<b>"These violent delights have violent ends, and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss consume"</b>


These Violent Delights is a loose Romeo and Juliet retelling, set in the 1920's in Shanghai that's run by gangsters. Particular two groups of gangsters the 'Red Scarlet's' & 'The White Flowers'

Juliette is a Chinese heiress who comes back to Shanghai after 4 years away, to prove to her farther that she is ready to rule the Scarlet Gang. She is willing to do anything for her family and her city.

Roma The rival heir to the gang of the White Flowers, has almost been disowned by his own father and now he fights to prove himself and get back in his good graces.

Both gangs ruthlessly kill each other over the blood feud and dominance of their territories, but when a madness sweeps over the city and a 'monster' is sighted coming from the sea causing the deaths of anyone in its way, Juliette and Roma must work together to bring a stop to the monster and save their people and city.

Firstly the description of a Romeo and Juliette retelling was what first captured my attention, I love the original story and everything that came afterwards. I was intrigued by this premise of a different setting and more of a 'horror' aspect rather than just a doomed love story. I was not disappointed, I didn't put the book down, it kept my gripped till the very end and I can't wait to get my hands on book 2!

I really loved the Roma and Juliette interaction, you really get a feel for how much they both have changed throughout the years apart, and how much they both fight their feelings for one another.

<b>"You destroy me and then you kiss me. You give me reason to hate you and then you give me reason to love you. Is this a lie or the truth? Is this a ploy or your heart reaching for me?"</b>

I really enjoyed the other characters too, I think Marshall might have been one of my favorites, he just brought a little light humour to these gory situations and I loved his little flirtation he had with both both Kathleen and Ben! (but mostly Kathleen, fingers crossed for another star crossed love story here)

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

4.5* First and foremost, the entirety of this book made me fall in love with it from the second I first read the synopsis. Romeo and Juliette has always been such a sentimental and favourite read for me, so hearing about a fantasy retelling set in Shanghai blew my mind. From the forbidden love element, to how strong and independent Juliette's character is... I was in awe of this story instantly.

At times, the plot did lose me a little. However, the character arcs, the way Roma and Juliette interacted and the way they portrayed themselves made me refuse to put this book down. I already wish I could reread it again and I can't wait to get a physical copy to annotate. I'm so incredibly happy that I had the chance to read this!

These Violent Delights is a loose Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai. Sold yet? I was. We mostly follow the perspective of Juliette Cai, heiress gangster, who has returned from America to Shanghai in a time of political instability, gang rivalry, and a monster threatening the entire city.

There are so many references to Shakespeare throughout TVD, when it comes to the characters names - or even one passage where a famous sonnet is distorted. However, this story is unique enough that it’s plot doesn’t feel like a recycled version of Romeo and Juliet. It’s not stifled by the comparison, and it doesn’t feel dry and predictable like some retellings. There’s an overarching sense of doom brought by the knowledge of the original, yet enough hope that this story will turn out differently to the original. It was a really effective use of the retelling aspect.

I did completely adore Gong’s cast of LGBTQ+ characters. It was diverse, but didn’t feel performative. Gong has just created a cast of characters and a world full of diverse and vibrant characters, without making a big plot twist of their sexualities and gender identities - but not diminishing them in any way either.

Juliette’s brutality was a real highlight for me. She wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty and be cruel at time, though we toed the line of her vulnerability. She was brutal, but not cold. I could feel the emotions bubbling beneath her steely surface, and my heart called out to Roma who couldn’t be the vicious male heir that was expected of him. Gong’s writing truly explored the different facets of these two characters on the opposites of the same coin. I liked that neither character was particularly likeable - they were flawed and morally grey, with priorities and decisions I didn’t always agree with. But, I could see their reason behind these decisions and fully understood through their backstories how they came to be that way.

“... as the rumours went, Juliette Cai was the girl who had strangled and killed her American lover with a string of pearls. Juliette Cai was the heiress who, on her second day back in Shanghai, had stepped into a brawl between four White Flowers and two Scarlets and killed all four White Flowers with only three bullets. Only one of those rumours was true.”

