to a brilliant series. The ending was unexpected but, like the rest of the twists and turns, made total sense with the complicated journey these characters endured. I was fascinated by every aspect of the world and will be following this author’s works for life.

The Burning God was a stunning conclusion to an already incredible trilogy. While the plot was slower-moving than the first two installments, the tension building up in the plot and between the major characters was masterfully written even during the spaces of lower action. I will be thinking about the heart shattering ending of this novel, as well as the stunning character arcs that were mapped out throughout this conclusion, for a long time to come. R.F. Kuang solidifies her place among the great fantasy novelists of our time with this book.

The book was excellent as the finish to the trilogy. This was an exciting read. I would not recommend it to my students due to the subject matter in relation to their age.

A brilliant end to this brilliant series. Kuang has become a new favorite author of mine and I can’t wait to read the books she comes up with in the future. She’s singularly talented

I was glad to see an end to this series. I thought it was the ending that was needed. The MCs trauma was just so much and the book as a whole is dark. I definitely didn't enjoy it as much as the first one just because of how long and trauma-filled it was.

Personally I didn't think that this was the strongest ending to what could have been an epic 5* trilogy read for me. While it was great and I loved the morally grey characters and plot, the ending just wasn't satisfying. That being said, it was definitely realistic and the logical part of me realize that it made sense but the sentimental part of me refused to accept it.

What really stood out to me was Rin's character and the author's writing for such a complex individual that just had so many layers to her. Not only that but she was faced with so many complicated and difficult decisions throughout the book that as a reader, I couldn't help but be glad that I was not in her position trying to make a decision with options that were all bad.

I started reading this book and found that it was not for me. It didn't seem fair for me to review a book that I didn't finish.

R. F. Kuang does it again.

It's so hard to review the last book in a series that has been painfully wonderful the entire time. This was everything I wanted and everything I didn't want in one book. R. F. Kuang is fantastic at breaking my heart while simultaneously making me want to read and reread her books.

I highly recommend this series to any fantasy reader, especially those who enjoy historical fantasy.

I cannot wait to read more books by Rebecca!!

That was a bit underwhelming. I was actually really into the first half of the book, but it just started to drag on and I couldn't take the the frequent betrayals or side switching after a while.

I do think the writing is really good. Kuang can certainly craft a damn journey. Thinking of where the trilogy ends compared to where it all started made me think "Wow, we really did come a long way." There were some betrayals that broke my heart, but there were some twists that made me wonder what the whole point was. Or perhaps that was the point Kuang was trying to make. I don't know. I'm not that deep so maybe that's why I didn't grab onto this installment like the others.

As the book progressed, I struggled with liking Rin more and more. She was so stubborn with her choices that I felt like she kept making the same mistakes over and over again. I get that the Phoenix was taking over her mind and making these irrational decisions for whatever benefited him, but it just got old after the twentieth time or so.

As for the good, I loved how Rin, Kitay, and Nezha mirrored Riga, Jiang, and Dagi. I thought that was a cool way to show that history repeats itself in unexpected ways and how sometimes intense love can create intense hate. As for Venka, I don't think she got the ending she deserved. I thought her ending was certainly interesting, but it's just not what I wanted for that character. For spoiler's sake, I'll leave it there.

Overall, this was a creative and well-written series with unique fantasy aspects that I haven't read before. Although I wasn't crazy about the final installment, I would definitely read from this author again.

In this epic series finale, the characters we've grown to love meet their fate in a world where everyone must question whether there will ever be a true victor.

I'll be honest, this was the weakest of the trilogy for me, which was of course a bummer. However, I still think it is a very strong, somber finish and I wouldn't have changed a bit of the resolutions.

The journey from The Poppy War to The Burning God is intense to say the least and it's difficult to remember the Rin who arrived at Sinegard Academy. I liked Rin way back then but as the series progresses, she becomes more and more unlikeable which would ordinarily ruin the book for me but Rin is the anti-heroine I couldn't stop reading about. And maybe that's because I think if I were in the same position, I'd have been just as ruthless but I would hope less foolish.

It was so interesting to follow all of the military tactics throughout the story and explore how traumas can shape us and the strength required to heal from them. Rin's relationships with Kitay and Nezha somehow become even more complex and I couldn't get enough of her interactions with either of them.

The ending though . . . I haven't been that surprised in a long time but now that I have read it, it couldn't have ended any other way.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for the e-arc!

It took me some time to reread the first two books so that I was prepared for this and I was still SO UNPREPARED! What an amazing series. What an amazing conclusion! I am adding this series to my favorites list and will likely reread the full thing again this year. I am not going to give too much away due to spoilers but 5/5 easy stars.

Truly, and I cannot stress this enough, what the /fuck/, Rin?!

This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.

Warning, this is not a happy book. No happy endings, multiple major character deaths. I knew by the end of book one that this wasn't ending well, and I was right.

This book, in fact this whole series, is why you read asian fantasy books. This ending is perfection and not americanizes at all. It is not a strip mall kung fu book but a true master's arr

A masterpiece. I didn’t think my love of this series could grow but Kuang proves me wrong with each book. Without giving spoilers, the ending is exactly what the story and characters needed. My heart hurt for them in the best way and I will forever shelve this trilogy on my favorites shelf.

