Before writing Jade City, Lee received an MBA from Stanford, worked as a business strategist and wrote science fiction novels.

Lee has commented that she tied jade ability to a combination of genetics and luck as "a way to subvert that trope of the blood talent... the chosen ones.

Hilo attempts to convince Lan that the Mountain clan is squeezing No Peak territory, but he is opposed by Doru the Weather Man, who counsels a peaceful solution.

Lan's sister Shae returns to Kekon from her studies abroad, but she declines to become involved in clan business and refuses to wear her jade.

He proposes a new law preventing any one clan from gaining control of the Kekon Jade Alliance, and he sends Shae to audit the KJA's accounts.

Lan accidentally takes an overdose of shine while visiting the club, and when Bero attacks him he falls into the sea and drowns.

Shae and Hilo accuse Ayt Mada of skimming jade from the KJA and supplying it to foreign nations.

When he regains consciousness, he learns that the loss of its Horn has dealt the Mountain a serious blow and given No Peak a temporary advantage in the war.

Publishers Weekly called the novel "an engaging blend of crime drama and Asian martial arts film tropes.

"[4] A starred review from Library Journal stated that the novel "mixes bold martial-arts action and vivid worldbuilding.

"[5] A review for Kirkus described Kekon as "an analog of mid-20th-century Hong Kong" and also stated that several elements of the story lean heavily on The Godfather.

The same review notes that the novel has "its own story to tell; an intriguing confluence of history, culture, and biology shapes both the characters and their fates.

"[6] Writing for Tor.com, Liz Bourke states that the novel "feels as though it mixes The Legend of Korra with Gangs of New York and a generous helping of Hong Kong action cinema."