Well, so it goes, that title didn't lie did it now . . .

Our Violent Ends is the explosive sequel/conclusion to the thrilling debut novel These Violent Delights. OVE picks up not too long after the end of TVD, and we once again find both Juliette and Roma in the middle of a bunch of drama, schemes, and political turmoil.

Like the first novel, OVE involves itself with politics, colonialism, and war. The tensions were ramped up even more in this, the violence getting even more deadly, situating our characters in a fraught political landscape.

What I really enjoyed about this book is the same as what I loved about the first: the group dynamics between Juliette, Roma, Marshall & Benedikt! (Sprinkle in some Kathleen and Alisa too, for good measure). One of my favourite friendships is Marshall and Juliette's, I just love them. They had great moments in this, and I love at some points they served as almost each others confidantes. I wish we got more of that. And I loved the stuff with Benedikt too.

And on the romance front? OMG. Juliette and Roma SERVED with the angst, the tension, the yearning, the burning desire mixed with burning hatred...and my poor boy Roma, he was just so confused about Juliette. And Juliette?! She's her own worst enemy! And then Marshall and Benedikt...I yelled. Also, Kathleen/Celia?! An icon. Deserves the world.

This book delivered on fulfilling wants from the first book / tying up storylines, and it was very satisfying. I do wish, however, that we got more character stuff as opposed to racing backwards and forwards throughout the plot. It often felt like we didn't get to spend time with the characters because it was too busy trying to make that plot happen for them, rather than have it unfold organically. With that said, many of my guesses were true! I had a sneaky suspicion someone was shady in the first book, and it was great to see that continued on in this.

The ending . . . mixed feelings. It's not my favourite ending ever, definitely not, but it could've been worse, I guess?! It's a shame because a lot of the book I was really enjoying and for me it was a let down. I get the idea Gong was going for, but I think it could have been modified. I won't go in to too much detail because I don't want to spoil, but while I feel like (depending on how you choose to view it) it did meet the characters wants, it also slightly went against everything they worked for? It's a complicated one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

Wow this book was everything I expected! It was just as good as the first one.
I really loved the characters and the author’s writing style.
I can’t wait to read her next book!

Our Violent Ends was a stunning work that completely immersed me back into Gong’s vividly imagined and morally complex world.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, after falling in love with Roma and Juliette through These Violent Delights. The hype has been real, especially after that cliffhanger. My faith was proven correct though as Gong only raised the stakes in an emotional, brilliant and dark spectacle that filled my heart with joy and despair at the same time.

I loved how we were immediately thrown back in that gorgeously described world where the danger lurks just beneath the surface. Right from the opening page, there’s hints of colonialism and danger, with a nuanced discussion of these overarching themes running through the pages. I loved how Gong wove in strands of political discussion, as well as a wider narrative about colonialism and how that affects marginalised identities. Of course, I adored the way the patriarchy is dissected and taken down, as well as a thoughtful and romantic exploration of gender and sexuality.

As always, Gong has this magical touch to her characters that means you cannot help but fall in love with them. I loved the character development and the way the relationships unfolded over the course of the duology. No one is quite the same as they started off, irreparably changed by the events of these books and the way their political landscape is shifting. This shift is reflected in the writing, which feels strangely but beautifully ethereal and transcendent. There are moments packed full of heart and traces of hope amongst the bloodshed and slaughter that only seem to make the emotional impact hit much more. This is a brutal, bloody book though, with such suspense and tension all the way through. I just sped through the pages, watching the twists and turns unfold with shocking consequences.

All this culminates in an incredible ending. Without giving anything away, it is so ambiguous and beautiful. It felt just perfect, leaving enough to the imagination of the readers.

Our Violent Ends will rip your heart out. Gong has crafted an emotionally devastating masterpiece that beautifully ties the duology together.

Swish.
Can you hear it? Can you hear the sound of my soul leaving my body and departing for greener pastures?
I. Am. Dead.
This book was a mad, scary, rollercoaster, but oh my god it is the ride of your life. Once you start you can’t get off, the only thing you can do is hold on for dear life and just go go go.
I screamed. I giggled. I cried. I laughed. I cried again. I covered my eyes afraid of the words. I reread pages on the spot because I didn’t want to let them go. I couldn't. Not yet.
And that ending. That. Ending.
Now I'm here staring into space and I don't know what to do with myself. Am I supposed to just keep living my life without Roma and Juliette and Marsh and Ben and uuuuuugh?!
The only thing I can say is: go on, go read this beautiful series and come scream at me once you are done.

Thank you NetGalley, Hodder Books and Chloe Gong for gifting me an ARC of this book. I’ll send you all a note of thanks soaked in my tears, along with my next therapy bill (and yes, please, let’s do this again, I need more).

There is alot that is happening in this duology: Firstly Two gangs trying desperately to hold on to territory, while the political climate shifts around them.
Secondly A mystery with deadly pathagons, and the mysterious monster that is roaming the streets. And finally it is a truely an Enemies to lovers plot. Roma and Juliette are a product of the blood feud between their families and the harsh city that moulded them.

Usually I do not care too much for politics in books. But reading about the volatile political situation in Shanghai in the 1920s was fascinating and was actually the perfect backdrop for a Romeo & Juliette inspired story. The paranoia and rising tensions between all the factions all make for a surprisingly tense read. Which made the romance that much more fraught, especially as they spent most of it hating each other! I was so invested in their relationship (even when I tried not to be!)

I really enjoyed how we didnt get a direct retelling. The characters and some of the scenes and iconic lines were present but handled or expressed in totally unexpected ways. It made for a completely new reading experience of a familiar story.

One thing I will mention, the characters often dip in and out of a few languages (most impressive!) Due to the cosmopolitan nature of Shanghai, but as you become fully immersed in the story I found it was easy enough to keep up with.( I found the audiobook of BK1 was fantastic, esp. For this!) I loved how easily I was sucked into the 1920s Shanghai.

This was an intense, high stakes read with so many interesting subplots, with a refreshing take on such a well known play. Highly recommend.

Wowwwwww, I have been waiting a whole year for this and I absolutely adored it! I loved the character development, the twists and turns that continued from book one, and I felt my heart break so much when I got to the end.

This is book 2 of the romeo and juliet retelling started in These Violent Delights and picks up 4 months after that took place.

There's still monsters out there and the 2 gangs are being blackmailed to stop people being attacked. Roma and Juliette are tasked by their families to work together to track down the monster and we spend a lot of time then just refusing to communicate

I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book and found it very slow. Nothing much happens until about 300 pages in which made this a slog to get through. The whole adventure/mystery vibe from the first book is sort of half hearted at best and then kind of abandoned. It's more about the politics of nationalists v communists which us not presented ina way I found remotely engaging. Not helped by the fact neither of the two MCs are on either side so there's no investment

And I don't understand why Juliette wouldn't tell him the truth. It just makes it unnecessarily repetitive as she keeps having on about not being able to tell him as he can't love her, and he keeps sort of trying to kill her because he hates her but not really. Tiresome.

It feels long and I largely didn't care about the characters. Except Marshall and Alisa.

And after all that I didn't even like the ending. Make it one way or the other, not a 'oooh maybe'

This review will contain spoilers for These Violent Delights.

It's all fun and games until you're done with the book, discuss it with your friends, and realize a lot of it doesn't make a lick of sense.

We begin where These Violent Delights left off, and it quickly becomes obvious that we're right back where we started in These Violent Delights. Roma and Juliette are enemies, and there are monsters afoot, and both the Scarlet Gang and the White Flowers send their heirs to investigate. The investigation goes around in circles in a very similar fashion as well. In all honesty, I would say not much new happens until we're past the 40-50% mark.

I don't think this story needed to be a duology, and I think it suffered because it is. Where book one had a tight plot with good pacing, the sequel meanders. It's like it doesn't quite know what it wants to do or be, so we're left with a confusing story that has the same monsters we're already familiar with, but also a lot of political machinations. In the end, neither of those things get fully developed, and the resolution is lackluster. I think the choice to continue with the monster plot in this way did the story as a whole a disservice. There's also a lot less focus on colonialism, which was such an interesting part of the first book. The politics in Our Violent Ends are purely between the nationalists and the communists. I'm not familiar enough with the history of Shanghai during this period, so it could just be that it turns out this way because the author is sticking to the historical timeline.

It also doesn't help that the characters I came to enjoy suddenly acted as if they were completely different people. Both Roma and Marshall make some choices that had me scratching my head, as they left behind/ignored the very things they used to care so much about for very weird reasons. Meanwhile, Juliette has become a one trick pony and now only knows one way out of a situation. And no, it's not killing people. Certain plot devices are repeated so often, it becomes predictable, and it takes most of the tension out of the reading experience.

