These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong is a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, and honestly that was all I needed to know to be excited about it. I love a retelling of a well known tale, especially if that retelling makes the story more diverse. In this version we follow Juliette Cai, who has returned to her home of Shanghai after living in America for several years to retake her role as heir to the Scarlet Gang. But returning means dealing with things she's been trying to forget; including running into her first love Roma Montagov, heir to rival gang the White Flowers, and facing their fraught past. But when a mysterious illness means that people on both sides of the gang divide start ripping their own throats out, Juliette and Roma must work together to puzzle out the mystery at the heart of their city, or risk everything they know being torn apart.
I can honestly say I wasn't expecting too much from this except for it to be a fun quick read, but I got some much more than that, the synopsis really doesn't do this book justice! This book is a total mix of genres, young adult, historical, romance, with a dash of sci-fi, and moments that almost made me feel like we were teetering on the edge of fantasy, but thankfully Gong handles this is such a interesting and fun way. This book isn't all about the relationship between Juliette and Roma, and even though it's an interesting take of the aftermath of their love affair I think it benefits from having such an intriguing plot to propel you through the novel. I don't want to give too much away because discovering the mystery for myself was one of the parts of this that I loved, but it was fast-paced, dark, and delicately left clues throughout the narrative without it being spoon-fed to the reader, nor made too hard that you couldn't begin to guess yourself as the plot developed.
The aesthetics and diversity in this novel were really well-handled, clearly showing another example of how important it is to have own voice narratives in the book industry. Shanghai felt vivid and real to me as a reader who has never been, and the 1920s aspect gave it a fun interesting flare which heightened the affective imagery even more. Gong even managed to balance all this and dynamic interesting characters! Juliette is reimagined as a knife-wielding, scary, complex woman, who's ability to lead a crime syndicate you never doubt. I liked the balance of her being confident in her femininity while also being what you may call a typical "badass" YA female lead. Quite often in novels like this female characters are made to abandon typically female things, and even most emotions, to be considered worthy of the title of "badass" but thankfully Juliette is a character who is unashamedly both. She also deals with being often treated like a foreigner in her own country while enduring the pressure to be this American woman with an American education to get people to respect her, which just adds another layer of depth to her story and development. She was the most memorable character throughout the entire book and has stuck with me the most. But Gong also managed to bring more development to the side characters from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, including a brewing m/m romance and a trans character. All of whom I hope play a bigger part in the sequel!
Roma was probably the only character that I felt a little lacklustre about, and in retrospect that is probably only because the others shined so much. He's quiet and introspective, and a refreshing take on the usual Romeo figure I feel like retellings give us. I do hope he gets more development in the sequel as I definitely see the potential of this character but for now he wasn't someone who stuck much in my mind. I also didn't feel too much of his Russian culture, not in the way you felt the Chinese and American influences on Juliette and her struggle with both. It was an interesting element, but again I feel like it could've been explored in more detail to give an interesting contrast to the Shanghai setting and provide a little more character to Roma.
Overall I did enjoy the romance between Roma and Juliette. I liked the fact that they had a history and we were watching the aftermath; the tension between them was great and it really helped keep that when they were simultaneously drawn to each other and yet were pushing each other away the whole time. I do wish we got more of their back story, more of what they were like before Juliette left, I think it would've given just that extra bit of detail that their story needed. At first it did just feel like we were thrown into the middle and expected to know their history, even though we didn't and we're drip fed it quite slowly, so I was a little confused at first. I was routing for them and enjoyed their encounters, but I wasn't as invested as I think I could've been. As I hope I am in Our Violent Ends.
Overall this book is an excellent example of a diverse YA novel that retells a familiar tale in a fun, unique way. I really enjoyed my time reading it and am excited for the sequel, but there are definitely things I'm hoping it improves upon in terms of the relationships between the characters.

Loved this book!
It was the perfect blend of the original tale with new elements to keep it fresh and interesting!
The location was phenomenal and the romance was just perfection!
Loved every second of it!

These Violent Delights was one of the best books I read in the year. It's a Romeo & Juliet-reimagining set in 1920s Shanghai and it has brilliant representation, enemies-friends-lovers romance and intricate politics--the perfect recipe and ingredients to make it to my list of favourites of all time! Even better, there's lots and lots of yearning. The romance and relationships were *chef's kiss*. This utterly magnificent book truly deserves all the hype and love.

