When Rin aced the Keju — the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies — it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard — the most elite military school in Nikan — was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power — an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive — and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away.

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity … and that it may already be too late.

Who is that getting on the late train again? Yeah, it’s me – and there is no shame in this game. It’s kind of nice reading books once the hype has died down. This was my second book by R.F. Kuang after having read “Yellowface” (and loving it) a while back. I knew that this series (and “Babel”) were wildly different, and that’s ok. I still really enjoyed this–despite falling into the “first book in a fantasy series” trap I always find myself in.

The book opens with Fang Runin—Rin—who is an orphan from the backwater Rooster Province, living under the “care” of guardians who see her as little more than a bargaining chip in their opium-smuggling scheme. Her only way out? A national test, the Keju, that could land her a spot at an elite military academy. And—because Rin is nothing if not ferociously determined—she aces it. Suddenly, she’s thrust into Sinegard Academy, a school meant for the empire’s wealthiest and most privileged, and she’s not exactly welcomed with open arms.

This first part of the book reads a bit like a dark academic fantasy with bullying classmates, mysterious teachers, and hints of secret powers. But then the story shifts hard into full-blown military fantasy, and I do mean hard. The second half of the book is where things get brutal—like, really brutal—if you’re sensitive to graphic depictions of violence or wartime atrocities, tread carefully. Kuang doesn’t hold back, and some chapters are harrowing. But for me, it was powerful, gut-wrenching storytelling that didn’t feel gratuitous; it felt like a necessary confrontation with what war actually costs.

Was I confused at times? Yes. Did I have to reread passages to figure out who was doing what and how many gods were involved? Absolutely. But that’s just the toll I always pay when diving headfirst into a new fantasy world with its own politics, mythology, and magic system. Once I got my footing, though, I was totally invested.

The book is filled with unforgettable characters, but Rin (our lead) was by far my favorite. She is tiny but mighty and is not about to let anyone take advantage of her. She is morally messy and not at all here to be the good little hero, nor is she here to be likable. She is here to survive, to win, and to burn down whatever gets in her way. I adored her. Watching her grow from a desperate young woman into a terrifyingly powerful weapon—both literally and metaphorically—was riveting. Every decision she makes pulls her deeper into the fire, and I couldn’t look away.

I also want to shout out the supporting cast, especially Altan, Jiang, and Kitay—each of them adds so much texture to the world, and their relationships with Rin aren’t static. They evolve, twist, shatter. No character stays untouched by the horrors of war, and that realism makes this book cut deep.

And the mythology? Loved! The way Kuang weaves in Chinese folklore and spiritual lore, mixing gods and shamans and ancient powers into a political powder keg, was breathtaking. The gods in this book don’t just gift you power; they demand things in return. The Phoenix, in particular, is as seductive as it is destructive. Rin’s relationship with this fiery god is as much a war of wills as the larger conflict happening between Nikan and the Federation of Mugen.

What I also really love is how Kuang doesn’t give us the typical hero’s journey. This is a story about power—who has it, who abuses it, and what it costs to wield it. Rin gets her power, but at what price? By the end, she’s not the girl you met on page one, and the transformation is both triumphant and tragic.

So yes, I’m now committed to finishing the rest of the trilogy (because, obviously), and yes, my ARCs and other books will continue to gather dust because I also have two other series that I started this year and am desperate to get through. But I’m not mad at it. This book was absolutely worth breaking my TBR plan for. It’s brutal, brilliant, and unlike anything I’ve read in recent years.

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