A review by miak2
Jade War by Fonda Lee

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

 
One thing he knew for certain was that stalemates and compromises always broke down. Lasting peace came from unequivocal victory. p. 120


Genuinely the best series I've ever read, and I'm only two thirds of the way through. I wish I could give this more than five stars - Fonda Lee deserves the highest praise in the world.

Jade War took all that was fantastic about Jade City and elevated it to an extreme. The stakes, the family drama, the worldbuilding. Absolutely phenomenal. Middle book syndrome who?

The first book is a relatively contained story, focusing on the street war between the two major clans of Kekon. In contrast, this book was seeped in politics, manipulation and subterfuge. Not only were the stakes raised for those involved in the clan war, but for the world as a whole - as the book zoomed out to look at international politics, and similar turf wars taking place in other countries (all of which affected Kekon in very realistic and terrifying ways). The politics were complex, in the way that real-world politics are, but I could pretty easily follow what was happening and how its effects rippled out to the Kaul family. This touched on corruption and anti-foreigner sentiments, on framing things to influence public perception. Everything that you know and hate about real world politics were here, but done in such a powerful way that I couldn't help but feel immersed. And the final chapters set up a new thread that will likely escalate this even further.

Which leads me to the worldbuilding. Oh my GOD. Similarly, this book stepped it up a notch. First we got insight to Kekonese culture, history, values, and traditions. Here, we got insight into the countries surrounding Kekon. Not just their own culture and ways, but their attitudes towards the Kekonese (and vice versa). We got to see how different Green Bones navigated foreign places, and were perceived there as well. Particularly impactful was Anden's time in Espenia, where he felt trapped between two parts of his identity, but grew to love his new home, which was also caught between Kekon and Espenia.

Lastly, Jade War introduced a bunch of new characters, but still managed to flesh them out with backstories and motivations (and, in turn, make me have strong feelings about almost all of them). The family dynamics were, as always, such a strong focal point in this book. And I'm excited to see where the next one takes us, as several new Kaul family members were introduced. Maybe my one criticism is that I wasn't as invested in some of the new romantic relationships, but they were still well-done all the same.

All in all, though, this was an absolute masterpiece of the book. I tend to love books that make the 'enemy' not only threatening, but understandable as well, and I firmly believe that Lee could have written this entire series from the perspective of Ayt Madashi and the Mountain Clan and I'd be just as hooked. (Which feels like a betrayal to write, since I feel so emotionally bonded to the Kaul family). But mad props to Fonda Lee, that's no easy task! Equally impressive is the fact that I pulled my head out of this book and genuinely had to recalibrate myself into remembering that these are not real places or real people. I'm almost scared to start the next book, because I know how much is at stake and I know I'll lose people I love, but that won't stop me anyway. 
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