The historical setting and world-building was wonderfully written, and I was extremely interested in the commentary and insight on colonialism, identity and racism. Also, with the hints and easter eggs from the original Romeo and Juliet play, I was sold. Chloe Gong managed to put together a wonderful piece with intricate details and wonderful storytelling.

So glad i read this.! 20’s shanghai AND a retelling of Romeo and Juliet? I mean it’s dark, it’s told in a modern way, and everything i read glued me to the page. I could not get enough of how good it was. IT DESTROYED ME. I’ve just finished all of my exams and it took me a while to read it, but i’m writing a full review of it on my blog soon. It’s definitely a book you should pick up!

The last few Shakespearean retellings I've tried have not been the greatest - to put it nicely. That is why picking up These Violent Delights was such a wonderful breath of fresh air! Although saying that, I spent so long hunched over this book, it's a wonder I managed to breath at all. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time and I have to give so much appreciation to how Chloe Gong writes action scenes, never once did the pace let up! Can I have the sequel now please???

This arc was provided by Hodder & Stoughton, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

TW: murder, gore, violence, death, blood, loss of loved ones, disease/sickness, self-harm & suicide (not of own volition), transphobia, racism, colonialism, explosion, insects, body horror with insects.

I want to start this review by thanking Chloe Gong for my insect-ridden nightmares. I didn't know I needed them until you gave them to me :')

These Violent Delights is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in 1926 Shanghai, where the blood feud between the Scarlet Gang and the White Flowers runs deep in its streets.

Juliette Cai, the heir to the Scarlet Gang, has recently returned from the United States where she has spent a large portion of her life in order to further her education, per her parents' orders. She returns to a city that has changed in the short years she has been away, and she comes across Roma Montagov, her rival heir to the White Flowers. Immediately, you know there's a past between them that is slowly exposed to the readers.

Tensions in the city are at an all-time high, especially with the sudden appearance of a disease ("madness") that makes people tear at their own throats. Juliette and Roma must put their differences aside in order to help their city and its people, seeing as no one else will.

In the background, you see the gangs' rivalry and the rivalry with the foreigners that want to claim Shanghai for themselves. This was what I truly enjoyed about this book, the atmosphere of a politically unstable city, newly plagued by a mysterious disease.

Overall, it was an okay read for me as I didn't particularly care about any of the characters, and I kept confusing the side ones. In my opinion, I think it could have had more depth to them. However, I think this is an easy book to love with its beautiful writing. Even though I had an arc, I did also buy my own copy with my friends and they all enjoyed this immensely.

With their past and their duties to their families, this is a story of conflicts where Juliette and Roma must secretly work together as their old feelings return to haunt them. Definitely a good pick for those who enjoy starcrossed lovers in a complex setting.

These Violent Delights is a Romeo & Juliety retelling with a twist. It shows off the conflict between their houses (or in this case, gangs) more than the original Romeo & Juliet, and gives a reason behind why they can’t be together. I liked that we’re shown a history between them too. Instead of falling instantly in love they grew up together, broke apart, and learn to come back together and help each other throughout the story. Childhood friends-to-enemies-to-lovers was a good way to build depth into the relationship, and explore the star-crossed lovers in a new light.

Shanghai of the mid-1920s was a great backdrop to the traditional story. Gong includes many aspects which had me learning about the history and culture on top of the story she’s telling, I’ll admit there were a couple of things I had to google to check I was thinking of the right thing. I loved that we got to explore the different gang territories, and how different they feel including how different they feel for our characters too. For example, Juliet walking through the French quarter was very different to her walking around her own territory.

Instead of being a sole romance plotline, our characters are pushed into a partnership to save both their gangs/families from a monster that is killing people. There’s clear action with a mystery to uncover, and different aspects showed off the strengths of not just Roma and Juliette, but of the many side characters who are vital to the book.

The monster itself was an interesting plot point, and it’s linked to our main characters but also the gang’s backstories too. It acts as a genuine threat too, the unease and mystery surrounding it makes you second guess yourself when reading.

Side characters include two for each main character. First up is Benedikt and Marshall for Roma and then we have Juliette’s cousins Rosalind and Kathleen. All four of them are distinct characters with wildly different personalities and backstories. I mostly love Kathleen who is a trans woman, but not openly due to the time period apart from immediate family members. I really loved the exploration of her as a character, trying to find her place in the family and how she could help Juliette too.

