The Drowning Faith

The Poppy War #2.5

by R.F. Kuang

A collection of scenes from Nezha's point of view throughout the first two novels in the trilogy, and in an opening scene of the final novel in the trilogy.

It is recommended to be read after the first 5 chapters of The Burning God (Book #3).

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Adult, Novella, Historical

15 pages, ebook

First published November 1, 2020

About the author

Rebecca F. Kuang is a Marshall Scholar, translator, and award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Poppy War trilogy and Babel: An Arcane History, among others. She has an MPhil in Chinese Studies from Cambridge and an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies from Oxford; she is now pursuing a PhD in East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale.

Reviews

[len [ia until december bc of school] ❀]

look, i am aware that nezha has a lot going on right now, but can he please take responsibility and pay for my upcoming therapy bills? i will not tolerate the extra damage he has done to me. it is cruel and unacceptable. r.f. kuang is just as responsible.

[Joel Rochester]

holy fuck that hurt, i cried AGAIN

[Melanie (meltotheany)]

1.) The Poppy War ★★★★
2.) The Dragon Republic ★★★★★
3.) The Burning God ★★★★★

"She’s the only divine thing he’s ever believed in. The only creature in this vast, cruel land who could kill him. And sometimes, in his loveliest dreams, he imagines she does."

Well, those fifteen pages broke me and my heart completely. This was everything. This was perfection. These are my new favorite fifteen pages of all time. Be still, what is left of my heart.

The Drowning Faith is a collection of a few scenes, where we get to see Nezha's perspective of many events from the first two books inThe Poppy War series. Nezha and Rin have one of the most complicated relationships throughout all three books, but these few pages really just made the impact of everything they've been through, fought for, and built together that much stronger.

"It doesn’t matter that he loves her. It doesn’t matter. It’s never mattered."

Rin and Nezha were always stars from opposite sides in the celestial sphere, even if they always looked like they were formed from the same exact constellation. These scenes hurt to see from Nezha's point of view so very badly. Yet, they both shined so brightly in a war that they were forced to be main players in just by being born.

But this short amount of pages still talks about colonization and how Petra and the hesperians are happily able to commit the most evil acts in the name of their god, while taking over everything to prove Rin and Nezha's are lesser, even when they are the ones winning the battles.

Truly, I could write a thesis on these crumbs, but I have extensive reviews for all three books that I suggest you check out instead. But this truly was such a treat, and I feel so honored that Rebecca gave these scenes to us. Even if it allowed for a certain kiss scene to break me all over again in the best and worst ways, and even if page ten has now left me to become a ghost now inhabiting this husk of a human body.

"She’s everything he’s not: unbound, reckless, free. He’s never known anyone like her. She terrifies him, and he loves her so much it hurts."

Content and Trigger Warnings: torture, violence, death, human experimentation, and war themes.

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[joory]

NEZHA APOLOGISTS RISE UP

[Marianna Moore]

I choose death.

[may ➹]

sometimes I think I know happiness and then RF Kuang reminds me that no I do not

And sometimes, in his loveliest dreams, he imagines she does.

actual thoughts because I still can’t stop thinking about these 15 pages months later: First of all, I can’t believe this made me care about Nezha and want to cry over him... RF Kuang made me go from “I hate this classist elitist bully” to writing essays on how deeply tragic his entire life’s story is. But also, the actual brilliance of the dynamic of Rin and Nezha beyond romance is shown so well in these scenes—their ideological and fundamental differences that pull them together as much as they rip them apart. It hurts so much more to bear witness to after reading the whole trilogy and knowing how everything ends, remembering all the ways they were forced together as friends and allies and torn apart as enemies in a war neither of them can really win. History and its cruelty hold as much weight in these few, short scenes as they do in the entire trilogy, making it overwhelmingly painful to read but absolutely unforgettable.

read this for free here!!

[Emma☀️]

I'm an empty shell of a human being :)

[Lia Carstairs]

It doesn’t matter that he loves her. It doesn’t matter. It’s never mattered.

dONT YOU DARE-

He loves her laugh; that sharp, sudden
sound; the cynical laugh that always comes too quick, like it’s ripped out of her.

*sobs* stop it, just stop

He loves her quick, confident grin. He loves her resilience, her bravery, even her impulsiveness.

stop the PAIN

...his heart is breaking.

and so is mine. *deceased*

Kuang, you monster.

im not ready for TBG

[Layla]

I'm so sad. This is sad. It's like adding salt to a fresh wound.

I just want them all to be happy. Why does it have to be so difficult?

Nezha deserves better, and my heart breaks for him. I loved getting a bit from his perspective, but it made me dread The Burning God even more than I previously did. I have had both the best and worst time of my life reading this series.

[Petrik]

I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo

Mini-review

R.F. Kuang is such a great writer. It’s quite admirable how these three short stories (15 pages long) were able to give a new breadth and depth to the characterizations of Nezha in the main trilogy. Nothing else needed to be said, really; if you’re a fan of The Poppy War Trilogy like I am, treat yourself to reading The Drowning Faith for free here: https://rfkuang.com/2020/12/01/the-dr...

I honestly can’t wait to read Kuang’s newest book whenever it’s ready.

You can find the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions

Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!

My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Edward, Estefani, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Shaad, Summer, Zoe.

[annie ❦]

more like drowning in pain

[manju ♡]

inject it into my veins carve it into my skin tattoo it on my soul

”he loves her. of this he’s certain. he loves her laugh; that sharp, sudden sound; the cynical laugh that always comes too quick, like it’s ripped out of her. he loves her quick, confident grin. he loves her resilience, her bravery, even her impulsiveness. she’s everything he’s not: unbound, reckless, free. he’s never known anyone like her. she terrifies him, and he loves her so much it hurts.”

