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claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Colonisation, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Cursing, Alcohol, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Sexual content
angstifies's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
i found the first book much more interesting than this sequel, this book had very much the same exact plot as the first one it just unfolded differently somehow? mhmm idk
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Torture
Minor: Sexual content
valpyre's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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? It's complicated
4.5
[audiobook]
while this didn't end exactly how i hoped it would've, i personally enjoyed it as a sequel and as an ending to the series (and tbf, it wasn't entirely a surprise). i really vibed with gong's writing -- as with the previous book, i think she struck a great balance of emotional resonance and development, along with exposition. both romances were almost exactly my vibe and kept me on my toes in anticipation.
while i admire gong's ability to move the plot along, always having something going on that the characters are inciting or catching up with, i think there was a little too much going on here, and the monster plot suffered a little for it. and though i did really enjoy the multiple pov's, (view spoiler)
also, as with the last book, the audiobook narrator was great, but her choice to harshly whisper dynamic (loud/intense) dialogue was distracting.
while this didn't end exactly how i hoped it would've, i personally enjoyed it as a sequel and as an ending to the series (and tbf, it wasn't entirely a surprise). i really vibed with gong's writing -- as with the previous book, i think she struck a great balance of emotional resonance and development, along with exposition. both romances were almost exactly my vibe and kept me on my toes in anticipation.
while i admire gong's ability to move the plot along, always having something going on that the characters are inciting or catching up with, i think there was a little too much going on here, and the monster plot suffered a little for it. and though i did really enjoy the multiple pov's, (view spoiler)
also, as with the last book, the audiobook narrator was great, but her choice to harshly whisper dynamic (loud/intense) dialogue was distracting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gun violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
beccas_bibliophilia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, Murder, Gun violence, and Death
Minor: Suicide and Sexual content
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
OUR VIOLENT ENDS is a great finish to an excellent duology, with just the right amount of angst and catharsis. If you read THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS and wanted more of Juliet and Roma treating stabbing and bullets as expressions of fraught teenage love in the midst of a plague-turned-takeover, you should read this ASAP.
The worldbuilding is consistent with the previous book, but it's now slowing down to build as many non-human parts of the setting as THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS was able to. Juliet sometimes still wears flapper dresses, and Roma has a Meaningful Wardrobe Change, but tensions are high and there's just less time for fun. Plenty of time for emotionally fraught pining and hatred, especially coming off of events from the last book.
I love how much Kathleen shines in this one, she has a much better sense of herself and what place she wants to hold. Alisa, too, gets more of a role and it's very nice to see. Ben and Marsh are fantastic, I'm so happy about their arc here.
This wraps up a bunch of things from THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS. It has a couple of storylines which start here and weren't present before, but since this is part two of a duology that's somewhat limited, as it exists to complete the story. I'm not sure if any major things were both introduced and resolved here, as generally the groundwork was laid previously even if the very specific story thread is mostly contained to this volume. It feels finished, except in as much as the ending intentionally left things open, e.g. living characters are implied to have plans for what they'll do next. The main characters are the same, with a similar ratio of how many chapters each one narrates. Their voices are distinct from each other but consistent with their styles of narration from THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS. This might make some sense if someone picked it up at random and didn't know about the series (especially if they're familiar with ROMEO AND JULIETTE. The relevant backstory is succinctly and precisely conveyed in a way that makes it pretty easy to get up to speed, but certain character motivations and present circumstances will be confusing if someone tries to begin here, in part two of two. It does hit the sweet spot for enough of a reminder for readers who waited a while after reading the first book, at least as far as I'm concerned.
Well-done with an ending I'm still thinking about, make sure to check out OUR VIOLENT ENDS.
The worldbuilding is consistent with the previous book, but it's now slowing down to build as many non-human parts of the setting as THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS was able to. Juliet sometimes still wears flapper dresses, and Roma has a Meaningful Wardrobe Change, but tensions are high and there's just less time for fun. Plenty of time for emotionally fraught pining and hatred, especially coming off of events from the last book.
I love how much Kathleen shines in this one, she has a much better sense of herself and what place she wants to hold. Alisa, too, gets more of a role and it's very nice to see. Ben and Marsh are fantastic, I'm so happy about their arc here.
This wraps up a bunch of things from THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS. It has a couple of storylines which start here and weren't present before, but since this is part two of a duology that's somewhat limited, as it exists to complete the story. I'm not sure if any major things were both introduced and resolved here, as generally the groundwork was laid previously even if the very specific story thread is mostly contained to this volume. It feels finished, except in as much as the ending intentionally left things open, e.g. living characters are implied to have plans for what they'll do next. The main characters are the same, with a similar ratio of how many chapters each one narrates. Their voices are distinct from each other but consistent with their styles of narration from THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS. This might make some sense if someone picked it up at random and didn't know about the series (especially if they're familiar with ROMEO AND JULIETTE. The relevant backstory is succinctly and precisely conveyed in a way that makes it pretty easy to get up to speed, but certain character motivations and present circumstances will be confusing if someone tries to begin here, in part two of two. It does hit the sweet spot for enough of a reminder for readers who waited a while after reading the first book, at least as far as I'm concerned.
Well-done with an ending I'm still thinking about, make sure to check out OUR VIOLENT ENDS.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Violence, Gun violence, Medical content, Torture, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Child death
Minor: Physical abuse
ericadawson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
I've read sequels that could not meet my standards set by the first book, but this absolutely cleared that hurdle.
I'm impressed--I know that often, writing gets stronger with a sequel and subsequent books, but Gong already had a strong voice from the start and only managed to continue using this complex, vivid prose. It was dense in a good way--the kind that made me want to keep reading because it was thick but not clunky. There was a lot, but it wasn't overpowering and it flowed smoothly. The story and plot was visceral without being overbearing or jarring.
I liked all of the characters. I knew where Roma and Juliette would end up (duh) and at first, I was resistant to the idea. I was attached to the concept of a happily ever after, but as the end of their arcs approached, I stopped resisting it. Their arcs ended in a fitting way, and I was shocked to see how satisfied I was with everyone's ends.
Marshall and Celia were two of my favorite characters. I really couldn't hate anyone here--even Tyler grew in my eyes, becoming less of a pesky and annoying character. I'm glad Gong didn't bury any of the gays.
I wouldn't necessarily say I have an issue with pacing so much as it was a problem with the balance between the plots. At one point, the monsters were almost totally dropped as the political focus took over, and it began to feel almost like a different book. The events at the end of the book didn't move fast so much as it was just a lot to take in in a short amount of time. Some pieces of stars were lost for this and for the dialogue. Fantasy authors needs to stop being so afraid of contractions (the lack thereof honestly only felt natural with Roma, but that's because of his more serious personality. It didn't work with anyone else).
It's been a while since I've read anything so satisfying. Highly recommend.
I'm impressed--I know that often, writing gets stronger with a sequel and subsequent books, but Gong already had a strong voice from the start and only managed to continue using this complex, vivid prose. It was dense in a good way--the kind that made me want to keep reading because it was thick but not clunky. There was a lot, but it wasn't overpowering and it flowed smoothly. The story and plot was visceral without being overbearing or jarring.
I liked all of the characters. I knew where Roma and Juliette would end up (duh) and at first, I was resistant to the idea. I was attached to the concept of a happily ever after, but as the end of their arcs approached, I stopped resisting it. Their arcs ended in a fitting way, and I was shocked to see how satisfied I was with everyone's ends.
Marshall and Celia were two of my favorite characters. I really couldn't hate anyone here--even Tyler grew in my eyes, becoming less of a pesky and annoying character. I'm glad Gong didn't bury any of the gays.
I wouldn't necessarily say I have an issue with pacing so much as it was a problem with the balance between the plots. At one point, the monsters were almost totally dropped as the political focus took over, and it began to feel almost like a different book. The events at the end of the book didn't move fast so much as it was just a lot to take in in a short amount of time. Some pieces of stars were lost for this and for the dialogue. Fantasy authors needs to stop being so afraid of contractions (the lack thereof honestly only felt natural with Roma, but that's because of his more serious personality. It didn't work with anyone else).
It's been a while since I've read anything so satisfying. Highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia
The minor homophobia is more of a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment or two, honestly not even something that super affects/harms the characters.lindseyhall44's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Body horror, Gun violence, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Abandonment, Child death, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
maple_dove's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Gun violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror
Minor: Sexual content and Suicidal thoughts
kinsportch's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
5.0
Jesus. One of the best books I’ve read in awhile. The writing was supreme and the ending was so incredibly emotional. These Violent Delights was amazing, but nothing compared to Our Violent Ends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, Violence, Torture, Murder, and Gun violence
Moderate: Racism, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content
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