I AM ONLY GOING TO SAY THIS ONCE,
BUT YOU ALL HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK FOR REAL!

I wanted to read the book since I got to know about the concept, so thank you netgalley for providing with e-arc. But this in no way is biased opinion.

The story concept, was excutied so well. I mean, i would have never imagined a Romeo and Juliet retelling where they have to fight a monster and are part of opposite gang. The story just keeps on the edge with who is behind and so man clues.

The characters, all the characters had a point of view at one point in story which was good because we got so much insight on what was going on. Specially the back stories of Roma and Juliette friends and family who are always with them.
My favorite character out of all of them was Marshall, it was the best character and no one can tell me otherwise.

The book comes out soon, so go read this awesome book!

Rarely does a rainy day recommend you a book, when you can hear the thunder screaming and the rain pelting the windows—as if warning you to read this book now or you’ll be drenched in tears—and you decide to actually honour the anticipation building within you by picking it up right then. But one such day did recommend These Violent Delights to me and I shall be sending a thank you letter to whoever operates the tap in the clouds.

These Violent Delights sharpens the edges of a classic by retelling it through a lens of another era while never holding back from suffusing originality, individuality, and an independent perspective on all aspects of this masterpiece. Heirs of two rival gangs taking up their responsibilities while remembering (and often trying not to) their past, a monster emerging from the waters, and political revolution waiting to unfold, this historical fantasy is painted within Shanghai of mid 1920s.

Juliette, heir to the popular Scarlet Gang, strengthens her stance with heightened fervour as a young woman who recently returned from the States; Roma, heir to The White Flowers, abides by his father’s commands with conflict as an emotionally responsive young man left with no room to opine. Both didn’t choose this life, both gangs are being triggered by the same threat, and both can kill each other if witnessed in the rival’s territory—at the behest of unsaid sectional rules set up to avoid bloodshed.

Like a whetted blade awaiting its purpose to destroy, the two come together with a repulsiveness that frequently gets replaced by yearning, to uncover the mysterious infection clawing at people’s throats and apprehend the larger ambition behind the dreadful eyes of a monster beneath the sea, behind the violent spread of this lurgy, and behind the growing change in the political scene. Akin to the sharp blade, this coalition does destroy—the heart of every reader.

The lesser I speak of the romance, the more one would fully immerse themselves in a bath of scarlet roses and white flowers. But nothing about this rivals-to-lovers is relaxing. It’s a tsunami of contention, inclination, and an ache that will upheaval even the steadiest of your grounds and you’ll agree that something with such disorder and disruption can only be excellence.

It’s simply this excellence that perfectly balances an exclusive focus on the Roma-Juliette while also rolling a film of side characters who possess distinctive personalities. With absolutely no retention of Romeo and Juliet, considering I haven’t read it yet, I’m not the best person to draw any sort of parallels at the moment but if I ever review the classic, I’ll draw parallels with These Violent Delights in that review.

The other side of me as a history fanatic did connect dots with a knowledge of the Northern Expedition, imperialism, the Nationalist & the Communist parties, and the factory strikes igniting the first sparks of a revolution while foreign powers still dominate over the government. Like an icing on the cake, the varying aspects that deliver such superiority are imbued with heartfelt strands of identity, familial expectations, and emotional bonds that aren’t easy to escape from.

Read this historical fantasy romance for the love filled with angst, for a fierce heroine, a lover hero, and for all the complexities that can justify my lack of words to precisely sum up why this is easily one of my favourites of the year.

DNF
I was SO excited for this book but itwas not for me. I love Romeo and Juliet and so it being based on the play but set in 1920s Shanghai sounded super interesting. Unfortunately I found it incredibly boring. I read to 40% but had to give up. There was so much description it made me zone out and I did not connect with any of the characters. I felt the storyline was pretty basic too. I know alot of people are loving this so it is simply just not for me.

This book was SOO INCREDIBLE!! The writing was sublime, the storytelling and narrative weaving was crisp and beautifully woven. The allusions to Romeo and Juliet with a dark twist was so compelling to read and Juliette and Roma were such lovely leads. This was an incredible book to read!!

I'll start by saying that I unapologetically love Romeo and Juliet; it's my favourite of Shakespeare's plays. Despite that, I haven't read any retellings of it, so I was immediately intrigued by the idea of a reimagining set in an intricately-wrought 1920s Shanghai. Here's a history that more people ought to know about, one often neglected when it comes to YA literature. As I read, I enjoyed picking out all of the Romeo and Juliet references. This aspect was very well done, and it even took a while for me to make some connections! When your plot is based on such a popular text, I'd wager you can run the risk of your readers predicting every single thing and making your story seem stale, but that wasn't the case here.

While we spend a great deal of our time with Roma (heir of the Russian White Flowers gang) and Juliette (heiress to the Chinese Scarlet Gang), Gong also tells her story from the viewpoints of several other side characters. I think the book could have been more powerful without this, if I'm being honest. I didn't particularly care for Kathleen, Benedikt, Marshall, and Rosalind, and nor did I think they were as developed as they could have been; their sections didn't seem to drive the story forwards at all. Likewise, there's many moments of banter and humour, but this book got my attention with the premise of a pair of star-crossed lovers reluctantly working together amidst a bloody feud. These Violent Delights shines when it's exploring the unresolved feelings of longing and yearning between Roma and Juliette, and I think the levity undermines the gritty feel.

That said, this is still a book that deserves to be read! It's an #ownvoices story with excellent commentary on colonialism (notably set in an era often romanticised and associated with glitz and glamour), and we can truly feel that through Juliette, who feels as though her identity is being fragmented and that she must dress a certain Westernised way in order to be respected.

A very dark and gripping take on romeo and Juliet that kept me engaged from the start. I'm very impressed with the author's writing, enjoyed all of the violence and gore, the main romance was done very well and I was pleased to see some LGBTQ+ rep also in the story.

This book is fabulous! A modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet, set in Shanghai.
I loved the gang's and the danger that suggests- it reminded me a lot of the Baz Luhrman film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Roma and Juliette are from opposing gangs, enemies with a blood feud between them. They are also ex lovers. When a monster starts to roam the streets of Shanghai killing mercilessly, they have to put aside their differences and work together.
The characters were amazing. I loved Juliette, Kathleen and Rosalind were fabulous and I really liked Roma, Benedikt and Marshall.
There were fabulous twists and turns throughout the book and that ending. WOW!
The atmosphere was just incredible, I can't recommend this book highly enough!

This book had an absolutely amazing premise. Set in 1920s Shanghai amidst the blood feud of two warring gangs, Gong weaves an element of the supernatural and mystery with sightings of a monster seemingly causing mass hysteria - leading to people ripping their own throats out with their bare hands.

The author paints such a vivid and visceral picture of the streets of Shanghai. I could so clearly picture the street vendors and rickshaw drivers among the speakeasys and brothels. Shanghai was such a melting pot during this time with Chinese, Russians, French, American and British all scrambling for a piece of it for themselves.
It definitely shows that the author put a lot of time in researching this historical period that doesn't get talked about enough in Western history books.

All of these characters were very fleshed out, they were all flawed in their own way, each dealing with regrets and unbelievable pressures.
I definitely think that fans of The Diviners series by Libba Bray and The Last Magician series by Lisa Maxwell would be fans of this debut.

The plot was very politically driven, which for me, sometimes affected the pacing of the story. However, it wasn't enough to take away from my enjoyment of reading.
It was so interesting to read from Juliette's perspective. We see her struggle with the betrayal she's harboured for years and has irrevocably changed her. She also deals with people thinking she's "too Western" based on how she dresses and often plays the part of the ditzy flapper girl so people will underestimate her. She has to have this cut throat exterior to gain respect from the Scarlets as their heir. However she may be brutal at times she cares for her people and will do anything to stop the madness spreading in her city. She sees it as her responsibility and is fiercely protective of her role.

