Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
I’m more disappointed in the fact it took me this long to discover Jade City. This book has been in the world since 2017, and I’m only reading it now. Jade City is everything I’ve ever wanted in a book and more.
Set in the island of Kekon, a land stuck in a dangerous territory war between the No Peak Clan and The Mountain Clan, the Kauls of No Peak fight for control of their capital and the growing jade market. More than a green stone, Jade holds bioenergetic power that amplifies its users, and the two clans are fuelled by its power for control of Kekon.
Jade City is a masterpiece. Never have I found myself so captivated by a book that still lingered with me days after I had read it. The worldbuilding is on another level, and Fonda Lee has created such a vibrant and detailed world. I did find the beginning a little dense, but once you’ve settled into the world, you’re thrown straight into, and I loved it. The history of Kekon is vast and rich, you can see the level of detail that has gone into creating this world. The rank system based on Jade, the history of the world beyond Kekon and the inner workings of the diversity of lifestyle on the island. You can truly feel this world come to life as you read.
One of the book’s more stronger aspects is its characters. I truly loved how well thought out all their goals and struggles were. Even those you aren’t supposed to root for have a little piece of my respect. While the book follows multiple POVs, the main three were the Kaul siblings: Lau, Hilo and Shae. Lau, the new head of No Peak, struggles to garner the same respect his grandfather once had and living in the shadow of his late war father. Hilo is rash and impulsive and finds himself stepping into a role he was never meant to take. Shae returns to the island of Kekon and has no choice but to return to her old life as a Green Bone, after renouncing her role years before. Other characters I really enjoyed were Bero, a petty thief with a much more significant role, and the Kaul’s younger cousin, Anden, who was adopted into the family and struggles to come to term with his future as a fighter. There’s so much more I could talk about, but this book really balances the detailed world with complex characters quite perfectly.
Overall, Jade City will be one book I’ll recommend forever. The nature of the ending tells us the new clan war is far from being over. I’m so excited and interested to see what Lee will give us in its sequel. From the writing, execution, characters and sheer depth of the world inside, this series is on track to become one of my favourite series ever.
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as told by zaheerah 