A review by zagfros
Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen

adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

For fans of The Scarlet Alchemist & The Night Ends With Fire, Of Jade and Dragons combines the magical academy setting & hiding as a man to gain entey. It also has a unique take on the 'magical academy' sub-genre, rather than magic, the power comes from engineering. I really enjoyed this take and it felt really refreshing.

We follow Ying, investigating her father's murder all the way to the Engineering Guild. Through a chance encounter she gains a powerful ally of the fourth beile, Ye-yang. Through his patronage she is able to gain entry as an apprentice and undertake multiple trials to prove her worth. The final trial is a real surprise as well!

Along the way, she gains some unconventional friends such as Ye-kan who has more to him than meets the eye. All the while, trying to remain undercover & find out the truth behind her father's murder. 

Of Jade and Dragons is a brilliant debut with a unique take on some popular tropes, it flows really well (I got through about 85% in one sitting) and has a bunch of loveable characters. Highly recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley & Penguin Random House for the arc!