There are very close ties to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Which may sound surprising about a book with a monster plague running amok. But you can see each character from Romeo and Juliet mirrored in our main protagonists.

I have to admit I do have a lot of questions upon finishing this book. From how it ended there does seem to be a sequel in the works, but personally I think I would have liked to see a little more answered in this first instalment.
For example, I would have liked to learn more about the monster and the insects that were infecting people. How were these insects connected to a somewhat amphibious creature?

What made it mutate to turn this human into such a creature?

I think the plot suffered a little from having so much going on at once, with the communist riots happening in tandem with the monster plaguing the streets and also trying to hunt down different business men and government officials that were behind it all.

Also, the plotline of their being a spy in the Scarlet gang was kind of raised and dropped, and while I have my own theories as to how that's going to progress in the next book, it was left hanging a little too open for my liking.

The romance element to this plot was just "ok" for me. I wasn't super invested in Juliet and Roma as a couple. There was definitely tension there but perhaps because of the distrust between them, I just didn't feel a huge amount of chemistry. But this will be an aspect that I look forward to being expanded on.

As a debut, I really enjoyed Chloe Gong's writing style. I loved the dark, gory nature that she didn't shy away from and think she'll only continue to grow as a writer. There are definitely some favourite passages I have loved and will reread again and again.

As a whole, this was a really enjoyable read from its characters to the setting. I will definitely be purchasing a finished copy and eagerly await more from this author.

Actual rating <b>4.5 stars</b>

<i>Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for the provided ARC in exchange for a review.</i>

When I first saw the premise, a Romeo and Juliette retelling set in Shanghai in 1926 that also included gangs, I was sold. It seemed like something new that also appealed to my very new interest in East Asian inspired books and other media. I've never read a Romeo and Juliette retelling before and I was excited about this book but I also really loved the cover! So, when I saw that I was approved for a physical ARC, I was beyond excited.

And oh, this book did NOT disappoint!

I was completely engrossed with it right off the bat. The two things that immediately caught my attention were the beautiful writing and the very well-done atmosphere. Chloe Gong's writing flows so well on-page and reads effortlessly and I loved that. <i>These Violent Delights</i> is one of the few books with a strong feel for the atmosphere that I've read. It basically felt like I was there with the characters, and whenever I had to stop reading I just missed that feeling. Reading a book set in Shanghai was also definitely refreshing and the type of new in YA I crave.

I feel like I have to say that in my opinion, this book is more historical fiction than fantasy and although it has some fantastical elements, they are very low-key, to the point where I'd say it's more of the magical realism type. I still don't know how they managed to create a monster even after the explanation at the end of the book, but I'm okay with that because I really enjoyed this.

The book definitely kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it. I absolutely loved it and that's why putting my feelings into words will be hard.

I don't have a single complaint. The plot was executed very well, it kept me interested the whole time and there wasn't a single boring part in it. I was engrossed with it the whole time and I didn't want it to end. What's more, for the first time in ages I found myself wanting to read to the wee hours of the night and I even stopped watching my dramas (something that I usually look forward to) in favour of reading this. I enjoyed it that much.

Usually, when I read a book, I'd have this one main character that I'm not that interested in, but this wasn't the case here. I welcomed each POV the author introduced and if anything, I'd like to see more from all of them! Especially Kathleen and Benedikt, I want to know more about them.

I loved all of the effortless representation we have here because it's not made to be a big deal and that's what I love seeing. It's done well and I appreciate it.

