Reviews with content warning for Death - Jade Legacy

An absolute masterpiece. Visionary. 10/10. 2022 can pack its bags and go home, nothing's topping this book for me. No specific spoilers for the series in here, just some general discussion of major themes. PLEASE go check out this fantastic trilogy if you're in the slightest bit interested. I know I'm hyping it up a lot, but it really was a phenomenal read.

I was pretty sure coming into this series that I would enjoy it, but I didn't expect it to take over my life in the way that it did. Everything from the characters to the worldbuilding to the plot were so expertly crafted, unsurprisingly, as Fonda Lee has already proven to be a master of her craft. Jade Legacy gave me everything I could have wanted out of a conclusion. It was fast paced, with incredible action scenes and ridiculously high stakes (I'm looking back at my January self who thought things couldn't be elevated after Jade City and again after Jade War. Little did I know). This book mixed the intense street violence of the first book with the cunning political maneuvering of the second to deliver a truly fantastic conclusion. We'd been following these characters for over 20 years, but somehow Fonda Lee wrapped up their arcs in satisfying ways.(Ok not always satisfying, but realistic and profound ways).

In case you missed it, yes this series, this book actually takes place across twenty years. While the time jumps could be a disorienting at times, they were well executed and incredibly necessary. These are two incredibly cunning and powerful clans facing off in a brutal fight for dominance, it wouldn't have done this series justice if it'd wrapped up within the span of a couple months.

I've talked extensively in my past reviews about the exquisite world building in The Green Bone Saga. This is the bar that to which I will hold any future fantasy book I read, because Lee made this world every bit as complex and messy and real as our own. This book specifically gets into extremism and terrorism, immigration reform, stealing land from indigenous peoples, changing stereotypes through film and media, and so much more. All done with tact and caution, but incredibly effective in holding up a mirror to our own society. Not to mention the ongoing discussion about tradition and culture versus the need for progressive changes in order to better not only the clans but the people in Kekon as a whole. I was consistently impressed and amazed at how much thought and depth Lee put into her worldbuilding - it wasn't just to tell a story, but to fully create a world with as much uniqueness and as many complications as ours.

Another thing I've discussed in depth are the characters and the way Lee so wonderful writes their struggles and their interactions. The same can absolutely be said here, and while I won't go into any depth in order to avoid spoilers, I just want to commend her for what she's done in this regard as well. Similar to the world she's created, these characters are complex and messy. They make mistakes, and choices too, that have hurt other people, and that hurt each other. And yeah I'm prone to crying over emotional books, but Jade Legacy had me full on bawling multiple times. That's how strongly I connected with her characters and was impacted by the things they were experiencing.

I'll leave my review at that, because this was already way longer than I needed it to be, although rest assured, I could say much, much more. Thank you, Fonda Lee, for bringing the people of No Peak and the rest of the Green Bone Saga to life.

The clan is my blood, and the pillar is its master.

Content Warnings

freethefrican's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I could say that I am stunned speechless but I honestly have more words than I can type.

This trilogy was amazing. This finale with sensational. So much pain, so much loss, so much love over the course of these three books, and I’m just filled with joy to have been able to experience these characters and to have gone through decades with them.

The Green Bone Saga has some of the best character work I’ve ever read and I can’t wait to see more of what Fonda Lee has for us.

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maria2001's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Jade legacy & the Green bone Saga :

When I first picked this series up I expected it to be good, but I did not expect it to become one of my favorites. .The "supernatural" concept was pretty simple. Jade gives people who wear it enhanced powers (strength , perception, etc. etc. ).And Kekon (the main country) is inspired by mid 20th century Asia. Capeesh!! - The first book was a foundation and a really good one at that. It laid out the basics about the world and gave the outlines of the main characters and the clans.

