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sunsetcity's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Racism, Violence, and War
nightfell's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
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? Yes
5.0
Chloe Gong really said: oh you want angst? I'll give you 490 pages of it with only three happy scenes to sustain you. And although it was hard to read because of all the unending angst, it was a big part of why I rated it 5 stars.
I honestly have no complaints for this book, it was perfect, a masterpiece, so interesting and engaging....just not fun because of all the angst (I'll keep saying angst get used to it). I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to make it through because the way these characters were yearning for each other for so long was immaculate, and very intense. I really liked how the author switched from plot driven to character driven in this book compared to the first one. These violent delights needed to be more plot centred because it covers what the duology is mainly about, with the imperialism and the monsters. And in this one, that is still a focus, but the characters were developed over the course of this book, as well as their relationships with each other, and that's why I loved this book so much.
When I finished These Violent Delights, I honestly wasn't rooting for Roma and Juliette to get together. We just found out that she was responsible for the death of his mother, and although she didn't really kill Marshall, making Roma and Benedikt believe she had is arguably just as bad. I know that the book tried to make the whole 'she killed his mum' thing seem like not a big deal, but it should be. However, reading the second book made me not care as much once I saw how much both characters suffered and yearned for each other, I just wanted them to be together so bad. Despite this, the way the author handled this whole situation was SO funny it's the more unbelievable than literal monsters invading the city:
Benedikt is distraught mourning Marshall's death, and confronts Roma, reminding him that Juliette basically killed his mum. And this man thinks it over, and comes to the conclusion that killing is best FRIEND is worse that killing his MOTHER. EXCUSE ME? WHAT? WHO IS THIS MAN? And I may have made this up but I swear at one point Roma mentions how he loved his mum and was close to her. And he's really holding more of a grudge over his street rat of a friend? (No hate to Marshall, I love him. He is a rat tho).
Anyway, I just felt terrible for Roma, he literally suffered for the entire duology, and after all the horrendous things Juliette has inflicted on him, he still can't help but love her and it's was so devastating to see him almost rip himself apart angsting about it. Meanwhile Juliette is just as torn up, and I'm still in pain. I really liked how their relationship evolved from the first book, and I ship them even more.
The role reversal in their relationship dynamic made me love Juliette, as I didn't really like her in the first book, but it really helped to see her more vulnerable side which really came out in this book more often, as well as her soft side, which was what warmed me to her. She was so silly and goofy in this book Chloe Gong MADE me love her. And I loved all of Juliette's relationships with other characters, such as Marshall. I love how their friendship bloomed from the fake death hide out situation they were so cute, and I'm still sad that they never got to say goodbye. I like how Benedikt slowly warmed to her, and her and Alisa relationship over the course of the duology.
My favourite parts of the book have to be:
- The first chapter (THAT IS HOW YOU START A SEQUAL)
- The entirety of Roma and Juliette's trip to Zhouzhuang, it was so comforting despite the angst, and the fact that the book ends with Alisa in Zhouzhuang seeing a mysterious couple across the lake who are hinted to being Roma and Juliette's souls reunited there after they died is beautiful.
- Every Marshall and Benedikt scene, their angry love confession scene was perfection, I'm still not over the fact that Marshall was (secretly) simping the entire duology.
- The duel/shoot out scene with Tyler and Roma, it was so tense and one of my favourite Juliette moments, she was so vulnerable I loved it.
- The entire ending battle sequence (basically the last 100-150 pages) it was such as good ending. The way you see Kathleen slowly believing in the communists' cause to fully joining them and becoming Celia was such a good progression of her character, I wish we saw more of her in our violent ends but the book didn't need to be longer at the same time. I wish Kathleen and Juliette's goodbye wasn't so sad, I loved their relationship. (Also I knew Rosalind was a spy, but the fact that she was dating Dimitri, was the blackmailer and was helping the rise of the monsters was a twist I wasn't expecting, it was good, I just don't care about her).
Roma and Juliette's end was perfectly done. I liked how it empowered them as opposed to Romeo and Juliet. I liked how they were death trope because it would have been anticlimactic otherwise, even though it hurts. The more I think about it, the more destined it seems. Like how Juliette told Roma she could never be his lover, only his killer in the first book, and she was the one to throw the lighter, killing them. How Benedikt says he wished Roma and Juliette wouldn't burn the world down every time they chose each other, and they probably burned a lot of Shanghai with the vaccine, included each other. And so many other times throughout the duology where she knows they won't survive loving each other. I just know they're living their best lives in heaven or Zhouzhuang, as are Benedikt and Marshall. And Alisa and Celia.
Overall, Our Violent Ends was an incredible book, and so deserving the five stars I gave it. The duology stands so strong, and everyone who wants a Romeo and Juliette retelling that is better than the source material should read it, along with anyone who like historical fiction, and wants to learn about Shanghai in the 1920s, as it was depicted so well and in a way that is understandable and enjoyable. Someone needs to start a gofundme so Chloe Gong can pay all of our therapy bills, she can't keep getting away with this.
(ALSO I WAS RIGHT, ROMA AND JULIETTE MENTIONING STABBING EACH OTHER DURING THEIR SEX SCENE, KNIFE KINK CONFIRMED).
I honestly have no complaints for this book, it was perfect, a masterpiece, so interesting and engaging....just not fun because of all the angst (I'll keep saying angst get used to it). I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to make it through because the way these characters were yearning for each other for so long was immaculate, and very intense. I really liked how the author switched from plot driven to character driven in this book compared to the first one. These violent delights needed to be more plot centred because it covers what the duology is mainly about, with the imperialism and the monsters. And in this one, that is still a focus, but the characters were developed over the course of this book, as well as their relationships with each other, and that's why I loved this book so much.
Benedikt is distraught mourning Marshall's death, and confronts Roma, reminding him that Juliette basically killed his mum. And this man thinks it over, and comes to the conclusion that killing is best FRIEND is worse that killing his MOTHER. EXCUSE ME? WHAT? WHO IS THIS MAN? And I may have made this up but I swear at one point Roma mentions how he loved his mum and was close to her. And he's really holding more of a grudge over his street rat of a friend? (No hate to Marshall, I love him. He is a rat tho).
Anyway, I just felt terrible for Roma, he literally suffered for the entire duology, and after all the horrendous things Juliette has inflicted on him, he still can't help but love her and it's was so devastating to see him almost rip himself apart angsting about it. Meanwhile Juliette is just as torn up, and I'm still in pain. I really liked how their relationship evolved from the first book, and I ship them even more.
The role reversal in their relationship dynamic made me love Juliette, as I didn't really like her in the first book, but it really helped to see her more vulnerable side which really came out in this book more often, as well as her soft side, which was what warmed me to her. She was so silly and goofy in this book Chloe Gong MADE me love her. And I loved all of Juliette's relationships with other characters, such as Marshall. I love how their friendship bloomed from the fake death hide out situation they were so cute, and I'm still sad that they never got to say goodbye. I like how Benedikt slowly warmed to her, and her and Alisa relationship over the course of the duology.
My favourite parts of the book have to be:
- The first chapter (THAT IS HOW YOU START A SEQUAL)
- The entirety of Roma and Juliette's trip to Zhouzhuang, it was so comforting despite the angst, and the fact that the book ends with Alisa in Zhouzhuang seeing a mysterious couple across the lake who are hinted to being Roma and Juliette's souls reunited there after they died is beautiful.
- Every Marshall and Benedikt scene, their angry love confession scene was perfection, I'm still not over the fact that Marshall was (secretly) simping the entire duology.
- The duel/shoot out scene with Tyler and Roma, it was so tense and one of my favourite Juliette moments, she was so vulnerable I loved it.
