Jade War

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Jade War has left me feeling the same way Jade City did. It's a good book, but not nearly as exciting or interesting as people led me to believe. Cue me shrugging right here. So far, this series has sadly not lived up to the hype. In fact, about a little under halfway through in Jade War, I found myself bored. BORED. While reading a gangster novel! This so-called “War” was so, so, so SLOW.

BUT pretty much right after that things picked up. I was most interested in Anden's storyline in Espenia. I desperately wanted to know what was going to happen to him, if he'd get to go home at all, if he'd keep his lover, or if things would turn inevitably south for him. Watching him figure out a new culture, and how things work in another country was fascinating. Jade is not as important as he thinks, but still somehow his life revolves around it.

I do not like Hilo. He did a few things in Jade War that were questionable, but one thing in particular he did just...No. Might be the new mom in me but after this I just did not trust Hilo's judgement at all. (Not that you should to begin with – he's a violent criminal.) Hilo went to find Lan's ex-wife to convince her to move back to Kekon so his nephew could be a part of their lives. When she ultimately says no, her son will never be a green bone, Hilo just kills her and kidnaps his nephew. THIS IS BASICALLY NEVER DISCUSSED AGAIN?! NO ONE CARES THAT HILO KILLED HIS NEPHEW'S MOM????

Hilo does not deserve his wife, Wen. She is an excellent character, who does whatever the clan needs her to even if it puts her own life at risk. Oh and she does all of that without her husband knowing, because he'd forbid her to do it. GO WEN. She and Shae put her to good use this entire novel. I AM SO WORRIED FOR HER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK.

Shae. Oh Shae. I want to both hug her and throttle her at the same time.

It was neat to see Fonda Lee expand upon the world she built in Jade City. We're introduced to many, many more cultures in Jade War, and see the effects of globalization on Kekon. There's more politics in this book, as the Clans try to figure out how to keep jade to themselves, but also give in to those outsiders who want the power that jade gives. I was less interested in the politics side of things, but it IS important to the story as a whole. The No Peak clan tries desperately to cling to jade, but they can't. Too many people have it, too many people want it, and The Mountain clan uses that to their advantage.

I'll read Jade Legacy, but I'm sadly not super psyched about it.