.I gave the first book 4 stars just because of how good it was structured , but I have to admit I was underwhelmed.I wanted to be attached to the characters more, I wanted it to be more than just a clever book with well crafted political tactics and savvy characters. Enter Book 2 (Jade War) :) .

this one was anxiety-inducing in the best way.I've never had my heart palpitate this much over a book before, but as soon as I started this one ( I was in a reading slump btw ) I could not put it down..Every thing that was planted in B1 blooms and unfolds in B2. from the world to the stakes, and of course the most beautiful of all the characters <3 .The Kaul family has cemented their place in my heart and I'll keep them there for a while (especially Shae and Anden uwu , I love the rest but yes I have favourites ) ..I already have a full review on B2 so I'll move on to B3(Jade Legacy )

Jade Legacy :

"look at where you are , look at where you started . The fact that you're alive is miracle . Just stay alive, that would be enough " this line from Hamilton kept playing in my head as I read this book :') ..I haven't mentioned that all of the titles have been perfectly fitting so far , you get exactly what you're told on the cover. therefore, B3 is heavily inspired by the theme of what we want to leave behind for the next generation and how we will raise them based on our experiences and how will the next generation react and grow to the world we built for them, as well as the outside world..I'd say the first 40% of this book were basically dealing with all the consequences that B2 left us with and the other 60% is to wrap up everything because Fonda Lee wasn't going to leave ANY plot point loose . She really said "I'm going to create a perfect story" and DID IT !!..Now when I say the last 60% was tying loose ends I'm not by any means down playing it's intensity . Although it's not the anxiety roller-coaster that B2 was , B3 was a tear fiesta :') .The new generation comes bearing their own baggage and things to prove to the world and it was one of the most realistic depictions of how we try to make our parents proud while trying to be our own selves. I cannot fully describe the complicated and intense personal and familial dynamics in this book in just a few sentences , I can only say *chef's kiss*..

This book also is the one where the politics-savvy shines through the most. we are dealing with things in Kekon (the main country) ,while trying to deflect foreign threats and all that jazz. "I realized there are only two types of people in the world. It's not Green Bones and non-Green Bones . It's those who have power and those who don't […] If the clans stop defending the meaning of jade , then others will take that power from us. They'll amplify all the worst parts and leave non of the good."

.With that quote I seal this review but I'm in no way done talking about this trilogy ,This deserves it's own podcast or long YouTube video . But for now let's leave it as it is :).

Content Warnings

green_bone's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

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brianareads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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calicot's review against another edition

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5.0

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genny's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Great trilogy ender! I had trouble with the time jumps in Jade War, constantly surprised that a couple of months or years had apparently passed between chapters. In Jade Legacy, it still took me some time to get my bearings when big jumps happened, but at least they're clearly labeled so I didn't have to guess or do mental math. 😅 Plus, it was a great way to signal

the beginning of Niko's reign as Pillar.

Very interesting how in Jade City we focused on a specific time period, but as the series went on, the years seemed to go by quicker, giving us a broader sense of how the clans impact these characters for a lifetime.

I hope I'm not alone in actually liking Bero in this book. 😆 He's a great narrative tool, honestly, always getting embroiled in clan business one way or another but never truly belonging anywhere. His life was so pathetic and lonely, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Sue me!

I can't believe we started and ended the series with Bero. The epitome of a survivor, haha.

I wish we got to see more of Ayt Mada throughout the series! She was always the most intriguing character for me. I love how Fonda Lee handled the tension between her and Shae, and the culmination of her decades-long rivalry with Hilo.

One more thing: obviously the story is centered on No Peak, but I wish we got to know the clanless "rebels" as more than disillusioned troublemakers. I understand it may have been beyond the scope of the book, but it would've been so interesting to delve deeper into their experiences, legitimate concerns, hopes for a future where the masses don't bow to the powerful, etc... I love the Kauls as a reader, but if I were a citizen in Kekon, I suspect I would have sympathized with the clanless. Can the system truly be reformed enough to justify its existence? I wish we had that conversation.

The rebellion fizzling out was disappointing, though perhaps realistic. Not gonna lie, that bit about Niko being the "Pillar of Kekon" disturbed me a little bit.

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