Reviews tagging 'Death'

Jade City by Fonda Lee

247 reviews

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

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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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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark tense slow-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: No

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tense slow-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: No

Why is it always my 3 star books that make me want to ramble? This book was a solid 3 stars for me, I could see the appeal, but wasn't going to continue the series... until the last 40 pages. How did a book so painfully dry make me tear up and eagerly want to read the next book in the last 40 pages??????

Anden Emery, that's how.

Real talk, this book is not fun to read because every thought from the characters is so excruciatingly spelled out that it leaves no room for contemplation. 

The saddest part for me was realizing the super interesting opening characters were not, in fact, our main cast. I'm sad to say it, but I found the Kauls so dull and homogeneous when they were united. Even when
Lan died, I was bored. That's why the ending hit so well for me. They were finally not all on the same side.

Speaking of Lan, he should not have been a perspective character. He would have been so much more interesting to read from outside perspectives. The only thing we gain from his perspective is his thoughts on his ex-wife, and those we could've garnered from conversations with Yunni. Which goes into my next point.

I needed more women in this story. Yunni would've been an amazing perspective character. Shae is an amazing character, but every other woman is just not as well thought out and written as Shae is.

The highest points for me were the 'low-level' situations. All of the Bero chapters were highlights for me. Again, very sad he is basically a
tertiary antagonist.


Ramble over. Shae for Pillar idgaf what the books says.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark tense
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I was hooked until the end, even though there was no real connection with any of the characters. I have to assume that there will be more discussion on the racism and relationships with the other cultures in the next books, but I won't continue. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark reflective tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional mysterious 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: Complicated

The worldbuilding and character description was outstanding. It was easy to understand but Fonda Lee still managed to make the characters interesting. It was super easy to read and I could not stop. The magic system was easy to understand but not boring. I found the story mostly kind of predictable but nevertheless enjoyable. Will read the whole trilogy. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark tense
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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