Jade City
by Fonda Lee
Wow this is a lot of worldbuilding, I wonder if- OH MY- DID THAT REALLY JUST HAPPEN?!
Now this is a book that knows how to build a whole world full of different characters, personalities and conflicts. Fonda Lee did an exceptional job of engaging a reader, getting them confortable in a world so unfamilar, before finally pulling that comfort all away in a gripping third act.
There are times in the first half of this book where the stakes are lower, and I think that works well for the amount of content you have to take in. Saying that, it was never boring, I never felt like it was difficult to get through the story and I loved getting to know the various characters.
The two clans in this book are so similar, yet so extraordinarily different. They, and the characters who represented each, had so many facets, whether in be the leadership and consideration of the Pillar, the business focus of the Weatherman, or the military might of the Horn. The characters in each of these ranks in both clans made for an interesting dichotemy. Although my favourite character by far, is a young boy named Anden, who is growing up through the conflict of this book.
Just over half way into this book, we immediately jumped into a much higher gear. You could tell exactly when the second act ended, and everything from that point until the end felt like the most enjoyable whirlwind in comparison. I’m a sucker for a happy ending, but this book felt like it didn’t end in the best way. It felt like a cliffhanger, even if I’m not waiting to find out any specific, I just want more. I can’t wait to start Jade War.