What I loved about Juliette and Roma is that they aren't the kids from the original story. They are the same age, 19, and they already have some kind of history that is revealed slowly throughout the book. I enjoyed it because it was definitely done in a way I liked. For those of you who don't like much romance, but would like to give this a chance, I'd say the romance is very low-key and is definitely not the main thing in the book at all. It's focused more on the plot which I loved because I believe it just made the romance part better. Juliette and Roma had great chemistry, as did another pair of characters that shall remain a secret.

I would have liked a bit more from Rosalind because I feel like her character was kind of absent, and there was definitely a reason for it but it wasn't completely clear so I definitely hope there's more of her in the sequel.

Benedikt and Marshal seem like an amazing duo and I loved their dynamics, they were the best partners to each other and to Roma.

In my head, Roma is a soft cinnamon roll who tries to be fierce and I love him. I loved him in <i>These Violent Delights</i> and how much he was trying to stay true to himself and what he believed in. Actually, that's what I love about both him and Juliette. They decided to keep going and find out what or who's behind the madness and the monster even when nobody else cared enough to do so. I loved seeing them work together.

Juliette was also a great character who has her strengths and weaknesses. I loved how human she was even when she was trying to be ruthless. She was written excellently, just like everything else in the book. I'm extremely biased.

I loved the mystery element but what I appreciated the best was the way the madness was described and how realistic the reaction of the people was. I don't know if it was added as a later edit or if it was just spot on from the beginning, but the different types of reactions to it were very, very realistic.

What's more, that ending was just great. It left me wanting more. While I wasn't surprised at one of the final acts, I was so not expecting this ending, and I'm so excited about the sequel.

In Shanghai of the 1920s, the power is divided between two warring gangs, the Chinese 'Scarlets" and the Russian 'White Flowers'. A string of self-inflicted deaths supposingly caused by a monster sighting, forces the heirs of the two gangs to work together. Problem is not only do Juliette and Roma hate each other, but some betrayal in their past tore them apart.

The descriptions are utterly unique, like small poetic flourishes, the smallest of details giving you such a vivid picture. The author's figurative speech is to be envied.

Juliette is tough, almost cruel, impatient, loyal, utterly likeable. Roma is focused and puts on a facade of hardness, even though he has more of a respect for life, any kind of life, then he is supposed to show others. Basically he loathes being a gangster. Both of them live with the weight of being the heirs, being underestimated, without having all the support they expect.

Surrounded by wonderful secondary characters like Alisa, Kathleen and Rosalind, Marshall and Benedikt, it's hard to choose which is your fave. Characters that frequently make you want to smile, even smirk, so different in style, but so alike in stealing your heart.

Things get more and more intense and the build up is so enjoyable, absolutely captivating. As is every time Juliette and Roma cross paths. The search for the contagion and/or monster is invitingly mysterious, as is the heightened sense of danger, making the book difficult to put down. And let us not forget the little tidbits/nods to the Romeo and Juliet mythos this has borrowed inspiration from.

I love how the author conveys the feeling of this multicultural world. How we view the era through the encounters with quite different personalities and through the musings of the characters. Touching themes of entitlement, privilege, veiled or outright racism. Full of the allure of power and the machinations to achieve it, its fickleness plays a key role in the events of this narrative.

Simultaneously hard as nails and tender, plus utterly exhilarating to the very end. And ending that seem to be reaching its crescendo, until Gong pulls her ace of a devastating betrayal out of her sleeve and leaves you dumbfounded, wanting to scream "NOOOO" like a Skywalker. Then your jaw will hit the floor so abruptly it will hurt. There is nothing you can do but utterly adore this book.

My first impression of These Violent Delights was that Chloe Gong is a spellbinding writer. The first chapter had me hooked with its stunning writing and intriguing premise. As an English Literature graduate, I was all in for a Shakespeare retelling. Romeo and Juliet is a classic tale, and Chloe Gong has crafted an excellent reimagining which uses the themes from the original in an interesting way. I loved that this isn’t the story of them falling in love, but rather of them meeting again after years apart following a tragedy that caused a rift between them. There are also other references to the original Shakespeare play which are very satisfying.

