Jade City

Quotes

Genre

• Fantasy
• Urban
• Fiction
• Adult
• Crime Family
• Thriller

Trigger Warnings

• Use of ableist words (lame, crippled, deaf)
• Cockfighting
• Death of MC
• Gore
• Death
• Addiction (allegory)
• Body horror
• Drug use
• Gun violence
• Overdose
• Self-harm (mentioned)
• Sexual abuse of minor
• Sexual content
• Suicide (mentioned)
• Violence (graphic)

*There may be spoilers in this review. I will try to avoid major spoilers but some need to be brought up to be discussed. There are some hard spoilers in this one as you probably guessed from the trigger warnings.

Summary

The Kaul family is 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.

The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion–but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and foreign money, Green Bone families like the Kauls are primarily involved in commerce, construction, and the everyday upkeep of the districts under their protection.

When the simmering tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals erupts into open violence in the streets, the outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones and the future of Kekon itself.

Characters

There are a lot…

• Kaul Lanshinwan – eldest grandson of Kaul Sen, Pillar of the No Peak clan
• Kaul Hiloshudon – second grandson of Kaul Sen, Horn of the No Peak clan
• Kaul Shaelinsan – granddaughter of Kaul Sen
• Emery Anden – adopted grandson of Kaul Sen, a student at Kaul Dushuron Academy
• Aun Uremayada – mother of Emery Anden; deceased
• Maik Kehnugo – the First Fist of No Peak
• Maik Tarmingu – the Second Fist of No Peak
• Maik Wenruxian – younger sister to Maik Kehn and Tar, a stone-eye
• Kaul Seningtun – the Torch of Kekon, patriarch of the family
• Kaul Dushuron – son of Kaul Sen, father of Lan, Hilo, and Shae; deceased
• Kaul Wan Riamasan – widow of Kaul Du, mother of Lan, Hilo, and Shae
• Yun Dorupon – Weather Man of the No Peak clan
• Woon Papidonwa – Pillarman to Kaul Lan
• Pado Soreeto – Master Luckbringer
• Hami Tumashon – a Luckbringer of the clan
• Ayt Yugontin – the Spear of Kekon, former Pillar of the Mountain clan; deceased
• Ayt Imminsho – adopted elder son of Ayt Yu; deceased
• Ayt Eodoyatu – adopted second son of Ayt Yu; deceased
• Ayt Madashi – the Pillar of the Mountain clan, adopted daughter of Ayt Yugontin
• Gont Aschentu – the Horn of the Mountain clan
• Ree Turahuo – the Weather Man of the Mountain clan
• Waun Balu – First Fist of the Mountain clan
• Gam Oben – Second Fist of the Mountain clan
• Son Tomago – Chancellor of the Royal Council of Kekon, a No Peak loyalist
• Nurh Uma – a member of the Royal Council, affiliated with No Peak
• Loyi Tuchada – a member of the Royal Council, affiliated with No Peak
• Vang Hajuda – a member of the Royal Council, affiliated with No Peak
• Kowi Deshoja – a member of the Royal Council, affiliated with No Peak
• Onde Pattanya – a member of the Royal Council, unaffiliated
• Bero – a jade thief
• Sampa – an Abukei boy
• Tas – a thief
• Cheeky – a thief
• Mudt Jindonon – a smuggler, informer, and discount goods salesman in the Junko district
• Tem Ben – a stone-eye carver from a Green Bone family of the Mountain clan
• Okan – leader of the Coinwash district motorcycle gang The Chrome Demons
• Mr. Une – a Lantern Man of No Peak, proprietor of the Twice Lucky restaurant
• Mrs. Sugo – a Lantern Man of No Peak, proprietor of the Lilac Divine Gentleman’s Club
• Yunni – a charm girl of the Lilac Divine Gentleman’s Club
• Kyanla – an Abukei housekeeper of the Kaul estate
• Wan Payadeshan – a former Academy friend of Kaul Shae
• Sedu – an electrician on Euman Island

Setting

An Asian inspired fantasy island of Kekon.

Overview

This. Took. Me. Foreeeeever. So I feel a bit like a failure. I didn’t love this as much as many others did. I couldn’t quite put my finger on why and it was kind of frustrating because I felt like I should have loved it. The more I thought about it, I think it was the modern setting that really threw me off. That and I actually found myself getting bored. There was great writing and I actually liked most of the characters but there really was only focus on the clan feud and not much else going on. I felt like a jerk for being bored.

I wanted to love it so hard. There are so many whose tastes I respect that were over the moon about this series and it took multiple trips back to the library to get my brain to focus on it long enough to finish it.

There really isn’t anything bad per se. The characters are great and I found myself really invested in Shae, Hilo, Wen, and Andon. Lan was my favorite until they pulled a Ned Stark on him. That might have had something to do with it too. Maybe I was pouting.

Pros

Lee writes really well and the the Green Bones are a really cool concept. I know a lot of people have eaten this up and if you are into the crime family type stuff this is going to make you oh so happy. The dynamics not just between the clans but within the clans themselves is incredibly insightful. The sibling relations have that perfect mix of tense love that only siblings can really manage.

One of my absolute favorite things was Hilo and Wen’s relationship. Hilo is one of those characters, depending on how he does in the sequels, that is going to be a beautiful problem for me. He takes people as they are and stays loyal no matter how the rest of the world looks at them. Except that one time with Andon.

Andon really had me interested, especially him being more of an outsider to the Kaul’s and not really knowing how to proceed given his mother’s issues with Jade. His story line stood out to me the most and I really want to know what he chooses in the future now that Hilo is throwing his temper tantrum.

Shae was also fun to follow along. She is actively trying to change her lot in life and gain different perspectives but the magnitude of her family always seems to draw her back in. I really want to see her in action past behind the scenes and I am hoping that will be a thing in the sequels.

Cons

I’m just going to say it, I was bored. It took me a lot longer than usual to get through this, especially since I didn’t outwardly hate anyone or dislike the world. There just felt like nothing past the family and the clan fight was really going on. I really don’t have more than this but this kind of flaw is harder for me to forgive simply because I can’t really enjoy what’s happening if I’m bored.

I feel like more of the characters could have been doing… more? I really like Shae but we only really get to see the same aspects of her, she’s smart and knows how to move quietly unlike Hilo. They say she’s a crazy strong Green Bone but I feel like we never get to see it. Maybe in the sequels but I feel there could have been more.

One that feels more like a nitpick but because I was bored it was hard to keep track of all the people presented and not all of them played a super big role. The above list is just the major players and doesn’t include all the Fingers and students introduced.

Final Thoughts

I think one of my biggest issues is I’m not super big on the crime family type stuff just for the crime family stuff. I think if maybe it was a TV show it would hold my attention more. This is no fault on the writing, again it is well written, I just feel there would be a lot of opportunities for incredible visuals in the world Lee has crafted.

The internet has definitely gone wild with how much they love it so I really feel in the minority for not being over the moon about it. I would recommend it to anyway who shows interest though because again if this is your cup of tea you are going to want to chug it down. I think I was hoping for something else I just don’t really know what.

I am going to read Jade War, I am invested enough in these characters to want to know how things progress with them but I know it will probably be a hot minute before I make that a super priority.

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