Reviews

Jade War by Fonda Lee

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andie_elizabeth13's review against another edition

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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

4.5

mitskacir's review against another edition

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5.0

I continue to really enjoy this series. The writing is seriously good, not what I’m used to when reading fantasy/sci-fi. The world has gotten a lot bigger in this sequel, which means there are a lot more characters and plot lines to keep track of, but they are sufficiently intertwined and referenced regularly enough that it’s manageable. This is definitely the type of fantasy for folks who like council room discussions and political meetings with a splash of action, rather than the other way around. There were a few scenes that had my a bit startled midway through the book, making me fear the story was getting away from the author, but she got it back on track and I was completely back on board by the end. I really appreciate how real and modern the characters feel, with the magical elements being interesting additions to a fully grounded world.

roninil's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.25

chanidev's review against another edition

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5.0

For those who are unfamiliar with the series, this is a low-fantasy world similar to Earth. Of the indigenous population on the island Kekon, there are typically two groups: the Abukei, who are immune to the effects of jade mineral; or green bones, who can wear it to achieve supernatural heightened senses and physical power. Only Kekonese can handle jade, the rest are prone to illness and even death with too much exposure.

The island is ruled by green bone clans. Typically hereditary positions, so families rule for generations. The No Peak clan, run by the Kaul family, have been getting back on their feet after a couple major deaths in their ranks. The rival Mountain clan is run by the heir-less Ayt family. They have agreed to a precarious truce in violence, but continue to attack each other through media and business ambushes.

I absolutely love this series. It's got a good mix of romance (although I'm not typically a fan of the sex scenes) and interesting personal relationships, crime, politics, and a fun fantasy element. I can't really predict what's going to happen next, and there's a lot of emotion. The whole idea of jade being a rare and supernatural element is unique. The inclusion of mafia-like clans keeps the reader on their toes. And the characters are sincere and likeable, despite their violent tendencies. I actually liked this book more than the first, maybe it's because I'm more invested. Highly recommend this series to anyone wanting more of a complex series!

https://ucplbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/05/jade-war.html

daumari's review against another edition

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5.0

I really liked this- [b:Jade City|43587154|Jade City (The Green Bone Saga, #1)|Fonda Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547625704l/43587154._SY75_.jpg|55755047] was all about setting up the world of Kekon and the jade clan cultures, and with that established, War takes us to a more global perspective, as it becomes difficult to remain an insular nation post-world war equivalent. And while the clans would prefer to stick with tradition and not care about what goes on beyond the island, outside elements make that impossible (as well as lucrative, as inter-island war is expensive.)

A LOT happens in this book, and over a span of at least three years (based on how it's bookended by

Spoiler

Anden's departure and return to Kekon

). I sort of clocked passage of time through various means, but it marches on and sometimes I had to gauge the age of small child characters to figure out what was going on. I found Anden's plot most intriguing as it explored a diaspora community of Kekonese in Espenia (colloquially known as Kespenians which is neater than a hyphenated demonym), retaining some of the old ways as immigrant communities do, a snapshot of when they left but also having a modified version of their approach to Greenbone culture equivalents. Between Anden and Maro, there's also some commentary on being mixed race and how that's perceived, especially in insular communities.

I also really appreciated Shae's plot, though I'd like her to have some level of happiness at some point. The thing I liked most was

Spoiler

how Lee approached Shae's unplanned pregnancy and subsequent abortion

, as it's something I don't think we see depicted often in fiction let alone fantasy without being a Very Special Episode of a thing, and how pragmatic the character was about it which was true to who they are.

It still feels really novel to have fantasy in a world recognizable similar to ours but not quite- still a little bit mid century as we have phones and televisions, but the phones are rotary still. Also, we didn't bury our gays!

Looking forward to the consequences of Hilo's actions coming to roost as the next generation comes of age in [b:Jade Legacy|51057191|Jade Legacy (The Green Bone Saga, #3)|Fonda Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565294729l/51057191._SX50_SY75_.jpg|72702671]. My husband tells me the time jumps are greater across that novel, which sort of makes sense because I'm sure Niko will eventually have questions...