A huge part of the setting of this story was the racial and cultural tensions that punctuated the entire story. We followed Chinese characters who were seeing their city taken over by Russian gangsters and Westerners, and truly understanding the non-white perspective of white influence. I think this is a really important perspective to read about and see represented in an Eastern setting with Asian characters - particularly written by an Own Voices author. The 1920s is an era that is highly romanticised by Western history, without considering the cultural damaged the west was having on non-Western cultures. We need to stop focussing when reading historical stories on only a Western, white perspective, with rose tinted glasses. Gong’s voice was a beautiful addition to this narrative, and one we need more of. The story truly highlighted the pressures put on Juliette to westernise herself in order to be palatable, in the way she dresses, her accent, her language. To hear her family discuss the feeling of losing control over their own city and to feel their identity being threatened was truly heartbreaking, and important to read.

“These days, Juliette,” he said, low and warily, “the most dangerous people are the powerful white men who feel as if they have been slighted.”

Overall, I really enjoyed my time reading this one. It was a little slow at times and both the plot and romance felt like it meandered a little in the middle, but it really found its footing towards the end and I was truly gripped for the last 100 or so pages. It left me feeling incredibly excited for the next book! Can’t wait to see what is next for our characters, and the political landscape of Gong’s Shanghai.

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong is a re-telling of Romeo and Juliette set in 1920's Shanghai with the addition of fantastical, almost sci-fi elements. The concept for this book is was first attracted it to me. Being set in China gave it a unique angle that I haven't seen done before. Within this book there were moments a beautiful description, particularly in the first half of the book. It was a very fast paced novel and I flew through it.
That said, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. I found it difficult to relate to the characters, and felt that the romance elements were not explored deeply enough, and so didnt seem realistic (not that they were particularly realistic in the original Romeo and Juliet). I was please to see some LGBTQ+ themes included, but again, I felt that they were too subltle, and would have liked more from those characters points of view.
Overall an enjoyable read.

Originally, I've thought of giving this book a 3.5 star rating. But as I go deeper into the story, I find myself actually enjoying the characters and getting used to the pacing that I did not like at the beginning. Roma and Juliette are built with equal parts of invincible personas and vulnerabilities. I liked their dynamic and the tropes they presented throughout the book. They naturally made some blunders, and fortunately, there were also pleasing developments. The plot also lacked a little bit of strong factors, such as the pacing and whatnots, and yet it kept me engaged.

In regards to the author's writing, it was rich and filled with so much history that can really make a reader feel welcomed to cultures they have never seen or experienced. As a debut novel, that is something that cannot be easily done.

Overall, despite the book's flaws. I see a lot of potential for the series and am looking forward to the next installment.

'In glittering Shanghai, a monster awakens.'

I think a lot of people are going to really LOVE this book, I wouldn't be surprised to see this being the next series that's extremely hyped in the online book community and I definitely won't be surprised to see a lot of merch popping up in book boxes. The reason that I say that is because it hits on a lot of trends that recent popular series have e.g. (lovers) to enemies to lovers (maybe?), second chance romance, uber angst, family dynamics, edgy violence, betrayals, prickly heroine, subverted character tropes, etc. etc. etc. And, it does those things well, on the level that you would expect from a YA fantasy book. It also has the added benefit of being a really fresh retelling of Romeo and Juliet, so the comfort of a familiar story is going to resonate with a lot people.

I enjoyed how Gong updated the story of Romeo and Juliet for this Shanghai based Urban Fantasy, especially with how she weaved in the topics of identity and colonialism. It made the reason for the warring families feel much more fleshed out and the stakes a lot higher. I really love retellings, however, more often than not, they don't read like they're bringing anything new to the story or like they're using the source material to make a statement about the world we live in today. I much prefer retellings that have a purpose for the retelling and These Violent Delights definitely did! The only thing that I didn't really vibe with on the retelling front was the use of direct lines from the original play; there was something a bit cheesy about it and when they were included it didn't fit with the style of dialogue that had been used throughout the rest of the book. Direct R+J quotes aside, there were a few times when the written dialogue was quite stilted; I couldn't imagine real versions of these characters speaking the way that they did.

'"You destroy me and then you kiss me. You give me reason to hate you and then you give me reason to love you. Is this a lie or the truth? Is this a plot or your heart reaching for me?"'

