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oxfordcommas91 's review for:
Jade City
by Fonda Lee
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This novel was unlike anything I'd ever read and surprised me at every single turn. It's one part urban fantasy, one part mob/clan saga, one part nostalgic kung-fu movie, and one part Succession. The plot truly hits the ground running and never slows down, demanding that the reader keep up and truly keeping them on their toes from start to finish.
Fonda Lee doesn't waste one sentence and I have nothing but respect for her exquisite writing and character development. I was so impressed with the level of depth, complexity, and uniqueness that all of her characters are imbued with. I was constantly holding my breath to know what happened next, and despite having plenty of books currently in my queue, I kept coming back to this one first.
There were multiple times throughout where I was truly shocked by the turn of events or the culmination of a plotline. Lee isn't afraid to make big moves to advance the story and I was gripped by every one of them.
I am a bit squeamish about gory violence, so I was concerned I'd hit a point in this book and not want to continue. I will say that none of the violence feels gratuitous and it's done with a purpose. That being said, this book is definitely dark and there were many times when I was gutted by a major revelation or character's actions. It all feels incredibly real, which I think helps this novel stand apart from many other fantasy stories where you have immortal or seemingly indestructible protagonists; Lee's characters bleed and die as any other human, despite their use of the magic gemstone of jade which imbues them with special magical abilities and strength.
I have seen a lot of other reviews that complain about the complex political storylines, but I found them incredibly compelling, as they bring in outside forces that the clans must contend with.
I know I'm setting myself up for more heartbreak (it feels inevitable) but I absolutely cannot wait for book two and have a feeling that I will devour it just as quickly as I did Jade City.
Fonda Lee doesn't waste one sentence and I have nothing but respect for her exquisite writing and character development. I was so impressed with the level of depth, complexity, and uniqueness that all of her characters are imbued with. I was constantly holding my breath to know what happened next, and despite having plenty of books currently in my queue, I kept coming back to this one first.
There were multiple times throughout where I was truly shocked by the turn of events or the culmination of a plotline. Lee isn't afraid to make big moves to advance the story and I was gripped by every one of them.
I am a bit squeamish about gory violence, so I was concerned I'd hit a point in this book and not want to continue. I will say that none of the violence feels gratuitous and it's done with a purpose. That being said, this book is definitely dark and there were many times when I was gutted by a major revelation or character's actions. It all feels incredibly real, which I think helps this novel stand apart from many other fantasy stories where you have immortal or seemingly indestructible protagonists; Lee's characters bleed and die as any other human, despite their use of the magic gemstone of jade which imbues them with special magical abilities and strength.
I have seen a lot of other reviews that complain about the complex political storylines, but I found them incredibly compelling, as they bring in outside forces that the clans must contend with.
I know I'm setting myself up for more heartbreak (it feels inevitable) but I absolutely cannot wait for book two and have a feeling that I will devour it just as quickly as I did Jade City.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol