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jessereadsthings's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Really interesting story. Definitely makes me want to continue the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Addiction, Drug abuse, Rape, and Trafficking
takarakei's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
For those who are fans of the series this is a short novella that will bring you right back to Janloon <3 Could read after Jade City. I read it after finishing the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use, Addiction, and Trafficking
Minor: Vomit, Kidnapping, and Adult/minor relationship
parenthesis_enjoyer's review
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use and Addiction
Minor: Kidnapping, Vomit, Trafficking, and Adult/minor relationship
grimdark_dad's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Violence, Blood, Death, and Trafficking
cardanrry's review
emotional
tense
medium-paced
5.0
kaul lan i will love you forever
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Addiction
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Vomit
zone_a3's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Drug use
city_girl_writer's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
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? N/A
5.0
What...I...how...? Just...amazing. Imma read it again whenever I reread the Green Bone Saga.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use and Addiction
Minor: Trafficking
doodeedoda's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Blood, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Trafficking
Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Addiction, and Racism
Minor: Kidnapping and Adult/minor relationship
perpetualpages's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
CWs: Anti-Indigenous sentiments (challenged); descriptions of drug use/addiction; graphic descriptions of blood, injury, and death; vomit; references to missing Indigenous women and human trafficking
Two things right off the bat. First of all, Fonda Lee has made it abundantly clearly that she doesn’t care about any of our feelings, and I respect that. Secondly, I was super into this. Quite honestly, if Fonda Lee wants to spend the next five years just writing novellas within this established world, I would happily read every single one.
The Jade Setter of Janloon takes all the best parts of the Green Bone Saga and makes it even more genre by adding a twisted mystery element to it. The main trilogy is all about action, politics, and family dynamics, and while this novella certainly encompasses all of that, it also plot that’s much more direct. Part of that is, obviously, because it’s a standalone and it has to be self-contained. But it’s also refreshing because we don’t really get to see any straight-up-and-down murder mysteries in the series, so it's giving us something new using that established society and magic system.
Fonda Lee had me fully invested before the end of chapter one, as she always does. There’s gritty action, there’s political intrigue as this previously-neutral apprentice finds himself in the middle of these two powerful clans, and there’s a sense of desperation that comes from scrambling to solve this case at any cost. It’s pretty intense for a novella, and I think it does a great job of creating an urgent but also satisfying character arc propelled by moral dilemmas and injustice. Because it's a murder-mystery, there's also a sense of gratification that comes with all the puzzle pieces masterfully fall into place at the end.
Additionally, there are some cameos from the Green Bone saga for readers to "enjoy," and they make you feel exactly as you would expect!
My one critique, besides a little bit of convenience at the end, is that there is a female character at the center of this story who is the prime suspect, and I wish that she was a little more involved, because she ends up feeling like a chess piece. That sort of ties into a similar critique of the main trilogy I often see, in that the series definitely showcases female characters—and especially powerful female characters—but they don’t always seem to shine as brightly as the male characters do, and they're also vastly outnumbered by them. That critique is incredibly valid, and that same pattern definitely translates over to this story in which the sole female character is essentially rendered powerless.
So I do wish that had played out differently, but overall I still think this is an incredibly worthwhile addition to the Green Bone Saga. While it's not "essential" to the main trilogy, in terms of plot, it still does a great job of widening the world the the history of the series overall. If you're a fan of the series, you'll most likely enjoy this and you won't want to miss it!
Two things right off the bat. First of all, Fonda Lee has made it abundantly clearly that she doesn’t care about any of our feelings, and I respect that. Secondly, I was super into this. Quite honestly, if Fonda Lee wants to spend the next five years just writing novellas within this established world, I would happily read every single one.
The Jade Setter of Janloon takes all the best parts of the Green Bone Saga and makes it even more genre by adding a twisted mystery element to it. The main trilogy is all about action, politics, and family dynamics, and while this novella certainly encompasses all of that, it also plot that’s much more direct. Part of that is, obviously, because it’s a standalone and it has to be self-contained. But it’s also refreshing because we don’t really get to see any straight-up-and-down murder mysteries in the series, so it's giving us something new using that established society and magic system.
Fonda Lee had me fully invested before the end of chapter one, as she always does. There’s gritty action, there’s political intrigue as this previously-neutral apprentice finds himself in the middle of these two powerful clans, and there’s a sense of desperation that comes from scrambling to solve this case at any cost. It’s pretty intense for a novella, and I think it does a great job of creating an urgent but also satisfying character arc propelled by moral dilemmas and injustice. Because it's a murder-mystery, there's also a sense of gratification that comes with all the puzzle pieces masterfully fall into place at the end.
Additionally, there are some cameos from the Green Bone saga for readers to "enjoy," and they make you feel exactly as you would expect!
My one critique, besides a little bit of convenience at the end, is that there is a female character at the center of this story who is the prime suspect, and I wish that she was a little more involved, because she ends up feeling like a chess piece. That sort of ties into a similar critique of the main trilogy I often see, in that the series definitely showcases female characters—and especially powerful female characters—but they don’t always seem to shine as brightly as the male characters do, and they're also vastly outnumbered by them. That critique is incredibly valid, and that same pattern definitely translates over to this story in which the sole female character is essentially rendered powerless.
So I do wish that had played out differently, but overall I still think this is an incredibly worthwhile addition to the Green Bone Saga. While it's not "essential" to the main trilogy, in terms of plot, it still does a great job of widening the world the the history of the series overall. If you're a fan of the series, you'll most likely enjoy this and you won't want to miss it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Trafficking, Addiction, Drug use, and Racism
Minor: Vomit
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