The disparate prose styles were the thing that held me back from loving this book. There was a certain prose style used in the prologue (and scattered throughout the book,) that was so brilliant. But, then it switches to a more standard prose style for the the bulk of the story, which was a bit of a letdown considering how engaging the prologue was. This could have been a 4 or a 5 star if the prose had been as good as it was in the prologue. There is a particular style that a lot of YA fantasy writers use that is accessible but it takes the uniqueness out of the writing. I wanted to read this book and be like 'Yes, this is Chloe Gong's writing' but I finished it feeling like there would be no way for me to pick out her writing style from a lot of other authors' writing style. Sometimes I wonder if this stylistic choice happens in the editing phase because we all know YA is a marketing strategy and I wouldn't be surprised if they think we just want to keep reading the same thing over and over. I did really like the way that Gong wrote the action scenes and the scenes where the madness was overtaking people; the description was quite visceral - to the point where there were certain phrases that turned my stomach. However, I did end up feeling like there was a bit of edgy for edginess sake.

'In a blink: guns upon guns, each arm raised and steady and trigger-happy, ready to pull.'

The plot was very intriguing, specifically in the way that the magic system, main antagonist and character work fed into the plot. It felt really solid and not like these separate elements were just slapped together in order to attach the fantasy label. The 'madness' infection that was sweeping this city felt like a big threat all throughout the book and it was well seeded from start to finish, whilst also giving space for the character drama to play out. I was also very into the urban fantasy setting, I would love to see more UF in YA because it does feel like an untapped genre in this category. I could have done with a smidge of a slower pace in order to allow for more world building though.

There is a lot of diverse rep in this book, but beyond the nationality/race rep for Roma and Juliette, the majority of it occurred with the side characters and it wasn't given enough of a spotlight front and centre.

Overall, this was a solid debut and I am really looking forward to seeing people get very excited about this book. It would be nice for this book to be extremely popular so we can start seeing more fresh settings and plots in YA fantasy. I don't know about you but I'm very fatigued with the fierce-female-character-faces-off-against-nefarious-royalty trend in YA , it seems like it's been around forever - even Vampires didn't have this kind of staying power. Chloe Gong is bringing something new to the table; I will most likely read on in the series on that basis alone and I will definitely be recommending this.

I studied Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in high school for three consecutive years, and to this day, I’ve not touched a copy of it or had the urge to ever read it again. Having, what some consider a masterpiece, be told to you straight and simple really erases its magic and beauty. And I think Chloe Gong has convinced me to read this play again and to give it another chance. Because These Violent Delights was stunning!

These Violent Delights is a Romeo & Juliet retelling set in Shanghai in the 1920s, where, instead of Capulets and Montagues, we have the Cai family and the Montagov family who are apart of feuding gangs: The Scarlet Gang and The White Flowers. Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov are rivalling heirs who share a past and must set aside the blood feud and their anger towards one another to investigate and destroy a monster that has awakened in their city.

I want to start off by saying how beautiful Chloe Gong’s writing is – it just flows across the page and is poetic without being overly complicated. It was easy to emerge into the story just by reading the first page. There were times when it seems we were getting an omniscient perspective who looked on over Shanghai as chaos ensued. It was intriguing. I love third-person narrative and especially loved how Gong carried the perspective to other characters beyond Juliette and Roma – to Kathleen, Marshall, Benedikt, and more. It allowed a fuller view of Shanghai and of the cast of characters Gong has brilliantly crafted. Beyond Juliette and Roma, the side characters were well-rounded and developed enough for me to care about them and understand them. Although, I did find the heads of the gangs: Lord and Lady Cai and Lord Montagov really underdeveloped. They fell a bit flat and felt very one-dimensional characters.

The pacing of the first 60% was quite slow. Yes, a lot of things happened, but Juliette and Roma didn’t start officially working together till after the 60%, and which is when the pace immediately picked up. I did like how Gong used the first 60% of the book to flesh out characters, setting and the conflict, but, personally, it did take me a while to actually grasp onto the plot and onto the actual story itself. As I said, the last 40% of this book was absolutely amazing! I was finally hooked because it was so action-packed, the stakes were much higher and I loved Juliette and Roma working together. They made such a good team – even when they’re from feuding families.