Chloe Gong does an absolutely brilliant job of making the setting come to life. I felt immersed in 1920s Shanghai, in terms of the sights, smells and sounds, but also in terms of the history. I didn’t know much about the history of Shanghai before reading this book, and enjoyed discovering something new. As well as being about romance and the mystery, These Violent Delights also explores very important themes, such as political divides, colonisation and culture. Sometimes I feel like in retellings the stories are transposed to a different time period and/or setting for the sake of it, just as a way to twist the story, but in this case the choice of 1920s Shanghai really worked as an alternate setting for Romeo and Juliet. The story melded with the setting so well. This is an excellent example of how setting, plot, theme and character can intertwine very effectively.

Juliette was my favourite character as I found her story so interesting. For her, being the heiress to the Scarlet Gang is about protecting her people. She’s also confident, bold and unafraid to pull the trigger, but we also get to see some other sides of her too as the book progresses. I didn’t connect with Roma as much, although I did enjoy seeing Roma and Juliette’s evolving relationship as they are forced to work together. They didn’t seem to have that much time together on page, so I didn’t feel as emotionally invested in their pairing as I had hoped. The other characters were all well depicted and came together to make a great overall cast. There is also a brewing romance between two male side characters which I was totally rooting for!

The mystery is intriguing though I did start finding the book a bit slow at one point, but then it picked up again for a suspenseful finale. Then comes a big twist right at the very end, on the last page, just when I thought everything was resolved!

There are some gory moments. As mentioned in the synopsis, a contagion is spreading through Shanghai that causes people to claw out their own throats. There is a lot of detail and blood. After the first couple of times I starting skimming over the graphic descriptions because it was just too much for me. There are also insects involved in the spreading of the contagion which was quite grim. So I would bear this in mind when deciding whether or not this book is for you.

These Violent Delights puts an excellent spin on the well-known tale of Romeo and Juliet and is a very strong debut. I will certainly be looking out for future works by Chloe Gong.

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

For Chloe Gong's reimaging of our favourite star crossed lovers Romeo and Juilet, almost everything about the iconic opening to William Shakespeare's tragedy could describe her book. But we are not in Verona anymore, Toto. Instead, the book takes us to 1920s Shanghai, where Roma Montagov is heir of the White Flowers, and Juilette Cai has just returned from New York to stand at her father's side as heir to the Scarlet Gang. Both gangs occupy different territory in the city, their blood feud burning stronger than anything and yet... four years ago, Juliette had fallen in love with the White Flowers heir. And it had cost her dearly. Roma betrayed her, escalated their blood feud, and Juliette was sent back to New York. Now, she hates him.

But the citizens of Shanghai face something more terrifying than rival gangs fighting. There's talk of a monster, talk of a madness plaguing the city, causing people to claw out their throats. Something needs to be done. White Flowers and Scarlets are dying to this sickness, and after witnessing the death firsthand in the Scarlet speakeasy, both gang heirs want to get to the bottom of it. Their only hope is to set aside their differences and work together. If they don't, there might not be a city to rule when all is said and done.


I'm going to be completely honest here; I wanted to dislike this book. I didn't want to fall in love with another series that had just started, leaving me in limbo until the next book came out. And yet, that's exactly what I did.

The rich world building, the characters, the storytelling... everything about this book drew me in. I loved the dynamics between Roma and Juilette, Marshall and Benedikt, the family interactions....I was left hanging on the edge of my seat with each twist and turn into the story, and the ending. Oh my word. That ending has stayed with me since reading the book, and I and so sad that I'm not able to pick up the sequel to find out what happens next.

Rating: ★★★★★

Release Date: 17th November, 2020

Pre-ordered?: Yes

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

I don't have words for how good this book is. All of the characters interested me, the atmosphere and the era (Shanghai, 1920s) completely grabbed me and I couldn't put the book down. The writing was beautiful and vibrant which was quite refreshing and complimented the story very well. There is body horror in the book but I personally didn't mind it even though I am a little squeamish at that sort of thing.

