The possibility of death was like the weather - you could make attempts to predict it, but you would likely be wrong, and no one would change their most important plans due to threat of rain.
Jade War
by Fonda Lee
Genre: Adult Fantasy
About: No Peak and the Mountain Clan are still embroiled in a bitter clan war, but they aren't the only ones. The small island of Kekon is forced to play its part in the wider world. Militant wars, jade smuggling, overseas business... foreign interests will play a crucial part in their countries future. The Kaul family know this and look to balance tradition with modernity, but they can't build a future while their enemies are still alive. And their list of enemies is only growing.
The Good
This book had the difficult task of following what was, for me, the best book I've read this year as Jade City was a truly stunning debut. Happily, this book managed it and even upped it's game in the process. The first book was concerned mostly with the small island of Kekon, but in this one, the world explodes. We travel all over and the nuances given to different cultures as well as the consequences of political strategy pulls you into the story in ways few books can. I think it's because Fonda Lee has a way of writing characters; she creates a world that is multi-layered, gives an epicness to each character's journey, and packs in the emotions so that I found myself actually caring about each political decision as I knew it would impact the characters in profound ways.
The two things that stand out to me the most about this series so far, and which makes me love it, is the sense that every decision has real consequences, and the nuance with which Fonda Lee delivers a character arc. I freaking love Hilo (and most of the POV characters) as I'm so drawn to his warmth and family connections, however, there's no shying away from some truly evil actions he and other characters do. It's a toxic relationship between the characters and the reader, as well as between the characters and their culture. These aren't just grey characters: the world, their way of life, the sense of justice and vengeance, every particle of this novel has nuance and it wraps up its brutality in a fierce love and loyalty you can't help but feel for the characters. They can quite literally get away with murdering innocents and I still love them.
The Bad
The level of detail and the epic scope of this novel could read overwhelming or confusing at times, but it made the world real in a way that's extremely difficult for fantasy to pull off. The book is chunky and every page full of a lot of detail to process, so it's not a series for a casual reader. Additionally, you will feel on edge the entire time as the stakes are high and characters are ballsy. Fonda Lee gets accused of being ruthless to some of her characters but she herself has said she likes stories that "take you through violence, pain, and loss without becoming nihilistic or bleak. I want to break hearts but also build them up." And I think that's exactly what she's doing with this series so prepare your heart to be crushed and, hopefully, put back together at some point.
And this point isn't necessarily bad, more unexpected, but I did think Hilo's change into fatherhood would have a more profound impact on the character. He's so desperate for love from his own blood - his grandfather, Lan, Shae etc. that I thought having children of his own would be this huge emotional thing for him, but it reads very understated. Kind of like something he cares deeply about and is pleased with, but it doesn't change him in anyway.
The Somewhat Iffy
There wasn't anything unrealistic or unclear for me, there were only a few things that jumped out as strange. Such as how Wen was able to go undercover - I would assume being the wife of the Pillar of No Peak would flag her on travel, but I could also see other countries didn't understand or appreciate the importance of the clans outside of Kekon. Also freaking Bero. I sincerely look forward to see his complete journey to understand why he was needed as the linchpin for this story. Which reminds me of another character who, just before execution, says a truth in the presence of Hilo that's ignored, but I suppose Hilo was so set on vengeance that he didn't bother to perceive if that character was telling the truth.
Overall
Some of the action in this book blew me away. I want this to be a HBO TV series as it has the family drama, epic battles, twists that gag you and, most importantly, characters you can't help but love. I did not read this novel calmly and, once I find out how Jade Legacy ends, I look forward to re-reading the series with considerably less anxiety.
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