A Love Letter to The Green Bone Saga

Why do I read?

Is it to immerse myself in another world? Is it to make my heart race following an engaging narrative? Is it to learn about the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of a cast of characters? Or is it to analyze the themes of the story with a critical lens?

What Jade Legacy, and The Green Bone Saga as a whole, taught me is that the answer is much simpler than that. The answer encapsulates everything I had postulated to myself previously, but, paradoxically, has nothing to do with any of that. Setting, plot, characters, and themes are all integral building blocks to a story; however, none of those elements cut to the core of why, why I keep on reading. 

Whilst reading The Green Bone Saga, I felt myself extraordinarily attached to the characters and the situations they found themselves in. My connection with these characters grew with each entry in the trilogy, until I reached Jade Legacy, where I was hit with a flurry of emotions, like nothing I had ever encountered before. By spending as much time with the characters as I did, those mere words became more than a collection of personality traits and ideas, with it all coalescing to become a part of me that felt genuine and something I wanted to carry with me. 

I learned with these characters; I grew with these characters; I changed with these characters; I felt with these characters. 

The lessons they learned, I learned. The pains they felt, I felt. The catharsis they experienced, I experienced. I was with them on every step of that arduous journey, and just like these characters, these moments will become forever embedded in my mind. 

The Green Bone Saga let me feel. It became a work I could connect with deeply on an emotional level, bringing out emotions I had never experienced while reading other works of fiction. The overarching narrative that Fonda Lee crafted is one that is imbued with so much intimacy, that I could not help but feel invested in the characters and connect with the themes on a personal level. 

Through Kaul Hiloshudon, I saw a young man come into his own as a true man. He lived big and loved even bigger. Hilo lives with his heart on his sleeve, for better or for worse. Nonetheless, his passion is infectious, not only for the characters but for the readers as well. After Lan’s passing, Hilo found himself forced to fill his brother’s shoes as a Pillar. The Green Bone Saga is a story demonstrating Hilo carving his own path, filling those massive shoes left behind by his brother in his own way. There is no one right way of leading people, and Hilo found what worked for him: His connections with others. Through the unity of the different walks of life he brought together, he created his own long lasting legacy with his style of leadership that is able to capture the hearts of many, mine included. 

Seeing Hilo in despair and pain from the fallout of Jade War with his wife made my heart ring out towards his internal struggle. Spiraling worse in his depression, Hilo makes many mistakes that only make his situation worse. The human element is palpable and real, its rawness one that hits home for me. By seeing what he is capable of at his highest, seeing the damage his lowest can bring about made the first part of Jade Legacy so tragic. Nevertheless, Hilo pulls through by the end, becoming a leader for his people he can be proud of, which leads to his ultimate sacrifice. As the characters say their final goodbyes, so do we as the readers, as we mourn the legacy of a leader who lived larger than life. 

Through Kaul Maik Wenruxian, I saw a devoted and determined woman who was willing to sacrifice whatever it took to see herself and husband succeed. Wen loves her husband, Hilo, like no other. She is willing to put herself on line for his benefit, to make sure Hilo will be okay in the end. And while the traditional path of any matriarch of the Pillar is a subdued one, Wen took her legacy in her hands and molded it into what she wanted. 

Her physical pain and mental anguish from her near death experience was difficult to read. Adapting to the physical changes in her speech and movement was difficult enough as is; seeing Wen trying to keep herself mentally strong as her relationship with Hilo was beginning to break down was heart wrenching. 

Neither Hilo or Wen are correct in how they acted, but neither are they wrong. They both have their different perspectives and sometimes in a relationship, it requires coming to an understanding and reconciling those differences in spite of conflict. They both know they need to reach some sort of conclusion to their drawn out stand-off, but it is expressing that desire and love that makes communication so difficult. Sometimes we become too stubborn to understand the people we love and even if we want nothing more than to ensure they are not hurting, they end up hurting all the same. All it takes is an open mind to see and understand things from another perspective. And once Hilo and Wen have that physical and spiritual understanding, they can finally be as one, two people coming as one, supporting each other through happy and turbulent times. To that end, Wen swears an oath to Hilo to be his Pillarman, that steady rock by his side, forever and always. 