Whilst a lot of the book focuses on the romance and the monster, there’s also a theme around imperialism and how ingrained the west is within Shanghai. As the White Flowers and Scarlet Gang fight between themselves for territory, there’s an insidious force of westerners who are also taking over the city bit by bit. This creates discourse around how the gangs should come together to fight a larger problem which is taking their city, and is then paralleled within the monster plotline.

The ending of These Violent Delights ends on a cliffhanger and makes you want to pick up the next book immediately. Overall the book has a good pace, and it draws you into the streets of Shanghai. I enjoyed the read, and I’m excited to get my hands on Our Violent Ends.

Positives of These Violent Delights
Unique take on a Romeo & Juliet retelling
Well written world building
Negatives of These Violent Delights
Takes time to build our characters into the plot properly

I can't express how much I adored this book! I loved the atmosphere and the way the story shifted from the prologue to the first chapter. I loved the commentary on colonialism and the subtle queer rep. Such a wonderful book! I cannot wait to read the sequel!

These Violent Delights reimagines the story of Romeo and Juliet in 1920s Shanghai. In a city rich in culture and history, it's a dangerous time. Rival gangs roam the city, intent on fulfilling a centuries old blood feud, killing anyone who steps over into their territory. And something evil and powerful has emerged from the Huangpu river, killing without thought to gang ties. Against this backdrop Roma and Juliette, former lovers, must unite to uncover the monster who threatens them all.

I really enjoyed Juliette as a character. She's devoted to her family, strong willed and intelligent with enough bite to make people step back and accept her authority within her gang. As the daughter of the leader she has a lot to prove, yet within we find a lot of turmoil on her part. She has grown up away from Shanghai, sent to America to gain a Western education as it is deemed superior, and as a result she struggles with the emperialism she sees on arriving home. She's opens up a lot of discussions surrounding colonisation, the perceived 'rights' of the Westerners who have stolen her city, and her simmering rate towards them is well described and understandable. Her uprooted childhood has left her conflicted in her feelings on who she is, and how that's shaped her into the woman she has become. I liked her close relationship with Rosalind and Kathleen, and it showed her in a more human light too. She cares for her family deeply, and is willing to sacrifice everything for them. I also loved the diversity. I want more Kathleen.

Roma, and by extension is relationship with Juliette, I was less taken in by. We are told that the pair met 4 years ago, starting out as friends before moving on to more. It's a forbidden love, filled with the excitement of secrets and danger that is ultimately ripped apart by betrayal and heartbreak. But we never see it. We're simply told about most of this backstory, and as a result I never really connected enough with the relationship. I wanted to see the tension, angst and the slow build up of trust and commitment between them. Instead I was just left feeling a little underwhelmed.

I loved the setting. Chloe Gong has close ties with Shanghai, and this is reflected in her writing and world building. It's beautifully atmospheric in its descriptions of the various parts of the city and how they are divided both culturally and through gang lines. We have the crowded markets, filled with the shouting of the stall holders in a juxtaposition with the lush gated Western gardens and it all fits together in a ecclectic mix that just seems to fit.

It helps that Gong's writing is rather beautiful too. She sure knows how to write, with streams of prose that clearly take direct influence from the Shakespearean bard himself. There's plenty of quotable lines that I'm sure many will love. However, I did find the plot a little lacking in places. It's convoluted and messy at times, without any clear direction of where it really wants to go - and the pacing suffers because of it. We have some direct Romeo and Juliet scenes, but then it veers off entirely into its own story. It really should have been one or the other in my opinion.

Great setting with some beautiful writing, but I really struggled with the slow pace and erratic plot. I'm still intrigued enough that I might pick up the sequel.

I loved loved this one so so much! One of my fav fantasy I’ve read and wow what a debut it was, can’t wait for book 2 I need it in my hands like right now and I need everyone to read it’

These Violent Delights is an ownvoices Chinese retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet set in Shanghai, 1926. It follows Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov, the heirs of the two enemy gangs that rule the city. Juliette, who is back in Shanghai after spending the last four years in New York, is the heir to the Scarlet Gang, the city’s Chinese underground empire. While Roma, Juliette’s former lover, is the heir of the White Flowers—the Russian gang. They haven’t seen each other since he betrayed her years ago. But now that a lethal disease is getting spread in Shanghai, both are forced to work together in order to find a cure.

