What is there not to love about a modern, yet not modern, retelling of the classic love story to end all love stories?

A tale so very different, it might not be similar at all and yet, so reminiscent of the original that I can't help but think Shakespeare would be proud.

Full of the fantastical, the mystical, the historical and all the awesomeness in between, this truly was so much fun to read, I devoured each page and couldn't get enough.

I had no idea going into this that it would be a series and I'm so excited after that explosive ending, where this will go next.


Truly something different, something fun, something dark and yes, something addicting. You are going to love it!

Juliette, the heir to the Scarlet Gang, has just returned to the city at her family's request. She's spent 5 years in America, trying to forget the lover who betrayed her: Roma Montagov, the heir the White Flowers, a rival clan made of White Russians who fled the Bolsheviks to Shanghai. So, inevitably, their paths cross immediately at a burlesque club, where they both witness a strange event: a man tearing out his own throat. As deaths mount and family politics become more deadly, Juliette and Roma have to set aside their grudges in the hopes of solving the murders and saving Shanghai.

These Violent Delights is nominally a retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai, but there's very little of that other than that title, the existence of two rival families/gangs, some names, and occasional references. Instead, it's a sort of B monster movie set in a fascinating time in Shanghai where vampiric Western imperial interests are throwing their weight around while the Kuomintang face off against the rising Communist tide.

It's an utterly fascinating time period, but the lack of history beyond the barest of scene-setting is my main issue with the novel. Not every YA reader is a history buff and wants to read about the influence of Chinese communism and Western colonialism, and I get that, but we also get so few descriptions of the sumptuous dresses and settings that would have surrounded Juliette.

There's some promise here, especially with the nuanced portrayal of Juliette feeling like a foreigner in her own country. I also really liked a few big reveals toward the end and some LGBTQ+ characters. Nevertheless, I probably won't seek out the sequel.

4 stars! Couldn't wait to buy my own copy! Loved it! Romeo and Juliet retelling, Shanghai? That was all I needed to know!

A breathtaking, fast-paced whirlwind of a book! Ingeniously plotted with so much unique atmosphere that I felt like I was actually in Shanghai. The characters are all multi-layered and the Romeo and Juliet romance was perfection.

Set in Shanghai in 1925, this is the story of two rival gangs who control the drug trade. Told through the eyes of Juliette and Roma, who were friends and lovers before blood feuds tore them apart, they work together to find a monster that is ravaging the city. A sequel is planned. I found the casual violence and murder quite disturbing.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book</i>

This book... would make a fantastic movie.

One of my favorite romantic tropes is "hate to love," so when I picked this up I was absolutely here for it. But after reading the book... this is <b>actually a second-chance/star-crossed trope</b> which I love EVEN MORE. I don't see a lot of second-chance romances in young adult, so that was a welcoming change.

<u>The Setting</u> : Shanghai 1926. There are two rivaling gangs and two heirs to each empire: Roma Montagov, who's an heir to a Russian gang called White Flowers, and Juliette Cai, who's an heir to a Chinese gang named Scarlet Gang. There is a lot of history with not only these two gangs, but with their heirs as well. And as they are constantly at war over territory with each other, there is an outside force trying threatening to take it all.

There is so much going on with this book. The first confusing thing to me when I first read some blurbs about it was that there is a monster... but there is no magic. I will tell you that it makes sense after the first three chapters or so. The next thing is that there is so much representation as well as inclusivity in this book, which just made my heart so happy to see. And thirdly... there are so many words. I felt as if I was being told what was happening instead of actually seeing what was happening, if that makes sense (seeing while reading is a thing, right? Use your imagination!). That is why my rating is cut-down. I could not stand how much detail there was and how many side-stories I was told that ended up not even playing apart in the main story.

I may try to do this an auidobook and see if that translates better for me. I love audiobooks and sometimes when there is a lot of details between the lines like this, hearing the story instead of seeing the story in words helps me. Overall, I did like it and I am super excited for what comes next!

<b>Trigger and Content Warnings by @meltotheany</b>: lots of blood depiction, lots of gore, violence, death, murder, loss of a loved one, general plot around a disease that is contagious, talk of drug use and addiction, self-harm and suicide because of the “monster” in the book, colonization, racism (and lots of microaggressions), lots of talk of communism, brief mention of human trafficking and kidnapping, brief mention of loss of a pet, brief transphobia microaggression in the past (regarding choosing a name/identity), and just in general I think this book could be a tough read for you if you experience entomophobia (a fear of insects) so please use caution!

I loved loved loved loved these violent delights! What a rich amazing ride 🥰🥰🥰🥰. I can’t believe that I didn’t read this the MOMENT, the SECOND that I received it

Shanghai, 1926

The streets are ruled by two rival gangs. The Scarlet Gang and The White Flowers have been ensnared in a blood feud for years leaving the city divided.