There was LGBTQA+ representation which I love, though there were only hints to it. There are no outwardly LGBTQA+ relationships, though there is one that is budding slowly, and there is a trans character, Kathleen, who’s perspective we receive in quite a few parts and I LOVED her sections so much! I hope we get to see more of Kathleen and other LGBTQA+ characters in the sequel!

Juliette is such a well-crafted character: she is intelligent, determined, loyal and so violent and angry and fierce. Yet, she’s also heartbroken and lost within the power struggles of The Scarlet Gang as a woman and the heir and she’s soft for Roma Montagov. On the other hand, Roma’s exterior is soft and is always underestimated by his own father and by other in The White Flowers, when in truth, he can be just as violent and angry and malicious as Juliette. Their journey from friends to lovers to enemies to lovers again was so satisfying to read about, and I fell in love with them so easily.

I can only say, the reason why this wasn’t 5 stars for me was because of the politics in this book. Nothing wrong with the actual politics mentioned and discussed, but rather my lack of knowledge of them. I began to understand them gradually, but in the beginning, I had to research virtually every page when some political was mentioned – which resulted in me coming out of the story and losing focus. It was hard to grasp straight away and a lot of it just went right over my head. Another thing was how the reader essentially finding out/knowing clues and answers to the mystery before the characters did really affected the reveal of the characters’ findings. They proved quite anti-climactic to me in parts.

The cliff-hanger! I want the sequel in my hands! I thought, if not for the cliff-hanger, These Violent Delights could’ve been a great stand-alone. But I’m super glad Chloe Gong decided against that and is going to write a sequel because I loved this book and the characters so much! This was just what I needed for the beginning of October as it was quite dark and creepy at parts.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book in advanced. Thank you, Chloe Gong, for this exceptional book!

<i>Big thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC via Netgalley <3</i>

Hello, I am crying and an emotional mess all at the same time. Yes, it is a thing, NOBODY TOUCH ME!!!!!

I,,, this book. Chloe Gong. Just everything BLEW. ME. AWAY. And also: I. NEED. BOOK. TWO. RIGHT. FREAKING. NOW.

Seriously, can I have the sequel because HOW could it be over so quickly?!?!?

Yo, I just really loved this book. I flew threw it and was so invested, in the world and in the time period. Both of which were so transportive and immersive. Literally adored the Shanghai setting and also 1920s setting. Spectacular I tell you.

I also LOVED the writing. At first, we were not vibing, but by the end of the book, I was just so in love and in awe of Chloe Gong's talent uWu. The way the story was told was just so well done. I loved the mystery element, and yes I am still a scaredy-cat. Twas reading it at night and bruh I thought a monster was going to attack me lmao. This whole book is just genius though.

I also just want to applaud Chloe Gong for, ya know not only being a student and icon, but also on the incredible world-building. Which I absolutely adored. It was so well fleshed out and complex and I was just eating it up. I also really loved the social commentary, especially concerning communism and also on society in Shanghai. Brilliant.

The characters ahhhhh, I am eternally screaming. I literally loved them ALL. Roma and Juliette were my faves, I love them so so so much. But I also loved the side characters. I loved Benedikt and Marshall, who are beans and the best sidekicks *wink wink*. I also LOVED Kathleen, who is a queen. They were so real and I felt like I was there with them in the story, literally friends with them all. The dialogue was also great. I loved how it was set in the 20s but the language was not at all hard to comprehend.

But probably my FAVOURITE part was the *drumroll please*, can you guess? Indeed it was the romance. But this isn't just any romance. Literally I loved it so much it's not even funny. Like this could be UP THERE with my absolute fave OTPs. Because OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!! It was so good?? And am I deceased?? I'm just obsessed with the whole childhood friends to lovers to enemies (to lovers) set-up and it was so ~delicious~. I ship them so so so so hard. Mad I have to wait like a freaking LONG time for the sequel, but I am obsessed with them all the same. I just love how simple the romance was, yet the chemistry and dynamic were just so perfect that even though there is little of it, I still shipped them so hard.

I just,,, wow. I have not been able to think about anything else but this book since I finished it. It was fantastic and everything I'd ever want in a YA book. We got historical fiction, romance AND a hint of magic/urban fantasy. Love to see it.

Did I mention that I need a sequel? Because I want a sequel.

Also, this is for sure a favourite of the year, possible THE favourite of the year!!

Wow just wow. Where to begin with this book... first I want to take a moment to appreciate the beautiful cover. It is literally stunning and draws you in straight away.

Second let’s talk about the immersive poetic writing style. After reading the first page I was swept away in the narrative. Almost as if someone was speaking it to me and I was mealy listening as they conjured the tale of the beast in the river.

It’s so breathtaking. These characters have been given a new lease of life. This is not the Romeo abs Juliet you know. They are darker, grittier and have had time to grow up and understand the decisions and sacrifices they must make.

No longer is Juliet a weak girl. Instead she is a strong, independent woman. Able to walk toe to toe with any man and shoot him in the head if she so pleases. She’s at the top of her food chain and a key player in the game. I used to hate her but now in this retelling I find her refreshing and extremely likeable.

I really loved this book, it’s characters and it’s plot and I want the second one straight away. This is the problem with reading ARCs you have even longer to wait for the follow up.

this was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it definitely lived up to my expectations!!

the setting was brilliant, i adored the characters and the story had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

the imagery was so vivid, the writing was phenomenal and the dynamic between roma and juliette was literally perfect, especially since, in my experience, shakespeare retellings are pretty hit or miss but i can say that this one does not disappoint!! the other characters also felt really well written and all had their own stories that i was super invested in (i need more marshall and benedikt like right now!!!) and now i’m just super excited for nov 17 when i can go and buy a physical copy as well😂!!

This was definitely one of my most anticipated reads of the year but I'm pretty sad to say it didnt quite reach my expectations. It definitely wasnt bad but I expected something with a bit more of a spark that u felt was lacking in the characters and the plot. This is a retelling of romeo and juliet, and it was definitely different but with the same essence, and although I didnt love the writing I'd say it was still a decent read

Firstly, huge thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This novel will be published on 17 November 2020.

I saw loads of people talking about how amazing this book is and knew that I had to see for myself. I thought the title of These Violent Delights was an interesting choice as it is a Shakespeare quote, however when I read the description of the novel it made so much sense. As a huge fan of Shakespeare, and books set in North East Asia, I was excited eager to see how this retelling would work. And boy did it work.

These Violent Delights is a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, where a blood feud between the Cai family (Scarlet gang) and the Montagov family (White Flower gang) has been ongoing for years and doesn’t appear to be stopping any time soon. However, there are some very strange and dangerous things happening all over Shanghai which sees Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov needing to work together to stop a monster from destroying everything they love.

Over the years there have been countless retellings of the classic story of forbidden love on both page and screen. My favourite has always been Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation set in the early 1990s. However, These Violent Delights is such a unique retelling that Gong makes it entirely her own. I think what was most refreshing about this novel was the way the characters were portrayed. Juliette was certainly not the meek, lovestruck, girl who she is often regularly depicted to be. Instead she was both fearless and feared and would do anything for her beloved Shanghai. I also really loved how the whole Montagov family was portrayed too (although I may be a little biased as I’ve always been a fan of the Montagues more than the Capulets). I also got stupidly excited whenever I realised who a character was based on, there were a few penny drop moments throughout!

The plot was really interesting, especially as it wasn’t a direct retelling of the story so it felt very fresh and original, but also had a sense of familiarity at times when there was some overlap with the original. In particular, I did enjoy it whenever I recognised a line from the play. I wasn’t expecting the novel to have as much of a fantasy element that it did, but I loved it. I liked how the novel would shift to different perspectives to give the reader a full overview of what was happening in the city; which built suspense as you wanted to shake the characters at times to tell them what you knew because you saw the other side of things! It was also a great way to compare how both of the gangs worked and how they were viewed by the city. Without giving away any spoilers, the ending was not what I was expecting at all and the final line packs such a punch that the noise I made when I read it was not human.

I’m so happy that this novel was brought to my attention as it brought together two of my favourite things in such a fun and interesting way. I cannot wait to see what Gong does next as it’s clear from this novel that she has a very promising career ahead! In the meantime though, definitely check this novel out when it is published on 17 November 2020!

Review

I don't entirely know how to feel about this book. Feeling mild as milk about a book is no fun, especially since I really wanted to like this book. I have heard high praise for this book though, so I'll link some five-star reviews for you to read. Enjoy my These Violent Delights Book Review!

Characters - 8/10
Roma Montagov is absolutely precious and I will not allow anything to happen to him. As you may know, this is a Romeo & Juliet retelling. I'm going to be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of Romeo & Juliet. In fact, it might be one of my most hated books. I tried not to carry those feelings into this book. Thankfully, this is only a loose retelling, and I enjoyed it much more than Romeo & Juliet.

Roma and Juliette are our main characters, and I am in love with both of them. Especially Roma. He's so soft and sweet, but at the same time he doesn't back down from a fight. [su_spoiler title="Spoiler!"]There's this one part where he beats his rival Dimitri to a pulp and I was seriously turned on. [/su_spoiler]

Juliette is just as badass, and I love a strong woman. She has carved out her place in a male-dominated world and continues to work hard for what she wants. I greatly admire that about how.

Not only did I enjoy Roma and Juliette, but I also loved (most of) the secondary characters as well. Rosalind was my least favourite. Benedikt, Marshall and Kathleen are the best, and I hope we get some more snippets of their stories in the sequel. The inclusion of more LGBTQ characters is definitely what the original R&J needed.

Atmosphere - 8/10
I truly loved the setting of this story. Shanghai in the 1920s as a melting pot for the world is such an amazing backdrop for this story. You almost feel like the city is a character itself. It makes every character, every decision and the entire story just that much more striking.

Gong is also a master of tension and suspense. I felt all the right emotions, especially in scenes with Kathleen's POV. These Violent Delights has a fantastic atmosphere and I highly recommend it because of that.

Writing - 6/10
Here's where I go back to being mild. While the characters and the atmosphere was amazing, I had some issues with the writing. Not big issues, Gong still writes incredibly, but tiny issues.

I do not like Shakespear, and some part of the book felt a little too flowery and Shakespear-like. Yes I know, it's like a cardinal sin to hate Shakespear. I'm going to book hell anyway. Some of the things the characters say or some of the descriptions also pulled me out of the book. They felt too modern for the time period and the rest of the writing.

It just felt disjointed in places and my eyes would skim over those parts. It's by no means bad writing, it just wasn't my preferred style of writing.

Plot - 6/10
I have some issues with the plot too. It felt like it was moving too slow, but objectively I know it was really fast-paced. I don't know what to tell you. *Insert shrug emoji*. Maybe I just couldn't keep up.

There were scenes here and there that really pulled me into the book, and I was hanging on every word. But then other scenes just had me confused and not knowing what was going on. All I can say is that I'm really thankful we didn't go full-on Romeo & Juliet.

Intrigue - 6/10
The ending wasn't predictable, but I wasn't really shocked by it either. Thinking back on it I couldn't really connect any of the dots, but then again I might have missed them entirely. It certainly makes sense and I was eager to read on, especially after a certain character met a certain fate. I'm also eager to read the sequel because I need Roma and Juliette to be together.

Logic - 6/10
Here's my biggest gripe with this book: the monster. The technology seems way too advanced for 1926 (but what do I know?) and it ended up pulling me out of the story. I might have preferred a more fantasy approach to the monster.

However there's still a lot we do not know, and that makes me excited for the sequel!

Enjoyment - 7/10
This wasn't by any means a bad read, and I did enjoy it. I just don't feel a particular way about it. Except maybe for gratitude that I can now read this instead of the despised original Romeo & Juliet.

CAWPILE = 6.7/10

I've been excited for this book for a while now. I'm subscribed to the newsletter (#Scarletgangftw) and just the description alone had me anxiously awaiting it, ready to pre-order the hardback just before release. When I spotted it on NetGalley, my hopes weren't high. I'd just been turned down for a historical romance from a publisher I'd not heard of, so figured I didn't have a cat in hell's chance of getting accepted for this one.

When I say I almost screamed, well I honestly almost screamed. I was so excited. I set it up on my Kindle (anyone else still using their Gen 3 kindles?) and eagerly hopped into the car. Whenever we stopped or I hit an exciting bit I eagerly rattled into off to my bemused partner who isn't a reader and finds my constant passion for books very entertaining.

I've read a lot of books recently that are going to print and I've recommended them to friends but this is the one I'm truly going to recommend. The one I'm likely going to get round to buying and passing around. It was wonderful. I cannot describe my love for this book enough

The description was magical - Romeo and Juliet retelling, set in Shanghai in the 20's with rival gangs - riveting. The characters were interesting, and I loved that it had nods to the original story, yet I found myself still unsure of what was going to happen. I'd say none of the twists were foreseen, but there was one or two - I won't give any hints though! No spoilers here!

It has fast paced action, wonderful writing and everything I could ever want from a book. There isn't a slow or dull moment. How can there be when people are dropping like flies every few moments in some of the most gruesome ways I've read in a long time. My partner and I are both fans of horror, and there's a particular moment, and again I won't spoil it, but it was very reminiscent of the kind of body horror I love in the John Carpenter films, think The Thing


The romance, the longing, all of it so delicious. I love a slow burn, a will-they-wont-they and this had it in droves. Ex lovers with barely suppressed feelings and buckets of angst?? Sign me the hell up! It ends just superbly in relation to the romance element as well. </p>


Rating -🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦/5



Best get to the rating, though I could honestly gush about this book forever. 5 pigeons in the coop out of 5, 10 out of 5 - if I had to recommend you buy a book this year, this would be the one I recommend. Sometimes I read a book and think it's great, and sometimes I read a book and know it's a comfort to me. I'll be posting a review soon of Serpent and Dove soon and that was the same, I knew from the first chapter it would be a comfort book for me, right alongside my Maas books, the Poison Study series and anything by Pratchett.</p>

I haven’t read anything historical in ages because I always get annoyed. But the synopsis, the cover and yes, Chloe Gong herself on her socials just spoke to my soul and I knew I had to read it. And well, I have three words for you: I loved it. I loved it so much. From the very first page, I was sucked into the story and it spat me out at the end with a craving for more.

Let me tell you, I was nervous as hell about this book because it’s a Romeo & Juliet retelling and I guess we all know how well that ends? So I was constantly on the edge, both because of the things I knew and because of the mysteries the author added.

I absolutely adored the setting of 1920s Shanghai. Everything is torn in some way: the city and its people. The city has been divided in several parts where gangs and foreigners rule. It’s a violent place with many faces, a whole, yet broken into many parts that can’t really fit together. But it is alive, it breathes. The atmosphere transported so well, I could imagine everything vividly, the dark alleyways, the homes, the docks. It felt very real.

And so did the characters. The protagonists are Roma and Juliette, the heirs of two rivaling gangs. Juliette has just returned from years living in America and thus has to find back into Shanghai, a city she knows so well but that changes constantly. Along with her, it is easy for the reader to find into the setting and the story. Juliette is smart and stops at nothing to achieve her goals, she’s strong in both mind and body and knows her way around people. She tells parts of the story, Roma the rest. While he is just as violent as Juliette, he seemed a bit softer to me and I found myself liking him immediately. I liked them both a lot, as well as their companions and their familiarity. And the romance! I always love a good enemies to lovers romance and this was definitely no different.

This book really was what I needed. It was a great joy to read, it had fun parts and serious parts, it has some fantastical elements and wonderful characters, it is violent but has soft moments as well. It discusses serious topics and focuses a lot on colonialism and its consequences. If you can stomach blood and characters brandishing weapons every two pages, make sure to pick this book up. Seriously, it’s SO good!

All signs pointed to me loving this book, but for a lot of reasons I only fell in like. The Romeo and Juliet link is tenuous at best which immediately felt disappointing. There are of course nods to the other cast of characters, updated to the era and separated into Cai and Montagov houses but being a story about relationships I often felt these links were weak at best. Even our star crossed lovers are written too broadly for my tastes, their romance was hardly inspiring. The whole book is a sort of hate to love him/her repetition without much depth or chemistry. Unforgiveable for one of the most famous love stories of all time.

What I did enjoy was the prose. Gong gives Shanghai a voice and feeling that is hard to ignore. The book is very political, a narrative on the tug of war between East and West and the people swept up along the way. Recently I've dived headfirst into a CDrama rabbit hole so was incredibly interested in a new perspective on this famous city. It surprised me to find this aspect far more enjoyable than the love story and monstery mystery. The real beating heart of this book belongs entirely to Shanghai.

These Violent Delights

If there was ever a go-to example of how to do a retelling of a classic story then THIS is where you should go.

These Violent Delights is a masterclass retelling and I was hooked from the first page. Set in 1920s gangster ruled Shanghai we have the White Flowers and the Scarlett Gang, two notorious rivals, each vying for more power than the other in an endless struggle.

Juliette Cai (pronounced Tss-eye and not Kai, thank you Chloe for confirming this on Twitter!) recently returns to Shanghai after four years away in New York. Juliette is the heir to the Scarlett Gang and has returned to resume her duties as heir.

Since her return, strange things have been happening, several White Flower men were found at the docks with their throats torn out and rumours of a monster coming out of the Huangpu River. White Flower deaths is no concern of Juliette’s, but when a member of the Scarlett Gang starts tearing at his throat in a club in Scarlett territory, well this has brought trouble right to her doorstep.

Roma Montagov, heir to the White Flowers perhaps more in name than favour arrives at the very same Scarlett Gang bar after investigating the death of members of his gang at the docks. He chases a man with mismatched shoes and finds him as he is tearing out his throat.

That’s not Roma’s only problem though as he is in Scarlett territory, face to face with Juliette. They left on bad terms after Juliette was betrayed and the Scarlett Gang suffered a massive loss through a hit organised by the White Flowers.

Tensions between the two heirs are high but they are drawn together by this new threat to their city. Working in partnership to solve this mystery, fighting their feelings for each other and the rivalry between their two gangs.

The world building is rich and enticing, Chloe Gong paints 1920s Shanghai so vividly, you can imagine yourself there. You just need to decide which side you’re on. 😉

It’s a refreshing, exciting and thrilling story for you to dive into. Just don’t go into the Huangpu River, monsters with silver eyes are rumoured to lurk there 👀👀.

A brilliant, brilliant story and the ending. THE ENDING. An audible ‘NO’ escaped my lips, oh Chloe! How could you?!

I need book 2 ASAP. PLEASE!!

A compelling new twist on the Romeo and Juliette tale of warring gangs and forbidden love. This is an incredibly clever idea, not without gore and violence, but then we're reading about the drug trade and gangs from Russia and China. Where the two gangs have spent their existence trying to outdo each other, Roma and Juliette from opposite gangs, must join forces to beat a hidden enemy that is indiscriminate in who it targets. A smart, attention-getting debut which will no doubt receive many plaudits.

This book wasn’t for me, as I was unable to finish this one it does not seem fair to the author to provide a negative review

This novel is incredible! These Violent Delights is an entirely original and utterly addictive reimagining of a Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, full of violence, romance - and monsters!

Juliette Cai returns from America to find Shanghai changed, but she will still risk everything to keep her people, and her city, safe. When madness takes root and there are monster sightings on the streets, she is determined to get to the bottom of what is going on, before there is no one left to save. To do so, she will have to risk her loyalty to the Scarlet gang - and her heart - by putting the blood-feud aside and combining forces with her greatest enemy - Roma Montagov. Part-mystery, part monster story, part-romance, it's impossible not to be sucked into These Violent Delights.

This is the star-crossed lovers as you have never seen them before: dripping with blood, fury and power. When Roma enters a Scarlet-controlled club and finds himself face to face with Juliette, they already have a history steeped in violence and betrayal. Gong's characters are far from naive teenagers swept up in the rush of first love. They are battle-weary and angry, and determined to see the worst in each other.

Roma and Juliette aren't the only brilliant characters to be found amongst the diverse, exciting cast of These Violent Delights. Kathleen, Rosalind, Benedikt and Marshall each had their own secrets and storylines and I loved when the novel switched to any of their perspectives.

These Violent Delights is full of fun references to the original play, as Gong plays with names and has character's quote familiar lines of poetry, but this novel never follows a set path and there are so many twists and shock reveals along the way. These Violent Delights is anything but predictable.