These Violent Delights is set in 1926 Shanghai where a madness is killing off people at a frightening speed. Drawn into the mystery of how to stop this madness spreading are the heirs to two rival gangs.

This book was fun to read. I thought that Chloe Gong has a beautiful writing style. There is a lot going on in this book with some really interesting themes - the historical setting of Shanghai was so interesting, the commentary on colonisation, the Romeo and Juliette theme, a mystery to be solved. I would just have liked the book to feel a little more atmospheric. With the blood feud between the two gangs and the madness creeping through the city I did not feel as if the main characters (and those close to them) were in too much danger.

Overall I really liked this book and look forward to reading the next in the series.

It started out great but from the 50% mark it began to feel disjointed and I started to skim the rest of the book. The mystery doesn't make sense and it's weird that no one else found out about it? The love doesn't make sense either. I loved the worldbuilding and history though. And it did read like a movie. I wish it was well organized and editing was better.

Verdict: A lot to love, but perhaps too much?

Warning, this book contains more gore than the usual YA read.

This is the story of Romeo and Juliet, but if they were gangsters, and it's set in 1920’s Shanghai - and also there’s a monster on the loose. So many exciting things! There’s also a transgender character, LGBT slow burn romance, and an unapologetically fierce female lead. I was super excited to read this, but I wondered how all the pieces would come together.

First off, I loved Juliet. She’s the right heiress for a gangster crown. She’s bold, brave, and leaves others trembling in her presence. I loved the layers in her character, especially with her concerns over how other's would perceive her time spent in American.

Roma on the other hand is averse to violence and struggles to earn his father’s respect. He's slightly more standard YA, but very likeable. When these star-crossed lovers come together, it’s electric. However, the book picks up four years after Roma betrayed Juliet, meaning their connection is steeped in backstory. As a reader, I felt pushed out rather than pulled in...more on this later.

I also had mixed feelings about the world building. The tension between the gangs was visceral, and the use of different languages within the prose was seamless…some of the time. Other times I had to keep reading to figure out what was going on, and again, I felt pushed out. And while the politics around the gangs was tense, the politics between the nations was vague. There was a lot of talk of the French and Communism and power…but there wasn’t much depth to it, and it had more word time than relevance.

So I started to lose interest around the half way mark. While the writing was gorgeous at times, the pace was bogged down by exposition. Different POVs were thrown in without being necessary, and less was shown than it could have been. Maybe the book tried to accomplish too much?

Oh, and I almost forgot the creepy monster. I loved the supernatural mystery but the monster plot became less interesting the longer it went on. It helped spark some action back into the end sequence, but when the story ultimately finished on a cliché and a cliff hanger, my heart sank.

I’m sorry I didn’t like this one more. There’s a lot to love about it, and I think others would find it a good read. For me, it just wasn’t in the moment as much as I wanted it to be. I lost interest somewhere in the middle, and it didn't manage to win me back this time.

Source: From the publishers via Netgalley.
Video review to follow.

✨”Juliette didn’t immediately turn in haste to identify the voice.”✨— Chloe Gong, These Violent Delights

I just couldn’t get into this book... it somehow felt unedited and rough. And then the actual sentences themselves felt a few words to long. And the dialogue seemed unrealistic and unnatural.

Such a shame because I was REALLY looking forward to reading this book!

Read. Be happy. Stay safe.

Wow. Just wow.

I gave myself some time before writing this review to gather my thoughts but I don’t think it’s working; all I can think up is incoherent screaming and variations of OH MY GOD and THE BEST BOOK EVER.

Where do I begin? Characters? Plot? I’ll start with the thing that gripped me from page one: the writing.

🗡️ I absolutely LOVE the writing. I honestly have a hard time believing this is a debut novel!! It’s flowery but not too flowery and descriptive but not too descriptive; especially her descriptions have me in awe because we all know how hard it is to engage readers with descriptive writing and not bore them out of their minds. But Chloe Gong has managed to do it all the same: the writing she produces is so aesthetically pleasing, and so atmospheric it literally feels like I’m walking in the roads of Shanghai along with Juliette and Roma. The way she tells the story is so vivid, it brings the story alive I can practically taste the world she creates. And within this beautiful writing she weaves social commentary and raises various sociopolitical issues such as eurocentricism, westernisation, colonisation to name a few. Can I wait about the sequel and all other books she will write? Absolutely NOT GIVE THEM TO ME NOW!!

🗡️ Now characters, what can I say? I loved them all, each and every one of them felt so unique and fleshed out. There are so many layers to them all, truly amazing. So much diversity and so many different characters and personalities, what more can I ask for??????? If I had to pick a favourite it defenitely has to be Juliette: she is just so badass!!!! For real no other word can describe her best; she is the heir of a gangster family and she owns it: she is feared and adored by her people, nobody dares talk back to her or even talks about her and her overall attitude *cue incoherent screaming I talked about earlier* Classic case of looks like she can kill you and WILL kill you.

🗡️ THE PLOT talk about engaging and yes unique. I know it is a retelling so you are supposed to know where the story is going but guess again. Full of twists and turns, These Violent Delights has to be one of the most well crafted retellings ever. It tells the original story yes, but is has its own print. It’s like you get the main idea of Shakespeare’s play without feeling like you’re reading the same text. It is a retelling AND a completely different story at the same time, exactly what I’m looking for in retellings. I couldn’t wait to see how she will insert major plot points of the Shakespearian play to her own story each time and each time I was left more than satisfied.

🗡️ Last but not least the romantic aspect!!!!! This is a Romeo and Juliet retelling so of course we get all the angst that comes with having two people from rival gangs fall in love. However this is sort of a lovers to enemies to lovers situation so there’s double the angst and the slow burn. The tension between Juliette and Roma *chef’s kiss* There’s also a side couple I am ROOTING FOR WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE but I won’t say anything cause this is a spoiler free review and I’m polite.

Overall, These Violent Delights is the debut of 2020 for me. Full of monsters, blood and madness but also romance, slow burn and angst, it is the perfect mix of horror and romance. Don’t think twice and trust me on this one: go and preorder These Violent Delights now!!! You will not regret it I promise. Plus the cover is gorgeous just putting it out there for all of us who cover buy shhhhhh.

I received an eARC from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

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I loved it, loved it so fiercely that I know I would take a bullet for these characters. (well…hypothetically that is) I will cherish this and I cant wait for everyone to read it, so we can fan-girl over this absolute wonder of a Romeo and Juliet inspired YA Fantasy together.

Mysterious and heinous creatures are rising from the shadows of 19th century Shanghai, ruled by two ruthless gangs fighting against the onslaught of Communists and Nationalists threatening to end their reign, but the city threatens to fall apart as a contagious infection starts spreading, ensuing madness and panic, prowling for victims, causing them to viciously claw their throats out.

Juliette is the heir of the Scarlet Gang, cold and ruthless, putting anyone down in her path to the throne of power. She’s bitter about being sent away to America, but now she’s back and ready to rule, but not everyone in her family is as keen towards her leadership, rather preferring her male cousin (can someone please kill him for me and these sexist a**holes), deeming her too weak, too Americanised. However she’s adamant to prove them wrong, to shoot down any hesitancy, like the freaking bada** she is.😤

Roma is struggling. His chances of taking over The White Flowers slipping low. He’s fighting to stay aloft in ranks, his father’s disapproval of him tangible, his two close friends Benedikt and Marshall (WHOM I SHIP SO HARDD) the only one loyal to him.

Neglected heirs of opposing gangs are clawing tooth and neck to make place themselves at the top, hating each other, their hearts burdened with their brutal past, each of them content on forgetting the other, but the madness that is driving havoc in their city, attacking their gang members, minimizing their members, forces them to work together against the evil rising in Shanghai, which really gets the angst steaming and the inner turmoil brimming.

THE WRITING is painfully beautiful, the descriptions, the metaphors and anecdotes all incredibly astounding, it makes you hold on to the words like its your living salvation, its grasp strong and tight. The experience and rush it gives you as you journey through scrambling Shanghai, and the pure terror just pulls you in, latching you on until you are certain that the worst is over (it never is).😣

The characters are so wonderfully fleshed out, the multiple POV’s distinguishable from each other in thought and action, all impossibly captivating. I’m afraid I’m not able to convey just how addicting this book is, and how much I absolutely adored each character. ❤❤

That ending was painful to say the least. It gutted me, it made me cry, killed me and then resurrected me. The words will slice through you and you’ll be grateful for the scars.

||THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND PUBLISHER FOR THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE OF AN HONEST REVIEW||

I cannot believe a book is allowed to end like that. Yes, I’m happy there is another book coming, but to leave me hanging like that should be a crime.

This is a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in Shanghai where a fatal madness is overtaking its people, and a monster roams its streets. This is a great read for fans of fantasy, retelling, action - and, I’ll be honest, a bit of horror. There were definitely a few scenes where I wanted to gag from descriptions that were so graphic I thought I wouldn’t be able to continue the book (in a good way...I think).

A thrilling book from an exciting new author, please pray for my sanity as I wait for the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Juliette and Roma, former lovers and the children of opposing gang leaders, have to reluctantly team up when a monster starts massacring the people of their beloved city.

This ended up being a mixed bag for me. I loved the setting and think Gong did a great job of setting the scene of 1920’s Shanghai and all the political players, that was by far the highlight of the book. I struggled though with the characters. I never felt connected to them or their interactions with each other. As a fan of angsty romance, I had high hopes for Juliette and Roma but the dialogue in their interactions was quite cliché so while I didn’t dislike them as a pair, nor was I invested in them. I had similar feelings about the monster in the novel, I never felt convinced of the character’s fear or any palpable tension.

This is far from a bad book, and as debut’s go Chloe Gong has done a great job. These Violent Delights has a lot of tropes that I usually enjoy but fell flat here, and the characters all felt pretty one-dimensional. That said, the setting is cool and there’s some trans rep which is always great to see. Although this was underwhelming, I likely will continue with the series in hope there will be better characterisation in the second instalment, and to read more vivid descriptions of Shanghai with interesting historical context thrown in.

A 1920s Shanghai retelling of Romeo and Juliet? You literally had me at every single word in this pitch.
What a wonderful and new take on a story as old as time!
The characters were great and really fleshed out which is always a hit or miss in fantasy but I loved how the past that the two of them had was weaved into their current enemies situation. I wasn't too invested in their romance (after all, we all know how the original ends) but I loved the characters on their own more than together, if that makes sense. The enemies situation was almost more intriguing than their eventual romance.
The twists that were fantastical also kept the pace up because it sometimes dragged a bit but whenever we'd get a new "clue", I'd be invested in the story again. And I kept guessing who the monster was going to be which definitely added to the tension.
Really excited for the sequel!

So, I’ll be the first person to admit that I’m not a Romeo and Juliet fan. It’s one of my least favourite Shakespeare plays and I’m happy to be salty about it. But the moment I heard about These Violent Delights, I was curious. And the moment I started it, I was hooked.

As you might have gathered already These Violent Delights is a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920’s Shanghai. It follows Juliette, the Scarlet gang heir and Roma, the heir of the White Flowers. Juliette is Chinese but spent most of her childhood in the US and Roma is Russian but spent his whole life in the city. When a monster seems to be spreading madness across the city they wind up tangled in each other’s lives again as they try to stop the monster.

I don’t know much about China and certainly not about Shanghai in the 1920’s. The whole atmosphere of the city and gangs was something I’d have more expected in Hong Kong from what I know. So it was interesting to learn more about Shanghai and the international community amid the rise of communism. As someone in 2020, we know the communists are going to win but it was fascinating to see these people fighting against it. And obviously the gangs were definitely going to prefer the county stay capitalist but it definitely delves into this and yeah. I actually learned a lot more than I thought I would.

This is billed as an enemies to lovers romance and it is but it isn’t. If anything it’s more friends to lovers to enemies and then back to lovers. You get hints of Roma and Juliette’s relationship back when they were 15 before there was betrayal. I was kind of sad that we had Rosalind but she wasn’t Roma’s crush before Juliette as since she is so much more important in this book, it would have been interesting to see more connections between the gang. But I did like Roma and Juliette. There was a lot of drama, yes, but it made sense and it made me very emotional. Not like I cried but you experience a lot of feelings and it was good.

The characters were all interesting and though some I wasn’t sure who they were in the original, others with name changes were easily recognizable. And I liked getting a view into some of these characters that we don’t know much about. But also there were changes. Certain characters are dead in the beginning and obviously the use of a monster is something completely new. But it brought something new that I feel like we needed in a Romeo and Juliet retelling. We have some really grotesque scenes and a hint of fantasy but because it was set in a time and country that we don’t see in YA fiction much and that makes it a little bit more educational.

I really enjoyed this book so much. I knew I’d like it but I loved it more than I thought I would. I’m definitely eager for book 2 to come out and I’ll definitely be buying myself a copy when this comes out!

These Violent Delights is an exhilarating reimagining of the classic Shakespeare tale, Romeo & Juliet. Set in 1920’s Shanghai and involving rival gangs instead of feuding families, Juliette and Roma are each heirs to their respective gang. Juliette, a former flapper, is the ex girlfriend of Roma. And with the mysterious deaths throughout the city piling up, Roma & Juliette realize they need to team up to solve the mystery before there is no city left to fight over. The writing is vivid and beautiful, just flowing off the page. It’s shocking this is only Gong’s debut novel. The character development is very strong. They all feel fully fleshed out. Plus, there is diversity throughout. The setting feels real with the detail truly bringing it to life. I enjoyed the blend of historical fiction and fantasy with the addition of the monster. If you’re looking for an original story with inspiration from Romeo & Juliet, look no further. And if you enjoy historical fiction with a dose of fantasy added in, this is the perfect novel for you. Be sure to check out These Violent Delights today!

A fascinating take on Rome & Juliet in Shanghai! Completely perfect for me as I love Shakespeare and have become recently obsessed with this genre. I loved this book and I am a new fantasy reader but was completely captivated. It was a solid debut and I can't wait to read more from Chloe.

This book has amazing social commentary, amazing characters (so much representation!) and a really interesting premise. Unfortunately for me the execution didn't quite work. I don't know what was missing. Was it too long for the story? Was it the writing style? The plot? I'm not quite sure. What I do know is that the majority of reviews I've seen have been overwhelmingly positive and that's really amazing, and I'll definitely try Chloe Gong's future series. This one just wasn't for me and that's cool.

I think Kathleen was my favourite character by far, I felt like she brought a new perspective and I was really engaged with her story. Not sure about the others, Roma was disappointing and Juliette was OK.

trigger warning
<spoiler> bodyhorror, self mutilation, trauma, grief </spoiler>

1920, Shanghai: Juliet Cai has returned to the city after she recieved her education in New York, and brings flapper flair to her family - and their business. The scarlet gang runs one half of the city, and Roma, the guy she used to love, belongs to the white flowers, their enemies.

Okay, I thought this was only historical fiction because it's been ages since I requested it. And I wasn't in the mood for it. So I perked up as I realised there's a monster on the loose, and people are dying. Juliet and Roma will have to pool their resources together to solve this. Either that or loose everybody.

Fantasy twists make everything better in my opinion.

But to be fair, this setting doesn't really need it. A while back I read an interesting book about the atrocity that is the opium wars, and the chaos in the region when western colonialists decided they wanted and didn't care which suffering they inflicted on people, because said people were <i>other</i>.
It's only unchristian if you do it to christians.

So, for the trigger warnings, expect lots of racism I haven't mentioned because the setting as such speaks for itself. There is poverty, there are unjust systems, different cultures clash together. Outside forces, in this case communist politicans, are trying to get a peace of the cake so everybody gets some crumbs.

This book is a Romeo and Juliet retelling, so the question is how far the author replicated the story. I am glad to tell you that both main characters have known each other for years, they were pretty tight a while back, but then things happened and Juliet returned to New York. They haven't seen each other for about four years, a time that was formative as they are in their late teens.
Both are being groomed for inheriting the family business a.k.a. becoming gang overlord, but are they? Internal politics rage on both sides, adding confusion. And realism. This vibrant setting felt so, so real.

Lots of violence, turmoil. Not much time to whisper sweet nothings, especially as the characters are not too sure if they want to do that or everything has been ruined already.

