Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Jade City by Fonda Lee

103 reviews

juliagaylard's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, Injury/Injury detail

thenoboshow's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

stormeno's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racial slurs, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury

vividpenguin's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual content, War

Minor: Bullying, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail

pianomandan's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Xenophobia

mrgilgamesh95's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

I cannot summarise how surprised I was by this book. Read it. Make notes, watch gang films and read it.

shaunack's review against another edition

2.75

adventurous fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, War

Minor: Addiction, Pedophilia, Sexism, Kidnapping, Grief

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Jade City by Fonda Lee is an addictive gangster urban fantasy with a unique world and fascinating characters.

 

Gosh, I wish the Warrior Cats series were this good. 

 

Jade City is billed as “The Godfather with magic and kung fu, set in an Asia-inspired fantasy metropolis” and I think that’s an accurate description. To be clear, the plot is not the same as  The Godfather, but the book borrows the urban, feuding gangster Clan setup of The Godfather and adapts it to an urban fantasy world that roughly equates to post-World War II Hong Kong. In this world, a select group of people can use jade to give themselves superpowers. The use of jade for these individuals is not risk free; it can be addictive and dangerous to those who wield too much without proper tolerance or training. The city of Janloon is ruled by two rival Clans of Greenbone Warriors people who wield Jade for militant strength. The book follows the Kaul family, rulers of one Clan, as they navigate succession challenges and the increasing threat of their rival Clan. 

 

I think part of what makes mafia/gangster stories so compelling is that they allow the reader to indulge of stories of bloodlust and crime without feeling too guilty. These fictional mafia gangsters are bloodthirsty criminals, but at least they’re competent and have a strict moral code—that’s more than can be said about many powerful people in the real world. Once you get over the fact that there’s going to be a lot of murder and backstabbing, Jade City becomes an addictive read. Sure, the prose isn’t fancy, and there aren’t really any deep reflections on the inherent violence, patriarchy, and racism of this world (Lee’s storyline seems to neither condemn nor condones these elements, merely adding them to bolster the world’s realism), but it’s a hell of a story. Lee skillfully blends the mafia story, real-world history, and a simple but clever magic system to create an engaging setting. There’s plenty of delicious political intrigue. At its heart, well-written and well-realized characters drive the narrative. I can’t say that I was rooting for the main characters due to their murderously vindictive natures, but I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and completely invested in the story. I’m looking forward to continuing with Jade War.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Drug use, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, War

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Xenophobia, Colonisation

Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Death of parent, Alcohol

Graphic Content Warnings: Gang/cult violence, duelling violence, theft/crime, terrorism, mutilation, hostage, drug dealing Moderate Content Warnings: Fraticide, patricide

dannyingram97's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

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This is an inspired story: a weaving narrative of families warring, set in the backdrop of a fantasy world inspired by 80s martial arts films.

This was an expansive story told in a very concise way, with narratives quickly intertwining and linking together. 

I particularly enjoyed the setting and the perspectives of Anden and Shea, who stood out as sympathetic and rounded characters, whose journeys I’m looking forward to picking up in the next book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail

ruthiedr89's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gore, Homophobia, Colonisation