Reviews with content warning for Torture - Jade City

I have mixed feelings. I enjoyed reading this and found enough things I liked to keep going, but it didn't quite meet the hype for me.

The plot, inspired by old-school kung fu and Chinese gangster movies, was fresh and interesting, but it didn't push the envelope or add anything new. There are high-stakes politics, with a couple of good twists at the end. The plot is fairly generic, with real-world elements changed to imaginative fantasy ones.

The world-building was well-done. I appreciated the author's focus on small details. The world follows a stereotypical Confucian blueprint of patriarchal values, filial piety, and honor. Since it's urban fantasy, there wasn't an overwhelming amount of new information to process, making it easy to grasp the setting and its culture. The focus on Kekon made the setting feel intimate and immersive, and the capital Janloon felt bustling and full of life. Again, it's urban fantasy, so don't expect sprawling Fellowship of the Ring adventures.

I liked the characters but wanted to see a bit more from them. Anden had the coolest characterization, with an interesting backstory that made his motivations feel complex. I would have liked more from the villain, who has an intriguing story. There is a serious lack of complexity when it comes to the female main characters, so I hope they are explored more in the next installments. I see potential in the characters and their relationships despite not fully connecting with them here.

The choice to use jade as a magic amplifier is a unique idea that fits well with the old-school kung fu themes. I liked that the magic had drawbacks and didn't feel overwhelmingly powerful. The idea of the magic being akin to an addiction that harms the body over time, while not being the adds depth to the story. The addition of

a street drug that counters the aftereffects of jade

is interesting and makes it feel like we are watching the world progress. The magic system was definitely the best part of this book. It was easy to understand, fit well with the setting and premise, and wasn't overpowered.

The writing itself was okay. I liked the author's tendency toward simplicity, but explaining actions and emotions overtly rather than letting them unfold naturally was distracting. There were some hard-hitting lines but nothing that wowed me. The POV switching was well done and added a cinematic quality to the book that made the experience satisfying. It never felt confusing or unnecessary and didn't take away from the pacing.

Overall, pretty solid as the first in a trilogy. I expect the first book in a fantasy series to be a bit slower and less in-depth than the following books, and Jade City does its job well: setting up the world and characters, introducing action, and leaving things up in the air to make you want to continue the series.

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mads_reads_books's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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cbrigs99's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It’s hard to believe this was Fonda Lee’s adult fantasy debut, because this was such a well-done and intricate story. This has been on my TBR for awhile - I’ve been waiting for just the right time to take the plunge into the series, and I’m so glad I did. It is a detailed urban fantasy in a society where possession of jade stones grants power and status to the wearers. The story focuses on two warring clans who are from high status families in what is essentially a mafia/gangster organization. I am astounded at how flawlessly Lee weaves a story with so many characters that ties together so effortlessly. Each character is infinitely complex, and this is a great study on developing morally gray characters. While each character takes part in brutal acts throughout the story, there are unexpected moments of tenderness and kindness. This was such an excellent start to the series and I can’t wait to continue with the sequel.

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