I was quite excited to read this debut novel since I knew it revolved around the lovers-to-enemies trope, which got me very invested in Juliette and Roma’s angsty drama at the beginning of the story. I especially liked Juliette, her personality and determination. But I started to loss interest both in the characters and the romance towards the middle of the book, when the story focuses more on the monster that is spreading the disease. I have the feeling I would have enjoyed this book way more if it had delved more on the historical-fiction side rather than the fantasy elements.

Something that I especially enjoyed about These Violent Delights is how Gong explores important themes such as colonisation and communism throughout the entire book: Juliette feeling like a foreigner in her own country because of the foreign imperialism taking place in Shanghai and the power the Communist Party starts to gain with the support of the working class. There is also a lot of talk of racism.

Overall, I found a quick and average YA fantasy read between the pages of this book. I liked the socio-political commentary, the dynamic between Juliette and Roma at the beginning and some of the secondary characters (especially Marshall and Benedikt). Unfortunately, I got bored through the second part of the story and ended up feeling quite indifferent about the characters by the end of the book. I also think that the general plot was rather predictable and I was kind of disappointed by the lack of twists. The ending had potential, but I’m not interested enough to read the conclusion to this duology.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Romeo and Juliet has had a fantastical twist in this 1920's inspired retelling. As the heir to the Scarlet Gang, Juliette Cai is relearning her city all over again. Her parents sent her to America from an early age, and she's embraced the Western culture, all the time remembering her people, and the city she left. However, when she was back in Shanghai four years ago, she let her guard down, and was betrayed in the worst way possible. Now, she's out for blood, and will do anything to ensure she comes out on the top, and that the White Flowers are destroyed - especially their heir, Roma Montagov, her first love. But, Shanghai isn't how she remembers it. The Russians, French, British, and Americans have their claws in the city, and when a new madness or contagion starts spreading, killing Scarlet and White gang members indiscriminately, Juliette and Roma have to put aside their differences, and work together to save those they care about - before it's too late.

I'm going to admit it straight out, this time reading These Violent Delights was my third attempt. When I was approved for the eARC prior to publication, I was so excited to read it, but on two separate occasions, I couldn't get more than 4 chapters in, and put it to one side each time. I thought I was reading a different book to everyone else who were gushing over it. Come lockdown 3, and I was working from home, had my birthday, and decided to order some new books, I bought a hardcover copy of TVD, because part of my issue with the eARC was the formatting. Well, it's the end of the Easter holidays, and I thought 'how about giving it another go?', and by god, and I glad I did. I devoured the entire book in less than a day, and can safely say I'm desperate for Our Violent Ends.

One of my favourite parts of the book was the main characters. Juliette was fiesty, and strong, and she knew what she wanted - and was willing to do just about anything to get it. She was a bad ass, and though she might look small, and demure, especially in her flapper outfits compare to the rest of the city, she was strength indeed, and I just loved her. Roma, on the other hand, was a softy at heart, who didn't relish the darker side of being heir to the White Flowers, and hated hurting or killing anyone. He fell for Juliette four years ago, and fell hard, but the betrayal that happened before she was sent away again, destroyed their relationship, and it became a fully fledged 'enemies-to-lovers' situation. The yearning and want on both sides was plain to see - to the reader at least - but they'd both been hurt and suffered in the past, and were so reluctant to let their guards down, it was both a joy and a pain to read it all. The ending, too, destroyed me, and I'm actually glad I don't have too long to wait until book 2 is released.

For the plot, I adored the history of the city, being woven with the fantasy aspect of the monster and the contagion. Living through a pandemic and reading this was strange, to say the least, but I loved the mix of traditional and fantasy, modern and science. Chloe managed to create a world and story that was so engaging, and magically created, that once I was hooked, I couldn't put it down. Honestly, if I hadn't finished it at a decent time, I would've stayed up to read it all. The secondary characters were just as good as Juliette and Roma, too, with the book being full of diversity, in gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and more. If I hadn't known this was a debut, by a young author, I would've thought it was written by a seasoned writer, with numerous awards and accolades under their belt. If this is how Chloe's debut is, I can not wait to see more.

