A review by afictionalescapist
Jade City by Fonda Lee

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Jade City - Fonda Lee 

This books premise sounded right up my alley from the get go. Mafia esk, Asian inspired urban fantasy! Sign me all the way up. 

Within Janloon lies two clans, rules by the infamous Green Bones. Jade wielding warriors trained in the 6 disciplines of Jade. Tensions rise as the No Peak and Mountain clans fight for ultimate control. Family dramas hinder political intrigue in this fast paced, tense fantasy which will leave the reader wanting more. 

A couple of things I really enjoyed about this book: 

The characters of the clans. Neither side was “good” nor “bad” both are just fighting for what they believe in, in what is set up to be a age old fight between the two. We get to see and understand why (terrible) decisions are made, to both prevent, and start a war. 

The storyline. This was so rich with the histories of the clans, the background information was woven into the story beautifully and we were still learning until the very end. 

The setting. The city of Janloon and Kekon it’s capital feels real, the sights, the smells. The urban fantasy setting was enough out world to be able to relate but also fantastical enough to make it completely foreign. 

I have very little bad to say about Jade city. Some of the character decisions had me thinking WHY! Some of the sentences were a little repetitive for my tastes but for the most part, this was very enjoyable.

Sitting at a 4 ⭐️ for me.