The ending really, really upset me, because cliffhanger. Will read on for sure. The problem with reading arcs is finishing a book <i>that is not even out yet</i> and then wanting the next installment.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

This book is a very solid debut novel and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it! It's a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in Shanghai in the 1920s and guys believe me when I say it was everything and more.

The story is a fantasy infused with politics. It is set in the world of gangsters where constant fear, backstabbing, and retaliation are a daily occurrence. Nobody is safe and people always have to look over their shoulders. In the midst of this all two families rule over Shanghai underworld, the Cais with their Scarlet Gang and the Montagovs with the White Flowers. And it's from these two families that the main characters come from, Roma who is the heir to the Montagov's White Flowers and Juliette, the princess to the Scarlet empire.
But can these two young people prove themselves to be the heir everyone needs? And how much are they willing to sacrifice? After all, all is fair in love and war.
I believe the usual themes of the original play were used in a unique and smart way and I also think that we will see more of them in the next book.

Personally, I really appreciated the fantasy elements that this novel deals with. It's not over the top or too complicated, but it's interesting enough to keep the plot going and my attention during the reading experience. There's a madness spreading and it's causing people to kill themselves by clawing their own throats out. Everyone is more scared than ever and the two gangs need to come together in order to find a solution. But will they manage to put aside their differences and succeed?

I truly enjoyed this story and I cannot wait to read the next novel in this series.

The premise of this really spoke to me, 1920s Shanghai? With gangs? With a hate-love relationship? Sign me up! I'm not a big fan of Shakespeare, and though I read parts of Romeo and Juliet in high school, I couldn't tell you exactly how much this followed that story beyond its premise and a few key scenes.

I enjoyed the discussion of language in this novel a lot, and I'm finding it a subject I'm consistently drawn to.


Character

The characters were a lot of fun! Juliet and Marshal (a side character) stuck out the most for me, and I enjoyed that this novel dipped into a lot of characters perspectives.

Roma and his and Juliet's friends (six in all) came alive on the page, but there were times I felt like I didn't see enough of the side characters to really get to know them (except from maybe Kathrine) and Marshal's humour helped him stick out.

The other characters all blended together with me, and Roma and Juliet's fathers felt like very similar people.


Plot

The plot felt a little lacklustre. The premise of the insects and madness was an interesting one, but the mystery of "who is behind it all" failed to grab my attention. I found it hard to pay attention to the ins and outs of Juliet and Roma's investigations, as I didn't care about the political background, and the potential villains left me disinterested.
There weren't enough humourous or engaging situations within the plot, that could've brought out character for me personally, which left me feeling lukewarm about the overall novel despite promising character dynamics.

These Violent Delights is the debut novel from Pennsylvania University undergraduate Chloe Gong. Set in Shanghai in the 1920s These Violent Delights is a clever retelling of the Shakespeare classic Romeo and Juliet. The book will be released November 17th and trust me when I say you want to get your hands on a copy.

I was very kindly sent an ARC of These Violent Delights through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Chloe Gong and Hodder & Stoughton.

As mentioned above These Violent Delights is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Taking place in 1920’s Shanghai, a madness is sweeping the city which leads to many dead victims. Juliette and Roma, heirs to rival gangs The Scarlets and The White Flowers, reluctantly team up to solve the mystery before there is no city left to fight over.

First things first I was shocked when I found out that this was a debut novel. Like wow. You would think that Chloe had a whole plethora of novels under her belt before writing These Violent Delights. From the get-go, the story is intense and exciting, mysterious deaths, a suspected monster and all of the drama that the original Romeo and Juliet holds.

The first character you are introduced to is Juliette Cai, the heir to one of Shanghai’s leading gangs The Scarlets. Now do not be fooled into thinking that she will be anything like Shakespeare’s Juliet, Juliette Cai is cutthroat and bold and just happens to be the ex-girlfriend of Roma Montagov, heir to the rival gang The White Flowers.

As the title suggests this is quite a violent book. Obviously, if you are not comfortable reading that type of thing then fair enough this book probably isn’t for you. However, if you don’t violence and gore then you will definitely enjoy These Violent Delights. The violence, although harsh, can be quite poetic at times and really makes this an intense read.