Suddenly, people are found dead, having what appear to be self-inflicted wounds. Sightings of a strange monster by the river and more attacks wreak havoc on the city. When this strange “madness” leaves both the Scarlet Gang and White Flower members dead, two young enemies must work together to save their city.

Juliette Cai, heir to the Scarlet Gang, and Roma Montagov, heir to the White Flowers were once forbidden lovers, but after a brutal attack that left many dead, Juliette was sent away to America. Now she’s back and the two realize that they must lay down their hatred for one another in order to stop this ‘madness’ or monster that is slaughtering their people.

Touted as a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, this book surprised me by offering so much more than a love story. I loved the whole twist of the gangster families at war, especially in the atmospheric city of Shanghai. Gong also brings in a hefty dose of politics into the mix. It adds an interesting perspective into the mystery, as to who is behind the contagion causing this madness and what their motive may be. The characters are well-developed, and though the plot progresses slowly, it is clever and calculated.

If you’re looking for a unique forbidden love story that isn’t all roses and kisses, think more guns and gangsters, then grab this one.

Thank you to @simonandschuster @thechloegong and @netgalley for this advanced copy for review.

Publish Date: November 17, 2020

Let me start out by saying W O W. I really, really loved this. A masterful piece of YA fantasy.

CW (from the author's website): "Blood, violence, gore, character deaths, explicit description of gouging self (not of their own volition), murder, weapon use, insects, alcohol consumption, parental abuse."

The writing is beautiful, very dark and atmospheric. I really felt like I was in 1920's Shanghai. Great dark and foggy fall vibes. I don't normally highlight in ebooks but this has so many beautiful lines/passages that I found myself highlighting something at least every other page.

The beginning world building started off a bit slow for me and at chapter 3 I was questioning how intimately we would get to know Juliette and Roma. I was also very confused about the timeline of when Juliette was in America versus Shanghai and how old they were until a bit later in the book but this was all resolved within the first half. I don't think this necessarily took anything away from my reading experience but I did find myself wondering about it fairly often (or maybe I'm dumb and just didn't connect the dots soon enough).

The characters are *chefs kiss*. I would literally die for Roma and I respect Juliette more than I respect my own gd self. You really get into their heads as the book progressed and I still find myself thinking about them often. R+J especially are expertly fleshed out into multidimensional characters. The side characters are as equally well written and entertaining and provided a lot of diversity in their race, sexuality, background, as well as just general personality type.

I assume this book was conceived well before the Covid-19 pandemic began which made it even more eerie for me given the similarities in how a contagious and deadly disease was handled by the people in charge as well as the general population. This was definitely a little too real for me at times even though we're talking about monsters and insects and not just normal viral pathogens. I was also not expecting such graphic depictions of people tearing at their own throats so I was quite taken aback at the first instance and was only slightly unsettled afterwards.

I had one issue with the plot, but it's a major spoiler so I won't say much about it, just that I wish this one particular aspect of the original Romeo and Juliet was done slightly differently here, though I do appreciate what the author did to make this one particular point new and fresh. Other than that, I found the story to be incredible and I was on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. I did not guess any of the big reveals but at the same time they actually made sense and were not cheapened by "coming out of nowhere."

All of this being said, I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS A MULTI-BOOK STORY AND NOW I HAVE TO WAIT TO FIND OUT MORE. But this is an excellent problem to have :)

Many thanks for NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

These Violent Delights is the Chinese, gangster Romeo and Juliet retelling I didn't know I needed. In 1926 Shanghai, debauchery reigns surpreme, and power is fought for by several different factions, none so bitterly as the White Flowers and the Scarlet Gang. Scarlet Gang Heiress Juliette Cai has returned from America after four years abroad, and she's determined to prove to her father, and her people, that she is fit to lead, but a complication arrives in the form of Roma Montagov, heir to the White Flowers and her ex. Juliette must face Roma, the boy who betrayed her, and even more difficult--to trust him--as a monster spreads madness across all of Shanghai, taking down White Flowers and Scarlet Gang Members alike as it spreads like wildfire. As Roma and Juliette get closer to the truth, they uncover a sinister scheme motivated by greed, imperialism, and vengeance that could turn the entire city upside down, and they must put a stop to it all before they lose their own minds.
These Violent Delights was more or less a 4.5 read for me but I have no issue bumping that up to a 5 star rating. I think the most impressive part about this book is just how well researched it was. Gong effortlessly transports the reader into the social context and political landscape of not just late 1920s Shanghai, but of China as a whole, as western powers attempted to take advantage of the lands vast resources and in effect attempted to erase the vestiges of Chinese society altogether. I loved how Gong portrays the resistance to imperialism through Juliette and the rest of the members of the Scarlet Gang. I also really enjoyed the plotting and all of the twists and turns in this story. This stabby Romeo and Juliette retelling has all the yearning, muder and betrayal between these two trademark characters. Gong's writing style is refined and flawless, in my opinion, and she manages to bring out a new and refreshing interpretation of Romeo and Juliette that is just so much fun. These Violent Delights is a story about lost love, greed, and imperialism, and I absolutely recommend it!

