Jade City by Fonda Lee has been on my TBR for several years. I didn't know much about it. Honestly, I had seen the cover and briefly heard about it from a friend. Fast forward, I'm reading books on my to-be-read list, and was excited to cross this one off of my list.
What to know about Jade City before getting into this review?
Jade City is the first book in an adult fantasy series called The Green Bone Saga. Its subsequent installments are Jade War and Jade Legacy. According to Goodreads, the premise is that we follow "The Kaul family [who are] one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities." So the novel blends family, fantasy, and politics.
The highlights
Jade City stands out immediately because of its unique magic system and world. Jade is essential to holding power in Kekon because those who wear more, present themselves as stronger and more powerful. However, it also takes a toll on them as jade can have side effects, and power can make people a threat, especially as these clans vie for more and more influence amongst themselves. It has twists and turns that keeps its audience on their toes.
Furthermore, the world is an interesting blend of old and new, feeling like a unique amalgamation all on its own. It's inspired by Asian culture, and has ties to both the modern world and traditional influences. It blends both to further cement the series as distinctive.
Another highlight of Jade City is the characters, particularly the Kaul siblings. The novel is told with multiple third person points of view, switching between many main characters and some more peripheral characters to continue moving the story forward. This is a highlight because it provides characterization for the Kaul siblings and provides insight into the relationships and opinions of other characters.
The lows
What was a low of the book for me personally was how fast-paced the novel was. Jade City is close to 500 pages alone, so there's a lot of ground to cover, but it happens with almost something happening every chapter. The story also picks up pretty much from the start, so it feels like we're constantly moving with little reprieve. It does make sense as it reflects the nature of the ever-changing landscape of politics and power in Kekon. However, what was a low for me was that fast-paced nature rarely allowed room for world building or explanation of the magic system.
Conclusion
Jade City was not quite what I expected, which I'm quite happy about. It felt very orginal, and interesting. I'd be interested in continuing the series, but I think it requires a specific mood to handle how quick and intensive it'll likely be.