Jade Legacy

<i>ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.</i> <br /><br /><b>Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best books I’ve ever read. <i>Jade Legacy</i> is an all-around masterpiece that certified <i>The Green Bone Saga</i> as my top favorite completed trilogy of all time.</b><br /><br /><b> <i> <blockquote>“Good men are remembered with love by their friends… Great warriors are remembered with awe by their enemies.” </blockquote> </i> </b><br /><br />This review won’t do this book justice. Lee must’ve channeled—she must be a true Green Bone warrior—real magic to finish writing this ambitious concluding installment. <i>Jade City</i> and <i>Jade War</i> are some of the best books to exist in modern fantasy. I loved them so much, and my love for the previous two books in the series skyrocketed my anticipation and expectations for <i>Jade Legacy</i>. High expectation isn’t a healthy mindset to adapt as it tends to lead to disappointment. But occasionally, a special book can meet—and even exceed—those expectations. <i>Jade Legacy</i> is that kind of special book. <i>Jade Legacy</i> is unbelievably better than the previous—already superb—two books, and it’s a novel that’s equally traumatizing but more superior to the legendary <i>A Storm of Swords</i> by George R. R. Martin. There, I’ve said it. Tragic, soul-crushing, but also hopeful and filled with love. Enrich and break your soul; read this trilogy to its conclusion as soon as possible. If that’s still not enough to convince you, proceed to read my feeble attempt to write a review for this masterwork.<br /><br /><b> <i> <blockquote>“When something has to be done, there’s always a way to do it.” </blockquote> </i> </b><br /><br />If you’ve followed Fonda Lee’s or Orbit’s social media, you should know by now that one of the reasons why <i>Jade Legacy</i> is an ambitious undertaking is due to the time span the plot requires. The story in <i>Jade Legacy</i> begins a few months after the end of <i>Jade War</i>, and the entirety of it spans more than two decades and multiple time skips. This is not an easy feat to do. The final book of a series usually doesn’t do this; it’s unconventional, and multiple time skips mean we—as readers—don’t get to read many events that the characters experienced. In some worse cases, they make the story feel disjointed, and they could end up halting organic character development. But rest assured, none of these applied to <i>Jade Legacy</i>. The multiple time skips give such an epic feel to the narrative. Plus, Lee always managed to fill in these gaps with crucial and necessary information at a terrifying efficiency and effectiveness. It’s insane. It’s nothing short of miraculous, and it worked. It bloody worked.<br /><br /><b> <i> <blockquote>“Everything is a battle now… Every business, every town, every newspaper article or press conference or godsdamned vote in the Royal Council… There used to be a way things were done, under the eyes of Old Uncle. We used to be able to count on certain things. Now there aren’t any lines. Everyone in the clan is a part of the fight.” </blockquote> </i> </b><br /><br />The multiple time skips allowed Lee to tell a meticulously crafted novel that’s divided into four unforgettable parts. A story arc division isn’t something special; a lot of speculative fictions novel have done this. There’s, however, something different and impressive about each story part in <i>Jade Legacy</i>; every one of them felt like a novel on its own. Reading <i>Jade Legacy</i> is equivalent to reading a tetralogy. I’m serious. The first quarter of this book already made me feel like I went through an entire fantasy novel worth of reading; so many of my emotions were bled for these characters already. I’ve read plenty of trilogies with lesser emotional weight compared to the first quarter of this book, and I do honestly think the first quarter of <i>Jade Legacy</i> was already better than many trilogies I’ve read. It is THAT good, and it constantly gets more heart-wrenching, intense, and scintillating.<br /><br /><b> <i> <blockquote> “No matter which part of the country you’re from, which clan you swear allegiance to, whether you wear jade or not, we are all Kekonese. We defend and avenge our own. You wrong any of us, you wrong us all. You seek to war with us, and we will return it a hundredfold.” </blockquote> </i> </b><br /><br />This means every act in <i>Jade Legacy</i> has a magnificent beginning, build-up, and climax sequence. The scope of the storyline is much bigger than its predecessors; reading this book made me feel like my heart went through an internal natural disaster multiple times. Yes, this book is an emotional bloodbath. In this heartrending story filled with themes about family, reconciliation, trust, legacy, sacrifice, power, money, and war, I‘ve shockingly let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, and I’ve sagged like a melting potato. When the characters watched the news with dread, when they grieved, I felt all of that. Lee’s capability to shift a peaceful situation to a catastrophic event in a flash is just impeccable. And at the core of all its greatness, what elevated <i>Jade Legacy</i> to a masterpiece status was the extremely well-realized characters and characterizations.