Jade War

Oh boy do i have a lot of thoughts. I really tried to like this book as i was reading. but i didn't. i couldn't.

The magic system while cool is still wildly inconsistent. The characters have some good moments but never feel like they are consistently the same person. The Pacing is crazy. months/seasons go by, then we experience a few days. then months.

CAWPILE SCORE
C-4
A-4
W-7
P-5
I-5
L-4
E-2
TOTAL-4.43/10



Lets talk spoilers
CharactersAnden: Anden's character moving out to Espenia felt good, his "rushed" relationship with Cory felt out of nowhere that he was gay. His introduction into the Kekonese on Espenia was well written. i just couldn't connect as much with him and his plot. Taking up the Jade again at the end to Save Wen was great, but i almost feel like Fonda Lee should have let them all die. show some consequences. Anden choosing to wear jade but just be a healer definitly won't have any negative effects in the future.Beru: ******* is still alive somehow. Gets some jade, practices relentlessly with the jade. is betrayed by Mudt who helped him steal the jade. is left to die. both from overinjection of SN1 and Jade withdrawl plus sleeping drug, what do you know. all 3 combined cancel each other out enough for him to be saved. his Plot armor is as strong as ever. Stealing from Lan's grave was an interesting way to get him jade. However at the end, he is joining a resistance, and is firmly Anti-Jade. ..... that part makes sense, but he was working with no peak at the end, and they helped him get a job and stuff. so.....Wen: still my favorite character. i wish she could have done more. got pregnant and had a kid. continues her spy work.... kinda. Literally is just a jade carrier to certain places. super exciting... more on that in magical inconsistenciesHilo: probably the most flip/floppy character. sometimes he makes good decisions and sometimes he makes bad decisions. his decision to break all the rules if Shae loses a clean duel??? go against everything for that.... No. Killed his Sister in Law and steals his nephew .... crazy. horrible .... gets kicked out a country completly.... but some scenes have some great leadership abilities from himShae: starts out fine. ends ... Fine.. Wasn't a huge fan of the love "triangle" between woon and Maro, but i liked her relationship with him, until she accidently got pregnant and decided to abort it without talking about it with him, or anybody. Wen=Best; wish she had shown more spying stuff. her challenge to Ayt was nice. and then killed Mercy killed Maro when he accidently helped an assassination attempt.Notable Scenes: Burying Mudt--- Buried alive with 3 of Hilo's Jade with a tube for air. very cool, but why not use some jade that didn't require you to pull out of your skin.Shae's fight with Ayt: cool, thought she would win, she doesn'tAyt killing the traitor: nice scenes as wellMagic System inconsistencies : Perception while it seems is the coolest is the most inconsistent. When Kehn is searching the import ships for Jade they have to manually search for everything. but apparently Wen has to hold the jade always because they can't notice it if she touches it. but why does she need to touch it, if you can't perceive it. Also when raids of Jade dens are going on, nobody can perceive that people are coming in, in enough time. Seemed like Strength was used in this book to increase speed instead of Strength, and Channelling can be deflected by Steel?? i thought steel was just hardening your body? and that chanelling bypassed that....I'm still rooting for the Mountain clan because i feel like they are actually the good guys, whereas the No Peak clan has always been reactionary and doesn't feel like a functional Mafia Family