This debut novel truly blew me away and I look forward to reading more from Chloe Gong!

Rating: 5⭐
Would I Read It Again? Yes, I plan to read the book as soon as it comes out!
Would I Recommend it? Yes, there is a reason why it has been talked about everywhere as well

A good and interesting read!

I would recommend this to everyone who loves a good story with captivating characters! Definitely a good read!

This review discusses the story and plot, but does not reveal any major plot reveals. However, I do make wishes about what I would like to see in the next novel, thus that may hint/spoil at some events in this novel.

Trigger Warnings: (Taken from the authors review) This book contains mentions and descriptions of blood, violence, gore, character deaths, explicit description of gouging self (not of their own volition), murder, weapon use, insects, alcohol consumption, parental abuse.

Chloe Gong's These Violent Delights pitched as a Romeo and Juliet retelling by way of The Godfather, is absolutely phenomenal. Gong adopted elements from both Shakespeare's tragedy and Puzo's novel and created something unique, and hers. While some of the elements of the story may seem familiar because of the intertextuality, Gong adapts them into nail-biting reveals, twists, and turns. I particularly loved how Gong used the 'this will make you appear dead for a time, but you are not' in to the plot in an unexpected, but no less heartbreaking, manner. I was on the edge of my seat the entire novel to see if she would include that, and if the end of the novel would be similar to that of Shakespeare's tragedy...

Speaking of the ending - as the title suggests, These Violent Delights do have violent ends. I could not believe it when I read the last page, as Juliette read that later, and then chaos was unleashed...and then it was DONE! Over! And I'm left sitting here, yelling, because WHAT? I was already heartbroken and desperate for more over previous events a chapter or two earlier, and I was like "no! Not this too!" But WOW, am I excited for the sequel.

On the topic of heartbreak, oh, the angst and the yearning and the hate and the love between Roma and Juliette had be so emotional. The tension between them with all the hurt, the unspoken words, the hidden - but also obvious - love they still had for each other . . . it was killing me. I love them. The misunderstanding. The way they should just talk. The way they protect each other even if it means heartbreak. The people and politics standing in between them. AHHH. ALL I WANT IS FOR THEM TO BE HAPPY.

Aside from their relationship, I really liked both Roma and Juliette as individuals. I feel like Gong explored their motivations well, and gave a convincing backstory to why both of them are the way they are, and what shaped them. This happened through some analepsis, and anecdotal stories, which made the story feel fleshed out and well rounded despite many of the years that had a big impact on their characters not being shown fully on page (i.e., the relationship between Roma and Juliette before the betrayal and her departure for New York).

I enjoyed the relationships we saw between Juliette and her family, particularly that with Kathleen, who I thought was a wonderful character. I have my suspicions about Rosalind...and I absolutely do not like Tyler (he is a well written antagonist for Juliette). I do wish we got to see more of Juliette and her family, but it's not something that impacted my enjoyment of the novel. I also loved if when we got to see Juliette interact with Marshall! Can they please be best friends?

I loved the relationship Roma had with his sister, and do wish we got more of that! His relationship with Benedikt and Marshall was also brilliant, and I enjoyed their scenes together. I am really glad we had the dual POV to be able to see both Roma's and Juliette's lives and the personal stakes each of them have, and the pressures on them - especially since both of them are not aware of some of the problems they have (Roma/his dad, Juliette/Tyler).

They were not the only characters I found myself invested in, but also Marshall and Benedikt. Oh, the quiet, soft, budding yearning between them . . . please. I love them. Their dynamic was soft and hilarious. And they are both such brilliant characters individually, too.

