Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong

51 reviews

bookycnidaria's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, War, Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Torture

Minor: Homophobia

cnaccarato's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Body horror, Mass/school shootings, Torture, Violence, Murder, Classism, Medical content, Blood, Death, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

bergha1998's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I felt like the plot in this one wasn’t as good as the first book, but the character development was spot on. It was emotional af, though. I couldn’t handle Ben’s chapters at all.  

Fantasy, Dark Romance, Taboo, 1 🔥

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, War, Violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Cursing, Death, Grief, Murder, Blood, Alcohol, Classism, Colonisation, Police brutality, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

shelvesofivy's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Murder, Gun violence, and Grief

Moderate: Torture and Body horror

Minor: Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, and War

emilywemily6's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I really enjoyed this book, but for some reason the first third of it felt really slow, like nothing was happening with the plot or the characters. I adore the entire cast and while the ending is heartbreakingly beautiful it has less weight for me because I feel like we are mislead and I don’t have to wait to read more books in this world. The tension of this love story against all odds is so good. I appreciated that Juliette and Roma couldn’t fix everything happening to their city during this political upheaval. I loved seeing the growth and change in these characters as their world was changing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Death, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Torture, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, War, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Misogyny, Child death, Sexual content, Child abuse, and Homophobia

prashiie's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"These violent delights have violent ends."

This story too shows similarities with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. I don’t want to spoil it, so you’ll see when you read it. Just read it…!

The tables have turned and there’s so much chaos. In the previous book, Roma kept a secret from Juliette and protected her whilst Juliette held a grudge against Roma for betraying her. Now it is Juliette who is trying to protect Roma. So to sum it up: lovers turned enemies turned lovers turned enemies again.

It was a little frustrating, because I felt like she should have told Roma and they could have figured it out together. Like he said:

“You think so intently of protecting me that you did not consider whether I wanted to be protected. I would have rather died knowing you are as you are than lived a long life thinking you cruel.”

But of course as soon as Tyler notices Juliette’s misstep, he would swoop in and take over everything. The frictions were already escalating between the gangs, so Juliette is forced to pick a side.

There were so many emotional moments: Benedikt’s grief,

Rosalind’s and Tyler’s fate. Juliette did what she had to do to save Roma, but it broke my heart when she looked back to her past interactions with Tyler.

On the other hand, there were some very adorable moments as well, for example

when Roma and Juliette get married in secret! And the cute nicknames they have for each other! Oh, my heart…
“I take you, Juliette Cai,” Roma whispered in concentration, ”to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, until…” He looked up as he finished the knot. Paused. When he spoke again, he did not look away. "No, scratch that. To have and to hold, where even death cannot part us. In this life and the next, for however long our souls remain, mine will always find yours. Those are my vows to you.”

"Together or not at all, dorogaya," Roma whispered back. "I'm with you if we run. I'm with you if we fight."

No, I’m not crying. You’re crying!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Colonisation, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Xenophobia

moonchild_cos's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Death, Violence, Torture, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Kidnapping, Confinement, War, Alcohol, Murder, Gore, Genocide, and Colonisation

Minor: Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Sexism, Sexual content, Death of parent, Homophobia, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Classism

jaja_1212's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Violence

Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Torture

jessiereads98's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was a great ending to the duology. It strays enough from the original Romeo + Juliet while maintaining the themes to create the perfect balance for a retelling. 

Chloe Gong once again nailed it with the setting and atmosphere of 1920s Shanghai. I loved how she tracked the shifting the politics and atmosphere of change. The pacing in this book is great. I also just love a fantasy novel set in or based on 1920s East Asia.

The characters were well done and compelling for the most part. I feel like we got a good amount of time with all the side characters to experience the world outside the view of the two main characters, without it feeling like it detracted from the story or was a waste of time. I actually wish we had gotten more time with Rosalind. I think the story would’ve felt more complete, and she would’ve been a great counterpoint to Juliette had she been more fleshed out. I was left with questions at the end around her character and motivations.

I know she’s the focus of the next duology in this universe. However, her character and POV still should’ve been explored more in this book, especially given the important role she plays here.

Once again, this book is a bit overwritten. There’s metaphors and heavy handed setting descriptions that are unnecessary. Some of the dialogue feels forced rather than natural for the characters and their setting. There are a few moments of cringe, but it isn’t enough to make the entire book off-putting.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, Death, Gore, Gun violence, and Violence

Moderate: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Confinement, Grief, Body horror, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: War, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Suicide, Abandonment, Homophobia, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Sexism

ashbreadin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Death, and Child death

Moderate: War, Torture, Murder, Homophobia, Drug use, Violence, Alcohol, Suicide, Transphobia, and Death