Xochitl Gonzalez is so talented! This book does such a beautiful job of telling three separate stories but connecting all of them so beautifully not just by having the characters eventually interact with one another (not directly interact event, but creatively interact with one another in a way that maybe they dont meet but we as readers have them meet in our minds), but also by showing similar tropes and patterns but having characters experience it across different time periods/settings/etc. My least favorite chapters were Jack's. Anytime I read his chapters I wanted to skip pages because I found him R E P U L S I V E. I guess that was the point though. Anita and Raquel are BEAUTIFULLY written characters. You root for them the whole time, and if you are like me, you see elements of yourself in them at times. I especially resonated with Raquel and also felt for Raquel. I dont want to give any spoilers, but I just want to say, please try this book out. It may not captivate you at first and I blame the Jack content for that lol, but by the end you step back and realize you have been part of watching a beautiful web be weaved.

I finished The Poppy War last week and still haven’t stopped thinking about it. I will definitely be picking up the rest of the series when I get the chance, but I’m seeing so many saying they couldn’t get into this book or weren’t enjoying it. Is there anyone else out there that couldn’t put it down??

I was listening to this one as an audiobook, and I can't tell if I was just too distracted while reading to enjoy this, or if it wasn't for me. The audio was so immersive, I almost wonder if I would prefer reading a physical version. Any tips from the folks who have read this? It seems like such a beautiful read!