Jade City Review

I finished a book. It’s time to celebrate. Let’s review Jade City.

Synopsis

Jade is the lifeblood of the island of Kekon. It has been mined, traded, stolen, and killed for–and for centuries, honorable Green Bone warriors like the Kaul family have used it to enhance their magical abilities and defend the island from foreign invasion.

Now, the war is over and a new generation of Kauls vies for control of Kekon’s bustling capital city. They care about nothing but protecting their own, cornering the jade market, and defending the districts under their protection. Ancient tradition has little place in this rapidly changing nation.

When a powerful new drug emerges that lets anyone–even foreigners–wield jade, the simmering tension between the Kauls and the rival Ayt family erupts into open violence. The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones–and of Kekon itself.

My Thoughts on Jade City

Overall, I had a good time reading Jade City, but it lacked just a little something to make it a five-star read. The concept is great. I picked it up because I was looking for a mob style story, and for the most part it gave me that. However, it was pretty one-sided focusing on mainly the No Peak clan. There were a few glimpses of the Mountain clan throughout, but I would have loved to have seen a little more of them.

One of my favorite elements of the story was the soft magic system. I think that was a great choice for this story. If the magic comes from a natural element, it makes sense to me that it would be a natural part of the world and culture.

The only thing that kept me from completely loving it was that it was a little predictable. Nothing really caught me by surprise or took my breath away. While it had a few great action sequences, the bulk of the story took place behind the scenes. The family dynamic was the main focal point. While I enjoyed it, I think it the world could have been expanded upon just a little better. I’m hoping that will come with book two.

My Rating: 4/5