- The entire ending battle sequence (basically the last 100-150 pages) it was such as good ending. The way you see Kathleen slowly believing in the communists' cause to fully joining them and becoming Celia was such a good progression of her character, I wish we saw more of her in our violent ends but the book didn't need to be longer at the same time. I wish Kathleen and Juliette's goodbye wasn't so sad, I loved their relationship. (Also I knew Rosalind was a spy, but the fact that she was dating Dimitri, was the blackmailer and was helping the rise of the monsters was a twist I wasn't expecting, it was good, I just don't care about her).
Roma and Juliette's end was perfectly done. I liked how it empowered them as opposed to Romeo and Juliet. I liked how they were death trope because it would have been anticlimactic otherwise, even though it hurts. The more I think about it, the more destined it seems. Like how Juliette told Roma she could never be his lover, only his killer in the first book, and she was the one to throw the lighter, killing them. How Benedikt says he wished Roma and Juliette wouldn't burn the world down every time they chose each other, and they probably burned a lot of Shanghai with the vaccine, included each other. And so many other times throughout the duology where she knows they won't survive loving each other. I just know they're living their best lives in heaven or Zhouzhuang, as are Benedikt and Marshall. And Alisa and Celia.
Overall, Our Violent Ends was an incredible book, and so deserving the five stars I gave it. The duology stands so strong, and everyone who wants a Romeo and Juliette retelling that is better than the source material should read it, along with anyone who like historical fiction, and wants to learn about Shanghai in the 1920s, as it was depicted so well and in a way that is understandable and enjoyable. Someone needs to start a gofundme so Chloe Gong can pay all of our therapy bills, she can't keep getting away with this.
(ALSO I WAS RIGHT, ROMA AND JULIETTE MENTIONING STABBING EACH OTHER DURING THEIR SEX SCENE, KNIFE KINK CONFIRMED).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Grief, Violence, and War
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Stalking
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
miamcmillan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
chloe gong when i get you! you will pay for your crimes! this has me distraught! this was heartbreaking and satisfying all at once, i feel simultaneously fulfilled and empty. i consumed this so quickly i am utterly dazed. a beautiful and honestly extremely impressive second novel and end to a duology. i am SO excited for foul lady fortune my god <3 (my benmars DREAMS i love them so much !! celia this is my official proposal for marriage i can cook and clean for you đź’•đź’žđź’“ )
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
lindseyhall44's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Body horror, Gun violence, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Abandonment, Child death, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
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
maple_dove's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Gun violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror
Minor: Sexual content and Suicidal thoughts
kinsportch's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
Jesus. One of the best books I’ve read in awhile. The writing was supreme and the ending was so incredibly emotional. These Violent Delights was amazing, but nothing compared to Our Violent Ends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, Violence, Torture, Murder, and Gun violence
Moderate: Racism, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content
perpetualpages's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
CWs: Depictions of blood, graphic injury, physical assault, murder, corporal punishment, and gun violence; some mild body horror; some explorations of grief; brief allusions to suicide; and references to contagious disease
Every single thing I felt for These Violent Delights I feel tenfold for this conclusion, because it simply has no business being as good as it is, and it left me in an absolute emotional tailspin more than once.
I said this when I first read These Violent Delights, but I love this re-imagining because it honors the source material without being a copy-paste recreation of the story in any way. When you dive into this duology, you are guaranteed to get the major beats of Romeo and Juliet, but they will never, in a million years, unfold in a way that you expect. This is not a version of the story that could possibly be anticipated just from comparing it to the original, and I think that’s an absolutely incredible feat.
Reading a sequel, I continue to have such an appreciation for the historical elements and the setting, especially because it’s abundantly clear that those choices were not arbitrary or make simply for aesthetics sake. The setting of 1920’s Shanghai is not only incredibly specific in a cultural sense, but it’s really important in terms of political conflict and exploring how foreign powers were converging in Shanghai during that time. The ongoing war between Nationalists and Communists that was being supported by factions of European and Russian foreigners really underscores the tension between these two rival gangs, who are also being swept up in politics themselves because of their own self-interest. Greed and hunger for power gets tied up in politics and the prevalence Western ideals, and the confluence of all of those issues makes for an epic finale that’s both urgent and dynamic.
