Scan barcode
metalballwheatley's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Romajuliette's alright but I loved Juliette as a character, she's so fun.
Also this book has great white british man representation. I feel like the content here is really accurate to their culture.
Also this book has great white british man representation. I feel like the content here is really accurate to their culture.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Alcohol, and Gun violence
Moderate: Transphobia, Racism, and Blood
lujisa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Body horror and Gun violence
bookwyrmmads's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Okay not going to lie, I ALMOST DNF-ed this one. I knew going in that there was going to be quite a bit of violence, but what I was NOT prepared for was the graphic descriptions of gore. I feel like that went a bit too far sometimes, but admittedly I’m not much of a dark romance or horror kinda person so maybe I’m just sensitive to it. The descriptions of the way the disease spreads alone (no details here, but EW) almost made me shut the book, but I got far enough in that I figured I’d go ahead and push through. Luckily for me, the last 25% or so of the book really picked up! I enjoyed finally getting to some of the romance and the heist/mind game/social politics aspects that came to fruition. Despite my initial hesitations, the ending of this book made me desperate to know the end of this story so book 2, here I come!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Blood, and Violence
beccaandthegingercat's review
- Loveable characters? No
3.5
My book club picked this one based on the description - Romeo & Juliet with dragons. It sounded like an interesting premise. It could have been executed better - there were important plot points that weren’t clear and when we met we had to ask what was this scene or that scene about.
I hope this author keeps writing and finds an editor that helps her work shine. In another few novels, I bet they’ll be really good!
I hope this author keeps writing and finds an editor that helps her work shine. In another few novels, I bet they’ll be really good!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Death, and Blood
As a content warning: insects. If you’re easily creeped out by creepy, crawly things, this isn’t the book for you.f_r_e_d's review
3.5
All in all I really enjoyed it. As far as a story remakes goes-I felt like it was close enough to the actually story to understand it, but different enough to not be a boring story. I love the idea and the whole thought. The writing style was very pretty. But I do think that it was a little sloppy when it came together. The amount of switching between characters got very confusing at some points. Though it added to the understand and character development, I felt like it could have been better executed.
I loved the concept of the gangs and thought that it was a very fun idea and very mysterious. I don't think the ending or the "big reveal" made any sense at all. All the puzzle pieces came together to fast to understand. And then the understanding switched every ten seconds. So the ending was sloppy and hard to understand. I never actually knew who the antagonist was.I loved the surprise of Marshall still being alive, but I also felt like it was a little pushed.
All in all I enjoyed and would read it again. Very good retailing.
I loved the concept of the gangs and thought that it was a very fun idea and very mysterious. I don't think the ending or the "big reveal" made any sense at all. All the puzzle pieces came together to fast to understand. And then the understanding switched every ten seconds. So the ending was sloppy and hard to understand. I never actually knew who the antagonist was.
All in all I enjoyed and would read it again. Very good retailing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Blood
onceuponherbookshelf's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The story itself is good, but it felt like it dragged on a bit. I enjoyed the characters. The romance was meh (could possibly be better without it honestly). And the challenges in the story were really cool to me. Also a little creepy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Trafficking, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
readwithria's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Self harm, and Gun violence
m4rtt4's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? No
4.5
Secret Shanghai is officially one of my favourite world's I've ever visited, and I'm glad to know the story doesn't end here. I enjoyed almost everything — the monster plotline could have been executed a little better — but I'm only taking 0.5 stars off for that. My absolute favourite thing in addition to the dynamic between Juliette and Roma was everything about the brain-infesting insects (I'm a biology student...), though I must say the science stuff also felt a bit off and/or too modern for the time, for example the term 'viral' wasn't really used until the 1940s, and what were those machines in Lourens's lab, how did they work? I need more specific answers, I'm curious — in all seriousness, I'm just a nitpicking nerd. Nevertheless, Gong has done an excellent job researching and creating all this, big kudos to her <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Murder, Gun violence, Blood, Violence, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Body horror, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Medical content
Minor: Drug use, Transphobia, and Alcohol
kylosten's review against another edition
tense
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Classism, Xenophobia, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence and Medical content
Minor: Transphobia
hnnhhrsvsk's review against another edition
adventurous
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
These Violent Delights is a creative twist on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, set in 1920s Shanghai, a city split between colonial powers and gangs, both local and foreign. Chloe Gong does an excellent job conveying the depths and complexities of this multicultural, crime ridden city without boring the reader with long drawn out descriptions - it truly is seamless storytelling. It was an excellent historical backdrop to pair with the blood feud between the two houses.
My only issue is, my god, the main character can be infuriating at times. She is extremely obstinate and would rather fight than take a moment to think. I found myself reeling over some of the decisions she makes because she is just so hot headed sometimes. While infuriating, though, at least it’s refreshing that these characteristics are exemplified in a female character. The other characters are quite lovable. I particularly enjoyed the lighthearted back and forth and complicated friendship between the Mercutio and Benvolio characters.
Overall, a fun read that delightfully mixed one of my favorite plays with an exciting and mysterious plot, interesting characters, and a rich historical setting.
My only issue is, my god, the main character can be infuriating at times. She is extremely obstinate and would rather fight than take a moment to think. I found myself reeling over some of the decisions she makes because she is just so hot headed sometimes. While infuriating, though, at least it’s refreshing that these characteristics are exemplified in a female character. The other characters are quite lovable. I particularly enjoyed the lighthearted back and forth and complicated friendship between the Mercutio and Benvolio characters.
Overall, a fun read that delightfully mixed one of my favorite plays with an exciting and mysterious plot, interesting characters, and a rich historical setting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Gun violence, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Classism