There are some definite highlights however. Marshall became one of my favourite characters from the series. The way he acts in this book is just delightful, and he continued to either make me smile or sigh happily when it came to him pining after Benedikt. There's a certain scene involving Tyler and Juliette that caused me actual anxiety, and I couldn't have predicted how that would play out. In another chapter, Gong wrote a part where the point of view switches rapidly between Roma and Juliette, adding a dynamic to the scene that I found really cool.

If you're in this series for the romance, I have good news on that front. The relationships really deliver the goods, and this goes for our main couple as well as Marshall and Benedikt, who can almost out-angst Roma and Juliette. Watching the romantic developments was a delight, and I reveled in each and every moment between the two sets of lovebirds.

The ending is perhaps not so surprising, but I do think the choices the author made here weakened the story. It's still a fun, enjoyable read, if only for the romance.

3.5.

After being excited by the events that took place at the end of Book 1, it's safe to say that this was an okay sequel. Not good, not bad, but just okay. I guess I was hoping for something else...

This sequel is action-packed, and it is definitely filled with twists and turns, some of which you expect, some that you don't expect, but it was overall predictable.

It's not that I am unhappy with how this concluded...I think I may have expected more in the sense that I would be more captivated by the stories of the individual characters. I wanted to feel more emotions while reading this, but I didn't. Even when characters that I really liked were involved, I rarely felt any worry, despair, happiness or angst. It was just okay in that department.

As I said in my review for Book 1, I felt that the mix of the ''monster'' and politics was too much. It would have been much better to focus on one, not both, especially because the whole monster aspect was neglected in this book and didn't feel as nearly dangerous or threatening as it was in the first one.

I needed more space to breathe, to process things that happen, for my emotions to settle and then kick in.

I'm not unhappy with how it all ended, I just feel like there are so many imperfections that come to light once you put the book down, sit down and think about it.

Without a doubt, Our Violent Ends was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021. I’ve seen people howling over it, giving it five gleaming stars all over Instagram, Goodreads and the blogosphere.

Well, for me, I beg to differ… because it was… complicated.

Our Violent Ends takes off swiftly after the dramatic reveals and events of These Violent Delights, I won’t say much so as not to spoil book 1: These Violent Delights. What I deeply loved about Our Violent Ends was the supersonic, breakneck speed it moved, I felt as if being dragged by my feet, it was so different from the meandering nature of These Violent Delights. Our Violent Ends understood the characters so intimately, it being clear that the events of the book were all so well thought out in further shaping our characters, as well as being plain thrilling.

We return to glittering and gritty 1920s Shanghai, a world of glamour, gore and gut, one dominated by ferocious gangs, trembling and splitting under the weight of Westerners. Chloe Gong also knew the hearts of her loyal readers, and did not hesitate to toy cruelly with our feelings – it was a stressful, passionate whirlwind of a story, Laced with light-hearted humour amidst the stark danger, once it established its footing, it charged towards an ending that was literally explosive.


“Tragic,” [redacted because of spoilers] muttered into the wind. Montagovs were so dramatic.

Another thing I deeply appreciated about Our Violent Ends was the characterisation of course. These Violent Delights gave us layered backgrounds of our two star-crossed lovers Roma Montagov and Juliette Cai, and Our Violent Ends only amplified that complexity, giving readers something akin to a venture into their very soul. I mentioned in my review of These Violent Delights how I loved that the side characters were there to bring forth certain themes as well, but Our Violent Ends topped it with the side characters given more attention and distinct values which brought them on all diverging paths, moulding them into characters as compelling with our main stars.

Burn through vengeance and terror and warfare. Burn through everything that fuels the human heart and sears it red, burn through everything that covers the outside with hard muscle and tough sinew. Cut down deep and grab what beats beneath, and it is love that will survive after everything else has perished.

Through the searing finale that was Our Violent Ends, Chloe Gong cements the very core of this duology, illuminating how regardless of how the stars align, love can prevail. It is a journey with two young people pitted against each other, but allow a ferocious love to blossom. It’s a tale of victims of destiny who wouldn’t conform, who would keep fighting despite the odds. And it was told through such evocative, vivid prose that has clearly matured since its predecessor, the dialogues, narration which were a window to the soul of Our Violent Ends, being a breathtaking and hard-hitting experience you would not want to miss.


In the end, this was all that they were. Two hearts pressed as close as they dared, shadows melting into one by the flickering candlelight.