This novel is filled with political turmoil, with foreign powers trying to assert their influence and control, which unsettles the pre-existing domestic turmoil between the gangs. This impacts the way the characters move through the world, and their identity - particularly Juliette, who finds herself heavily impacted by her life, education and experiences in the West. Thus, opening up a wider discourse on imperalism, white supremacy & racism and not only how it impacts the individual, but the entire country.

Despite loving this book so much, I did have my issues with it. At times I found it to be particularly slower paced, not really moving anywhere which was disappointing. Because when it did pick up with the action, it was brilliant. However, for long build ups, it did seem sometimes as if the reveals just decided to jump up out of no where (because the book was finally coming to a close). Also, I feel like a lot was saved for the next novel, for example, what is going on with Rosalind (I have my suspicions), and Tyler etc... which, you know, is fine because this is a duology but it is disappointing that so much of the book spent time on things just to be like nope, wait for the next! I just wish there was a little more reveal/resolution to it, for the sequel to deal with the fallout (there's a lot that book is going to have to do, and I just know when reading it I will be full of tension).

So overall, this is a 4/4.5 star read for me! And I am excited for the sequel.

This book has the PERFECT premise.

Going in, my expectations were high. I was imagining dark vibes, star-crossed lovers reluctantly working together, blood shed, feuds, and other such things. I did get all of that, but there was one surprising element.

Interlaced with all the dark themes, there is wry humour through character dialogues and interactions which I did not expect. And that addition threw me off because I was only expecting dark and gritty vibes.

While I enjoyed the slight comedy brought out through the characters, I was not able to fully get used the alternating dark vibes and light/humour vibes. It did not feel like the writing was consistent throughout the book and that soured my reading experience.

Other than that, I actually really enjoyed the writing. Particularly, the descriptions.

The author describes everything really well with almost poetic sentences. Right from the start, I was transported to the book’s setting and had no problem imagining anything.

Descriptions of the crowds, markets, overall idealisms and more were highly familiar to me which was both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because the setting was so much like India and my city and hence I could easily imagine it. But bad because I couldn’t understand the uniqueness of 1920s Shanghai other than the historical perspective with politics etc.

Even though the book is set in another country during another time, the backdrop almost felt like modern India to me. This is a totally personal thing but I’m mentioning it because it had a huge influence on how I experienced the book.

The characters were the highlight of the book for me. It was easy to relate to both Juliette and Roma because although their lives are very different than mine, their fears and ambitions were highly relatable.

The supporting characters were also really nice to read about. I particularly loved friends of both the main characters who are kind of the main source of humour.

With the author really going into the characters’ motives and emotions, the book is firmly character-driven and I LOVED that. Character-driven books are my jam.

The plot was super interesting too. The darker parts of the book were shining. There was tension and stand-offs and build up. The two gangs of Shanghai made the plot so interesting and eventful. I finished the book fast because I couldn’t wait to read more.

The ending disappointed me though. It is supposed to be a huge cliffhanger but instead was simply abrupt. I am really looking forward to the next book but I still do not like the ending.

Speaking of the sequel, several scenes in this book were clearly set ups for the next book and it wasn’t even subtle. That kind of made me cringe.

In conclusion, I enjoyed this book but also did not enjoy many aspects of it.

Aspects of the writing disappointed me, basically. While there were good points of writing (I have several sentences highlighted because they make really good quotes), the overall effect of it wasn’t great.

Also, the book did not make me feel much which is another reason why my rating is low. All my true opinions are mentioned above but my rating is highly subjective to how I feel when reading.

A retelling of Romeo and Juliet, but more darkly and mysteriously.

I was captivated by this story from the beginning to the end. The heroine is nothing like Juliet, she’s more strong, smart and opinionated, she’s a fighter and knows what exactly she wants and how to get it.

Overall, the story seems quite a dark historical rivalry between two gangs of powerful characters and it reminded me about Gangs of New York especially since it’s set in 1920 but in Shanghai and this adds even more to the story as I haven’t read or know much about their culture.