<br /><br /><b> <i> <blockquote>“We don’t handle this world. We make it handle us.” </blockquote> </i> </b><br /><br />Personally speaking, with all my heart and confidence, I’m going to say that Kaul Hiloshudon has become one of my favorite characters of all time. Fonda Lee has done such an outstanding job in creating and building Hilo’s tremendous character development. If you’ve followed my reviews for years, you might know that Kaladin Stormblessed from <i>The Stormlight Archive</i> by Brandon Sanderson is one of my favorite protagonists of all time. Hilo, to me, is on that same level as Kaladin. Hilo is not perfect; he’s flawed in many ways, but he’s also passionate, inspiring, and despite his flaws and temperament, he always tries his best to become a better version of himself.<br /><br /><b> <i> <blockquote> “It was Kaul Hilo’s great talent. He could have a single ordinary conversation with a man and make him loyal for life.” </blockquote> </i> </b><br /><br />Well, I didn’t have a single ordinary conversation with him; it felt like I’ve known him for years through reading this trilogy. And I know it’s not fair of me to mention only Hilo. This masterful level of characterizations was applied to MANY other characters in the trilogy. <i>The Green Bone Saga</i> is an epic urban fantasy. It’s a gangster family saga featuring a LOT of key characters; <i>Jade Legacy</i> has more than ten POV characters, and whether they appeared briefly or not, every one of them has an undeniably distinct voice and characterizations. I’m not kidding; the characterizations in <i>Jade Legacy</i> is an absolute marvel. It’s definite that Lee understands her characters inside and outside.<br /><br /><b> <i> <blockquote>“We’ve both hurt each other because we were both too stubborn about what we expected, and we paid badly for that. But what’s the point of life if we give up on the people we love?” </blockquote> </i> </b><br /><br />Hilo aside, there were more than ten characters in this trilogy that I would consider as my favorite characters as well. Whether it’s out of love, belief, or personal reasons, the conflicts and clash of ideals felt believable. And they all made mistakes; sometimes, my favorite characters—Hilo included—made decisions I don’t agree with, and that’s okay. I don’t have to agree with everything my favorite characters do to love them. The contrast in their virtues and flaws just made them more genuine and authentic as a character. If you can’t tell by now, the characters in <i>The Green Bone Saga</i> are real to me, and I feel like I’ve really known them and their personality. Understanding, forgiveness, loyalty, overcoming weaknesses are all integral in the development of these characters. The love, hatred, admiration the characters have for their loved or hated ones felt palpable; I wish I could elaborate and tell you what made each character—one by one—in this series so compelling. But it would make this review longer than it already is, and I risk the possibility of this review going beyond the allowed word count on Goodreads.<br /><br /><b> <i> <blockquote>“We all make mistakes. Sometimes terrible mistakes we can barely live with. But we learn from them. And maybe… Maybe we can forgive each other.” </blockquote> </i> </b><br /><br />I can, however, tell you one essential element that Lee employed to heighten the tension and stakes of the series: the character’s actions—from the previous books and this book—have consequences. Actions and decisions in this series <i>matter</i>. This is something that Fonda Lee emphasized in the narrative, and she wields it like a clean blade to incite incredible effect. Repercussions from the events of <i>Jade City</i> and <i>Jade War</i> were monumental; the chain of events build-up were terrific, and pivotal—or relatively small—decisions often result in permanent consequences. One out of many examples, I never expected a few nobodies from the first book would become some of the most memorable supporting characters here. Not only Lee isn’t afraid to kill off or damage her characters brutally, but the powerful emotional investment I have with the characters of the trilogy also enhanced the dangers in the narrative even further. The characters in <i>Jade Legacy</i> suffered a LOT. And before we get to reach the peerless finale, we’re guaranteed to suffer together with them first. <br /><br /><b> <i> <blockquote> “Perhaps that was the great tragedy of jade warriors and their families. Even when we win, we suffer.” </blockquote> </i> </b><br /><br />It’s easy to praise Lee’s vivid and savage battle scenes; she’s one of the best combat scenes writers in the genre. Since <i>Jade City</i>, the hard magic system revolved around jade rely on six abilities: Deflection, Perception, Lightness, Channeling, Strength, Steel. And these abilities never get old. It’s amazing what Lee can do with these six abilities by adding martial arts, guns, cars, airships, and explosives to it. Every tempestuous violence in <i>Jade Legacy</i> always felt refreshing, pulse-pounding, and cinematic. This is one of a few fantasy series that could work wonderfully adapted as manga, anime, video games, TV shows, or movies; take your pick. So yes, her prose when it comes to the art of descending violence was extraordinary as always. But I need to highlight one more thing that Lee excels at, the dialogues. The quality of Lee’s expertise in dialogues is incalculable.