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tahsintries's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Gun violence
Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Murder, and Torture
Minor: Abandonment, Transphobia, Homophobia, and Death of parent
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.jenny_librarian's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Because I was such a slow reader, however, the hardcover came out before I could finish, so I read the last half in physical copy.
Why is it that every time I read a Romeo & Juliet retelling, I end up bawling my eyes out despite knowing the original story was never intended to be a romantic ideal?
It took me a solid week to get through this because it's a lot of politics crammed into 500 pages. You have to pay attention to every detail, otherwise you'll be lost further down the story. It would also help to have (re)read the first book recently. I couldn't for the life of me remember which sister was Kathleen and which was Rosalind, and the mention of Celia didn't help. I haven't picked These Violent Delights since I read the eARC last year, so I definitely wasn't in the loop anymore.
You get attached to all the characters, so every chapter is a knife in the gut where you wonder who will suffer this time around. Spoiler (not really): they all get their turn.
Chloe Gong managed to flawlessly include dialogue from the original play (eg "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet") and set it in this rich historical Shangai setting that will make you feel like you're really there. Her worldbuilding is a masterpiece, and the author's note at the very end speaks to the amount of research put into her work.
Speaking about the author's note, though, I need to know what the hell she meant by setting the set for the 1930s... Is there another book set in that era brewing? Because I will buy this thing the day it comes out!
Why is it that every time I read a Romeo & Juliet retelling, I end up bawling my eyes out despite knowing the original story was never intended to be a romantic ideal?
It took me a solid week to get through this because it's a lot of politics crammed into 500 pages. You have to pay attention to every detail, otherwise you'll be lost further down the story. It would also help to have (re)read the first book recently. I couldn't for the life of me remember which sister was Kathleen and which was Rosalind, and the mention of Celia didn't help. I haven't picked These Violent Delights since I read the eARC last year, so I definitely wasn't in the loop anymore.
You get attached to all the characters, so every chapter is a knife in the gut where you wonder who will suffer this time around. Spoiler (not really): they all get their turn.
Chloe Gong managed to flawlessly include dialogue from the original play (eg "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet") and set it in this rich historical Shangai setting that will make you feel like you're really there. Her worldbuilding is a masterpiece, and the author's note at the very end speaks to the amount of research put into her work.
Speaking about the author's note, though, I need to know what the hell she meant by setting the set for the 1930s... Is there another book set in that era brewing? Because I will buy this thing the day it comes out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, Torture, Murder, Gun violence, and Blood
Moderate: Racism, Grief, Gore, Death, Colonisation, and Body horror
Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Homophobia
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