Wow, R.F. Kuang really knows how to destroy a person, huh? The Poppy War trilogy has been a ride from start to finish, and The Burning God was no different. I feel like my heart has been kicked around and beaten to a pulp because of what has happened to these characters. R.F. Kuang delivers a brutal yet fulfilling ending to The Poppy War trilogy that will leave readers' heads spinning.

First, Fang Runin, our favourite hotheaded antiheroine, who has been through so much. Rin has come so far from the orphan we see in the first book. She's been so affected by trauma and war and beaten down--I didn't realize she was so young, that the series has only spanned a few years at most. Rin is violent and paranoid and so full of rage and unequivocally does horrible things. I found myself, well, not entirely rooting for Rin, but hoping that there was a path out of it, somehow--hoping that there could be redemption, and the ever-sinking feeling as Rin drives herself deeper into the whirlpool of rage and violence.

Then there's Kitay, and Kitay just makes my heart clench. He has also been beaten down so much by the events of the series, and he's definitely changed--here he is more pragmatic and brutal, and it's clear that being tied up with Rin mentally has affected him. The way Rin and Kitay complement each other is done so well--they balance each other out, and I loved their interactions in this book, even as it destroyed me. Nezha has always been a fascinating character, holding familial duty above everything else. Though he comes from a place of privilege, he's been very much affected by the war too, and you can see how tired and weary he is in this book. I loved Rin's interactions with Nezha in this book, fire and water clashing and reacting, and each Rin and Nezha interaction had me on the edge of my seat.

The Burning God, like the rest of the series, is relentless in its pace: R.F. Kuang rarely lets her characters rest, even when there isn't any physical action going on, and the book doesn't stop with wringing readers' hearts out. It keeps you on your toes and drives you to the brink of exhaustion, but you can't stop reading.

One of the things that stands out to me about The Poppy War is its running commentary on war, imperialism, history, and colonialism, and The Burning God adds to that. The world of Nikan mirrors China during its encounter with the West, and the characters have to make difficult choices when it comes to the Hesperians. This is a frighteningly stark insight into the beginnings of colonialism, and one that acknowledges the complexities of history. Kuang is an accomplished academic in addition to being an incredible fantasy author, and this series shows it well.

The Burning God was a brutal conclusion to a brutal series, but definitely one that kept me engrossed the whole way through. I'd have to say it's one of my favourite fantasy series out there, and R.F. Kuang deserves all the praise she gets about it--it lives up to the hype as a grimdark series, and as one that is unique in the current world of fantasy. I will definitely be keeping an eye on Kuang's future releases after I lie down and recover from this book.

In the last 5 years, R.F. Kuang has solidified her place as one of the Science-Fiction Fantasy genre’s greatest writers with her debut trilogy, The Poppy War. Her writing and world-building are truly unmatched, and the thoughtful commentary and analysis on the current political climate in East Asia make The Burning God a thrilling conclusion to the entire series.

At its core, The Poppy War trilogy is an unfiltered look at the brutality of violence war and how its aftermath leaves a lasting effect on generations. As a Taiwanese American, this series has been so incredibly meaningful to me as it’s the first of its kind where I saw my family’s history represented in literature. After finishing this series, I immediately began to conduct my own research on the Chinese Civil War and its aftermath effects on Taiwan.

With The Burning God, we explore Rin and Kitay as they take on Vaisra’s Republic, but with the overwhelming desire for power and having been constantly treated as a pawn in the past, Rin has reached almost the brink of madness. Following her story has been both riveting, inspiring, and painful. We see the triumphs of a war orphan who defied all odds, becoming one of the most powerful shamans in Nikan. At the same time, we also see the inherent power-hungry nature of her character and how being used as a weapon has skewed her ability to be a just leader.

R.F. Kuang’s way of writing such captivating characters had me wholeheartedly invested in their lives from Book 1, and getting to see them grow and become hardened by wars and political manipulation made my heartbreak multiple times. The final conclusion to the series absolutely shattered me, but when reflecting on how it ties into modern-day politics, it truly is the best ending for all the characters and the future of Nikan.

The most appropriate ending may not be the happiest ending and that’s something R.F. Kuang has pinned perfectly. As much as I love the characters and storyline (which is a lot), I love even more how Kuang uses her writing to draw parallels to the hysteria and political climate of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. From Book 1, Kuang has never held back on unpacking the injustices and ugly moments in history, and she continued to educate her readers here.

If you follow me on any of my social media, you’d know that The Poppy War trilogy has been a transformative series for me, and it even inspired me to talk to my grandma about her life in Taiwan since it had been heavily influenced by Japanese colonization and the retreat of the Kuomintang. I feel like a completely different, more mature, person after having finished this series. These books have challenged me to examine my identity as a child of the Asian diaspora, learn more about my home country, and encourage others to remain educated on the injustices of the world today.

When I finished this I didn't quite know how to put words to my thoughts and still don't months and months later. What an incredible finale to an incredible series. Kuang really knows what she's doing. The pacing was incredible, character arcs fully realized.... Just a flawless conclusion with an end the truly broke me to pieces.