<br /><br /><b> <i> <blockquote> “At times, when faced with difficult decisions, he would think back to the duel that had dramatically earned him his jade and reputation, and he would remind himself that sometimes the most obvious solution required only the willingness to take the most unreasonable of actions.” </blockquote> </i> </b><br /><br />Similar to the heart-pounding battle scenes, the conversations between characters frequently have stakes, murderous intent, or emotional weight imbued into them. Negotiations always felt perilous; instant oblivion waits for them at all times. Blood must be paid with blood, and one wrong word or sentence uttered could invite immediate ruin. This is Lee’s design for devastating conflicts: supercharged battle scenes and dialogues. I totally loved reading Lee’s prose; they all flow so smoothly to me. The pacing was unputdownable, the plotline and actions were breathtaking, the world-building was intricate, and the character’s arc was so immensely rewarding. I’ve shared a lot of quotes in this review, and I wish I could share more of these gems with you because I’ve actually highlighted 48 passages. But I can’t due to spoilers. You should read the book as soon as possible and find out for yourself. Do it!<br /><br /><b> <i> <blockquote> “The mind cannot adjust quickly to a fundamental change in reality without breaking. If the moon vanished from the sky, people would not believe it; they would think it was a trick of light or clouds.” </blockquote> </i> </b><br /><br />I loved <i>The Green Bone Saga</i> so much that I reread both <i>Jade City</i> and <i>Jade War</i> first before I dive into <i>Jade Legacy</i>; as much as I want to, rereading isn’t something that I often do due to my infinite TBR pile. And it was so worth it; I know I’ll reread this divine trilogy over and over again. The ending stunned me completely; I sat and stared at an empty wall for hours. <b>Fonda Lee’s exceptional achievement in creating <i>Jade Legacy</i>—and the entire trilogy—earn her a spot in the pantheon of fantasy greats with a commanding finality. I’ll give <i>Jade Legacy</i> 6 out of 5 stars if I could. I’ve read more than 500 fantasy books in my life, and <i>Jade Legacy</i> belongs in my top 10 books of all time.</b> The words Lee crafted in <i>The Green Bone Saga</i> pierced through every armor in my heart with ease; my eyes turned glassy four times reading this superlative culmination. <i>Jade Legacy</i> is a supremely stunning and page-turning masterpiece, a novel that’s too good to be true but ended up being a reality. <i>The Green Bone Saga</i> has become my number one favorite completed trilogy of all time. No, you’re not reading that wrong; it’s at the number one spot. This urban epic fantasy has successfully dethroned my beloved <i>Mistborn Trilogy</i> by Brandon Sanderson and <i>The Licanius Trilogy</i> by James Islington. <br /><br />Thank you so much, Fonda Lee. You have my utmost gratitude for writing this series. I’m a clan loyalist for life. The clan is my blood, and the Pillar is its master. Under the eyes of all the gods in Heaven, I pledge this. On my honor, my life, and my jade.<br /><br /><b> <i> <blockquote> “And here we are. So many good things have happened since then, and also so many terrible things that it’s hard to be afraid of anything anymore. Whatever’s going to happen will happen, so the most important thing is that we appreciate what we have and the people we care about.” </blockquote> </i> </b><br /><br /><b> <u>Series review:</u> </b><br /><br /><i>Jade City</i>: <b> <u> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2404923326?book_show_action=true&amp;from_review_page=1" rel="nofollow noopener">5/5 stars</a> </u> </b><br /><i>Jade War</i>: <b> <u> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2404923586?book_show_action=false&amp;from_review_page=1" rel="nofollow noopener">5/5 stars</a> </u> </b><br /><i>Jade Legacy</i>: <b> <u>5/5 stars</u> </b><br /><br /><i>The Green Bone Saga</i>: <b> <u>15/15 stars</u> </b><br /><br />Official release date: 30th November 2021 (US) &amp; 2nd December 2021 (UK)<br /><br /><b>You can pre-order the book from: <u><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08WWG94PZ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1" rel="nofollow noopener">Amazon UK</a></u> | <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jade-Legacy-Green-Bone-Saga/dp/0316440973/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1634278181&amp;sr=8-1" rel="nofollow noopener">Amazon US</a></u> | <u><a href="https://www.blackwells.co.uk/?a_aid=petrikleobooks" rel="nofollow noopener">Blackwells (Free International shipping)</a></u></b><br /><br /><i>The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.</i><br /><br /><b>You can find <u><a href="http://novelnotions.net/2021/10/15/book-review-jade-legacy-the-green-bone-saga-3-by-fonda-lee/" rel="nofollow noopener">this</a></u> and the rest of my reviews at <u><a href="http://novelnotions.net" rel="nofollow noopener">Novel Notions</a></u> | I also have a <u><a href="https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo" rel="nofollow noopener">Booktube channel</a></u></b><br /><br /><i>Special thanks to my Patrons on <b><u><a href="https://www.patreon.com/petrikleo" rel="nofollow noopener">Patreon</a></u></b> for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!<br /><br />My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Element, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Hunter, Jimmy Nutts, Jennifer, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Mike, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, Oliver, ReignBro, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Shaad, Xero, Wendy, Wick, Zoe.</i>