This the best re-telling of a Shakespeare play I have encountered. I love the story of Romeo and Juliet and These Violent Delights does it justice while bringing new life into the story. I am THRILLED to see this is going to be a series. Even if you don't like Shakespeare, this book just might help change your mind.

The fated romance of Romeo and Juliet takes to the streets of 1920s Shanghai for this fantasy retelling filled with mobster rivalries, political intrigue, and dangerous monsters. Juliette and Roma are both heirs to the most notorious gangs in the city; and who happen to be blood rivals. They live by a code of an eye for an eye and put the legacy of the gang above all else. But, after four years apart and a tragic event that caused an even bigger rift between their gangs, they have to work together to find out who or what is murdering the people of Shanghai.

Overall, I loved the premise of the book. I adore a good tragic Romeo and Juliet story, and I liked how this one kept the star-crossed lovers pretty down to earth and more realistic. Juliette is definitely the star of this book. She’s fierce, strong, and not afraid to get her hands dirty.

For me, I struggled at times with the density of the book, and it took me a while to get into the story. However, I did love how the author set up the storyline for the next one! I’ll be interested to see what’s in store next for Roma and Juliette.

3.25/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Native Chinese Juliette Cai and Russian Roma Montagov are the heirs to dueling gangs in a 1920s Shanghai that is splintering into fragments so disparate that it will only take the slightest nudge for society to collapse into utter chaos. The secret ingredient to speed up that collapse? A river monster that emits brain-eating bugs that make people rip their own throats out. Obviously. Through terrible circumstance, Roma and Juliette (yes, this is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet) are forced to come together to save their city, an alliance that may in and of itself bring ruin to both their gangs.

I picked this up because "1920s Shanghai gang war" seemed like a good time, and totally missed that it was a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. And I'm glad I did - because although I'm not a fan of the original, this retelling is absolutely stellar. While the plot is twisty with a surprise at every turn, the real reason this is a gem is because so much of it is unapologetically Chinese. The impacts of European colonization on the Shanghai people and culture are delivered intermittently, and primarily from Juliette's scathing point of view (even as she struggles with her identity as a Chinese girl who primarily grew up in America), which prevents the narrative from becoming a lecture. Similarly valuable is the clear absence of those details during Roma's point of view, which heightens the tension in his delicate alliance with Juliette more than once. This political conflict sets the scene for - and is ultimately entwined with - the sudden emergence of the river monster with its brain-eating bugs, which is a plot device so unique it's impossible to predict. There are so many pieces in THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS that it seems like it must be clunky or overwhelming, but Gong does a fantastic job of pulling everything together in a way that's compelling and easy to understand for the reader.

This genre-bending novel is peak historical fantasy and an excellent choice for readers of all stripes. However, those drawn by the promise of tragic romance may be disappointed by its lack of prominence in the book as a whole. Strongly recommended for fans of THE DIVINERS looking for their next Jazz Age fix.

Initial Thoughts

I was super excited to receive an ARC of this book. I planned to read it with my favorite buddy reader @lianne_the_bibliophile and that just made this read so much more enjoyable.

Some Things I Liked

The setting. I loved 1920s Shanghai as a backdrop for this book. I haven’t read anything set there but I loved it. This story was rich with history and made me want to really dig deep into researching the time period. I loved that about it.
Peaky Blinders attitude. This book, especially the main characters, had so much of what I love about the TV show Peaky Blinders. They were more than just gangsters, they were key members of society with incredible influence. I also loved that Juliette and Roma were gangsters with consciences. Juliette was the perfect Tommy Shelby character.
The side characters. I haven’t read a book in a while where I loved the side characters so much. Kathleen, Marshall, and Benedikt were so fun to read about and I’m so invested in their secrets. I need to know more.
Nods to the inspiration. I loved that this was a Romeo and Juliet retelling but it was self-referencing. It was a close interpretation but had some notable changes that I welcomed. I was never super into the idea of Romeo and Juliet both dying in the end of their story so I was excited to see how Chloe Gong was going to change that.
Sci-fi vibes. That was a plot element that I wasn’t expecting at all and I really enjoyed it. Honestly, it grossed me out but in the best way. It was an unexpected contrast to the historical setting and it fit the story very well.

