The Poppy War
What makes something a literary piece versus just a genre piece, is what I thought to myself upon finishing The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang. Going into it I had remembered it being a Young Adult title, and as the story progressed, it fit the bill.
Oil and Dust
Our main character is a trained artist; he can change the world by drawing it. For you magic system geeks out there, his ability is presented mostly as science. Sure, you can just have a talent for it, but you need to be trained because it’s not simple. In execution, when the ability it presented it feels right. It’s part of the plot, but by far not THE plot.