Review: Of Jade and Dragons (Fall of the Dragon #1) by Amber Chen

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from Penguin Teen Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Of Jade and Dragons

(Fall of the Dragon #1)

by Amber Chen

June 18, 2024

Goodreads Summary:

Eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying dreams of becoming a world-class engineer like her father, but after his sudden murder, her life falls apart. Left with only a journal of her father’s engineering secrets and a jade pendant snatched from the assassin, a heartbroken Ying follows the trail to the capital and the prestigious Engineers Guild—a place that harbors her father’s hidden past—determined to discover why anyone would threaten a man who ultimately chose a quiet life over fame and fortune.

Disguised as her brother, Ying manages to infiltrate the guild’s male-only apprenticeship trial with the help of an unlikely ally—Aogiya Ye-yang, the taciturn eighth prince of the High Command. With her father’s renown placing a target firmly on her back, Ying must stay one step ahead of her fellow competitors, the jealous guild masters, and the killer still hunting for her father’s journal. Complicating everything is her increasingly tangled relationship with the prince, who may have mysterious plans of his own.

The secrets concealed within the guild can be as deadly as the weapons they build—and with her life and the future of her homeland at stake, Ying doesn’t know who to trust. Can she avenge her father even if it means going against everything he stood for, or will she be next in the mastermind’s line of fire?

Review

Of Jade and Dragons left me with mixed feelings. The dynamic characters made the story quite compelling, however, the writing and the pacing sometimes dragged. So I wasn't able to fully immerse myself in the plot sometimes.

My favourite part of Of Jade and Dragons was the engineering trials. Although nerve-wrecking to watch, they were exciting to learn from. Each one was unique. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Ying outwit her fellow competitors. The inventions for the last trial were especially impressive to witness in action.

Ying and Ye-yang couldn't have been more different in their upbringings but one thing they had in common was their determination to achieve their goal(s). Despite all the disadvantages she faced, Ying was relentless in her quest to avenge her father. Similarly, Ye-yang with his painful past, stopped at nothing to execute his plans. He was definitely crueler than his quiet exterior. Both had to live with the consequences from the choices they made.

The romance in Of Jade and Dragons was riddled with conflict. From the moment they met, Ying and Ye-yang were not truthful with one another. The more the story progressed, the more apparent that a future together for them was next to impossible. I'm not sure they can come back from Ye-yang's betrayal... But one can hope! 

While I didn't enjoy every second of Of Jade and Dragons, it was an interesting read. As a story full of deceit and ambition, my curiosity is piqued. What will come for these characters and how will they manage? I look forward to book 2!!

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the copy I received.