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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Interesting premise and setting. The writing style isn't my cup of tea but it was fine enough to get me through the story (although I did start skimming some paragraphs pretty early). I like the characters well enough kinda but the plot is what carried me through. Juliette and Roma's little feelings for each other didn't feel all that real. This is very nitpicky and not a critique of the book, but I despise when there's on page reference of people switching to a different language but it doesn't feel all that real. To Chloe Gong's credit, at least you get SOME Chinese, French, and Russian sprinkled in there but the fact that all these people are just posted up in China and everyone knows every language on the planet felt a little unserious at times. All in all, I had a fun time (I do ship Marshall and Benedikt I fear...) and will read the sequel.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is an unexpected Romeo and Juliet retelling and it delivers. The heirs to rival gangs drawn together while their parents use them as pawns against each other, all while battling a mysterious monster borne plague in the city of Shanghai in 1926. The ending has me ready to jump right into the conclusion in this dualogy.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.25 stars. the ending was amazing but I really hated everything before lol.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book really made me suffer.
Juliette pretending to kill Marshall in the end had me literally devastatingly crying. I haven’t felt this much despair whilst reading a book in a long time…
ofc you kinda know he won’t be dead, but in this moment I just stopped logically thinking, just replayed the fact that Marshall and Benedikt will never be able to love each other in the way they deserve it. (edit about one month later: i just realised that marshall not being dead and taking this medicine-like thing the dutchman created is like julia taking the sleeping-inducing drug in the shakespearian original)
The book is incredible, especially the second part of it. I kinda want to reread the first one, so I can properly picture Shanghai, Juliette and the Scarlett Gang and won’t be distracted by my excitement what’s to come next. The description of the insects literally made my whole body itch, it was a pretty well constructed and well written danger, without the monster it wouldn’t even be Fantasy.
I will DEFINITELY read the sequel, like pls we need MarshallxBenedikt (if they don’t become lovers, it will be the biggest disappointment everrrrr) and ofc RomaxJuliette (i love their relationship, it’s not easy, nor cheesy. It is Romeo and Juliette in a new refreshing version with a strong female character) and I’m also interested in Kathleen’s story.
Addition: I like the names in this book, especially the Russian ones, I think the change from Romeo to Roma is just perfect.
I can’t really pick a fav character, but Marshall and Benedikt and Roma and Alisa are the top top ones, then come Juliette and Kathleen followed by the rest… i guess i’d be a White Flower.
I’m still in the weird mood after reading a book where your thoughts are all over the place and the emotion remains although your mind comes back to reality, so I guess my opinion and point of view will still change, but I’m already looking forward to reading this review and remembering everything I felt.
Juliette pretending to kill Marshall in the end had me literally devastatingly crying. I haven’t felt this much despair whilst reading a book in a long time…
ofc you kinda know he won’t be dead, but in this moment I just stopped logically thinking, just replayed the fact that Marshall and Benedikt will never be able to love each other in the way they deserve it. (edit about one month later: i just realised that marshall not being dead and taking this medicine-like thing the dutchman created is like julia taking the sleeping-inducing drug in the shakespearian original)
The book is incredible, especially the second part of it. I kinda want to reread the first one, so I can properly picture Shanghai, Juliette and the Scarlett Gang and won’t be distracted by my excitement what’s to come next. The description of the insects literally made my whole body itch, it was a pretty well constructed and well written danger, without the monster it wouldn’t even be Fantasy.
I will DEFINITELY read the sequel, like pls we need MarshallxBenedikt (if they don’t become lovers, it will be the biggest disappointment everrrrr) and ofc RomaxJuliette (i love their relationship, it’s not easy, nor cheesy. It is Romeo and Juliette in a new refreshing version with a strong female character) and I’m also interested in Kathleen’s story.
Addition: I like the names in this book, especially the Russian ones, I think the change from Romeo to Roma is just perfect.
I can’t really pick a fav character, but Marshall and Benedikt and Roma and Alisa are the top top ones, then come Juliette and Kathleen followed by the rest… i guess i’d be a White Flower.
I’m still in the weird mood after reading a book where your thoughts are all over the place and the emotion remains although your mind comes back to reality, so I guess my opinion and point of view will still change, but I’m already looking forward to reading this review and remembering everything I felt.
adventurous
dark
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