first of all fonda lee, how dare you? ?<br />I cried three times<br /><br />"the clan is my blood and the pillar is its master"<br /><br />What Fonda Lee has achieved with this series is truly remarkable. I cannot overstate the sheer scope of this series and its world building, Fonda is nothing short of a genius for the careful pacing of this installment which spans over 20 years. With the Kauls, Lee has introduced me to a world and characters I will truly never be able to forget. The Kauls are complex, fallible badasses who grow and evolve in such interesting ways over the course of this trilogy.<br /><br />Kaul Hiloshudon is without a doubt my favorite character perhaps of all time and his arc in this story was just so good. He's such a flawed guy, but I love him truly beyond words and his complexities just make him so memorable to me. He's rash and violent, he's intelligent and loving, he's harsh and uncompromising but also exudes such warmth; his character is a study in contrasts. <br />Anden continues his journey of self definition while finding his place within the clan and Shae deals with emotional highs and lows with the same careful competence that she has exhibited the entire series and her new relationship in this??? God tier. Of course the other characters were also amazing and as this story spans such a wide period of time we also get to meet Hilo's children as adults and Jaya, Niko, and Ru are so so great, they're all very different individuals and it's cool to see which family member they take after the most. <br /><br />Over the course of this finale everyone gets to have their moment from Shae to Wen, Anden and Tar, the kids, Hilo, and Ayt Mada. These characters are just so expertly crafted and beautifully deployed in the narrative.<br /><br />Another thing that I've never really touched on in any of my reviews of the series is the brilliant depiction of a nation (Kekon) trying to remain independent and beat back imperial powers seeking to take control of their land and resources while vilifying their traditions. I also love the exploration of non-magical people in a fantasy setting and how does this impact their position in a society that exalts its magic users. Just all around fantastic and interesting on so many levels. <br /><br />I do want to say that this story is a very slow build as the Kauls enter a decades long "slow war" in the midst of their blood feud with Ayt Mada. A journey that is worth the wait but nonetheless it does take a while to truly get the ball rolling and at first I did find myself concerned about whether I'd love this installment or not. If you're someone who enjoyed the way that Fonda paid particular attention to law making, political policy, and business deals to push the story forward in Jade War you'll get plenty of that here as well. The action and fight scenes were top tier as always and the emotional moments hit so incredibly hard. I cried many many tears.<br /><br />This series has truly been a treat, will be one of my favorite trilogies of all time for sure and I can't wait to see what Fonda does next.<br /><br />thank you to Orbit for a review copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5

<i> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJMYShD0sdd_bWR7gJyGq6Q" rel="nofollow noopener">Check out my YouTube channel where I show my instant reactions upon finishing reading fantasy books.</a> </i><br /><br /><b>An absolutely wonderful conclusion to a spellbinding series, that will go down as an easy "Top 10 Best Fantasy Series of All Time" for me.</b><br /><br />It has been a long time since I have gone into a book with such high confidence that it would be an easy 5 star rating by the time I finished, and I was pleased that my confidence was not misplaced. Fonda Lee has created a masterpiece here, not just with what she has done here, but across each of these three incredible books. This series has rightfully gone down as a top tier series for an extremely high number of fantasy fans, with me happily included in that group.<br /><br />Where the first book was the ramping up of a war, and the second book was the war itself, this book is the conclusion to that war and a moving on from the main characters in this series to the next generation. This book did a masterful technique of using time jumps within an individual book in a way that I have never experience before and it left me wondering why more authors don't utilize this amazing technique. This book covered nearly 3 decades of time, and it did so in a very smooth fashion that not only allowed this story to feel more real, but allowed us to explore the depth of more characters from the next generation.<br /><br />I was not overly thrilled with the very end of this book and how this whole story wrapped up however. Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but I was not in love with it. But that ending does not change my overall thoughts of this book and series, because I think the character work, overall story, and writing quality of this book were as top notch as you are ever going to read from a fantasy series.<br /><br />I am extremely grateful to Fonda Lee for allowing me to experience this wonderful reading adventure, and I can't wait to read all of her future books.