I also continue to be fascinated by the fact that loyalties are being tested and even changing over time. Not only are the Montagovs and Cais crossing over enemy lines, so to speak, but some of them are defecting entirely or they’re facing down potential uprisings from within their own ranks. Even with central characters, you’re not always entirely sure where they stand, and they could decide to switch sides at a moment’s notice. Similarly, the push-and-pull dynamic between Roma and Juliette is intoxicating, because there’s an equal likelihood that they will kiss each other or *kill* each other—and they really could go either way at any given moment, which brilliantly heightens the narrative stakes.
“Interesting” feels like the wrong word, but there’s definitely a fascinating parallel between these contagious monsters and the COVID era that we're continuing to live through that I think is going to resonate with a lot of folks. The constant uncertainty, the way the monsters and the contagions evolve, the politics and the science behind developing and distributing vaccinations—it all feels very familiar, and I think there’s an added layer of tension in the story because of our current landscape. So it’s interesting to think about how that’s going to reflect back on this book ten years from now, twenty years from now. Even though the story is firmly historical fantasy, that social parallel is something that makes the story feel more immediate.
I can't say too much more without giving anything away, but this conclusion definitely solidified this duology as one of my all-time favorites. I so loved being back in this world with these characters. Following them throughout this epic, perilous finale absolutely shook me to my core and left me emotionally strung-out in every imaginable sense. I can definitely say this series kept my full attention and left me guessing until the very last page. If you haven't gotten a chance to start this duology, I assure you there's no better time than now, because it is absolutely worthwhile in every possible way.
Every single thing I felt for These Violent Delights I feel tenfold for this conclusion, because it simply has no business being as good as it is, and it left me in an absolute emotional tailspin more than once.
I said this when I first read These Violent Delights, but I love this re-imagining because it honors the source material without being a copy-paste recreation of the story in any way. When you dive into this duology, you are guaranteed to get the major beats of Romeo and Juliet, but they will never, in a million years, unfold in a way that you expect. This is not a version of the story that could possibly be anticipated just from comparing it to the original, and I think that’s an absolutely incredible feat.
Reading a sequel, I continue to have such an appreciation for the historical elements and the setting, especially because it’s abundantly clear that those choices were not arbitrary or make simply for aesthetics sake. The setting of 1920’s Shanghai is not only incredibly specific in a cultural sense, but it’s really important in terms of political conflict and exploring how foreign powers were converging in Shanghai during that time. The ongoing war between Nationalists and Communists that was being supported by factions of European and Russian foreigners really underscores the tension between these two rival gangs, who are also being swept up in politics themselves because of their own self-interest. Greed and hunger for power gets tied up in politics and the prevalence Western ideals, and the confluence of all of those issues makes for an epic finale that’s both urgent and dynamic.
I also continue to be fascinated by the fact that loyalties are being tested and even changing over time. Not only are the Montagovs and Cais crossing over enemy lines, so to speak, but some of them are defecting entirely or they’re facing down potential uprisings from within their own ranks. Even with central characters, you’re not always entirely sure where they stand, and they could decide to switch sides at a moment’s notice. Similarly, the push-and-pull dynamic between Roma and Juliette is intoxicating, because there’s an equal likelihood that they will kiss each other or *kill* each other—and they really could go either way at any given moment, which brilliantly heightens the narrative stakes.
“Interesting” feels like the wrong word, but there’s definitely a fascinating parallel between these contagious monsters and the COVID era that we're continuing to live through that I think is going to resonate with a lot of folks. The constant uncertainty, the way the monsters and the contagions evolve, the politics and the science behind developing and distributing vaccinations—it all feels very familiar, and I think there’s an added layer of tension in the story because of our current landscape. So it’s interesting to think about how that’s going to reflect back on this book ten years from now, twenty years from now. Even though the story is firmly historical fantasy, that social parallel is something that makes the story feel more immediate.