In spite of all the hardships Wen encounters throughout her life, she is a woman who is able to keep her head held high and stay strong for herself and others. Her husband was the Pillar, but Wen is the pillar of strength in the family. To that end, Wen will be forever remembered as someone who possessed that quiet strength that can inspire others, her legacy being one of great suffering, but also great resilience. 

Through Emery Anden, I saw someone grow into himself, in spite of making mistake after mistake. Torn up with self-doubt and self-hatred, Anden had to start anew in another country, directionless in what he wanted to be. His turning point came after watching Wen die right before eyes. Having swore to never wear jade ever again, Anden desperately reaches for the nearest jade around him in order to save Wen, knowing that if he fails, his cousin, Hilo, will be shattered forever. He succeeds and realizes the path open to him now. So, Anden becomes a doctor of jade, a relic he swore off before but has found a new purpose and meaning for. Anden is someone who carved his own unique path, a trailblazer that can be an inspiration to others conflicted with those same creeping senses of doubt. 

And what emerges from him is someone confident enough to break the mold laid out for him and mold his own legacy, one in which he is able to choose what path he wants to pursue. In the end, by choosing to remove his jade and running for political office, Anden is telling himself and everything that the legacy he wants to leave behind is one chosen from his own self-discovery, through the traumas he has lived and so desperately wants to rectify for the better. 

What all these characters accomplish is painting a human story, one of people pining for connection and understanding, while also grasping for a better future for the generations to come. What The Green Bone Saga achieves so well is integrating its themes with the characters, which allows its message to be delivered in such a personal and intimate way with the reader. All of these major characters, whether it be through Hilo’s way of leadership, Wen’s never backing down, or Anden’s desire to become something, or whatever else, circle back to probe deeper into what it means to be a beacon for others. As I was taking in these characters and understanding the themes of personal growth before me, the raw emotions I began to feel were growing more and more. By understanding these characters more and more, I started to empathize with who they were and truly care for them. That realization starts internally for each member, but as they begin to become comfortable and confident in themselves, they reach out to others. Sometimes it takes talking with another to finally accept and reconcile our faults 

There is one thing each and every single one of these characters want to be: someone. Each character comes to their own conclusion as to how to define that “someone”, whether that comes in the form of growing in a leader, partner, or whatever other realization that dawns upon them. Regardless, every character wants to be someone with their own story, their positive impact serving as the inspiration for their own legacy they can leave behind for others to carry forward. 

The reason The Green Bone Saga is so special to me is that it is a story with a clear message of finding yourself and leaving behind a legacy that can serve as an inspiration to others. In his final sacrifice to save his sister, nephew, and the future of his entire clan, Hilo’s death does not signify the end of his legacy. His legacy of being that charismatic and visionary leader of the No Peak clan lives on in the bonds he has created and the lives he has touched. Just as Lan served as an example for Hilo, Hilo becomes that for Niko, as he looks up to his uncle as a role model and a guide for whenever he is at a crossroad and lost as to the path he should take. However, what is important is also growing on our own and not falling directly into the shadow of others. Niko is not bound to Hilo nor must he follow his uncle’s every move; Niko sparing Ayt Mada is proof enough of that. Niko has his own legacy he aspires towards, that own “someone” he wants to become. We have to own up to our own struggles and communicate with others. No one else will do that for us. And through that, we can shape our own story. Our story is never over after our death, but only if we make the effort to reach out to others. Once we have achieved and found the growth we want, it is up to us what we make with the future. 

Even Ayt Mada, forever the enemy of the No Peak clan, will live on in the memories of future generations, her legacy one that stems from the rivalry that brought jade onto the international stage. Her determination is unmatched and just like with Hilo, her legacy as one of the raging tigers of Kekons will be cemented in the history books for decades to come. 

And that is where Bero serves as a cautionary tale, a man unwilling to grow and realize his own faults. Despite his grand tales, it becomes too little too late when he pushes everyone away. His stories will die with him, as he continues to live an unfulfilled life, drifting from one moment to the next without a care in the world. His lack of self-awareness stops him ever coming to the conclusion that he needs to change if he ever wants to become somebody. 

The Green Bone Saga is ultimately a story of love and growth, which poses a simple question to the reader: What do you want to remember by the time of your demise by the people you love? It will be those very people who will carry your legacy, every life you love will be someone carrying that torch forward. Hilo lived big and loved even bigger. As a Pillar, Hilo made time for every single person who approached him. He showed he cared. 