However, despite Our Violent Ends being a resonant and meaningful conclusion to this iconic duology, something was off.

To be frank, I was bracing myself to be flooded with emotions and a deep sense of cultural connection to this book as with the first, and end it with a triumphant 5 star rating. One of the primary reasons was the romance.

These Violent Delights imbued in me a renewed sense of fervour for the classic enemies to lovers trope with its annoyingly seductive “will they won’t they” whisper that slide around the book, and from hearing reviews, I geared myself up for more tension, more angst and more passion. In Our Violent Ends, the initial dynamic between Roma and Juliette was truly a sight to behold, tenderness and longing raging against viciousness and a deep sense of hurt. However, as it began to spiral, as circumstances started to change, I found myself more and more detached and indifferent to this duo I had once anchored my heart to, and the only word that could adequately describe my current feelings toward their relationship would be meh, which was deeply saddening, and compromised my enjoyment for the rest of the novel.


The Nationalists shunned the imperial monarchy, but when they marched into this city and took it, they acted just as conquering kings and empires did. Different titles, the same idea. Power was only long lasting if it were a reign, and reigns needed heirs.

If you know anything about the events of China during the 20th Century, then your ears would be hypersensitive to the year 1927, for it was the start of the Chinese Civil War (1927-1949) fought between the Communists led by Mao Zedong and the Nationalists led by Chiang Kai Shek, with the Nationalists standing strong initially but the Communists ultimately emerging the final victor, with the Nationalists retreating to China. As much as I’m passionate about 20th Century Chinese history, I won’t go on a full on ramble here haha, I’ll save that for my review on The Poppy War trilogy, one that has strong parallels to that turbulent time (yes I could not resist the chance to mention my favourite series <3).

“They call this place the Venice of the East.”

Juliette scowled, “Just as they call Shanghai the Paris of the East,” she said. “When are we going to stop letting the colonizers pick the comparisons? Why don’t we ever call Paris the Shanghai of the West?”

Anyway, back to Our Violent Ends after that bit of context, naturally the politics and fighting between the two sides were prevalent throughout Our Violent Ends, but I’m rather disappointed by the lack of depth. These Violent Delights meant the world to be because of the inspection of imperialism, and though it was a good parallel to clan fighting, the role that the civil war played was rather surface level despite the book’s deep entrenchment in its affairs. It was more of an impetus to cause chaos and tension, rather than being ingrained in the very core of the story used to bring about the political and ideological climate of China in the late 1920s, this character trait of a good historical fantasy, something that Our Violent Ends missed the mark in. Hence, this time the world building lacked ardour, and I feel almost a sense of injustice at this great missed opportunity for expansion.


“These violent delights have violent ends,” Juliette whispered to herself… “you have always known this.”

Overall, I’m deeply conflicted by Our Violent Ends. I adored the path the story took, our favourite characters fleshed out in remarkable detail, as well as Chloe Gong’s enrapturing prose which truly brought out the core theme of this duology. However, I’m on the other hand, truly disappointed by the romance as well as the lack of historical weight especially during such a nation-defining period. As a whole though, if you loved These Violent Delights, I’m sure that Our Violent Ends will inevitably capture, as well as irrevocably change your heart, as the searing finale to the truly iconic retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Anyway, a note of warning: prepare for danger.

I really enjoyed this conclusion!

I felt like the first 30% or so were a bit slow with lots of information and plot points being recycled from the first book. Our characters were literally in the same place as the first book just with some added betrayals and distrust for each other, chasing the same enemy. But the story eventually picked up and literally took me for a ride. In fact, I think in some aspects I enjoyed this book more than the first one.

I ended up loving both Roma and Juliette so much, and their romance in the later half of the book was just top notched. I wasn't very invested in the romance in the first book but this one had just the right amount of hate, love, yearning and some incredibly sweet moments. I also really liked all the side characters, they complemented the main characters so well. This book is set in an extremely voilent time period and trust cannot be given freely so I loved how the author navigated the complicated relationships between all the characters. I especially loved the friendship that developed between Marshall and Juliette.

On the downside, this book had a lot of stuff going on. There's a major political sub plot to the story and while I didn't mind reading about it, sometimes things felt a bit convoluted and confusing, what with so many different factions aiming to gain power and changing their loyalties. I also guessed correctly some of the major twists pretty early on, again it didn't hindered my enjoyment of the book but it would have been nice to get a surprise or two along the way.

