Dave Wagner’s Reviews > The Poppy War > Status Update

I've never read it before... and yet I've read it before many times. What a tired premise. Mysterious precocious backwater orphan miraculously gains access to prestigious school, makes enemies, (and one friend), is bullied by students and staff alike, becomes apprentice under quirky old professor, wins everything, is revealed to be super-rare special someone.... Bleh. So rote and predictable.