

The novel centers on a poor orphan, Rin, who trains in secret to pass a test that will award her entry into the elite Sinegard Academy. The Poppy War is a grimdark fantasy novel inspired by the politics of mid-20th-century China. From Part II onward, this book becomes raw, bold and bloody.īuy The Poppy War | Amazon US | Amazon UK

It all seems charming and whimsical at first, but The Poppy War is far from charming. That’s until she studies in her own time so that she can ace an exam and be selected to attend a military school.

This is because the lead character, Rin is a young orphan girl in an unfortunate situation where she’s being used by her opium dealing foster parents. If you read the first couple of chapters of The Poppy War, you may get Harry Potter vibes.