I really enjoyed reading this book and found it to be a great retelling of Romeo and Juliet with twists I wasn’t expecting. It had been a while since I read contemporary fantasy but it made me remember how much I love grounded settings with fantastical elements. The characters felt so real and fully fleshed out, their interactions were great and their story arcs were well done. This is especially true for Juliette and Roma.

This was a solid story that felt a little uneven in pacing. Each time I put it down it took me a few pages to get back into the rhythm. The sentences are long and detailed which makes the pace feel slow at times but there is s richness that is rendered to the world being described as a result.

Being familiar with Romeo and Juliet obviously means I knew the 'twist' is if it meant to be a twist at all? I did think it was a reasonably effective use of the plot device here.

I thought the representation with Kathleen in particular was really well done - not laboured and not brushed over. I'd like to see more done with it in book two.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the themes of this book and I truly did love Juliet. I just felt like I didn’t love the plot with the actual monster in this book. I also felt like a lot plot points built up and just went nowhere, even though I’m sure they will be talked about in future books. I also didn’t love the romance, because I just didn’t love Roma. I think this book did a lot of talking, and not showing us, things about the characters. And the ending of this book really left me wanting so much more, but not necessarily in a good way. I still recommend this completely for the themes alone, and I think it is a very impressive debut. You can also tell that this story means a lot to the author, and her family and culture, and it is a tale that deserves to be read (and a history you shouldn’t let your Westernized education ignore). This is truly the highest of three stars from me, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!

DNF at 53%

These Violent Delights was one of my most anticipated release of 2020. When I heard that it was a Romeo and Juliet’s retelling (I’m an English major, I can’t help it) and that it was set in Shanghai, I was sold! Unfortunately, everything didn’t happen as I expected.

I really wanted to like this book and I tried multiple times to finish it, but I just couldn’t. I think the major problem this book has, is the pacing. This is so slow! I’ve read half of it and nothing happened. For a 450 pages’ book, it’s arduous to go through. And there was barely any romance at all. For a Romeo and Juliet’s retelling, it’s disappointing.

It’s a shame though because I enjoyed the dark atmosphere that the author managed to create and the fact that it was set in Shanghai.

This is a bold take on a classic Shakespearean play. As someone who isn't a fan of Romeo and Juliet/Shakespeare in general, I was curious to see how Chloe Gong revitalises the story – and she definitely delivered. I was wowed by her beautiful and confident prose. I'm in awe of her word mastery. This is a strong debut.

My only gripe is that the trauma/grief representation in the story is lacking, which took away from my personal enjoyment. However, I look forward too see how this young writer grows over the years.

THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS is a clever retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai. The parts that echo the play are subverted or played for humour, a sly wink for those aware of the original material.

Gong evokes the atmosphere of Shanghai in lush descriptions. The topics of identity and colonialism are handled deftly and with great nuance. I especially loved the secondary characters of Marshall, Benedikt, and Kathleen, and really hope they have equally strong parts in the sequel, OUR VIOLENT ENDS.

Speaking of the sequel—that cliffhanger, dear god!

The stars incline us, they do not bind us.

Thank you to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Chloe Gong for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There are many aspects of this book to get excited about, which I was, at the beginning. The premise, the setting, everything… my enjoyment then hinged upon how the author executed the concept. I think it’s safe to say that Chloe Gong not only knocked it out of the park, but also gained a new enthusiastic reader in me.

These Violent Delights took me a while to read not because of any fault of the book’s own, on the contrary, I was only able to read it in chunks before bed but each session hooked me in and I could feel the dreaded reading slump melting away. It reinstated my love of reading, in short.

It brought a fresh take into the characters I knew and loved from the play. Especially during the first half of the novel, there were instances where it felt like Gong was experimenting with a character sketch, “telling not showing” but using words in a way that was like painting a dynamic picture of the characters and the setting. Gong knew the material, but went out of her way to make it her own.

The setting, Shanghai in the glittering 1920s, is just as much as a living breathing entity as the looming, lumbering monster Juliette and Roma has to face at the end. It was detrimental to the plot and always kept the created atmosphere going, but I wish I could experience the Shanghai of These Violent Delights a bit more vividly in some places.

Overall, I was very impressed with These Violent Delights and cannot wait to see what Chloe Gong comes up with next.

A gripping, well written and highly entertaining story that kept me hooked and reading till late in the night.
I loved the excellent world building and character development, the tightly knitted and fast paced plot, and the excellent storytelling.
This is the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last as I love her style of writing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine