These Violent Delights
A BuzzFeed Best Young Adult Book of 2020
Perfect for fans of The Last Magician and Serpent & Dove, this heart-stopping debut is an imaginative Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River.
The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.
A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal.
But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.
Reviews (165)
These Violent Delights
If you have a phobia about insects you may want to pick up a different book. It's amazing but just wanted to put that out there. The best way to go about a retelling in my opinion is to change enough so that the story has a sheen of freshness and then there's a point you go "oh yes! I remember now!" So Romeo and Juliet. In 1926. Shanghai. A murderous monster. And a madness that causes people to rip out their own throats? Yipes! It's a bonkers theill ride filled with heart and vengeance and unflappable flappers and I loved every bit of it.
ALMOST Fantastic
I dont usually write book reviews because I feel books are so subjective. What one person loves another might not. But this is one I felt I had to review. The premise is fantastic. Romeo and Juliette in a gangster filled Shanghai in the 20s with a water monster? Sign up me. The problem? It takes about 100 pages to really pull you in. Its written from multiple points of view at times but they all could be written from the same character. The author does a lot of telling and not enough SHOWING. For a lot of sentences I found myself mentally rewriting them to how they would have flowed better. That being said, in the end I did enjoy the book and I will be reading the sequel. The author is I believe only 22, I dont think she has truly found her voice yet, and she has all the makings to have her future work be FANTASTIC with just a little tweaking.
A stunning, historical fantasy debut from an extraordinary YA talent to keep in mind.
In this marvelous, ambitious reimagining of Romeo and Juliet, talented wordsmith Chloe Gong takes readers on a sweeping, sublime journey, where something sinister lurks just below the surface of the glitz, the glamour, and intrigue of 1920's Shanghai. Set in this dazzling "Paris of the East," the story begins with our main leads, Juliette Cai, the daughter of Chinese gangster royalty, and Roma Montagov, the son of Russian émigrés who fled during the Bolshevik Revolution, who remain at the epicenter of an ongoing blood feud between their respective families, the Scarlet Gang and the White Flowers. While the Cais have typically ruled Shanghai with an iron fist for generations, the Montagovs, with their gradual but steady climb to power, threaten to usurp the Cais' longtime stranglehold over the city. As this feud begins to rack up a higher body count in the streets day-by-day, the underworld faces its own threat against other emerging power players, such as the Foreign Concessions, the Communists, and the Kuomintang, with all these separate factions jockeying for control over Shanghai. From page one, I was immediately hooked with Gong's exquisite, spectacular prose, her cast of unforgettable characters, jaw-dropping plot twists, and an wholly immersive, beautifully-rendered world of 1920's Shanghai, which was intricately, wonderfully bought to life. The sizzling, slow-burn romance between Juliette and Roma, while they grapple against past mistakes, missed opportunities, and blazing hopes that could very well lead to a secure future or complete ruin, is sure to delight readers - since one can't help but root for them as these rival heirs attempt to defy their starcrossed fate. Though, Juliette and Roma are also supported by an equally standout, secondary cast of characters including: intense but sensitive Benedikt Montagov, hilarious, devil-without-a care, #sinammon roll Marshall Seo, and viciously loyal Kathleen Lang. I for one, am certainly looking forward to the next installment of THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS, as Gong is simply an extraordinary YA talent to keep in mind, with this stunning, historical fantasy debut.
Not my favorite
The premise of this story was intriguing and it had so much potential but it just lacked the punch I expected. There was no point I was completely enthralled with the characters or the writing. The female lead had such potential, she was very strong but I was hoping to see that strength displayed with a bit more dimension, she lacked the vulnerability that would have made her strength shine. The romance element was a small part of the overall arc of the story which I liked but even that was lukewarm. This story had so much potential but I feel it missed the mark on so many opportunities. Very wordy but unnecessarily so. I don't mind words when they are used to create an atmosphere but at one point I skipped 25 pages and didn't miss anything of importance. The cover design is gorgeous and the premise was a truly imaginative remake of the classic.
Boring and Overrated
Finally...I'm done!!! I am definitely one of the minority in loving this book. This is a book that was so hyped up I HAD to snag it, especially since I love a good retelling. Well for me, this failed immensely. I was so excited to start this as it's a Romeo and Juliet retelling and I haven't read one like this yet. This had such a great premise but I struggled to even WANT to read this as it is just so boring. It's not just a slow burn....it's a yawn fest. This is touted as a historical fantasy, romance and mystery. I really enjoyed the historical aspects and the darkness of this ... hence the 3 stars. BUT the mysterious madness takes 95% of the book to come to light with nothing happening except a lot of talk and breaking-and-entering. As far as the romance goes...you get subtle references to Roma and Juliette's history but that's about it. There is no build up, no love/hate flirtations .. just bland scenes .. even when they finally come together it's quick and boring. I am so disappointed with this one and won't even bother to finish the series.
The best book I've read in a long time
As a lover of Shakespeare and the original play, I couldn't wait to read when I found out about Chloe Gong's debut novel retelling the classic tale in 1920s Shanghai. I was also particularly excited at the implementation of AAPI representation in the story. From the first page, I was blown away by the intricacy of this book - Gong effortlessly weaves in complex social and political elements in a story about star-crossed lovers and monsters in an already chaotic city. These elements come together in a beautiful and symphonic way that is such an easy page-turner despite its many layers. Any lover of historical novels, romance, YA, Shakespeare, or even just excellent writing should absolutely treat themselves to this book - I promise it will be worth it. I'm waiting patiently for book 2's release after that suspenseful ending!
Romeo and Juliet on the dark and dangerous streets of 1920s Shanghai
THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS is a delightful Romeo and Juliet retelling that takes readers to the dark and dangerous streets of 1920’s Shanghai filled with gangsters, street wars, betrayal, and bloodshed. Much as you would expect between the Montagues and the Capulets, or, in this case, the Montagovs and the Cais. There are monsters, there is madness, there is romance, but the highlight for me was the inclusion of so many realistic themes, including (but not limited to) colonialism and political unrest. Historically, so many countries were vying for political domination over China, primarily the Russian Communist Party, which played directly into the feud between these two families. Also important to part of the storyline is the conflict between laborers and the government, which resulted in the subsequent beginnings of the working-class revolution. I loved that not only did Gong give readers a dark and delightful fantasy, but she took it a step further and infused her tale with so much period history that it felt like the best history lesson in the history of history lessons. A page-turning, bloody, can’t-put-it-down history lesson. Bottom line — THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS was a gritty, gory delight filled with plenty of twists and turns. It’s light on both romance and fantasy, but most definitely heavy in politics and conflict. In true Shakespearean fashion, the ending most definitely is a tragedy, though I certainly won’t go into any detail. Suffice it to say that there aren’t any rainbows and butterflies at the end of this tale, but there most definitely is blood. And bugs. *eARC received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher.
My book came damaged
My book came damaged but I kept it anyway since I could still read it and if you kept the cover page on you couldn't notice. I was still upset, though.... What an ending! The story was a little slow in the beginning and it took me a bit to get into it. This is a big book and, even after reading some reviews, I was expecting more romance than there was, yet this is a modern-day retelling of "Romeo and Juliet". Can I just say that Benedict and Marshall are EVERYTHING. I KNOW there was something between them...there had to be. I can't be the only one who saw it. This was a beautifully written novel and an amazing first novel (how is this a first novel?!) If you are into an old classic retelling, with a lot of politics, gangs at war, and angsty romance then this is the book for you! I might read the second novel just for the ending of this one and to find out if the love interests end up together (finally); I mean they have to, right?
An international clash of Chinese and Russian gangsters
A clash of Chinese and Russian gangs in the city of Shanghai where a madness has forced two ex-lovers to set aside their differences to save the people they love and the city that's theirs. I love the way the author adds the reference of Romeo and Juliet to the characters induces the reader to feel creeped out by the madness that's running amuck in the city. Great characterization and human feel to them, but also keeping the essence of ill-fated love. Wished for more stolen moments, however, excited to see more of Roma's dark side in the sequel. The monster reveal was a bit disappointing to me as was the action scenes in the end. Was expecting more fight between the antagonist and the monster. The blood feud of the gangster caught more of my attention than the antagonist. The real MVP of the book, however is a runner-up between Kathleen and Marshall. Overall, very well done.
These Violent Delights deserves everything
Absolutely amazing. There are a lot of reasons why I adore this book and for one it’s hard to limit it to one review(non spoiler of course) but let’s try for that arc🤞🏽Juliet Cai is one of the strongest female leads I’ve ever read it about, hands down. Now people tend to say this a lot, but there wasn’t a moment where I was worried she wouldn’t stand for what she believed in. Even when she was wrong she dealt with her mistakes with such class and dignity, it is absolutely inspiring how a heroine can be so self aware and proud even in the hardest of times. When death was all around her and the home she loved and knew so well became engrossed with foreigners, she still stood for what she believed in. And Roma, my sweet sweet Roma, is one of the most beautifully written characters ever. He gives you the sense of being able to rip your heart out and melt it at the same exact time. I don’t understand how. And his voice is just so persistent and loud, I could hear him while reading so clearly. And Marshall...that’s for you to read and find out. Trust me, you’ll love him. The writing was also nothing short of amazing. It’s set in the 1920s so I was a bit hesitant because usually I don’t ever feel a sense of genuineness with dialogue in other stories. But wow Miss Gong knows what she’s doing and please never stop. I found myself highlighting the most simple movements and gestures because they were described so beautifully. I wish I could give this story a million stars, but alas Amazon and goodreads haven’t reached that level yet(this book has though). I suggest you read this book 100% please give it a chance and I hope you love it with all you got. Have an amazing day and stay safe!
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