When Fantasy Gets Too Real: The True Story Behind The Poppy War

The Poppy War is the newest fantasy book series that's headlining social media. I finally checked out book 1. Admittedly, the beginning threw me. Though it’s marketed as a dark historical fantasy, the first 60% feels very YA-coded: a poor girl earns a spot at a prestigious military academy in a fractured empire, where she uncovers powers beyond her understanding (read: magic). It’s engaging, sure — but also familiar. A bit formulaic.

Then comes Chapter 21 — and everything changes. It details a massacre of alarming proportions and retelling an instance of humanity's depravity at its lowest. And what's worse, is just how based in truth it all is.

So, what really happened?

In the U.S., we’re largely educated on the atrocities of WWII through a Western lens, the Holocaust, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the role of the Allied and Axis powers. But what’s often overlooked or skimmed is the impact of that era on China, particularly during what's referred to as the "Century of Humiliation" (1839–1949), a period marked by colonial exploitation and imperialist violence.

The Poppy War draws heavily from real history. The Opium Wars, when Britain used military force to push opium into China for profit, weakened the nation drastically. And during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945), China endured staggering violence. Chapter 21 mirrors a real life event titled the Nanjing Massacre in which an estimated 200,000 civilians were murdered and countless more tortured by the Japanese Imperial Army. This period is sometimes referred to as the "Forgotten Holocaust."

If R.F. had any intention of spreading awareness about the real life and semi-hidden history of the war between China and Japan during WWII, she was very successful. What's beautiful about this writing, is that while being a fantasy novel, it provides an accessible way for even the least expected audiences to look through a window, and maybe inspire some deep dives into real history.

If you're curious and want to dig deeper, here are a couple historical texts worth exploring (yes, I know this is a sci-fi and fantasy blog, but it may be worth the detour).

A deep dive into the first Opium war from British and Chinese perspectives

A compelling and well-researched narrative of China’s role in WWII — often overlooked in Western history classes. Mitter makes the case that China was essential to the Allied war effort and paid a terrible cost.

A groundbreaking and disturbing account of the Nanjing Massacre.