This is the type of book which you cannot put down. The suspense is carried throughout the entire book, something which can be quite difficult to do in YA. This does not mean that it is all doom and gloom and the read is not enjoyable. You will find that even though the story is dark you are enjoying it as it is so immersive and the plot twists are so shocking you will constantly be on the edge of your seat.

Chloe Gong has an incredible worldbuilding ability that made 1920s Shanghai come to life before my eyes. Worldbuilding for me is one of the most important parts of a story. We read to lose ourselves in a story and if you cannot imagine that you are actually there then what is the point?

Juilette and Roma are characters that you really come to love. Extremely well fleshed out and well-written backstories make you feel like you really know them. Although on opposing sides, their stories entwined beautifully and add a new spin on the classic love story.

If you are a fan of Romeo and Juliet, like myself, then you will love These Violent Delights. The age-old blood feud is in full swing and you can feel the tension of Juliette and Roma’s forbidden love.

Quality Rating: Three Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Three Stars

I have to admit, I did nearly put this book down at least three times before finally deciding it wasn't for me - so there was clearly something that made me want to keep trying. But, in the end, it just didn't do it for me and despite continuing on multiple times I only made it 35% through. It's not a bad book, but it's quite YA-ish and contrite, and it just wasn't keeping my attention enough.

A lot happens, even in the first third I read, but the story progresses at a snail's pace. We'd only really achieved two things at the time I stopped reading. I mean, really, it's so repetitive, it's basically the same three scenes over and over again. There's an edge of Libba Bray's The Diviners in the way it builds up the monster mystery, but the character's plotlines aren't holding the core strong enough for it to remain compelling. Gong also dumps a lot of information constantly - while the cultural and historical aspects are really interesting, I wish it had come across more in action and behaviour than explicit explanations.

I'm also not a massive fan of the leads, and I didn't feel their chemistry at all - and that's always a big factor for me personally. Most of their character is built up from what has happened in the past, but the problem is that it gets so concerned with the backstory (and with being mysterious about it) that it doesn't actually get to telling this story. It was also, for me, too dramatic. I didn't feel the tension because it felt like someone held up a *cue gasp* sign. This doesn't make it bad, it's just a stylistic element that I'm not a fan of.

The whole book just felt pulled in too many different directions: at times it was a melodramatic YA gangster love story, then it was a monster mystery, then it was a historical political drama. All are great and can be balanced together, but I just don't think Gong quite managed it for me this time.

This was a loose Romeo and Juliet retelling that I enjoyed. I really liked the atmosphere and the writing was pretty decent.
The plot was well-paced with characters to root for.

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book to review.
I knew nothing when going into this book and I ended up liking it. It is advertised as a Romeo and Juliet retelling in 1920s Shanghai but I’d say it was inspired by Romeo and Juliet rather than a retelling.

It is set in 1920s Shanghai and I loved the setting. The world was interesting and I loved it. I enjoyed the gang set up and how there are two main opposing gangs, the Scarlet Gang and the White Flowers. I also enjoyed the mysterious madness and how the two heirs of the gangs had to work together. The plot of the madness and the monster kept me reading. I really enjoyed the politics in the background of the book and how they were navigated. There is nationalism and communism which was good to see and I liked how it was explored.I loved the theme of colonialism and how it dealt with it. The city is divided and parts are owned by the West while others are run by gangs. I liked that it showed Juliette as feeling like a stranger in her own city. The colonialism was done really well and it was my favourite part of the book.

The characters are all okay, Juliette was my favourite but there were times were I was annoyed by her slightly as it felt like other characters weren’t as good so Juliette could look better. Juliette is layered and a well built character. Roma who is a stand in for Romeo is less well built and I didn’t really connect. I liked the inclusion of lgbt side characters and it was great to see a trans character in the books. The romance didn’t really work for me either as I just didn’t feel the chemistry between the characters and I think it could have worked without the romance.

There is multiple povs in the book and some I enjoyed more than others. I think this book could have worked better if there was less subplots. There were times where I felt the plot was a little convenient but overall I still enjoyed it.