The ARC for this book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley.

When prompted with the synopsis that includes 1920s and Shanghai, I knew this was a book I wanted to read immediately. Some context needs to established to understand why I had such an interest in this book and that was the fact that as a child my family lived in Shanghai for 4 years. Finding a book that is set in a location I am very familiar with always excites me. Especially when it is somewhere that possibly many others are unfamiliar with it.

Overal, I did thoroughly enjoy this book. It was entertaining and fast-paced. It drew on inspiration from Romeo and Juliette and had a mystery element that left you questioning sides the whole way through.

Otherwise, the characters and intertwining world of 1920s China we richly developed. Descriptions of traditional Chinese cultures, words and phrasings, and landmark locations were built into the story creating a very accurate depiction of the world at the time.

However, ultimately there was one element of the story left me very confused. At the heart of the book was a mysterious monster causing madness within Shanghai. Unfortunately, with the book set in our reality, the story limited itself in being able to provide scientific understanding of why these things were happening and thus this element fell slightly short for me.

But all in all, this book is vastly entertaining and brings a wonderful own voice perspective to a country that has suffered great injustice during 2020.

Nov 23, 2020:
It's been almost 2 months since I read this and I'm still trying to sift through my feelings about this book. (This is a good thing! It means the TVD world has been living in my head for quite some time!!)

There is a lot of hype centering around this book and for the most part I would say it lives up to it!!

This is a Romeo & Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, featuring a Chinese Juliet (Juliette Cai) and Russian Romeo (Roma Montagov) who happen to be the heirs of rival gangs, who *happen* to also be ex-lovers. (Hence this story plays with the lovers-enemies-lovers trope!!!) Juliette returns to Shanghai after being sent away to New Year for 4 years - into a Shanghai that is even more politically broken than how she left it. Tensions are high as ever as the city is on the cusp of the Chinese Civil War (communists and nationalists are battling it out) and everyone either aligns with The Scarlet Gang (Juliette's gang) or The White Flowers (Roma's gang) in order to survive. In the midst of all this chaos, a monster rears its head in the Huangpu River, causing mysterious deaths in both gangs. Then the inevitable happens: Juliette and Roma have to (secretly) work together to defeat this monster, and you already know what's going to happen next.... *mega angst*

In a way, this book revived my love for YA - after quite a few misses from the genre this year, I was fearing that I might have outgrown the genre, but what I was really missing was this fresh new wave in YA Fantasy that is filled with characters from different ethnicities and backgrounds - backgrounds that pertain to mine for this specific book - as well as exploration of history on this side of the Earth (other wars were being waged while WW2 happened!)

Upon finishing this book, I *had* to gush about it with a friend who read it as well, and I think that's what I love the most about YA - it's a genre that is more accessible than most, and has active fandoms to appreciate the characters and content of the books.

After the initial *I can't think about anything else except how I love all the characters in TVD* phase, I started thinking below the surface - about how I saw a lot my younger self in Juliette - she spent 4 formative years in New York, so it's inevitable for her Chinese heritage to clash with her now Western-influenced identity. At times in the book, Juliette subconsciously prefers to do things the Western way instead of the Chinese way (I mean, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, amirite?), sometimes even *subtly* looking down at the way her own people dresses/thinks. (She gets her fair share of people hinting at her that she's *changed* a lot, don't worry)

Although I've never step foot in New York nor Shanghai, on this plane of the planet, specifically Asia (and even more specifically Malaysia), Western media is extremely pervasive - so in a way my childhood was quite Western-influenced - and when that is all you see growing up, you end up unintentionally internalising dislike towards the very culture running in your own veins - I preferred to do things the Western way, speak like them, *only* speaking English, refusing to be serious in learning my own mother tongue, just because I was (pretty much) brainwashed into thinking the Western ideal is *the* superior ideal, through all that heavy consumption of Western media. (Don't worry, eventually I came to my senses)

What I'm trying to say is - Chloe Gong wrote this as a diaspora story, specifically for kids who were raised in Western countries that they are not native to - and based on that, I find it fascinating that the countries don't need to match for people to relate to Juliette. Even more fascinating is that I was raised in Asia and yet feel the effects of Western hegemony from so far away, and related to Juliette in that aspect. There is so much to unpack in this character thread and I can't wait for more of it in book 2.

Fav characters
-OOF. Marshall Seo probably? (he and Juliette are fighting for space in my head as we speak - oh wait now they're shaking hands) he is a precious cinnamon roll that must be protected.
-I would have preferred to see more from Roma's POV though! We know quite a lot about him but also *don't* know quite a lot about him, you get me?

Also if you've read the original Romeo and Juliet play (present day me is thanking May 2020 me for deciding to pick it up on a whim - it came to good use after all lol), it's extra fun to pick out the parallels and !also! since you know who dies who doesn't, it adds an extra layer to your reading experience + you'll have a lot of fun theorizing how Chloe will change things up in her own work.

5 stars!! One of my faves of 2020 :D
Can't wait for my physical copy to arrive so I can delve deeper into it this time!
(*will probably come back and write a more coherent review after my 2nd read!)

This book was one of my most anticipated release of 2020 and it's now one of my favourite reads of the year as well.

These Violent Delights is a Romeo and Juliet retelling taking place in Shanghai in the 1920s. Two rival gangs are faced with a curious madness killing everyone in their ranks. Where does it come from? How do they stop it? That’s what the heirs of each gang are trying to find out. But will they be able to put aside the blood feud and their own history to work together against this common enemy?
This book basically has all my favourite tropes. It’s fast paced, there’s action and suspense, the characters are witty and wonderful, and so are the relationships whether they’re familial, friendly, or romantic.

Juliette and Roma are such interesting and complex protagonists. They'd do anything for their family and their gang, they're both smart, strong-willed, determined, and so lovable. I instantly fell in love with Juliette, I love ruthless and powerful women. Even more when their confidence hides a lot of self doubt. And I loved the contrast with Roma. Where Juliette is hot-headed and violent, Roma is more calm and will try to get his way without shedding blood.

I also adored the secondary characters, Kathleen and Marshall own my heart. Gong really took time to develop all of her characters, and you get attached to all of them so easily.

It's absolutely amazing that this is Chloe Gong's debut novel. It's so well-written, so enticing. I absolutely cannot wait for the second book, and for Gong's future books.

It’s more than a retelling, more than a doomed love story …

Saying that I enjoyed Those Violent Delights would be an understatement. It was an fabulous ride, leaded by a fantastic writing. Chloe Gong mastered the construction of her story and her characters in a unique way and it’s even more impressive that is her first published novel.

Besides the fact that we already got a lot of Romeo & Juliet retelling in YA, this one felt unique. I’m not a huge fan of the original play by William Shakespeare for multiple reasons I won’t explain here, but I felt understood by Chloe Gong in the way that she put EVERYTHING I love in a book in hers. I absolutely loved the political, economic and social stakes about the war gangs, colonialism and the rise of communism in China. All those elements fit into each other perfectly and it felt right for a dramatic story such as Romeo & Juliet to have so many decisive and oppressive elements around them. Because that’s what this story is truly about: all the unstoppable forces which prevent two people to fall in love. Roma and Juliet are trapped in their social, economical and political situation and it takes more than just a flirt to destroy the system.

Moreover the situation in Shanghai in the 1920’s you get a monster scaring the city? Oh that’s brilliant. The "malediction" or "disease" that spread in the streets during the novel gave an extra tension to the story that I really enjoyed. I’m not sure if I appreciate the ending about that but I’m extra curious for what will happen next.

Those Violent Delights is also … a love story. But not entirely. I really like slow burn in my reading but this one was a snail. But it didn’t bother at all, on the contrary. It kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering when they’ll finally admit that they are in love with each other. Love is not the "heart" (sorry for that one) of the book, but it’s definitely the silent snake swimming beneath the surface (see what I did there ?). I love that everyone in this book is driven by love for their country, family, a significant other, dynasty, etc. It pushed the character to give their best or their worst and it was so interesting to see their evolution through the prism of love.

This book has the all package. It’s clever, captivating, thrilling and well-written. It’s definitely one of the best release of 2020. By far.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.


When I saw this book being advertised on BookTok (the bookish side of TikTok) through Chloe Gong's account, I was sold. Juts by the cover. Then when I did further research and found out it was a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, I knew I would love this book. It's an enemies to lovers romance which is one of the biggest tropes in Young Adult literature.

This modern re-telling has kept some of the most iconic scenes from the original play. The modern twist keeps the book entertaining and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I already know the These Violent Delights is going to be the next huge YA hit, and Chloe Gong will become a well known name in the young adult literature world.

"These violent delight have violent ends."

There are many content warnings for this book including: gun violence, gang violence, knife violence, murder, transphobia, consumption of alcohol, suicide, suicidal thoughts, illness

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for sending me a copy of These Violent Delights to review via Netgalley.

DNF at 25%

Unfortunately, this book just didn't live up to the hype that had been built up around it. With that gorgeous cover and the premise of a 1920s alternate Shanghai Romeo and Juliet retelling, I had hoped I might find something really special here - but this wasn't it.

The one thing that did really stick out to me was the detail with which Chloe Gong has imagined this world. The descriptions of the streets of this Shanghai are vivid and detailed.

At a quarter of the way through, I didn't feel as though the plot had advanced at all from where we started, and although a number of characters had been introduced, I didn't feel a connection with any of them. I'm sad to DNF a book that I had such high hopes for, but the slow pace and the detached narrative voice just weren't enough to keep me reading.

This review will not be appearing on my blog at this time, but will be cross-posted to Goodreads.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy of These Violent Delights in exchange for an honest review.

In Shanghai, in 1926, a blood feud that has been ongoing for years continues.

Tensions between the Scarlet and White Flower gangs is constant causing casualties on both sides.

4 years earlier heir to the Scarlet gang, Juliette Cai and the White Flower heir Roma Montagov saw past the blood feud and fell in love. That is, until he betrayed her.

After some time away, Juliette has returned to Shanghai.

Soon people from both sides of the feud start going mad and tearing out their own throats in what seems to be the beginning of a contagion. Juliette and Roma must work past there grudges and discover the cause of the contagion before both gangs are wiped out.

What I liked about this book

This is a really interesting take on Romeo and Juliette. It has an original and enjoyable premise.

The character line up is really diverse. I particularly liked Kathleen. Her loyalty and kindness are admirable.

Action packed scenes keep the story moving forward at a fast pace

What I didn't like

Due to the fact that this is a Romeo and Juliette retelling, I expected a lot more from the romance.

The perpetrator is quite obvious from the first few chapters.

These Violent Delights ends on a cliffhanger leading me to believe that there will be a second book. I didn't get what I was expecting from this book, though I did enjoy it.

3.75 stars
✮✮✮✭

Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars!

These Violent Delights is definitely one of the most beautiful and refreshing re-telling that I have read in recent years. Based on Romeo and Juliet but set in 1920's Shanghai, this book has such a vibrant and atmospheric setting. I loved how Shanghai has been described, I loved the mix of culture and food that were presented in the book and I loved how the author presented and discussed colonialism and its effects in the story.

In addition, the plot had just the right amount of mystery, family intrigue, power struggle and action. Admittedly, I think that the story started out a little slow but once, I reached the 30% mark, I was fully invested in the plot and flew thew the rest of the book in a day or so. The characters too were well written, especially, the MCs Juliette and Roma, I really liked their personal struggles and loved how they developed through out the story, However, my one qualm was that I didn't feel attached to the characters very much, especially the side characters, there were quite a few of them and I loved the representations they added to the story, but I really wished some of their back stories was explored a little more. I do hope that is something which gets explored in the next book.

Overall, a good story and a great debut! I will look forward to what the author does next especially with that brilliant ending!!

The only thing I knew about this book while going into it was that this was a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in Shanghai in 1920s. Although, I think this line describes the book in a very basic manner. It is so much more than just a Romeo and Juliet retelling.

We follow Juliette Cai, the heir of the Scarlet gang and Roma Montagov, the heir of White Flower gang. These two gangs control the entire city of Shanghai and are bitter rivals. Just like in Romeo and Juliet, Roma and Juliette meet when they are 15, and fall in love. But due to gang wars, they fall apart. Juliette is shipped off to America for safety reasons.

Our main story starts 4 years after this. Juliette is 19, hardened by the world around her, and back in Shanghai. But things have changed while she was away.
Shanghai is plagued with more and more White foreigners trying to colonize Chinese land. Juliette sees signs on shops and places saying "No Chinese allowed inside" on Chinese land. In her own family, people are favouring her first cousin Tyler to take over gang duties, just because he is male.

In the White Flowers territory, Roma has been disfavoured by his father due to certain events that happened 4 years ago during the fallout with the Scarlet gang. He is delegated to do the lowest and most unwanted tasks in the gang.

Both Roma and Juliette are struggling to regain their place in their respective gangs.

And in the midst of all this, there is a spread of a new kind of sickness in the city. People are dying by self inflicted wounds; they are literally ripping out their own throat. Some people say that this is a madness. But there are rumours about sightings of a monster, a monster so terrible that one look at it incites this madness in people. But monster or no, the sickness is spreading and claiming lives of both Scarlets and White Flowers and anyone and everyone in between. The general public is losing faith their gangs to provide protection and turning away from them as the sickness becomes contagious and uncontrollable; leading to the rise of a new threat to the gangs - the Communists. People are joining the communist propaganda in the wake on the threat of sickness.

Juliette and Roma and scrambling to find the source of this sickness and to save their people.

I absolutely absolutely loved this premise of a new 'sickness'. The author has very cleverly woven the fiction of this madness with what I assume to be the actual political situation in Shanghai during that time. I loved how the author has highlighted the rise of communist agenda and the fall of the drug gangs while showing the cause of this to be the madness and the subsequent death of common folk due to it. I am very interested to know if something similar happened during that time in Shanghai.

Also, I absolutely loved Juliette as a protagonist. She is so fiercely protective about her people, not just the members of the Scarlet gang, but even the common people of the city. She does not bend down in front of the countless people who are trying to devalue her just because of her sex. She knows how to command respect and even fear!

I also loved the side characters of the story, which were Juliette's cousins Kathleen and Rosalind, especially Kathleen! She was such an unexpected surprise, I want more of her. I also loved Roma's two sidekicks, Benedictk and Marshall. In comparison to all of them, Roma felt very average to me. He did not do much for me to be honest and his contribution to the plot was also very average. Roma is not a bad character. But he is not excellent either. He just felt average to me. Juliette came out to be super strong, This tipped the balance between the main pair for me and affected my enjoyment of the book a little bit.

Another thing that took away my enjoyment of this book, was the lack of chemistry between Roma and Juliette. I could not connect to the love between the protagonists. Yes, there were feelings of young love lost, but that for me did not translate too well to the angst or rekindling of love between these two.

I solidly loved the main plot of the story and the way it was executed. The author has very impactfully highlighted the blatant racism and culture shaming done by the whites towards Asians. I loved the brutal honesty used to convey this. There is a part where Juliette talks about Americans teasing her about her chinese name, and that resonated so much with me. I am dead sure this still happens in the world. Juliette also talks about foreigners disallowing Chinese to inhibit their own land. Again, I related to it so strongly! As an Indian, my history lessons were filled with atrocities done to my countrymen by colonizers. I was used to see pictures saying "Dogs and Indians not allowed" in my textbooks. I loved the fact that the author has taken so much pains to raise such an important topic. Its about time someone brings this topic to focus in mainstream western YA literature.

I loved the way in which the author has perfectly portrayed the political tensions at that time. I absolutely loved the execution of the story. The pace falls slow somewhere in the middle of the book. I felt that the author was giving us the same information dressed in different ways. But pacing picked up again towards the end. Infact the entire climax at the end was so perfectly executed! There's a cliffhanger at the end, and I am not usually a fan of cliffhangers, but this one was so well done, I cannot wait for the next book!

I screamed for full 5 minutes whenI got this arc. I loved the idea of Romeo and Juliet of 1920s.
This book is so beutifully writen. This really was a good read.

For 4 for me.

4.5/5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I don't even know where to even start about this book. Think, "a plague on both your houses," but it's not a metaphor. A Romeo and Juliet reimagining set in 1920s Shanghai with some supernatural stuff thrown sounds like a strange mix but it works so well! Chloe Gong offers a unique retelling that is captivating and heartwrenching at the same time.

Like the original tale, Juliette and Roma are heirs to their respective families who have a lifelong feud between them; but, instead of this being an enemies to lovers story, it's more of an enemies to lovers back to enemies to reluctant allies. Their dynamic as past lovers with such a complicated history makes their encounters so interesting to read, and so sad because you can see how much they love each other despite everything that's happened between them and their families. They're both such morally grey characters, wanting to remain as heirs to their family, knowing the bloodshed that goes along with it, for the sake of their family honour or for the safety of their loved ones. They both know this means staying away from each other, and having to hate each other, but throw a monster plaguing the city they live in into the mix and you have more reluctant encounters and terse conversations, which really shows how severe this monster problem is if they're willing to put their past aside to try to solve the madness ensuing.

I enjoyed the fact that Roma and Juliette weren't the main focus, and other characters such as Kathleen and Marshall got their own POV chapters. It was a diverse cast of characters, all of whom were interesting and I look forward to learning more about them in the future novels. Through them we gain an insight into the Cais and Montagovs, seeing it from the inside circle rather than just the heirs. It also means we as the reader get different bits of information from different sources, so it's up to us to try to piece things together alongside the protagonists.

Alongside the two families, other characters related to political parties are also important in this story. "These days Juliette, the most dangerous people are the powerful white men who feel as if they have been slighted." & "They believe themselves the rulers of the world- on stolen land in America, on stolen land in Shanghai." These were such good lines and so relevant even in today. They way the higher ups cared little for the madness, tittering about it and how it effected the dock workers etc, it was so telling about the bigger picture of this book, about how Juliette feels in her identity and having to choose between her Western and Eastern side. Also, can we talk about how this line is basically foreshadowing? wow

It's hard to say what my favourite part of this book was, but perhaps it was the ending chapters. It was so intense, I just had to keep reading. I eagerly await the next novel.

There are so many wonderful things to love about this book.
For starters the cover is exceptional, and the description really drew me in - a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, a love lost between rival gangs, and a supernatural element.

The stunning language however took me completely by surprise - it wasnt what I was expecting from a book promosing mobster violence, however the liquid practically pours from the pages.
This story has grit and violence all throughout and yet still it is soft and beautiful, and full of incredible imagery.

The characters themselves are as stunning as the setting.
Juliette is a vivid entity entirely her own, and the softness of Roma made me want to reach out and shake him, but also hug him. .
There is so much more to this book then meets the eyes and I was wholly obsessed with it as I flew through the pages.

The pacing helps the thriller elements and the romance between our main characters feels natural, even as the stakes gets higher.

The only point which seemed to drag this rating down was the rushed ending - however this is something I feel like I run in to surprisingly often in YA/NA.

But I honestly cannot wait to see what comes next.

"These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which, as they kiss, consume..."
*
Despite being a loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet, this book felt so fresh. I was gripped from the beginning and enthralled with the complexities of Juliette and Roma's characters. It was easy to match each character to their counterpart in the original play, but that's where the similarities end as Chloe completely reinvented them. In this book, we see a city at war with itself threatened by an unknown monster and a madness sweeping through the streets that seems to be contagious.
*
"Astra inclinant, sed non obligant - the stars incline us, they do not bind us... "
*
As a History teacher I loved the setting of 1920s Shanghai, a time when new political ideas where seeping through the city and gang warfare was high. The book is entrenched with the history of the city, including colonisation and the Opium Wars, leading to republican China. I was fascinated and found myself finishing the book only to go and carry out some additional research on the city.
*
"But she never had a choice. This was her life, this was her city, these were her people..."
*
The themes remain true to the story - family, loyalty and love. As fitting with the story, the course of true love never did run smooth. However, we see a different kind of romance. I'm hoping to see this develop further in the next book.
*
"There was a scratch at the side of her wrist. She had no idea how it got there... " Me reading these two sentences like 👀
*
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A retelling of Romeo and Juliet , sign me up, fantasy too oooooh, set in 20s Shanghai squeeeeee. is basically my reaction when I heard about this book, won’t even tell you my reaction when I got approved for an ARC. I was not disappointed in any way at all, this book was everything!! Gangsters, monsters, bloody , glamorous, I could go on but importantly the story is just wonderful , if you pick this book up you will not regret it. The writing is absolutely beautiful, the social and political commentary mixed in with the storyline is just brilliant and eye opening. The characterisation just so three dimensional , I loved our leads Roma and Juliette but it’s the side characters that I loved even more, Benedikt particularly and then Marshall, overall a simply fantastic and stunning read one of my top reads of 2020


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

🚨Romeo and Juliet in 1920's Shanghai, with a fantasy twist! 🚨 Like, what more could you want? When These Violent Delights begins, it is 1926 Juliette Cai has recently returned to Shanghai after her education in the United States and is ready to take up her position as heir to one of the most dangerous gangs in the city. The infamous Scarlet Gang are only matched by their Russian rivals, The White Flowers. You may have guessed that Roma Montagov, is the heir to the family, but you would be incorrect in thinking you know how this story will go just because you've read Romeo and Juliet. This is not the story of how the children of two warring families fall in love: it is four years since Roma betrayed Juliette and she fled to New York, living the flapper lifestyle, partying to hide how traumatised she was. When she returns she is cold and ruthless, and has changed completely by the time Roma comes back into her life. Something dangerous is sweeping the city, a kind of contagious madness that causes people to suddenly start tearing at their throats. Both families have to work together to fight this rumoured "monster in the shadows" before the city they fight over is wiped out. I loved that Chloe Gong made the story completely her own, and allowed the characters to grow in interesting ways, instead of just putting familiar characters into an updated setting. I knew nothing about 1920'a Shanghai but as a city constantly in conflict it made for an intense and unique setting for a familiar story.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for sending me a copy of These Violent Delights to review via Netgalley!

These Violent Delights is a thrilling, sparkling and bloody retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. I’m a sucker for a retelling, but one set in 1920s Shanghai with gangsters, rivalry, betrayal and mystery? It would be a crime for me not to read this.

Much like the original Romeo and Juliet, These Violent Delights is filled to the brim with twists, turns, star-crossed romance and betrayals, with the added allure of a mystery plot line.

Roma and Juliette have a history — one of betrayal and loss. They are both the heirs to their respective gangs, and are torn between loyalty to their family and legacy, or the love that they cannot ignore. Juliette might just be one of my new favourite YA characters — she is the epitome of a badass. She is whip-smart and fierce, and takes advantage of her opponents’ underestimation of her in the most brilliant of ways. Roma remains hopeful for a better future, one in which the blood feud doesn’t take so many lives. We all know how Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliette ends, and I spent the majority of this book alternately wanting Roma and Juliette to be together and feeling dread at the possibility of an ending as bitter as the original tale. And I must say, the suffering this caused was ~immaculate~.

The side characters were every bit as lovable as the main characters. Kathleen in particular is another amazing character, whose chapters I loved, and I absolutely adored Benedikt and Marshall.

Chloe Gong brought the 1920s alive in so vividly a way as I’ve never seen before. The 1920s is a time that is often romanticised for its glamour, but what is glossed over a lot of the time is the racism and colonialism. Chloe Gong maintained the glitzy atmosphere that is so loved whilst also exploring this, which I appreciated.

These Violent Delights was so beautifully written, so engaging that I was completely immersed. I never knew where this book was going next, and I could not stop reading. I am so, so glad that there is a book 2, because after that ending, I would quite happily sell my soul for one.

Set in the year 1926, Shanghai is being hunted by a monster in the shadows. And in the heart of the city, it is being embroiled in a blood feud between the Scarlet Gang and White Flowers. Juliette has returned to the city, ready to be by her father’s side as the heir to the Scarlets. But the gangsters find themselves in trouble when a sickness forces the infected to claw out their throats. Before it destroys her people, Juliette must partner with the Flower’s heir, setting aside their personal grudges to save the city before the madness burns it all down.

The Violent Delights is one of my most anticipated reads of this year. The second I laid my eyes on that cover; I immediately ran to GoodReads to make sure I don’t forget this book exists. I won’t lie, but this book was both brilliant but still somewhat disappointing at the same time. The story follows the Juliette, recently returned from New York, and during a business meeting she is interrupted by rival heir Roma Montagov. Roma informs her of an incident where the casualties have appeared to die by their own hands. Both changed by an accident of their past, Juliette and Roma have to put aside their differences and feelings to discover the truth.

I liked the story for most parts, but the start of the novel is rather disappointing. It kicks off relatively strong, the death of gang members with no real cause, Roma making the brave move to enter the Scarlet territory to find Juliette and the both of them trying to figure out what’s happening. There are so many components to this story that appear so exciting and unique, but I found its execution rather clumsy, to say the least. The story hooks you in really well within this 1920s Shanghai as it faces trouble from its citizens and foreigners alike. The impact of colonialism takes centre stage in the setting, and Gong builds up a formidable background. The stakes are high as Juliette as to figure out what the monster is and how it’s linked to the death of her people. With foreigners like the British, French and Russians crawling in the background, Juliette almost feels like a stranger in her own city, and you feel it too as a reader.

As you settle into the story, it quickly beings to falter and drag on its own feet. Juliette can’t seem to get her parent’s approval, while Roma’s father ignores most of his findings, which leads to them working together and then the story doesn’t know what to do. There’s a lot of starting and stopping, and it breaks the momentum and pacing a lot. There’s a specific moment when you realised the story gains its drive again, but before that happens, it feels like it’s just kicking rocks, waiting for that push to continue. Juliette and Roma had met years prior, but an accident separates them, leaving Roma in Shanghai and Juliette returning to New York. I just didn’t feel any chemistry whatsoever. All of their feelings are buried in the past, and for plot’s sake, it was all withheld so in the last second, it makes for a theatrical scene. It just didn’t work out as well because the everything before that scene was so lacklustre.

The characters that aren’t Juliette and Roma are the saving grace of this entire book for me, personally, and why I’ll patiently be counting down the days for its sequel. Roma’s side includes Benedikt, his cousin, and Marshall, who form his closest circle. He also has his sister, Alyssa. Juliette’s team includes her twin cousins, Kathleen and Rosalind, and another cousin, Tyler. The characterisation of these secondary characters was so much better than anything that happened between Juliette and Roma, and I feel bad for saying that I was more interested in their lives than what was happening between the leads. The moments when they appear, the story becomes alive and engaging, and when we return to the main story, it feels like a giant step back. Towards the end of the story, as I mentioned, it gains its momentum well. And while it took me days to get to the 50% mark, I found myself speed reading to reach the end, and it was so much more entertaining.

Overall, These Violent Delights wasn’t precisely what I had anticipated, but I’m very excited to see what happens in the sequel. Despite my dispositions, Gong does a great job here in her debut. I did love how she had taken the story of Romeo & Juliet and adapted it to her cultural background and history. While the story wasn’t for me at the start, the ending redeems itself 100% over. It’s a story of identity and family and with the fantastic imagery and political backdrop, I’m still very interested in seeing what happens next for the Scarlet Gang and White Flowers.

**I was provided with an ARC through netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

A second chance romance Romeo & Juliet retelling with a backdrop of 1920’s Shanghai and an added monster wreaking havoc citywide? I’ve been itching for this book since I first heard about it and let me just say it was even better than I expected it to be!

Now it has been a fair few years since I read and studied the original Romeo & Juliet play and reading this book threw me right back, but dare I say Shakespeare has nothing on this retelling! The central feud in These Violent Delights has more bite, the romance is spicier and the characters are given a wider purpose than just those two things. Gong has introduced various other elements to the story that embellish it beautifully.

For starters the entrancing world building and action around ‘the madness’ and ‘the monster’ hooks you in from the get go. Gong’s poetic writing immerses you right in to the glitz and glamour of the time period and setting, as well as the hostility and tension of the blood feud. Additionally the mystery and apprehension surrounding the pandemic, though maybe a little too close to home in 2020, makes this book such a page turner.

However, I feel it is the social and political commentary which has been so intricately woven throughout the narrative that was a cut above the rest. The portrayal and discussions around the Westernisation and political tensions in Shanghai not only informed the storyline and added to the atmosphere but also presented a slice of history without feeling like a massive info dump. The time and research that went into this book jumps right off the pages. I love the opportunity to learn new things and my history nerd side was just eating it all up.

With regards to the characters, I think Gong has crafted the two protagonists brilliantly, adding nuanced layers to their Shakespearean equivalents.

As a loyal member of the White Flowers I fell in love with Roma immediately. (And okay I fell in love with Juliette straight away too but shhh.) It was fascinating to experience the two sides of the blood feud through their perspectives, each of them providing us with an insight on the differing morals and dynamics of the individual gangs. Though their clashing loyalties and backgrounds aside, what was just as absorbing was how strikingly Juliette and Roma mirrored one another. How they were both fervently trying to secure their place in a world where you have no option but to keep your knives sharp and your guns blazing.

And their relationship? Gosh the angst was DRIPPING off the page from their first interaction.
The romance is definitely more of a subplot but as their past was slowly uncovered, as their masks started slipping I couldn’t help but get swallowed up by their emotions and longing. Honestly the idea to transform an enemies to lovers, insta-love pairing into a second chance romance with lots of pent up history and betrayal was just *chef’s kiss*

Although I will mention that when reading I did feel like there was an imbalance when it came to the points of view. We definitely get more of Juliette’s perspective than Roma’s which wasn’t a negative aspect, I just expected this to be a bit more equal going in.

That being said I absolutely loved that we got additional points of view from some of the side characters too – Kathleen and Rosalind, two of Juliette’s cousins and Benedikt and Marshall, Roma’s best friends/wingmen. They each had their own personalities and experiences which helped to direct the story. I particularly loved the scenes involving the second duo as anytime Marshall appeared, as with his Romeo & Juliet counterpart, his witty demeanour never failed to make me smile or laugh.

Speaking of which, the parallels to the initial story were equally a delight to stumble across and a panic stricken anticipation. I’m not going to give away any spoilers but whether you’re familiar with the original or not, the twists and how everything goes down will blow you away.

I am now impatiently awaiting the sequel!
Final Rating - 4.5/5 Stars

3.5 stars

Roma Montagov and Juliette Cai are the heirs to rival gangs in 1920s Shanghai.
The gangs struggle to keep their hold on the city as foreigners and Communism rise in power.
Then a monster appears, threatening the lives of everyone in the city.
Can Roma and Juliette put their pasts and the blood feud behind them in order to work together to save their families and Shanghai?

I'm not a big Romeo and Juliet fan, but when I heard that there was a retelling set in 1920s Shanghai with a monster in it, I immediately wanted to read it.
Roma and Juliette were both relatable and likeable protagonists. I enjoyed finding out more about them as well as their families and the gangs. Both of them were under huge pressure as heirs to gangs and had people wanting to usurp them, so it was interesting reading how they dealt with that.
I really liked Roma's friends - Marshall (who was the comic relief), and Bendikt - as well as Juliette's cousin, Kathleen. They all did what they could to to help the heir of their gang and I would be proud to call them my friends.
The setting was interesting, especially as I don't know much about the history of Shanghai. The book was written so that it felt like I was running through Shanghai alongside Roma and Juliette.
I really liked the diversity and representation in the novel.
While the characters were probably my favourite part of the book, the plot was enjoyable and held my attention. I did guess a couple of twists, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment.
The writing style was easy to follow and understand, but it did take me a little while to really get into the storyline and it wasn't until the last few chapters where I was on the edge of my seat.
I am very intrigued to see what happens in the sequel, which I definitely intend to read.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

Review ✨✨✨✨✨🥀

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

These Violent Delights is a unique and imaginative retelling of Shakespeare’s classic, Romeo and Juliet. Taking place in 1920’s Shanghai, amidst a power struggle between the Communists and foreign occupiers and a looming civil war. In addition, a sinister monster has awakened in the depths of the Huangpu River and a mysterious madness is sweeping the city.

Juliette Cai, heir to one of Shanghai’s leading gangs, The Scarletts, must join forces with her arch enemy, Roma Montagov, heir to a rival gang, The White Flowers. Juliette is breathtaking in every way - she’s fierce, courageous and devastatingly ruthless. Roma is gorgeous, thoughtful and equally fierce and powerful. He also happens to be Juliette’s former childhood sweetheart and first love.
Years of animosity and vicious blood-shed keeps the river of hatred deep and vast between them both - a mortally wounded hatred, difficult to heal. That is until Shanghai falls in desperate need for the two to unite. Juliette and Roma must team up to solve the deadly mystery before it takes out their family, their people and their entire city.

And what takes place is a fusion of thrill, passion and devastation! I absolutely loved this tale and still in-awe of the fact that this is a debut novel! From the very beginning, the story felt grippingly intense and exciting.

Not only is this story and main characters riveting, I was quite enthralled by some of the side characters. Especially, Juliette’s cousin, Kathleen. Her bold personality, heartfelt back-story and close bond with Juliette is simply beautiful. The world-building of the 1920’s Shanghai was also brilliant and fascinating. I absolutely loved the setting and the Asian and LGBTQ+ representation in this book. The characters, the plot, the mystery and suspense was so well written, bringing something special to the story. Chloe Gong definitely made this retelling refreshingly unique with her immersive and captivating writing!

I highly recommend adding this to your TBR. A truly delicious, dark and brutal love story!

5 dazzling starlights 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