This grimdark fantasy novel is set in China and takes inspiration from historical events, specifically the Second-Sino Japanese War and the Nanjing Massacre. We follow our main character, Rin, who is a war orphan living and working with her awful foster parents, who are illegal opium traders. When they try to forcefully marry her off, she decides to escape her fate and studies hard to take part in the national examination to get into the prestigious military academy, Sinegard. Her hard work pays off, and when she gets into Sinegard, she realizes her sufferings and uphill battles are far from over. There she faces discrimination and hardships, but she is determined to stay in Sinegard and studies and trains hard to keep her grades up. The first part is about her learning in Sinegard and her academic rivalry with other characters. She trains to control her newfound destructive power with the help of a quirky instructor. Then the story takes a dark turn as the war is upon Sinegard and the young students are recruited into the army. The author didn’t shy away from showing the brutality of war. The lengths people go to with their hatred when they think the other side is inferior to them and thus not even human. There are graphic, gory descriptions of killings, rapes, and other war crimes. It’s harder to read when you realise it’s based on real-life events. The political intrigue and the military strategizing in this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s a plot-driven story, but at the same time, all the characters are compelling. The main character, Rin, is a headstrong person, and she knows what needs to be done and what she wants. And she is determined to get them. As the war rages on, the characters face moral dilemmas while being surrounded by death and atrocities. This book’s focus on destiny being a myth is quite interesting. The fact that nothing is written, nothing is destined. Everything is a choice. Where you are now is the culmination of choices and decisions you made and chose, consciously or unconsciously. The writing style is engrossing. It’s very direct and gets to the point without beating around the bush.
This book is filled with mythologies and lore. The magic system is interesting as it deals with shamanism and how the characters can channel the power of the Gods. This is an action-packed story, but at times the pacing is a bit uneven. Nonetheless, both the plot and the characters are riveting. This is the first book in the poppy war trilogy. This book will definitely make you want to continue this series!

-Ariana