A review by genny
Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.0

Great trilogy ender! I had trouble with the time jumps in Jade War, constantly surprised that a couple of months or years had apparently passed between chapters. In Jade Legacy, it still took me some time to get my bearings when big jumps happened, but at least they're clearly labeled so I didn't have to guess or do mental math. 😅 Plus, it was a great way to signal
the beginning of Niko's reign as Pillar.
Very interesting how in Jade City we focused on a specific time period, but as the series went on, the years seemed to go by quicker, giving us a broader sense of how the clans impact these characters for a lifetime.

I hope I'm not alone in actually liking Bero in this book. 😆 He's a great narrative tool, honestly, always getting embroiled in clan business one way or another but never truly belonging anywhere. His life was so pathetic and lonely, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Sue me!
I can't believe we started and ended the series with Bero. The epitome of a survivor, haha.
I wish we got to see more of Ayt Mada throughout the series! She was always the most intriguing character for me. I love how Fonda Lee handled the tension between her and Shae, and the culmination of her decades-long rivalry with Hilo.

One more thing: obviously the story is centered on No Peak, but I wish we got to know the clanless "rebels" as more than disillusioned troublemakers. I understand it may have been beyond the scope of the book, but it would've been so interesting to delve deeper into their experiences, legitimate concerns, hopes for a future where the masses don't bow to the powerful, etc... I love the Kauls as a reader, but if I were a citizen in Kekon, I suspect I would have sympathized with the clanless. Can the system truly be reformed enough to justify its existence? I wish we had that conversation.
The rebellion fizzling out was disappointing, though perhaps realistic. Not gonna lie, that bit about Niko being the "Pillar of Kekon" disturbed me a little bit.
 
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