Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong

35 reviews

bluelilyleest's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

 Chloe Gong putting me behind on my reading challenge again because her books are so damn long 😅

So, I loved it. I get why people say the second book is better than the first, because in terms of character interaction/profiles/development, it did much more. The plot was thicc, the pace was fast but still allowed for funny moments or background information, the setting and atmosphere were immersive. 

Then why do I not rate it 5 stars, you ask? I ask myself the same question. I can't quite put my finger on what was lacking, and therefore you probably shouldn't take my review too seriously. It was a great retelling of what we know to be Romeo and Juliet. I think now, whenever Shakespeare's play is mentioned, I will think about Gong's Romeo and Juliet, too, and I believe that is no small feat. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Racism, Colonisation, War, Death, and Suicide

Minor: Xenophobia and Misogyny

ghostsversion's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective fast-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

4.0

Okay this was far better. Not by a lot but still. Honestly it’s probably the fact that we already knew the characters so there was no reason to waste time on unnecessary descriptions. Straight to the chase. Even when

we find out that Marshall’s father is the Nationalist General or that Rosalind is the traitor

it feels more gradual. Although I will say I did not expect a re-enactment of

the war scene from ACOTAR . You know which one.

Otherwise I'd say this has definitely given me hope for the next books in this series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, War, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Xenophobia, Child death, Cursing, Grief, Blood, Medical content, Violence, Death, and Gore

Moderate: Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Misogyny

caseythereader's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Classism, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence

hello_lovely13's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Murder, War, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicide

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.

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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

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Content Warnings

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

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

dianaschmidty's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mass/school shootings, Colonisation, Gore, Medical content, Murder, War, Genocide, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, and Homophobia

Moderate: Confinement, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Kidnapping

Minor: Police brutality

gretchenplz's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.0

It is very apparent that the author is incredibly passionate about the history of Shanghai. I will give her that. 

But I believe that this book would have been 100% better had it been half as long. With the way the first book ended, I expected to be able to immediately be pulled back into the world and be unable to put the book down, but that is, unfortunately, not the case. 

The book could have started at 60% and I would have been happy. There are too many layers, too many characters, no smooth plot to follow. The fantasy element should have been removed if she truly wanted the significance of the historical happenings to be the focus. 

All of the characters are complicated, and borderline unlikeable at times. Their juvenile view of the world is frustrating, and it, I think, is partially why the story gets so bogged down.

I did, however, really appreciate the OG Romeo & Juliet Easter eggs (quotes, scenes , etc.)!

The ending... left a lot to be desired. While we all KNOW how it's going to end, it just felt like, after 500 pages, the author was just... tired of writing? The whole book ended in a literal paragraph?? This is why we need beta readers and editors who offer their honest feedback. 

The fantasy elements of this duology were weak and unnecessary. I see the metaphor that the author was going for, but it was underdeveloped and would have been better just removed and reworked so R&J had a different excuse to work together.

Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be picking up another one of Gong's books. Her writing style is just not for me, I fear. She was definitely tried for a Leigh Bardugo/Ninth House style of writing and just did not execute the way Leigh does. 

My star rating is a bit soft, because I truly did hate read this entire book and would have DNF'd if it wasn't for a club.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Gun violence

Minor: Suicide

esme_t's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, and Death

Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Minor: Abandonment and Suicide

peachieko's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, and Blood

Moderate: Grief, Colonisation, and Suicide

Minor: Death of parent