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“We also must do what we need to survive. That means acting like a cat, always. No matter what we truly are.”
Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice —
Gracie Marsden
Release Date: November 10, 2026★★★★★
Yu’er is just a teenager when her parents, driven by greed and a jing’s prophecy, sell both her and her sister to be married, forcing them into new lives away from each other and far from home. Yu’er’s husband Xiaozhu – only a year or so older than she – is awkward and uncomfortable around her, but he’s kind. Over the years, they form a friendship that transforms into a deep, romantic love, but their lives fall apart when the family is cursed, leaving them destitute and estranged. In a bid to take control of her fate once and for all, Yu’er makes her own deal with a jing – leave Xiaozhu and their home behind, and she’ll never be powerless again. Yu’er’s choice brings her more power than she thought possible, but it could kill her humanity as unforeseen consequences mount. As she adjusts to her new life, Yu’er must decide what matters most and what she’ll sacrifice to keep it.
An illustration of Hǔ Gūpó (Aunt Tiger), a tiger jing, whose story is told in Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice. (Artist: Eva Wang)
Review
Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the ARC!
The cover and synopsis for Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice could give readers the wrong impression going into the book. Both of them drew me to the novel, but I expected the story to focus more on Yu’er’s journey after leaving home, likely including lots of magic and political intrigue. In reality, it’s more historical fiction and magical realism than political fantasy. The characters’ development and changing relationship dynamics are really at the heart of the novel, and that works really well for the story being told. Focusing on Yu’er’s emotional arc and internal conflicts allows for a deeper exploration of the themes, particularly the issue of power.
The novel looks at what it means to have power and the different ways people wield it. Yu’er and Xiaozhu both struggle with serious trauma and grief that are, to an extent, a result of their oppression and lack of agency. While the plot doesn’t revolve around the political conflict in Kangzhu, we learn early on that the Jiangnanese are conquering the area, causing economic collapse, suppressing local religious practices, and more. Background details like this and Marsden’s descriptive writing fill out the world, and you feel the weight of their oppression piling on in big and small ways – until Yu’er is offered a way out.
I didn’t expect to spend so much time on the backstory, but I’m glad we did. The primary characters’ values and motivations are strongly rooted in what we learn in Part One. I understood why Yu’er and Xiaozhu had certain desires, even when they were at odds with each other. It lends a melancholic tone to much of the story – the sense that things may be going well right now, but any small, seemingly innocuous moment could bring it all crashing down. The characters’ internal conflicts make them feel real and keep the stakes high, but they wouldn’t be engaging if I didn’t care about them and know the past they’re trying to leave behind.
The backstory also provides additional context for the magical elements of the narrative. The book is based on Taiwanese myth, and the title itself references the otherworldly beauty of the jing. Half-animal and half-demon, they roam the earth, blessing those who help them and cursing those who mistreat them. I’m unfamiliar with Taiwanese myth, so I appreciated how seamlessly different myths were written in to provide context for Yu’er and Xiaozhu’s story. It helped me find my footing and connect our main characters’ experiences to their broader cultural context.
This book hit many of my favorite parts of historical fiction and myth-inspired narratives. I like Yu’er and Xiaozhu as characters and was quickly drawn into their friendship and growing romance. Marsden expertly weaves a nonlinear narrative that doesn’t hide the connections between each thread but still managed to surprise me. Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice is beautiful and bittersweet; one of my favorite books of the year. I loved its exploration of love, power, grief, and the competing desires people face when trying to build a happy life. If the genre or any of the themes interest you, I would highly recommend giving it a chance.
Content warnings: child abuse, death (incl. infant/child, murder), infertility, intimate partner violence, gore, grief, miscarriage (graphic), racism, sexual harassment, substance abuse, torture, violence
Yu’er is a teenager when her parents leave her with her new husband, Xiaozhu. He’s uncomfortable around her but kind. Over time, they become friends before falling in love, but after receiving a curse, they’re left destitute and estranged. Taking control of her fate, Yu’er makes a deal with a jing – leave Xiaozhu forever, and she’ll never be powerless again. Her choice brings enormous power, but it may kill her humanity. As she adjusts to her new life, Yu’er must decide what matters most and what she’ll sacrifice to keep it.