Reviews with content warning for Death - Jade City

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Jade City by Fonda Lee

247 reviews

alouette's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional 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

ouch! what a rollercoaster. i had a hard time getting into at first, confused by the rush of new terms and places in a city i obviously wasn't familiar with, but as the book went on the jade city, and by extension the entire intricate world that the book is set in, became easier to understand. seriously, once i got into it the worldbuilding was so immersive that i felt loath to leave. it was just so descriptive, allowing me to visualize every scene. the characters became easier to understand as well. they all have their flaws and intricacies, which could be equal parts frustrating and lovable- just like any real person.

the shock and anger i felt at lan-jen's death was quite visceral because of that.

also, i can't forget to mention that the action sequences were thrilling, keeping the book fast-paced, and the descriptions of the magic system were breathtaking. though i'll definitely need a break before diving into book 2, i'm excited to see where this high fantasy goes next.

Content Warnings

achingallover's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

Content Warnings

thebrainglitter's review against another edition

5.0

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

Content Warnings

calicot's review against another edition

4.75

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totallyshelfaware's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Easily a new favourite. Bold, unexpected writing choices, interesting character dynamics, love how grounded the world-building was. You’ve got this magic system that doesn’t conveniently solve all problems (and even goes so far as to cause major ones). Love that the conflict had constraints (impact on commerce, foreign relations, etc.) and it wasn’t just this glorified clan war. Can't wait to see how this escalates in the next book!

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btrz7's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark 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

rorikae's review against another edition

5.0

challenging tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

'Jade City' by Fonda Lee kicks off an engaging urban fantasy where warring clans clash for control of the resource that imbues them with powers.
The story focuses on the Kaul family who lead one of the clans that are vying for control of the capital city in Kekon. The three Kaul siblings, Lan, Shae, and Hilo, are dealing with the complexities of life in the clan, an ailing grandfather, and the prospects of a new drug that allows anyone to wield jade.
Lee has created an engaging world full of complex characters. The pairing of a simple but really well thought out fantasy element in jade's powers to enhance abilities with the political machinations of warring families creates a world that I cannot wait to return to. By focusing on the three Kaul siblings, Lee gives the reader a peek into different parts of the clan but also different views on jade. Lan is the reluctant leader, Hilo the determined and sometimes rash Horn, and Shae is returning from time abroad and without jade. These characters are complex and though not always lovable, I found that I cared deeply for each of them.
The plotting is exceptionally paced. Lee weaves together more action heavy moments of conflict with the plotting and political decisions that are going on in the background. These pieces fit together to create a plot that is constantly moving forward but also feels easy to follow.
I cannot wait to read Jade War though I think I will wait some time so that I read it closer to the release of Jade Legacy. If you are looking for an exceptional urban fantasy series with a complex plot, you really must read Jade City.

Content Warnings

genny's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous dark 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

I enjoyed this; it was very readable and the setting was easy to fall into. Even though most of the story was set only in the city of Janloon, the worldbuilding was rich, with just enough history and a glimpse of the world outside Kekon. For a mob story, this wasn't fast-paced; the action sequences were brutal, but they took up less of the story than I anticipated. Instead, nearly the whole book felt like a set-up for the sequel - lots of political maneuvering, shifting of power, planting plot devices whose consequences are to be revealed later on.... All enjoyable and well-written, but I was ~80% into the book before I got truly excited. Even now I'm still not that invested in the characters. I'm interested to see where their paths take them and I care about No Peak as a whole, but would I cry if any of the main characters died? Probably not. Will I still read Jade War right away? Yes, actually! I have a feeling it'll be a lot more exciting now that the chess pieces are in place (fingers crossed).

Content Warnings