<b>I will never get over this series. This review will never give justice to this book but I'll try anyway.</b><br /><br /><blockquote> <i>“It was Kaul Hilo's great talent. He could have a single ordinary conversation with a man and make him loyal for life.”</i> </blockquote><br /><br /><b>The Green Bone Saga is heavily political, brutal, intense, fight scenes that will give you a heart attack… but also heart-warming, emotional, detail-oriented and sincere down to it’s core. It’s as much about family as it is about everything else related to it. The most satisfyingly beautiful and painful conclusion I could have ever asked for. If you want something emotionally investing, I think it is an understatement to say that I highly recommend. <u>My new favorite series of all-time.</u></b><br /><br />This series quite literally has the <b>best character dynamics</b> I could ever want and Fonda Lee serves it all on a silver platter complete <b>complexity and heart that was so addicting to read on every level</b>. Every tragic point had meaning and purpose, and was never done for the sake of tragedy.<br /><br />I never would have thought that FL could deepen this world more than she did in Jade War but she did. She <i>really</i> did. The expansion of the application of jade from traditional to modern opened up so many possibilities each book that by the time we got to Jade Legacy, I felt so tense whenever we started a new chapter. In fact, Fonda Lee makes the space of Janloon and Kekon feel just as vibrant and vivid as the likes of Stormlight Archives and Mistborn, if not more. From the details on the perspectives of Jade = Lucky and the importance of “losing face”… I feel like it is so rare to see Asian values applied into an Epic Fantasy on a scale as largely as The Green Bone Saga did. A genre filled with friendship tales and otherworldly settings, I have never read any kind of Epic Fantasy that so prominently displayed family as the center point through and through. <br /><br /><blockquote> <i>“You'd think it would be easier to face death as you get older, but it doesn't work that way. You get more attached to life, to people you love and things that are worth living for.”</i> </blockquote><br /><br /><b>Fonda Lee has carved has carved years off my soul but at the same time put me through 10 lifetimes. I will never have enough words to compress all of my thoughts and feelings without just narrating to you the whole 3-book story… but I will try my best anyway because Jade Legacy deserves all the words I can muster out of my body.</b><br /><br />Honestly, the most heart-wrenching part of this book is how you watch the characters you love go through time. You would think that it would make you feel less attached to just be told what happens over the various time skips. But Fonda Lee manages to do the complete opposite by so efficiently packing information/details into the crevices of your mind, milestone per human milestone. Only for you to look back at what you read and realize how creatively she has wrapped you around each character’s story to make it feel like you’ve already read a whole novel about them alone. It is such an unconventional tool to use for an Fantasy novel but Fonda Lee more than pulled it off. The Kauls and the people around them go through a lot in the span of a chapter of Jade Legacy, that every person who has survived this book really does deserve a long hug for the rollercoaster that I know you’ve gone through.<br /><br /><blockquote> <i>“Even goals that seem out of reach can be accomplished with the help of the right friends.”</i> </blockquote><br /><br /><b>One of the best (if not the best) written character developments of a big cast that I have come across. Incredibly nuanced with no one falling into stereotypical heroes and villains, <u>they all just felt like people</u>.</b> People that you have known for what it feels like decades with the care that Fonda Lee took in crafting all of them to fit a purpose in the story. Every change of perspective has it’s own unique voice and subtle change in writing style that make them feel so well-realized. No matter how briefly you get to see Kekon through their eyes. I have never been so invested in so many characters at once and never been so affected by even the most minor of characters. They all felt so alive in my head that I don’t quite know what I was doing before I met them. Filled with an uncountable number of upfrontly flawed characters… it only made The Green Bone Saga that much more emotionally captivating. <br /><br /><br />[ STOP READING IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE BOOK ]<br /><br /><br />[ LAST CHANCE… STOP READING. CONTEXT SPOILERS AHEAD. ]<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><blockquote> <i>“We don’t handle this world. We make it handle us.”</i> </blockquote><br /><br />Hilo has been a personal favorite since Jade City but his development was so gradual but also incredibly hard hitting to watch by the end of this novel that he’s turned into probably my new favorite character for the last decade. One of the most well-written and most nuanced characters that I have met on page. <a>Petrik</a> said it best and I couldn’t have done it any better. <u>It is a feat to make readers understand questionable decisions that they have never have to make in a story and still love every inch of the characters that made them.</u><br /><br />That isn't to say that the other characters in this series do not go through the same amount of development, they all do. It's just that the longer I think about this series, the more in awe I am of the things that Hilo had to deal with all at once as the Pillar.<br /><br /><blockquote> <i>“After all these years, is there anything you believe I won’t do if I have to?”</i> </blockquote><br /><br /><b>The parallels between Hilo and Mada could not have been any more glaringly obvious. Their difference, however, is not that Hilo is able to illicit both respect and love in the same breath, they both do. What made Hilo different from Mada was that in his long reign as a Pillar, he never forgot that he was leading human beings.