Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Jade War by Fonda Lee

14 reviews

reddeddy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Cultural appropriation, Grief, Confinement, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Trafficking, War, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Body horror, Classism, Death, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Racism, Xenophobia, Abortion, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Homophobia, Misogyny, Ableism, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Genocide, Toxic relationship, Rape, Deportation, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Cursing

Minor: Animal death, Biphobia, Body shaming, Self harm, Bullying, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcoholism, Dysphoria, Mental illness, Outing, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Vomit, and Infertility

praaliine's review

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

i definitely liked this a lot more than jade city. was it a life changing read? almost. was it well-written and enjoyable af? YES. although this book is not wholly character driven, the characters are still the lifeblood of this story, so much that it feels like i’m reading an exclusively character driven book. i’m deeply interested in all the characters (minus bero. why is he even there?), and funny enough, they give me a lot to think about in real life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Gun violence, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Grief, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Drug abuse, Vomit, Sexual content, and Drug use

ehmannky's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

4.0

A really impressive followup to Jade City. The plot is impressive in scope and I thought there was a lot of great characters and development in terms of story and character. It did, at times, feel like the plot was a bit unwieldy, and a few plot lines I felt ended oddly pacing-wise. I think this is just more a symptom of how second books in fantasy series tend to be rather than a specific criticism of this series in particular. But I still really, really liked this continuation of the series, and this book's handling of a crime family/triad narrative has finally made me like this genre of storytelling. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Violence, and Death of parent

leanne_miron's review

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Violence, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Biphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Sexism, Torture, Abortion, Death of parent, and Gore

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy

bearystarry's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

I think this was the perfect sequel to the first book.

Even though my favourite character died halfway through the first book

these characters are some of my favourites in everything I've ever read. Even when you're frustrated by them you love them. Shae's arc was Heartbreaking. I'm terrified (in the best way, if that's possible) to read the final book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Addiction, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Violence, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Colonisation, Blood, Alcohol, Murder, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Death of parent, Cursing, Excrement, Death, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Pedophilia, Cancer, Adult/minor relationship, Terminal illness, and War

elizabeth_lepore's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Murder, Drug abuse, Violence, Death, and Gun violence

Moderate: Abortion, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Death of parent

Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, and War

maregred's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexism, Classism, Death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Death of parent, Police brutality, and Violence

Moderate: Abortion, Ableism, Addiction, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Trafficking, Xenophobia, War, and Alcohol

jakepasseri's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

4.5

Amazing read, definitely better than the last one (if that is possible)! The only issue was with

the constant time jumps made it difficult to follow at times

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racial slurs, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Gun violence, Blood, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Suicide, Murder, War, Body horror, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Abortion, Child abuse, and Colonisation

Minor: Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Self harm

just_one_more_paige'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? No

4.0

The second book in the sweeping and immersive "The Green Bone Saga" fantasy series. It's a chunky one, but so far it deeply remains worth it! 

 

Jade War picks up right where Jade City leaves us. There is a temporary lull in the No Peak vs Mountain Clan war for control over the island of Kekon. Though that moment of quiet is not destined to last for long. And the stakes get even higher here, as the war over jade expands to a national level. Both governments and local gangs in other countries are entering the fray, as far as access to jade and its powers and financial benefits go. The Kaul family is doing everything they can to gain advantage over the Mountain and maintain the sanctity of the way of the Green Bone both at home and abroad, making alliances and political moves and planning assassinations and more. 

 

The dual stars of the first novel, the details of the Kaul family dynamics and the world-building internal to Kekon, remain just as spectacular in this second book. The overall complexity of the Green Bone clan traditions and beliefs, as well as the nuances of the interactions and power struggles and social rules, are so impressive, and one of the major reasons these books pull you in with such strength. This book really does take you further too, not just relying on what was set up in the first one and sacrificing continued depth in favor of plot movement. Lee walks the fine line of detail and intrigue, moving into a more international setting, including a complicated amount of new enemies and alliances and deals and politics, but somehow still keeping things moving with a considerable amount of drama. And I loved that expansion into the larger world. It was great for moving forwards from what we learned in the first book about Green Bone culture and placing it in a wider context, allowing the reader who had (obviously) been set up to sympathize with them, to see some of the ways their (insular) traditions may have dangers/shortcomings in a wider context, but always with that understanding of the harmful aspects of foreign colonizers had brought in the past. Fascinating and incredibly applicable (and accurate) to real life. That context was one thing I had wanted more of in the first book, so I was really excited for it here. I was hoping for a bit more detail on the workings of the jade itself, and I feel like, while I have a better vibe for its role and how it enhances ability, we still don't have an explanation as to how/why it works that way. It may just be a world mystery that we have to accept at face vaule...and I feel better about that possibility after this book, if I'm being honest, so that's good. 

 

Relatedly, the further development of the Kaul family, and the No Peak vs Mountain conflict, mirrored that external expansion. Shae's efforts to get No Peak to look outside Kekon for advantages, and Ayt Mada's similar moves (if less obvious until key moments, as we aren't following her narrative perspective), allowed for great character growth for Hilo and Anden, and Wen to a certain extent (her cooperation with Shae is a wonderful addition - and a cool and positive spin on what is essentially her "disability"). Anden's time internationally helped him realize a lot about himself, with the space to do so, both personally and professionally (as far as his role in the No Peak clan and his use of jade). I enjoyed the glimpses into Shae's personal life as well, even if it was overall fairly tragic, but it gave her some really nice dimension and growth as well. And Hilo's maturing into a true leader, past violence and his role as the Horn, has been spectacular, though the things that make him Hilo, like his way with people (which is just the kind of character trait I love in a fantasy MC) and family loyalty and emotions, are still central to his being. It's a really authentic character path and I'm truly enjoying reading it. Final character comment...we have been following Breo all over the place for two books now and I am dying to finally know what role he is going to play (other than representing another, "normal person," point of view) that makes it that important to know his whole story. 

 

Y'all, so much happened in this book. There was a lot of "slower" setting up a lot of alliances and greater world politics in this one that were super intriguing. And it was interspersed with quite a bit of harsh decision-making and violence (how Hilo deals with Enyi, Doru’s death, THE duel, abortion, what happens to Mudt and Maro and Kehn, and so much more). Honestly, it was both steadily paced and nonstop action, and I am loving the “new beginnings” sort of ending...clearly there is much more to come, but also a lot has been resolved or come out in the open or been reset/reframed, and I feel the build for the finale with great anticipation. While I totally have no idea where the last book is going to take/leave us, I am so invested in and intrigued to find out. 

 

“Out of small resentments, spring great wars.” 

 

“…the possibility of death was like the weather - you could make attempts to predict it, but you would likely be wrong, and no one would change their most important plans due to threat of rain.” 

 

“…he felt no great relief or happiness - only the sort of heaviness that comes from wanting something for so long that the final achievement of it is a loss - because the waiting is over and the waiting has become too much a part of oneself to let go of easily.” 

 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Racism, Addiction, Blood, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, War, Colonisation, and Death

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Xenophobia, and Violence

Moderate: Torture, Kidnapping, War, and Car accident

Minor: Rape, Hate crime, and Alcohol