However, there are two sides present with Hilo, as there is with every character present. As easily as Hilo became a great leader, he could have fallen into irrelevance, as Bero did. After resolving his rocky relationship with Wen, he came to realize the importance of communication and the impact a single conversation can have. What Hilo learned here is the power of understanding and empathy. Not only do the characters begin to empathize with each other, but Fonda Lee bridges the gap and allows the reader to fully empathize with every single character and come to an understanding as to why: why each character acts as they do. Fonda Lee is able to make it clear who these characters are as people by painstakingly crafting every brick needed to build a bridge extending towards the reader. And it is through crossing that bridge of empathy, carefully crafted by Fonda Lee, does that emotional connection spark within the reader. And that spark causes a fire to light within the reader, kindling a passion like no other. The characters’ pain becomes our pain, a shared experience that allows us to grow closer to the characters, not as words on a page, but as extensions of our lives. We learn with them every step of the way and their stories become intertwined with our experiences. 

We can not force our own legacy; our legacy can only develop in the minds of others once we have grown from our faults, realized who we are, and changed ourselves to be the best version of ourselves. Only then will that legacy naturally spring from our actions. The legacy of Hilo, and the other Kaul siblings, is one written with blood, sometimes from their own bringing, but it is Hilo, Shae, and even Lan’s, drive to help the people around them that allows their action to remain in the minds of those that they affect. 

Sometimes it takes our own willpower or the realization of another in order to enact change to fix our faults and failures. Only then, might that willingness to admit we need help, some sort of reconciliation to change our flawed selves, sprout. And through that willingness to accept our failures and change for the betterment of others, will our actions take root. Hilo could never have become the leader he was without accepting the failures and looking at himself in the mirror, asking himself what he needs to do to change for the better, in order to help himself and everyone around him. 

We can not change the past, but we can move forward from it and try to rectify the best we can to make amends and change who we are into people we can be proud of and who others can be proud aspiring towards. Hilo’s son, Ru, was a champion of many causes in order to help the disadvantaged in the Green Bone community, having been exposed to the dregs of society, filled with people struggling to carve out a meaningful existence. He had sparks for societal change in his mind, but was never able to light those sparks that brought about meaningful change due to his untimely death. It was only after his son’s death that Hilo realized the importance of his son’s legacy and the work he so desperately wanted to achieve. No matter how short his life was, Kaul Rulinshin left behind his own legacy. So, Hilo picked up the pieces of his son’s shattered dreams and rearranged them in a way that would make his son, and others, proud and do them proper justice. Hilo was never able to connect with Ru and his lofty ideals until after his death; it was through that experience that Hilo was able to recognize and carry the torch his son left behind, as penance for never taking the opportunity to truly understand his son until his death. Sometimes it is only in death when someone’s true legacy can properly be assessed. 

And that is the message The Green Bone Saga is ultimately trying to send to the readers with its characters and ideas: Who we are comes down to how we understand ourselves and let that be known to others. Sometimes it can be painful to overcome that first hurdle and talking to someone, sharing our true thoughts. It can even be painful to admit to ourselves what we really want. However, no one else but ourselves will be the one to reinforce those messages and make sure we carry that with us in our everyday lives. Still, what will ultimately hurt more is withering away, never being true to yourself. With others by our side understanding us for who we truly are, our legacy will be remembered. The lessons we learned, the emotions we felt, and pains we experienced, those burdens will be lessened and the joys will be amplified if we have someone to share it with. So even if that end does eventually come, by opening up to others, they will understand us as we understand ourselves, and they can carry that forward. The pain of loss will hurt, but in sharing that pain, a steadfast acceptance that combines the mourning of the beloved departed with carrying their legacy forward can be achieved. 

And I felt like no other. The pain of Hilo and Wen as their marriage broke down felt personal. The tension of the bombing was as if I was watching the news myself. The grief at Ru’s funeral became my grief. And Hilo’s death made me want to carry his legacy forward, so others could understand the life that Kaul Hiloshudon lived. The words on the page came to life, and I internalized each emotion every character felt, remembering them not as character, but as who they are as living, breathing people. Their struggles and, ultimately, successes became my own story to tell. And through that, the answer finally materializes in my mind. 

I read to carry on the legacy of the characters for generations to come.