</b> How it translated to the respective people they are charged with showed so noticeably shown in the crowds that gathered in front of their homes. In the end, the message to me was how leadership is not a solitary job nor is it a solitary position that can be properly done without compassion and humanity. That having all the most strategic alliances in the room does not compare to having one good friend.<br /><br />Lott’s character was the best representation of Hilo’s influence on a single person. A concrete example of how you win people over by simply caring. To write a relatively simple character that manages to reflect the developments of the other characters while still being his own person in a story with at least 10 different perspectives, is amazing. It was so refreshing every time he was on the page. I don’t know when I started thinking of Anden as Kaul Anden instead of Emery Anden, having only realized it myself when Ayt Mada referred to him as Kaul-jen in the end. That itself is another example of the leaps in character development Fonda Lee manages without forgetting the journey it took to get to each one of them.<br /><br /><blockquote> <i>“Jade had meaning because of the type of person one had to become to wear it.”</i> </blockquote><br /><br />I say time and time again that what astounds me with the writing throughout the series is how FL shows the effects of the conflict from the Kauls to the Lantern men to the level of jade thieves. The highest tier to the lowest on this fantastical social ladder that is reminiscent of the most extreme values of various Asian Cultures with all the nuance and complexities that go with it. Despite being centered around the Kauls, it’s actually funny how none of the books ever ended or began with a perspective from a Kaul (even then, Anden isn’t technically a Kaul by blood). I think it’s the book’s little reminder about how even though we revolve around their story, it doesn’t start or end with them. With how the story is written post-Many Nations War and promises so many possibilities from Niko, it certainly felt that way too. <br /><br /><blockquote> <i>“Being green has greater significance than the abilities a person gains.”</i> </blockquote> <br /><br />The themes of this story covers many things from leadership, solitude, power, and fate. But in the end, I like to think it all boils down to family. The Green Bone Saga is very accurately pitched as a modern epic urban fantasy family saga. And even though it goes through the biggest rollercoaster of a politically epic but emotional plot I have ever encountered… it does so while keeping in mind the one solid beating core that connects every message that comes across and is the underlying reason so many of us feel so attached: Family. That family extends to the people who have trusted you to lead them.<br /><br /><blockquote> <i>“<u>He was his father’s son</u>; He would not back down from any fight or be used by anyone.”<br />…<br />“Ru was not a Green Bone or an heir to the clan’s leadership. He was not a threat or an obstacle to anyone. <u>All he had been was Hilo’s son.</u>”</i> </blockquote> <br /><br /><b>I have truly never been so emotionally devastated and hungover over any book in my life.</b><br /><br />Each book in this series is so unique on their own and has such a distinctive atmosphere that I like to jokingly describe as the 3 stages of grief: Jade City, Jade War, and Jade Legacy, respectively. This last installment most especially tackles the brutal stereotype of clans and gangs while showing their vulnerable sides. Which one of the most clever and heart-wrenching decisions Fonda Lee has ever made. My emotional hangover will never be appeased. You see the world evolving and the characters grow. You experience with them the pain of loss and time but also the simple, little joys of life and family. You see how pain changes people but it doesn’t make them irredeemable, just like what Lan believes. <br /><br /><blockquote> <i>“Only children and gods are arrogant enough to judge what they can’t understand.”</i> </blockquote><br /><br />I wasn’t sure about what to feel about Niko at first but I was amused that the way people viewed him in the story, was exactly the way I did too. In that way, they reflect how a lot of us would act in the face of the conflict that arise. Which was one of the best tools that Fonda Lee employed and it made me see myself in the story, even just a nameless floating entity within the world. Change is always scary at first but the book clearly sends the message of how the story wouldn’t have been possible if Hilo wasn’t different from Lan and how they wouldn’t be able to adapt in the future if Niko wasn’t different from Hilo. Niko is not the best fighter or the smartest, especially compared to Hilo and Lan. <b>But he would know to maneuver the era of the clans into an evolving and more technologically advanced world with all the calculation that you make when you've had to face the extremes of cruelty and power head on.</b> I felt the pain break something deep within me when Shae described how Niko looked when <i>that</i> scene happened and it made me realize that at the end, he's still just a kid in the face of the people who raised him. Cruelty and power is everywhere, as this series never fails to make us forget, but the difference of humanity is in when and how you use it. That it is compassion and love from the people surrounding us that shapes us.<br /><br /><blockquote> <i>“It’s obvious you’re not a father, Or you wouldn’t feel so invincible.”</i> </blockquote><br /><br />It is so unapologetically rooted in its east asian and southeast asian influences without ever feeling the need to water itself down. This series will forever have a special place in my heart because how artfully it was written both technically and emotionally. My tension and awe while reading this had me flipping pages through tears~ <b>This series has debunked so many things I thought I knew about storytelling while expertly applying everything I didn’t know I wanted but needed in a book.