I can't say too much more without giving anything away, but this conclusion definitely solidified this duology as one of my all-time favorites. I so loved being back in this world with these characters. Following them throughout this epic, perilous finale absolutely shook me to my core and left me emotionally strung-out in every imaginable sense. I can definitely say this series kept my full attention and left me guessing until the very last page. If you haven't gotten a chance to start this duology, I assure you there's no better time than now, because it is absolutely worthwhile in every possible way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Gun violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Grief
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
rachrreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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? No
5.0
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Netgalley for giving me an eARC copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Our Violent Ends was a masterpiece and Chloe Gong has proven herself to be a compelling storyteller. This thrilling and emotional conclusion to the These Violent Delights duology takes place in 1920s Shanghai, where Roma Montagov and Juliette Cai are enemies. Or at least, that’s what their families want them to believe. Roma and Juliette are on two opposing gangs in a blood feud that has lasted for decades, but no one even remembers why it started.
This beautiful twist on the story of Romeo & Juliet adds in other themes as well. Filled with historically accurate political concepts, Roma and Juliette must maneuver this political minefield while also stopping the monsters from attacking again. A new “larkspur” is in control of the monsters now that Paul is gone and both gangs are being threatened. Working together this time proves to be trouble, especially when Roma believes Juliette murdered one of his best friends. It had to be done to prevent her cousin, Tyler, from taking her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir and killing Roma to do so. Juliette will do whatever is necessary to keep Roma alive, even if it means losing a relationship with him forever.
Wow. Just wow! I cannot believe Chloe Gong is the same age as me and has written one of my top 10 books I’ve read (counting series as one book)! Oftentimes I find retellings to be worn out, after all it’s the same story with different settings, but Chloe made this her own. This book is a beautiful homage to Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, while also being separate enough to leave me on my toes. I found myself thinking one thing would happen, only to be thoroughly surprised when it did not.
I cannot express my love for this book enough, and I will definitely be rereading this for years to come. Not once did I feel like the pacing dragged! The prose was beautifully done and even when something made me sad, I found myself saying “Yes, Chloe, yes!” I cannot wait to read her spin-off duology in 2022. I expect great things from Chloe Gong in the future and she is an automatic buy author for me.
Our Violent Ends was a masterpiece and Chloe Gong has proven herself to be a compelling storyteller. This thrilling and emotional conclusion to the These Violent Delights duology takes place in 1920s Shanghai, where Roma Montagov and Juliette Cai are enemies. Or at least, that’s what their families want them to believe. Roma and Juliette are on two opposing gangs in a blood feud that has lasted for decades, but no one even remembers why it started.
This beautiful twist on the story of Romeo & Juliet adds in other themes as well. Filled with historically accurate political concepts, Roma and Juliette must maneuver this political minefield while also stopping the monsters from attacking again. A new “larkspur” is in control of the monsters now that Paul is gone and both gangs are being threatened. Working together this time proves to be trouble, especially when Roma believes Juliette murdered one of his best friends. It had to be done to prevent her cousin, Tyler, from taking her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir and killing Roma to do so. Juliette will do whatever is necessary to keep Roma alive, even if it means losing a relationship with him forever.
Wow. Just wow! I cannot believe Chloe Gong is the same age as me and has written one of my top 10 books I’ve read (counting series as one book)! Oftentimes I find retellings to be worn out, after all it’s the same story with different settings, but Chloe made this her own. This book is a beautiful homage to Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, while also being separate enough to leave me on my toes. I found myself thinking one thing would happen, only to be thoroughly surprised when it did not.
I cannot express my love for this book enough, and I will definitely be rereading this for years to come. Not once did I feel like the pacing dragged! The prose was beautifully done and even when something made me sad, I found myself saying “Yes, Chloe, yes!” I cannot wait to read her spin-off duology in 2022. I expect great things from Chloe Gong in the future and she is an automatic buy author for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, Misogyny, and Kidnapping
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