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A review by lauren_miller
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
3.25
honestly, I have no idea how to rate this book.
90% of the book felt strangely contained, operating within a much smaller scale than I had anticipated, especially given that it's set in a city as vibrant and brutal as Shanghai circa 1926. then that last 10% came out of freaking NO WHERE and blew me away; it was exhilarating and I immediately wanted to jump into the sequel.
from what I've heard, Our Violent Ends takes the politics, especially within the gangs, to new heights and makes the stakes feel even higher, so... I guess until I've finished it, I'll reserve judgement for this first installment. but damn, I've enjoyed myself thus far.
EDIT: ok, now that I've finished the sequel, this is definitely a solid 3.25/3.5 stars out of 5, ★★★☆☆. a good, entertaining story, but sort of pales in comparison to the sequel. super strong debut though!
90% of the book felt strangely contained, operating within a much smaller scale than I had anticipated, especially given that it's set in a city as vibrant and brutal as Shanghai circa 1926. then that last 10% came out of freaking NO WHERE and blew me away; it was exhilarating and I immediately wanted to jump into the sequel.
from what I've heard, Our Violent Ends takes the politics, especially within the gangs, to new heights and makes the stakes feel even higher, so... I guess until I've finished it, I'll reserve judgement for this first installment. but damn, I've enjoyed myself thus far.
EDIT: ok, now that I've finished the sequel, this is definitely a solid 3.25/3.5 stars out of 5, ★★★☆☆. a good, entertaining story, but sort of pales in comparison to the sequel. super strong debut though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder