This is late given that the trilogy was finished as of 2021, but I only read it this year. Personally, I loved it. The key conceit of the series is that it introduces magical martial abilities tied to jade into 60's/70's Cold War politics. The introduction of Jade, which only the highly trained Kekonese martial warrior 'Green Bones' can use without contracting the itches, creates rich internal politics in Kekon and fascinating geopolitics. The worldbuilding is extraordinary in this work, and the plot is intricate. It truly feels as if the different organizations/nations are made up of individuals that drive their actions.

Nowhere is this more felt than in Janloon, the capital city of Kekon, where the main view point characters spend most of their time. At the beginning of the narrative, Kekon, a vaguely Asian inspired nation that combines attributes of China, Korea, and Japan, has just thrown off the dominion of Shotar, a nation that is strikingly similar to imperial Japan, 25-35 years prior to the beginning of the narrative. During the resistance to Shotar, Kekon's Green Bone martial warriors formed the One Mountain Society, and out of necessity it operated like a guerilla resistance group. After Shotar withdraws from Kekon due to resistance and the pressure of the Many Nations War, the One Mountain Society is split between the charismatic Ayt Yugo, the Spear of Kekon, and Kaul Sen, the Torch of Kekon.

Basically, the nation's governance is controlled by the Kaul and Ayt families, who are constantly in conflict, as they control the jade and thus the money and power. Both clans are run in a similar fashion to the Italian mafia in the Godfather-- except at a larger scale. Almost every politician and business has allegiance to one of the Green Bone clans, and their Green Bones are a higher authority than the police or military.

We're inserted into the narrative with the three Kaul sibilings, the grandchildren of Kaul Sen. Like many nations post colonization, the honeymoon period is over; Kekon must modernize or die. Jade City and the rest of the trilogy follows the Kaul family's and Kekon's journey contenting with that post colonial modernization, globalization, geopolitics, family issues, and the diaspora experience. What I like most about the books is that just like the Godfather, while the Kauls are absurdly powerful with lots of responsibility, they're a family first. Fonda Lee also doesn't pull any punches with her characters, so I felt the stakes keenly at every part of the book. This is some of the most inventive fantasy I've ever read.

If you haven't read Jade City, give it a try! If you have read it, then discuss! I've been dying to talk about it with someone since I finished it lol.