R.F. Kuang, a #1 New York Times bestselling author, has yet to disappoint me.
Although many people believe this title is thrown around each time a new fresh-faced writer comes into the spotlight, I don’t think anyone deserves it more than Rebecca F. Kuang. Even if I haven’t read her entire catalogue — since her fourth book Babel is still collecting dust in my bookshelves — the ones I have read have managed to not only surpass my expectations, but linger in my mind for years.
Her first book, The Poppy War, is the first installment in a trilogy. It narrates the story of Fang Runin, a war orphan who earns a spot at an elite military academy despite her low social status. I read it a little over three years ago, and despite its seemingly common plot, it manages to stray away from the clichés in a riveting way. Halfway through the novel the story goes from being just another training-school story akin to books like Harry Potter’s, to a complex commentary on the realities of war and the true costs of vengeance. What makes this book so special to me is the expertise in which Kuang manages to blend fantasy with history, recounting the events of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-45), which took place during the height of WWII, in an imaginative way.
Meanwhile, The Dragon Republic and The Burning God, sequels to The Poppy War, expand on this piece of history by being loosely inspired by the events of the Chinese Civil War (1945-49). To me, this trilogy is an ideal example of what historical fantasy can accomplish — because you’re not done reading after you finish the books’ last page. After reaching the ending of the story, Kuang goes on to address the events that inspired the series, which in turn motivates the readers to do their own research and educate themselves on the topic.
Literature like this is so important in my opinion, especially because this is a side of history that was completely unknown to me. With her first three novels she managed to recount events in East Asian history that had been hidden, or at least largely overlooked, in Western narratives and educational institutions. She made this side of history digestible and more accessible to readers that would’ve probably never read about it otherwise.
Yet, historical fiction isn’t R.F. Kuang’s only specialty. A few years after her hit trilogy, she dipped her toes into the literary fiction genre when she published Yellowface — a satirical standalone novel on the publishing industries’ racial diversity problems, where the author asks us the question of which stories writers are allowed to tell. Can they speak for communities other than their own? Should they profit from discussing the suffering of other cultures? Needless to say, the book left me pondering for weeks after I initially finished it.
Many people have criticized the way she conspicuously makes her points, choosing to make her ideals and questions obvious rather than creating narratives that require deeper analysis or research to comprehend them. However, this accessibility is precisely what I enjoy about her novels. For example, in The Poppy War trilogy, the real-life events that inspired the fictional story are so blatant that, after a little research, you’ll immediately be able to notice the direct parallels between the plot and history. This makes it a powerful and useful entry point for those who, like me, were unfamiliar with these events. Kuang’s approach allows an engaging and instructing reading experience without needing to have any prior knowledge or academic background.
And she was 22 years old when she published her first novel!
Granted, Rebecca Kuang has had a comprehensive and costly education. She graduated from Greenhill School in 2013 — where tuition starts at $30,000 in the FIRST GRADE. Has further studies in Georgetown University, Cambridge, and Oxford, and is currently pursuing a PhD at Yale University in East Asian Languages and Literature. So, safe to say, she’s had access to some of the best educational institutions in the world, an advantage that undoubtedly shaped her writing and academic pursuits. However, while I can’t deny that her path has been paved with opportunities many writers could only dream of, her talent is undeniable.
Personally, ever since I finished that first The Poppy War book, and subsequently had my heart destroyed by the second one, I haven’t been able to shut up about this author. It’s been almost three years now since I first went down the R.F. Kuang rabbit hole, and — unlike what happens to me with most writers — I haven’t been able to stop thinking of how much she’s influenced my way of thinking and writing. Her books are now a shrine in my shelves, their presence reminding me of the impact an author can make with their storytelling. Needless to say, her success is something I can only hope to achieve.
Her next book, Katabasis, published a little over a month ago, is about two PhD students who travel to hell to rescue their dead advisor. I’m currently counting down the days till the hardcover reaches my doorstep, and I can’t wait to see if this book will surpass my expectations as well or break my Rebecca Kuang reading streak.
If you haven’t read any of her books by now, I highly suggest you do. However, please check trigger warnings. Most of her books, at least her fantasy trilogy, deal with very heavy topics and events. Please don’t make the same mistakes I did, because if there’s one thing you should know about this author, it’s that she doesn’t shy away from sensitive subjects, no matter how brutal.
With that said, I hope this article influenced you into going down an R.F. Kuang deep dive. And hopefully, you’ll come down this literary rabbit hole with me!