</b> I’m going to end this review for now because the only thing I want to do is reread the whole series. I respect Fonda Lee on a whole other level for the emotions she has made me feel that felt every bit rewarding and beautifully painful.<br /><br />Fonda Lee is a master at propelling a story forward on different levels all at once. I will never get over how well-curated and realized all of these characters are in a vividly and artfully designed setting that feels so real in the mind of it's readers.<br /><br /><blockquote><i>"She got me in the end. But she didn’t get </i>us<i>."</i></blockquote><br /><br />Some things to leave you with that I didn't get to say in this very long review:<br />1. A part of fate is what you choose for yourself<br />2. Sincerity and compassion go a long way<br />3. A difference in beliefs does not make you incompatible friends<br />4. Family is chosen, even those by blood<br />5. The worst punishment you can receive, worse than death, is being forgotten and deemed insignificant.<br />6. Even if you have to go to war the next day, you make time to have dinner with your family—<br /><br />A part of my mind, spirit, and soul will forever be having brunch with the Kauls in the Twice Lucky~<br /><br /><blockquote> <i>“Good men are remembered with love by their friends.<br />Great warriors are remembered with awe by their enemies.”</i> </blockquote> <br /><br /><b>— 5.0 —</b><br />⇢ <i>content warnings// Graphic Violence, Death, Torture, Murder, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Miscarraige</i><br /><br /><blockquote> <i>“The No Peak clan is powerful,<br />but it can't change the attitudes and laws of an entire<br />country of people who don't understand us.”</i> </blockquote><br /><br /><br />⤜ <b> <u>pre-read review</u> </b> ⤛<br /><br />happy release day to pain

<b>Update:</b> Grieving. No one talk to me. No one touch me.<br><br>-<br><br><b>Update (Aug 18, 2021):</b><br><br>ARC of <i>Jade Legacy</i> secured. I am feeling really powerful right now.<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1629242237i/31793624._SX540_.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy">

that shit hurted<br /><br />full spoiler liveshow discussion: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://youtu.be/XhOwJJyvqps">https://youtu.be/XhOwJJyvqps</a>

<b>I feel like I’ve witnessed a 100 years of history and I’ve aged three times that amount.</b> This was <i>intense</i>.<br><br>My brain cells still haven't settled down. I don't know how it is possible for a human to write something this big, complex, risky and at the same time make it such an awe-inspiring conclusion.<br><b>I have an inferiority complex now.</b> This series is just on a whole other level. Every little detail counts. Every single character counts (how?? there's literally HUNDREDS of them). The way everything connects and intertwines made me feel like I was listening to a history lesson. In my brain there's no way Kekon isn't real.<br><br>This was a very slow burn. I am deceased, most of all because this book took me two months to complete, holy shit. <b>Let's just say I inhaled every word of this masterpiece, though I also got to the point where I thought I would never make it.</b> However, there was so much tension I was never not on the edge of my seat. I like the action scenes but my favorite is always the dialogue. I don’t know how that works but I was so engaged in every relationship, even between secondary characters, and I thrived whenever they interacted. I’m pretty sure my heartbeat rate was insane during some pivotal scenes and during intense dialogue. Yes, I’m putting them on the same level. They’re that good. <br><br>Although this book has definitely slow pacing, it doesn’t mean there aren’t any fast moments where everything happens at the same time and you have no idea where to look first as well. More than once I found myself shriveling up inside when suddenly something major went down and I couldn’t stop reading because everything went at breakneck speed and I NEEDED TO KNOW. But of course it’s not that easy. Yep, you need to suffer before things are revealed to you. Let’s just say my anxiety skyrocketed. <br><br>You know what? I even liked Bero’s arc. It’s just—I love all these characters so freaking much. Anden’s growth gave me goosebumps. And he didn’t even get enough page time (I’m mad nothing happened with Lott either. I swear, you had <u>one job</u>). Also, I have a new favorite character and I should have seen it coming. <b>Niko-jen, you have my heart.</b> The thing is, he combines everything I loved about Lan and young Anden. I would read another trilogy only about him and the next generation. How fierce is Jaya? How cute is Ru? I wish I could roll them up in a blanket and never let them go (if you know you know ?). <br><br>I’ve always had a weird relationship with Hilo, and I did feel like this third book made me both like and dislike him again. On the other hand, I know that’s exactly what the author wanted to accomplish. He is the human personification of old traditional Kekonese and Green Bone ways, so he shows the positive and negative aspects of that culture. Honestly, even if I often don’t agree with him, I’m amazed by the way his character is built. His growth is less noticeable but you cannot miss it in the last 100 pages. <br><br>The women in this trilogy are just as amazing. <b>I’m afraid I’ve always put them a little in the background while reading this series because of how great Lan, Anden and Niko are to my eyes, but if there’s something I love is their quiet power.