“he can’t take his eyes off of her. she’s the most magnificent thing he’s ever seen.”

“she’s the only divine thing he’s ever believed in.”

[✨ A ✨]

I am not ok

[siu]

RF KUANG DOES MY PAIN BRING YOU JOY

[benedicta]

This was from Nezha's pov, ngl the first time I met him all I could think was this bullying a$$hole needs to back up and stfu so Rin can just live her best life.

Then in book 2 I thought this boy is such a little bitch with his "aw I have supernatural powers and I don't want to be called weird so I lie on the floor, fold myself in like a ball while the girl I want to kiss fights in a war" attitude.

And suddenly he came around and tried out his powers and tried to save Rin. And I was like yh ok he did well, I guess??? then there was his ultimate act of betrayal 😒 so ma'am RFK decided to write 3 stories (15 pages) as some kind of redemption arc/explanation for this little bitch/hero/Nezha.

In conclusion, I wasn't impressed.

My 4 stars strictly only reflects the brilliant storytelling skills of RFK and not my enjoyment of these short stories/novella.

ps ignore that I wrote a long review for a 15-paged novella than I did for the entire trilogy. I can be a bit weird. Also, this is best read five chapters into book 3, The burning God.

[John Mauro]

How to have your heart broken in 15 pages. 💔

This is a beautifully written, emotional short story that provides a lot of new insights into Nezha. It should be considered as required reading between "The Dragon Republic" and "The Burning God," as it gives a new depth to Nezha's character development and helps to explain his decisions in the main books of "The Poppy War" trilogy. Definitely take the 15 minutes to read this after completing "The Dragon Republic."

[Yumiko]

Kuang kills and she kills and she kills and i keep reading anyway. i laugh and i cri and i break and i make my mistakes by picking up these damn books, and if there’s a reason i’m still alive when so many books have attempted murder, then i’m willing to wait for it (wait for it wait for it).

(hamilton)

[nora⁷]

pain. PAIN. pain. paIN.

[Sara]

I really hope Nehza is ok, i just want to give him a hug and tell him everything will be alright :(

[maggie (taylor’s version)]

“he loves her, of this he is certain.”

my favorite trilogy ever

[Warda]

Precious Nezha. 🥺 I need him to be okay after all of this.

[aleksandra]

5/5

You know what, I don't care what will happen in the third book, I have a terrible feeling what will, but I simply don't care. In my mind, in another universe, they are happy together, with or without kids, they are best friends and lovers who fight but always make up, they have their own safe place on earth, and die together of old age after spending their lives happily in love.

"He loves her. Of this he’s certain. He loves her laugh; that sharp, sudden sound; the cynical laugh that always comes too quick, like it’s ripped out of her. He loves her quick, confident grin. He loves her resilience, her bravery, even her impulsiveness. She’s everything he’s not: unbound, reckless, free. He’s never known anyone like her. She terrifies him, and he loves her so much it hurts."

"He can’t take his eyes off of her. She’s the most magnificent thing he’s ever seen."

[marie]

“she terrifies him, and he loves her so much it hurts.”

oh i’m sobbing he loves her laugh and i love him

[Lucy (the invisible life of a reader)]

I didn't need my heart anyway

I gotta ask. How can 15 pages be so depressing? I feel just empty now.
I wanted to read more about Nezha, but I didn't want my heart broken in the process.
I'm not okay.
I hate how this author is playing with my emotions, but also that's what makes her books good.
Something is wrong with me.


**some mild spoilers ahead for this and the dragon republic


"He loves her.
Of this he’s certain.
He loves her laugh; that sharp, sudden sound; the cynical laugh that always comes too quick, like it’s ripped out of her. He loves her quick, confident grin. He loves her resilience, her bravery, even her impulsiveness.
She’s everything he’s not: unbound, reckless, free. He’s never known anyone like her.
She terrifies him, and he loves her so much it hurts."

Just how, I might ask, am I supposed to be okay after reading this? I've read this passage 10 times already.
And that didn't make me feel any better.
My heart is not as strong as some people might believe.

[emily]

"This is the first time in an eternity that he doesn’t feel like he’s drowning."

"She terrifies him, and he loves her so much it hurts."

"He can’t take his eyes off of her. She’s the most magnificent thing he’s ever seen."

"She’s the only divine thing he’s ever believed in."

fffffFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKkk

[Daye]

every time i pick up something written by r. f. kuang, i think i’ll be able to handle it and EVERY GODDAMN TIME, she proves me wrong

[Althea ☾]

3.75

well that was sad, and now i am crying

I will forever be in awe of Kuang's writing. These short 15 pages added a layer to Nezha's character that I really wish was incorporated to the main trilogy.

you can read and cry to The Drowning Faith here: https://rfkuang.com/2020/12/01/the-dr...

[Leanne]

Listen, I'm a Nezha apologist. There is no doubt that he isn't a great person, but reading this just broke my heart because his father makes him feel so inadequate, he feels forever inferior to his brother, he feels duty-bound to do the things he does, he's tormented by the Dragon, and he loves Rin so much but it doesn't even matter at the end of the day, because as long as he's loyal to his family, he can't have her. I love him.

This hurts ten times more after reading The Burning God.

[sof (reading slump)]

⊹ ݁ ˖ ”she’s the only divine thing he’s ever believed in. the only creature in this vast, cruel land who could kill him. and sometimes, in his loveliest dreams, he imagines she does.”

[Kaitlyn]

“she’s the only divine thing he’s ever believed in.” rf kuang i’ll be sending you my therapy bills