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cognitivedisaster's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This is tied as the best read of the year along with Dune
Take everything good about Jade War, and triple it. The characters are amazing. The world is amazing. The plot is amazing. The intrigue is amazing. The character relationships are better than any book I've ever read.
The main characters went from not greatpeople to fucking monsters. Even with their horrible actions, their self-justification makes it even more twisted. Even when you hate them though, you'll still root for them and cry for them*
The world is somehow even better than the last book, with a new country, and with it, new perspectives on how the main charcters affect the world
If Jade War was the godfather in a fantasy setting, this is the godfather 2 in a fantasy setting (especially with the arc of <Shae>)
*except for <Hilo>. Fuck that guy
Take everything good about Jade War, and triple it. The characters are amazing. The world is amazing. The plot is amazing. The intrigue is amazing. The character relationships are better than any book I've ever read.
The main characters went from not greatpeople to fucking monsters. Even with their horrible actions, their self-justification makes it even more twisted. Even when you hate them though, you'll still root for them and cry for them*
The world is somehow even better than the last book, with a new country, and with it, new perspectives on how the main charcters affect the world
If Jade War was the godfather in a fantasy setting, this is the godfather 2 in a fantasy setting (especially with the arc of <Shae>)
*except for <Hilo>. Fuck that guy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Xenophobia, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, Kidnapping, War, and Car accident
Minor: Rape, Hate crime, and Alcohol
laguerrelewis's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Fonda Lee understands what makes a good sequel. I was very curious to see how this installment would raise the stakes and keep the story flowing, and my expectations were absolutely exceeded! Jade War expands the world, with a heavier focus on the international relations and conflicts affecting Kekon, hinted at in the last installment. It also takes its characters in challenging and creative new directions, allowing them to grow in their roles and increasing the scope of what is possible within the story. I initially picked up this series because of the glowing praise for the final installment, and with this one being so well done, Iām even more excited to read it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Abortion, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Pregnancy
thuto's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Suicide, Misogyny, Drug use, Death of parent, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual violence
btrz7's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion, Addiction, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
genny's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed this more than Jade City. A gripe I had with the previous book was that I couldn't feel attached to any of the characters...while that's still partly true here, we've spent enough time with the main cast that I do care about them more (especially Anden; I'd let them all die for him TBH) but I guess that's obvious with a sequel. I know there's the looming threat of jade becoming more and more global and the consequences that can ensue, but it feels like an inevitable plot point for the third book, not a...palpable thing? It doesn't feel like there's a big, overarching plot, just us going through the motions with the Kauls and trying to kill off each new problem that arises. That's not to say that it isn't an enjoyable ride! I appreciated Anden's inner monologue about living in Espenia and its familiar-yet-not Kekonese community. And for all of Hilo's faults, it's nice to see him grow into his role as the Pillar.
The timeline kept throwing me off, though. I'll be assuming that a few weeks had passed since a certain event, but then Lee would hit me with a line like "a year had passed since [specific incident]" and I'm like...wait, what? I think it's because the multiple POVs aren't always in the same timeline; we'd be following Shae in the present day, then we'd switch to Anden who'll narrate his life in Espenia for the past x months before catching up to the present, and the next thing I know, Hilo's children have grown by another year. Lol. This might just be a problem with me not processing the passage of time, but I couldn't help but notice it every time it happened.
I knew Anden would have to wear jade again eventually, but I'm glad it happened in a way that let him save a life instead of ending one. Med school sounds like the perfect path for him, I'm so happy š On the other hand, I can't believe we ended the book with a Bero chapter. That boy does not quit, lmao. Anyway, looking forward to Jade Legacy!
The timeline kept throwing me off, though. I'll be assuming that a few weeks had passed since a certain event, but then Lee would hit me with a line like "a year had passed since [specific incident]" and I'm like...wait, what? I think it's because the multiple POVs aren't always in the same timeline; we'd be following Shae in the present day, then we'd switch to Anden who'll narrate his life in Espenia for the past x months before catching up to the present, and the next thing I know, Hilo's children have grown by another year. Lol. This might just be a problem with me not processing the passage of time, but I couldn't help but notice it every time it happened.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Torture, Violence, Gun violence, Sexual content, Death, Murder, Racism, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Blood, and Drug use
Moderate: Misogyny and Abortion
Minor: Pedophilia, Death of parent, Ableism, and Excrement
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