I enjoyed it, the suspenseful moments and interaction are great and the writing is very good and easy to follow. I’m looking forward to reading more by the author and I recommend this book to anyone.

A dark retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai, with two rivalling gangs on the verge of destruction as a mysterious monster looms over the city. I hope that little description captivated you because it sure did for me.

I love retellings of pretty much any sort, and this was an excellent one. It stayed true enough to the original play to draw connections but veered away sufficiently in order to keep the reader intrigued, since the classic story is very well-known. The book is full of twists and turns that kept me guessing to the very end. The prose is also beautiful; I actually had trouble picking out a single quote for this review since I had so many saved. You can really feel the authenticity of the setting and culture, fittingly, as this is an OwnVoices novel. There was strong commentary on colonialism, colonisation and communism.

In addition, there was such a great cast of characters. Juliette Cai was an improvement from the original Juliet, a lot more powerful and less naive. Roma Montagov was also sweet, despite being heir to a gang, and I loved all their interactions together. It has the appropriate amount of yearning you'd expect from a R+J retelling. Even the side characters all had their own storylines going on, and I liked those too.

I really wished I had read this book at another time when I wasn't swamped with university work. I would've been able to read it much quicker and perhaps given it 5 stars. Maybe I'll give it a reread when I finally get a physical copy.

It’s hard to summarise how much I truly loved this book. I was scared that because of this being my first arc, I was worried about whether I would end up disliking it and having to put a bad review up. But wow, I knew I was going to enjoy this book pretty much straight away.

This book is set in 1920s Shanghai and is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet but so much better. It has tons of action which keeps you on the edge of your seat and the romance I absolutely adored. Who doesn’t love Enemies to Lovers? The key thing that made me love this book is the diversity, which lacks in many books but definitely not in this book!

I definitely recommend this book and can’t wait to read more by Chloe Gong in the future.

Thank you very much to Chloe Gong, Netgalley and publishers for letting me read an arc of this incredible book. (Review is complete truth and not influenced in any way)

These Violent Delights follows both Juliette and Roma, lovers torn apart by betrayal and a blood feud as they team up to investigate a new enemy turning people mad enough to kill themselves.

I did not like the start of the book, it was hard to get into and moves really fast with a lot happening and things being revealed early on. However, the book gets a lot better as it goes along and I ended up really liking the writing style and how the story was told – there were also perspectives from other characters in the book which I actually enjoyed reading. The book is a retelling, but I liked the concept and plot of the book, I liked the build up to the reveal with the characters following the leads and investigating everything and also the tension around the monster.

The two main characters are both heirs to the 2 gangs and are both over their heads with what they are dealing with. Juliette is a very impulsive character who can hold her own and is trying to prove herself in her role as the heir, throughout the book it details her inner conflict with her trying to fake her confidence/strength but I liked how she was ambitious and would do anything to keep her people safe. She is also dealing with betrayal/heart break from 4 years ago, at the start of the book - I did find that the book jumps right in with her personal issues which was also a reason I found it hard to get into the book but I did like how it was dealt with throughout the book. Roma, is the more relaxed one who does not want the power/title but needs it to keep himself and those around him safe. I enjoyed both of their perspectives, the romance was mainly told from Juliette’s side because she was the one betrayed so even though I liked them together it was hard for me to be invested in them because it seemed one-sided, I wanted to see their relationship from Roma’s perspective as well. I also liked the other narrators and their backstories, I did want more of their perspectives in the book to get to know the characters more.

The world building and setting was really interesting, I liked reading about the two different gangs and how they operated differently and about how Shanghai was split up and how they dealt with foreigners. The plot was really fun, the ending reveals are not surprising but I did like the build up to them and the monster/insects element to the book. There were parts in the second half of the book that did seem to drag on but for most of the book I enjoyed the pace and how the characters teamed up and investigated the mystery. I did like the ending and how it sets up for the second book.

4/5