The Poppy War

[A mild spoiler ahead]

Absolutely loved Part 1.

Part 2 started to lose me as the focus came off the main character a bit, and the story really changed by taking a new turn.

Then came [here comes mild spoiler]...









....a torture scene.

I should say I generally dislike such scenes. This is partly because of the kind of violence it portrays disturbs me. However, if it fits into the story and are done well, I can accept it and move forward.

However, I also partly dislike such scenes often because of how they are usually portrayed. That is, objectively wrongly and irresponsibly. Unfortunately, the one I'm referring to in this book does just that...and then some.

When I say wrongly and irresponsibly I mean: by suggesting that critical information is usually able to be extracted from someone through the torture (when in reality the opposite is true). Such portrayal perpetuates misconceptions and mistaken beliefs about torture, which has real world implications. (How many have suffered because we tolerate torture based on wrongheaded notions?) I find this irresponsible portrayal – in whatever media – as disturbing, grotesque, unnecessary, and frankly, unethical. So I chose not to engage with media that do so.

To make it worse, not only does this novel in a particular scene do so, but it makes it worse because the hero present – who we are supposed to empathize with, who (generally) does the right thing, who we are rooting for – does not condemn the torture (either outwardly or in their thoughts), or frankly seem to have much concern about the ethical implications of the torture. I found myself then having a difficult time rooted for and empathizing with this hero afterwards (as well as the character that committed the heinous act, who was also a “good guy”).

Now, if torture doesn't bother you, or the potential ethical implications of how it is portrayed in the context of the story doesn't matter to you, or you don't find issues with empathizing with heroes that are not “good” in terms of their actions ethically and morally, or real world horrid implications of perpetuating misconceptions doesn't bother you, then this novel may not be problematic for you. It is for me. Which is why I didn't finish it after that.

It's unfortunate, because I was really liking the story, and I really wanted to follow it to the end. It just lost me at that point.

I hope to find a similar novel without this unfortunate issue (and open to suggestions, please!)