Overall, this was definitely a very unique take the Romeo and Juliette story and I'd highly recommend this duology if you are looking for a historical romance with just a touch of fantasy.

If I had to sum up this book in one word, that word would be: "exquisite". Really that's all there is to say about this book. I will be recommending this series to everyone and anyone, even the people on my lit course who look down on YA novels.

This is a phenomenal sequel to These violent delights, the plot starts a few months after and Juliette has saved Shanghai from monsters again. More POVs this time and it will keep you reading as it's fasted paced and at times stressful to read as you just need to know what happens next? Beautifully written you feel like you are part of the story. A perfect ending to the story! 5 stars A must read!

I can’t express how much I loved this books. Chloe had a great beginning as a writer and I can see her bright future. In the ending of this journey we live so many things. You will find yourself screaming, smiling, crying (a lot). Having some Bi panic because you will fall for both main characters Roma and Juliette…. This book was the best way the end the month. I’m definitely recommending this❤️

3***

Sadly I just didn’t love this book as much of the first one.
This book was longer than the first but I felt it was drawn out. In addition this did focus heavily on the revolution and conflict occurring in Shanghai in that time- which was great to learn but was a lot.

I think I wanted more interesting romance and monsters from the first book that I didn’t quite get in this one.

I do enjoy the fact that this did go with Romeo and Juliet in a different way, despite me wanting a much happier turnout, it didn’t deviate.

I really enjoyed the pacing of this book. There wasn't a moment where I was bored or thought the scene was dragging on (which is HUGE because I am a big skim reader sometimes). In a lot of books, multiple POVs can sometimes tire me out since I often find it can make a story unbalanced, especially when you find yourself not caring about one character as much as the others. However, the author managed to keep me interested in all POVS, whether that was Rosalind's or Tyler's. I think that's a pretty amazing feat.

I liked that we got to see some character development, especially when it involved highlighting Juliette's softer side. Don't get me wrong, she was still a bad ass, knife-wielding, trigger-happy gangster but you could really see how much she cared for her friends and family in this book. It made you root for a happy ending.

THE ENDING THOUGH!!!!!!

I personally loved it. It was true to a re=telling while giving the reader the chance to really decide how they wanted it to go. I think it'll be controversial for some but I think the author did a wonderful job of staying true to Romeo & Juliet, while also putting her own spin on it.

I am a total romantic at heart, and Romeo and Juliette is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays. Having absolutely loved These Violent Delights, I couldn’t wait for the conclusion of the duology in Our Violent Ends.

The 1920s Shanghai setting, the criminal underbelly of the city and the rivalry between the Chinese and Russian gangs, the broiling unrest and approaching civil war all contributed to the dark atmosphere in this novel. Roma and Juliette are both faced with difficult choices and dangerous situations to navigate. Their morally grey choices add a layer of complexity to the story that gives it a much grittier feel in comparison to the classic. The side characters are well developed and play more central parts in this sequel, and I’ll just add here that Marshall and Benedikt both hold a special place in my heart.

As this is a re-telling, I had the classic at the back of my mind while reading, and it felt like a wild ride, spiralling towards the inevitable end. I devoured the book in a couple of sittings, not wanting it to end, but unable to put it down. A beautiful read, which left me feeling raw and with a massive book hangover. Chloe Gong definitely delivered a brilliant finale to this story, and I can’t recommend it enough!
A massive thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

While this book is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, it is capable to be set apart by its way of reshaping the characters, which it only makes it more unique.

I liked the plot very much and the way the author made me more invested in these characters was very good.

Our Violent Ends was a very satisfying end to this duology.

Arc generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had very mixed feelings on These Violent Delights but found Our Violent Ends to be a big improvement on the first book. The characters are more dimensional and dynamic, the romance is more emotional, and the pacing has much more energy.

If I had one complaint its that the fantastical elements don’t merge very well with the world building, it often reads like historical fiction with the monsters tacked on like an afterthought.

Great read, looking forward to whatever Chloe Gong writes next.

These Violent Delights was an OK read last year, gripping me enough that I was intrigued about what came next. I love the push and pull between Juliet and Roma, and the creepy vibe that I enjoyed from the previous book was still there.

Unfortunately, I had real trouble getting through it though. I have no idea why - on paper, this book is everything I love! And I cannot identify why I struggled with it so much. I'd still recommend picking it up for that reason, since it may just be me! Despite my disconnect, it's still a fast paced and thrilling story.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.