Scan barcode
emilyoreo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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
ok_d_acc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
3.5
ameliamonet's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars
ROMA AND JULIETTE ARE ALIVE IDCIDCIDCIDCIDC
ROMA AND JULIETTE ARE ALIVE IDCIDCIDCIDCIDC
avidbooknerd2028's review against another edition
5.0
This book took me awhile to read once I started. I blame this on the fact I knew this book would emotionally wreck me in ways I wasn't ready. To have a Romeo and Juliet retelling, you automatically assume the ending is going to be an emotional one. All I have to say to that is WOW!
This book was perfectly done and a perfect conclusion to a duology. The plot twists were surprising and placed in just the right places. I audibly gasped at a couple of them. This was definitely a book that while you could guess how it would end I wasn't able to guess a single plot twist. It almost seemed like the story was going to be a basic cut and dry right to the point type of ending. That was indeed not the case.
The characters had a ton of growth in this book. While they were still pretty childish/selfish they slowly started to make slightly smarter or more logical decisions. The impulsive nature remained; this in my opinion definitely helped fuel the plot line. We got to see more of the side characters from the first book and what they were actually like. Celia and Marshall turned out to be a couple of my favorites, in this book we were shown their personalities rather than just told.
The plot in this book was intricate and intriguing but also not hard to follow. While it took me awhile to read, this was not due to the plot. This book was not going anywhere near where I initially thought it would. If I'm going to be completely honest at the beginning, I thought it was going to be a repeat of book one. While some things were similar, this book handed us some much heavier topics to deal with. They were also handled in a decent manner considering what the novel is mainly about.
Overall I would highly recommend this duology. I haven't been reading much YA recently but this series made me realize how much I love YA. 5/5 Recommend, especially for fantasy beginners or people who just generally like retellings. I will definitely be following this author and her works, definitely an author I would read more from
This book was perfectly done and a perfect conclusion to a duology. The plot twists were surprising and placed in just the right places. I audibly gasped at a couple of them. This was definitely a book that while you could guess how it would end I wasn't able to guess a single plot twist. It almost seemed like the story was going to be a basic cut and dry right to the point type of ending. That was indeed not the case.
The characters had a ton of growth in this book. While they were still pretty childish/selfish they slowly started to make slightly smarter or more logical decisions. The impulsive nature remained; this in my opinion definitely helped fuel the plot line. We got to see more of the side characters from the first book and what they were actually like. Celia and Marshall turned out to be a couple of my favorites, in this book we were shown their personalities rather than just told.
The plot in this book was intricate and intriguing but also not hard to follow. While it took me awhile to read, this was not due to the plot. This book was not going anywhere near where I initially thought it would. If I'm going to be completely honest at the beginning, I thought it was going to be a repeat of book one. While some things were similar, this book handed us some much heavier topics to deal with. They were also handled in a decent manner considering what the novel is mainly about.
Overall I would highly recommend this duology. I haven't been reading much YA recently but this series made me realize how much I love YA. 5/5 Recommend, especially for fantasy beginners or people who just generally like retellings. I will definitely be following this author and her works, definitely an author I would read more from
cassielovesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
oh. my. god. i- wow. no words- we finally got ben and mars to confess- ANS ROMA AND JULIETTE ARE STILL ALIVE?? OBSESSED
sisjournee's review against another edition
5.0
a bittersweet ending that i loved so much. now pay my therapy bills dear chloe gong
cherrycoups's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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? No
2.0
claraloveswords's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so immersive and equally beautiful and heartbreaking. One of the best duology sequels I have read.
rosaliettes's review against another edition
5.0
∞/5
If I could, I'd engrave all the words in this book on my skin because it's perfect. It's magnificent. It's exquisite. I hold this book so close to my heart because, first, the writing is impeccable, second, the characters are like my family, and third, the plot is just chefs kiss. I love Chloe Gong's mind, and her entire being for writing this book because i truly, deeply, and tremendously love this book. I think she just encompasses all the features of a historical fantasy so well, and there was never a moment in this book where i was bored.
If I could, I'd engrave all the words in this book on my skin because it's perfect. It's magnificent. It's exquisite. I hold this book so close to my heart because, first, the writing is impeccable, second, the characters are like my family, and third, the plot is just chefs kiss. I love Chloe Gong's mind, and her entire being for writing this book because i truly, deeply, and tremendously love this book. I think she just encompasses all the features of a historical fantasy so well, and there was never a moment in this book where i was bored.
estanceveyrac's review against another edition
5.0
Very good! Same complaint about the use of untranslated text, without bottom pages to provide the translation.
I especially mind the romanization of the Russian, pinyin at least has fixed rules & it's only a few words so it's obvious what is being said, there is only some doubt for names, but the Russian is romanized differently in French & in English, so the English romanisation hurts my brain.
I do believe English language publishing house should change their practices to start using bottow page notes more widely, so that there is no need to repeat in English only for the reader's benefit & not for the plot. Bottom page notes !
It is strange to see all the characters who don't become Communists. Those were peak years to join the Communists, info about the horrors of Lenin's regime were barely getting out, so it makes very little sense to me that people would not buy into collectivism, solidarity & equality, that they would be apathetic to it. I don't know, it was a time of hope for most people, you would think at least some of the people in the book would see the beauty of that movement, of that hope. I feel maybe the recollection is tainted by what happened afterwards, so people forget how it was then, before, when theere was hope for a real revolution of the people... The Communists are not given a kind role in this duology, we will see what comes next...
I especially mind the romanization of the Russian, pinyin at least has fixed rules & it's only a few words so it's obvious what is being said, there is only some doubt for names, but the Russian is romanized differently in French & in English, so the English romanisation hurts my brain.
I do believe English language publishing house should change their practices to start using bottow page notes more widely, so that there is no need to repeat in English only for the reader's benefit & not for the plot. Bottom page notes !
It is strange to see all the characters who don't become Communists. Those were peak years to join the Communists, info about the horrors of Lenin's regime were barely getting out, so it makes very little sense to me that people would not buy into collectivism, solidarity & equality, that they would be apathetic to it. I don't know, it was a time of hope for most people, you would think at least some of the people in the book would see the beauty of that movement, of that hope. I feel maybe the recollection is tainted by what happened afterwards, so people forget how it was then, before, when theere was hope for a real revolution of the people... The Communists are not given a kind role in this duology, we will see what comes next...