</b> Fonda Lee didn’t make things easier for them, but I liked that Wen’s struggles were so realistic and it was heartwarming seeing her confidence gradually grow back throughout the years. At the same time I was impressed more than once by Shae’s strength, coming through even in the darkest of times. I usually don’t like when there’s cheating involved, but I adored her new romance. Plus, I loved that she continued to mirror Ayt Mada as her counterpart. I think that’s pure genius. <br><br>I have to say I still prefer <i>Jade War</i> over this third and final installment. That’s one of the reasons why I’m giving this 4 stars. The second one is the fact that I wish it was two books instead of one. At first the time skips were okay (tbh I was impressed by how well they worked), but after the first half the years started to add up and it became a little too much. There’s one big time skip in particular that I didn’t enjoy because from that point on I had to work twice as much as a reader to get to know the characters again. Some of those characters grew off-page and I felt like I had lost touch with them for no reason at all. Another thing I didn’t really like was the fact that in almost every chapter after a time skip there always was some infodump. I still think it was handled amazingly, because it never dragged on and it wasn’t annoying in the least, but in the end it made my reading experience kind of disjointed. <b>Splitting this book into two could have worked better for me personally.</b><br><br>I have only praises for that ending. I thought it was bittersweet and fair, but the thing I liked the most was how it stayed true to every single one of the characters and their beliefs. <b>It was a satisfying conclusion to a wonderful series.</b><br><br><i>I received an arc from the publisher. All opinions are my own.</i><br><br>******<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1610272497i/30672847._SX540_.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>EXCUSE ME, WHAT—

<b>↠ 5 Stars</b><br /><br />All the powers in the world are vying for jade, the coveted and powerful substance known strictly to the Green Bone warriors on the island of Kekon. For hundreds of years, jade has been the source of power for the supernatural abilities possessed by the Green Bone warriors. Now, foreign governments and outsiders have their sights fixed on possessing it. Faced with threats old and new, The Kaul family struggles more than ever to contain this age-old power within Kekon’s borders. Factions within the city are just the tip of the iceberg, and as new adversaries emerge amid the rise of a new generation of Kauls, the family will have to decide what lengths they will go to preserve their empire and its complicated legacy. <br /><br />Jade Legacy is a conclusion that tore my heart to shreds whilst building up a hope inside me for something greater. Spanning a little over twenty years in the lives of the Kaul family and the clan, old wounds work their way inward, and new enemies stake their claim on Kekon and the powerful substance jade. After the events that concluded the previous book, there was an air of distress present that did not dissipate going into the conclusion of the series. I had been warned to keep my hopes low and my heart close to my chest, but absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the events that followed. Fonda Lee has brilliantly built up the evolution of these characters, ones that are flawed, yet driven by loyalty and the bond to one another. My favorite characters continued to be Wen and Shae, whom I was delighted to see take on new roles than the past two books offered. Wen, in particular, held my attention in her journey as a Stone Eye towards a rise to something I never expected for her. There were so many little moments for each family member interspersed throughout the clan politics and war that made this installment as much of a beginning as it was an ending. One thing that radiates here as with the others is the history of Kekon and the continued fight against outsider control. The central war on jade only intensified under this unceasing need for the clan to maintain control of their own culture from foreigners. With the new generation of Kauls growing up under these conditions, the stakes in the family were that much higher than before. In turn with this, I loved the exploration of legacy and what it means to uphold one and pass it down through the generations. Seeing the Kaul family raise their children alongside the ongoing predicaments was truly touching and I fell in love with the new generation just as easily as the others. The Green Bone Saga is exactly the kind of series I could talk about for ages and never feel like I did it any justice. Jade Legacy is a masterful finale that is equally emotional as it is compelling. <br /><br /><i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review</i><br /><br /><b>Trigger Warnings:</b> blood, gore, violence, death, torture, murder

<a href="https://thequietpond.com/2021/09/12/book-review-jade-legacy-by-fonda-lee-a-satisfying-and-phenomenal-conclusion-to-a-god-tiered-series-a-story-about-life-love-death-and-the-legacy-we-leave-behind/" rel="nofollow noopener">Read my full review on my book blog, <i>The Quiet Pond</i>.</a><br /><br />Three years ago, I said <i>Jade City</i> was my favourite book, ever.<br /><br />And then I read <i>Jade War</i> and I was proven wrong. No, <i>Jade War</i> was now my favourite book, ever.<br /><br />And now that I've read <i>Jade Legacy</i>, I've found myself in the peculiar position of being proven wrong yet again - because now <i>Jade Legacy</i> is, without a shadow of a doubt, my new favourite book, EVER.<br /><br />This is a story about life, love, death, and, as the title aptly suggests, legacy. It elevates everything we have loved about the story thus far, but also returns to what we love the most: its characters. <br /><br /><i>Jade Legacy</i> is the best series conclusion I've read in my life. I cried, my heart sunk in fear (genuinely, like 5 times), I grieved, I was so surprised at times that I had to lie down on the floor to process new story developments - but I also had one hell of an amazing time reading this. Even though I'm sad that this series that I love so much is now over, I'm satisfied and I feel that this is the ending that Green Bone Saga fans deserve.<br /><br />Thank you Fonda Lee, for giving Green Bones Saga fans such an incredible story. I cannot wait to see what you write next.