It's never that you aren't allowed to dislike books from non-white authors, but that as reviewers-- especially ones who, you know, care-- it's your responsibility to unpack the language you use to review and the biases you bring to a work.

Yes, you are allowed to not like work by non-white authors, but if everything you didn't like about it is everything that doesn't center you, like maybe sit with that for a moment.

I haven't even read The Poppy War, but this isn't just a case of one person (who apologized!) calling one book boring; It's the feedback POC get about their work all the damn time: no one is interested, there is no market, consumers won't see themselves here, it's boring.

If you are invested in diversifying your reading, I also think it's important to ask yourself some questions while reading: Is there anything I didn't understand here? How has white/Western centered media taught me how to read this? What parts of this story weren't "for me?"

If you are a reviewer, ask yourself if there is any language in your review that ties back to microgressions or stereotypes. Consider if anything you've said about this one work is something POC hear about their work large scale and again, unpack that.

It probably seems like a lot of work but your reward is *checks notes* the like 95% of media that centers you and your experience so idk, I think you'll be fine.