Jade City
{4.5/5} “Shae had never intended to move back. She’d been full of anger and optimism, determined to forge a new life and identity for herself in the great wide, modern world beyond Kekon, away from anachronistic clans and the outsized male egos of her family. Once in Espenia, she found it harder than she’d expected to escape the stigma of being from a small island country known mostly for one thing: jade.”
Jade City by Fonda Lee, published in 2017
Kaul Lanshinwan, Lan, was the Pillar of the No Peak clan. His sister Shae has returned home after 2 years but says she’s not going to be part of clan business. His brother Hilo, the Horn, says the Mountain clan is making moves and needs to be taught a lesson. Doru, his Weather Man, is older and advises caution. Meanwhile, old drunk Shon Ju gets his jade stolen from him and the thief nearly gets away with it.
It’s not my favourite type of story, given it’s about gangsters, but it’s very well done.
The fantasy aspect and terrific writing kept me reading.
It’s about what happens when you’re part of a family that’s the head of a clan that resorts to violence when it has to, to defend itself from another clan and for the good of the country.
This is the 1st book I’ve read by Lee. Although I’m not going to read the sequel right now, I would happy to pick up another book of hers sometime.