Jade City - Fonda Lee - Mel's Bookshelf

Jade City (The Green Bone Saga #1) – Fonda Lee

Magical jade—mined, traded, stolen, and killed for—is the lifeblood of the island of Kekon. For centuries, honorable Green Bone warriors like the Kaul family have used it to enhance their abilities and defend the island from foreign invasion.

Now the war is over and a new generation of Kauls vies for control of Kekon’s bustling capital city. They care about nothing but protecting their own, cornering the jade market, and defending the districts under their protection. Ancient tradition has little place in this rapidly changing nation.

When a powerful new drug emerges that lets anyone—even foreigners—wield jade, the simmering tension between the Kauls and the rival Ayt family erupts into open violence. The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones—from their grandest patriarch to the lowliest motorcycle runner on the streets—and of Kekon itself.

Jade City begins an epic tale of family, honor, and those who live and die by the ancient laws of jade and blood.

My Review of Jade City

There is SO MUCH HYPE around this book at the moment! Booktube bookstagram, twitter… It is EVERYWHERE! It won the World Fantasy Award in 2018 and I have not stopped hearing about it! So I thought I would give it a go.

The story is set in the fictional island of Kakon. Rival green bone warrior clans rule different parts of the island and the most important substance is Jade. Jade enables certain bloodlines to have unyielding physical powers. When a young thief sets in motion a series of events that lead to all out war, who will be victorious?

This is a rather brief little synopsis for such a complex and intricate web of concurrent storylines, mysteries, and fascinating characters. There is a lot of action and adventure, and Lee is not afraid to kill off a beloved character or two! WAHHH!!

I LOVED the characters! They all evolved and developed throughout the book and it led to a really addictive read! I liked Shae, but I was a bit disappointed with a few of the choices that she made. I am excited to see how much her character matures and grows in the next book! Another character I really liked was Hilo, he is intense and loyal, but at the same time extremely frustrating and I just wanted to punch him in the face!

The ONLY thing that brought this book down for me, was the lack of romance. There were a few times I had a glimpse and thought “Here’s one!” and then was left disappointed because it didn’t go anywhere or one of the characters was killed off! The existing romance with Hilo didn’t count for me. I love a good romance in a large book like this!

Would I recommend Jade City?

YES! It was very much a family saga. People are always comparing it to The Godfather. It is all politics, sneaky moves, clever diversions, and then a bunch of gory violence! So if this sounds like it is up your alley, absolutely give it a go! Personally, I was disappointed by the lack of romance – but if that isn’t a deal-breaker for you I am sure you will enjoy it!

(4 / 5)