In an empire on the brink of war . . .
Ahn is no one, with no past and no family.
Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away as a child.
When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her arcane magical abilities.
But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.
- Title: Jade Fire Gold
- Author: June C.L. Tan
- Publisher: HarperTeen
- Publication Date: October 12th, 2021
- Genre: Fantasy, YA
- Source: Digital ARC received via Netgalley
- Targeted Age Range: YA
- Trigger warnings: self-harm (gouging, eye horror; non-graphic), child abuse (physical, verbal, emotional manipulation/gaslighting), parent death (implied, off-page), character deaths, mentions and descriptions of fantasy/magical violence (blood, war, politcal violence), mentions and descriptions of physical symptoms that might be triggering to those with emetophobia, alcohol consumption
- Rating: ★★★★
With an elevator pitch as “What if Katara were the Dark Avatar & Zuko was hunting her down?”, it’s no surprise that Jade Fire Gold is one of the most anticipated 2021 releases in my friend group. Oddly enough, I’ve never seen more than three episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender, but was still incredibly drawn to Jade Fire Gold. After all, an exploration of grief, trauma, legacy, power — how could it not be on my most anticipated list?
Before we get to the actual review part of the review, I just want to give a shoutout to June’s website, which might just be the most informative, and beautiful website I’ve ever seen? With content warnings, the map of the world in Jade Fire Gold, character drawings, descriptions, and an “in a nutshell” summary of the characters — it truly elevates the reading experience. The comparisons with food truly made me hungry — white rabbit candy, xiao long baos, steamed custard buns, and congee are some of my favorite comfort foods, so it’s no surprise that the characters they’re compared to have a special place in my heart. That being said, I genuinely loved every character. But more on that later!
Told in a dual POV narrative, Jade Fire Gold follows Ahn, a girl with no recollection of her past, and Altan, a boy who is haunted by his. With his family murdered, and his birthright stolen from him, Altan’s trying to simply take back the throne, free the empire from a cult of priests, and undo the dark magic. All Ahn wants is to provide for Ama — her adoptive grandmother — and to give the two of them a better life. But when a petty theft goes wrong, her powers manifest, and Ahn becomes the most powerful weapon in the world — the one thing Altan is looking for.
“Two strangers thrown together by fate, each too scared to trust the other.”
One of my favorite things about Jade Fire Gold was the characters. Ahn and Altan’s motivations and intentions are made clear from the very beginning, which made following their character growth even more wonderful. I found both Ahn and Altan incredibly easy to root for, and I truly wanted to see them achieve what they wanted. Watching them go from strangers, to slowly trusting one another, to developing feelings for one another was such a joy. Ahn and Altan shine brightly both as our main protagonists, as well as a pairing. With endless witty banter, lots of yearning, and their paths crossing and intertwining again and again, I loved watching their relationship develop.
The ensemble cast of Jade Fire Gold was simply precious. While I didn’t know who I could trust at times, I loved them all — I found Tai Shun, the guilt-ridden and reluctant Crown Prince, incredibly endearing, and just sweet. I loved Leiye, the illegitimate son with seemingly shifting priorities and alliances. Tang Wei, one of Altan’s strongest allies and friends, is incredibly powerful and unapologetic, and Linxi, a kindhearted spy. The found family dynamic just made my heart swell, and I wanted to know more about them all.
“History is never written by its victims.”
Power and history both play a large role in the world of Jade Fire Gold. It’s evident in each of the character’s motivations, in their biases and reasoning, and in the stories they’ve been told. Jade Fire Gold is yet another reminder that the history we’re taught is from the oppressor’s point of view; that we never learn certain pivotal points of history, nor do we ever learn it from another perspective.
“There are some things that are out of your control — focus on what you can do. It is time to forgive yourself for whatever has happened in the past. Move on and live well.”
I personally loved the fast pace of Jade Fire Gold, although as I was nearing the end I was hoping it wasn’t over yet — I wanted to stay in the world for longer, to savor my time in it. I’m desperately hoping there’ll be a sequel, especially after that ending. Tan’s imagery, wonderful worldbuilding, and well-developed characters ensures that this is a book I’ll be recommending for years to come.
Links for Jade Fire Gold: Goodreads | TheStorygraph | Bookshop | IndieBound
June CL Tan grew up in Singapore where she was raised on a diet of classic books and wuxia movies, caffeine and congee. She holds various degrees in communication studies, education, and film. After teaching for a few years, she took a detour into the finance industry. To no one’s surprise, she soon realized her mistake and made her escape. Now, she resides in New York City, talking to imaginary people and creating fantastical worlds under the watchful eye of her crafty cat. She enjoys telling stories that draw on both the traditional and modern to create something fresh to the eye, but familiar to the heart. Jade Fire Gold is her debut novel.
I love this review!!! Jade Fire Gold is one of my favourite books </3