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emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love the characters in this book. They really do grow and develop. Furthermore, the author is not afraid to make the stakes high which makes me nervous for each of the beloved characters as I read this book. This world is so beautifully developed. The history and “magic” feel so real and inviting. Overall, very well done!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: War
adventurous
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
a gritty, cool, stylish story about family, loyalty, duty. gangster stories and their seemingly needless violence have never interested me, so it's an amazing feat indeed that jade city is able to make the aforementioned seem rational--even inevitable--to me.
even more surprising, though at times painful as well, is how much lee is able to make me care abt the characters, their plight, their battles (both external and internal). i also appreciate how much nuance is imbued in both sides of the clan war: the characters' personalities, their motivations, differing ideologies that have both merit and disadvantages, making the central conflict actually seem unavoidable. this book is also full of violence--though none of it is gratuitous--and w/ the startling death of [redacted] halfway thru the book, i was shocked to discover that no one is spared, which is actually realistic, rly.
i also enjoyed the political stuff, esp how much meaning can be conveyed or inferred from even the subtlest words or actions. the third person pov is effectively used to great effect as well. another thing i rly like is the ideas and themes explored in the story. shae is disturbingly relatable w/ her internal warring of stifling expectations and need to escape her present environment; parallels to the real world are reflected in the hubristic foreign presence on kekon, and the latter's rightful desire to take control of its own country, though obvs the means are a contentious point; the seemingly cyclical nature of violence and vengeance spurred on by loyalty and a sense of duty. lee explores the themes w/ aplomb w/o ever seeming preachy or overbearing, and that's not sth many authors can say. im daunted to see how it all further unfolds in the sequel.
even more surprising, though at times painful as well, is how much lee is able to make me care abt the characters, their plight, their battles (both external and internal). i also appreciate how much nuance is imbued in both sides of the clan war: the characters' personalities, their motivations, differing ideologies that have both merit and disadvantages, making the central conflict actually seem unavoidable. this book is also full of violence--though none of it is gratuitous--and w/ the startling death of [redacted] halfway thru the book, i was shocked to discover that no one is spared, which is actually realistic, rly.
i also enjoyed the political stuff, esp how much meaning can be conveyed or inferred from even the subtlest words or actions. the third person pov is effectively used to great effect as well. another thing i rly like is the ideas and themes explored in the story. shae is disturbingly relatable w/ her internal warring of stifling expectations and need to escape her present environment; parallels to the real world are reflected in the hubristic foreign presence on kekon, and the latter's rightful desire to take control of its own country, though obvs the means are a contentious point; the seemingly cyclical nature of violence and vengeance spurred on by loyalty and a sense of duty. lee explores the themes w/ aplomb w/o ever seeming preachy or overbearing, and that's not sth many authors can say. im daunted to see how it all further unfolds in the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Self harm, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Dementia
Minor: Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Sexism, Sexual content, Murder
Minor: Death of parent
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The clan is my blood, and the pillar is its master.
This book was everything. It had me laughing out loud, almost in tears, and curled up under my blanket with my heart racing as I raced through pages to make sure everyone I loved was okay. (They weren't always).
Lee created such a masterpiece here (and I've heard the series gets better with each book?! What??) The worldbuilding was exquisite. Everything was so well thought out - from small details like unique sports to bigger pictures like growing tensions between countries. The story was delightfully draped in the culture, religion, and traditions of those from Kekon. It all felt very real, which isn't always the case in the fantasy genre, and that made the stakes and the consequences that much more dire.
Which - by the way - holy hell Fonda Lee. I know we've just been introduced but you can't play with my emotions like that. Every loss, every setback incurred by the No Peak clan made me feel personally affronted. While I escaped into this book, the Kauls were my family and, as such, every event in the book became deeply personal. Again, very rude of you Fonda Lee, I was having a good day before this. I freaking adored her characters, they were so fleshed out and human, and all of their insecurities and personal conflicts really helped make this book stand out.
I'm not sure that I'm emotionally prepared for the next book, but I'll still be eagerly refreshing my Libby holds until it's ready.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Rape
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, War
Moderate: Drug use
dark
emotional
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
This book got me out of a months-long reading slump so I cannot praise it enough. Jade City is one of the most exciting and immersive books I've ever read. I loved the mix of modern technology, tradition, and magic that made the world come to life. Even more fantastic than the worldbuilding were the characters. Fonda Lee might be my new favorite author for dynamic and interesting characters. Hilo was especially frustrating and loveable. I couldn't decide if I wanted to give him a hug or strangle him.
I can't wait to read the rest of this series!
I can't wait to read the rest of this series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Violence, Murder, War
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Addiction, Self harm, Sexual assault
Elaboration on the drug use content warning: there's a graphic description of a character dying from overdosing on drugs
Absolutely brilliant. I loved every second of this book. Lee’s slow building plot allows her to develop the characters and relationships while also moving the plot forward in a captivating way. I can’t wait to pick up book two and would definitely recommend this one to anyone who likes urban fantasy. Worth every bit of the hype!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Violence
challenging
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A brilliant imagined urban fantasy with themes of wealth, greed, honor and family. The characters were all well written and all were flawed in their own way. The pacing is slow at first, but it picks up at the halfway point. I’m eager to hunt down the second and see what’s next for our clans. I suspect neither will back down too easily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, War, Injury/Injury detail