"how does somebody go from being a backwater nobody to the most important person in a country responsible for the death of millions"

This is what Rebecca Kuang says is the core question that drove this trilogy forward.

As this story progresses, we get to see Rin's relationship to power evolve from being a simple observer, to a chess piece, to the one that calls the shots. We get to see how power corrupts, how trauma festers, and how madness consumes.

This series feels larger than life to me. It's filled with hidden treasures that'll likely only reveal themselves on re-reads. From the themes, to the character arcs, relationship dynamics, and intentional and purposeful nod to historical events, R.F. Kuang creates an immersive world that'll stick with me for years to come.