24/04/2026
Series Title: Green Bone Saga
Author: Fonda Lee
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 1: Jade City ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 2: Jade War ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 3: Jade Legacy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review:
An easy 6⭐️ for the whole series—wow.
I went into this expecting just a mafia story with a fantasy backdrop, but it turned out to be so much more. This series is about family, love, grief, independence, religion, faith, and forgiveness. There were moments when I found myself SOBBING quietly, because I know the next scene would be heartbreaking. What made it even more powerful was that it never felt like Fonda Lee was trying to force an emotional reaction from me. The writing was so matter-of-fact, like she's saying "it is what it is." Then I was sobbing. Lol.
What stood out to me most was how every character had their own moral compass. I didn’t always agree with their choices, but I understood them. They felt so human.....so real. Fonda Lee’s portrayal of these characters was absolutely spot on. Their character arcs were written so beautifully that I cried after finishing the series, just thinking about how much they had grown. Fonda Lee doesn’t coddle her characters—she lets them make mistakes, learn from them, and grow old.
The final book includes time leaps, so by the end, characters who began at 18 are already 35. But it was handled so well that it genuinely felt like I grew older with them.
People often talk about the “show, don’t tell” rule in writing, but this series balances both in a way that works incredible.
If I had to point out one weakness, it would be the prose. But even then, I didn't care even though I love a good prose.
And the character arcs for the women in this series were just 💯.
And also, I'm crying because Kaul Hiloshudon (May the Gods recognize him) is not real.
Also, on the short stories, Fonda Lee wrote, “I realized I’m not done yet with the Kauls, but I think they are done with me,” and I AM SOBBING AGAIN OVER AN AUTHOR'S NOTE, FOR GOODNESS SAKE.
Definitely my best series for 2026. And it's only April.