Series Value

I’m super excited to read the next book in this series and see how the rest of the story pans out. These Violent Delights ends on a cliffhanger so I need the next book (which doesn’t even have a title yet) ASAP.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. It was fantastic for a debut and I’d be eager to keep reading whatever Chloe Gong writes. Chloe made me like Romeo and Juliet so much more because now I have Roma and Juliette as references.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

Twin Daggers by MarcyKate Connolly – if you enjoyed the idea of a Romeo and Juliet retelling with a sci-fi twist, try this new release.
Descendant of the Crane by Joan He – if you liked the idea of enemies to lovers romance, history, and plot twists that you’d never see coming, try this standalone.

It took me a few days to collect my thoughts because These Violent Delights is a wild ride. Though you may feel the story starts pretty slowly, I believe the author does it on purpose to build-up her story. Do you know what I felt while reading this book? Imagine a ride in a theme park. One of those ride which goes up and up and up — always slowly — and then it drops you and all you can do is scream. This is how I felt. You know the drop is coming but you’re not prepared for it. I knew Chloe Gong was going to go hard even though it’s her debut novel. The 30ish last pages made me scream — I guess CW is my witness, I legit popped up out of nowhere in her dms and started rambling about what happened by the end of the story. Chloe Gong serves you twist after twist, until the end and it is always wonderfully done.

Foreshadowing is, I believe, something the author knows how to do. She leaves you hints, throughout the story, and pull them out at the last second and all you can do is sit there and enjoy the ride. You can feel the author knows what she’s doing, there’s never a part of the story which is left out. Everything is connected and sometimes you feel pretty stupid about not noticing something before the author put it right under your nose saying, « it was there all along ». Well, maybe it was just me and how I felt when one of the biggest twist was revealed. I put down my kindle and just– nothing. I sat there wondering what I just read.

I have so many things to say about the characters ans especially the main cast. Chloe Gong crafted characters you end up loving and rooting for. Juliette is a fierce, strong and loyal character. I loved seeing her grow throughout this first book, seeing her fighting internally about what she was supposed to do to fight against the madness. Oh and, Juliette speaking in French? Last thing I expected to see but damn– how can a fictional character be that cool. To be honest, before reading These Violent Delights, I didn’t imagine Roma as a soft boy. Don’t get me wrong he still fiercely fights for his gang and is still a ruthless gangster. But the more you read about him, the more you discover that he’s more than that. That maybe, if he has the power, the blood feud between the White Flowers and the Scarlet Gang wouldn’t be what it is currently.

The tension between Juliette and Roma killed me. Literally. You learn about their past, you see their present and you can help but wonder what will happen to them in the future — Chloe Gong, if you’re reading this: please be kind. Their dynamic was so interesting, especially how they struggle between what they knew they should do and how they were supposed to act as heir of their gang. What stabbed me right in the heart is the fact that if it wasn’t for the blood feud, if they weren’t in opposite gang, they would be happy. I mean, yeah, I just stated the obvious but it’s the thoughts I kept having in mind while reading. I guess this is why Romeo and Juliet retelling are so hard to read for me: I have a soft heart, I just want everybody to live happily.

The fact that you also read from the other main characters’ pov allow you to get attached to them. I liked the fact that all of them are loyal to their gang but always in their own way. This is no surprise for the people following me on twitter but Marshall was definitely my favorite character. I don’t know how the author did it but I just started to like him immediately after he was introduced. Marshall is funny, adorable — deadly adorable? And I just love him so much I sent a tweet to the author asking her to duel me under the Eiffel Tower if something ever happens to him. I guess we will see next year if the duel ever happens.

These Violent Delights takes place in 1926, Shanghai, which means the author mentions historical moments. Colonialism and imperialism especially. And I loved, really loved how the author managed to talk about colonialism, to talk about its consequences on people who didn’t ask for anything besides living in peace. In an interview (you can check it here), Chloe Gong explains These Violent Delights is about « colonialism and the way it entrenches so deeply into a society, the widespread damage it does and the ways that people living under the system are forced to contribute to it » and yeah, it really shows in the book. There is no way to explain how well it is done so I can only tell all of you to read the book and see for yourself. Though, sometimes I felt like the author wanted the reader to think that the madness was actually the colonization and not something more supernatural. And, as a Vietnamese woman living in France, I can’t help but enjoy each time the author talk badly about the French colonization (oups).

I was so hyped for this book and while some of my expectations were held up, I was let down in other ways. I loved that it's an ownvoices novel with a setting you don't see very often but I felt like there was too much going on for me to ever really sink into the story. I think it might have worked better for me if the book was focused on the history/politics aspect OR the supernatural/monster aspect. The pacing was also an issue for me - the numerous flashbacks and detours with side characters slowed the narrative down (and at 450 pages, there's a lot of narrative!). However, I can respect an ambitious debut novel and I'm looking forward to where the story goes in the next book.

"Anyone can be the master to a monster should their heart be wicked enough."


These Violent Delights is an ownvoices story starring a Chinese heiress who recently moved back to Shanghai and is willing to do anything to prove to her father that she is ready to rule the Scarlet Gang. But in 1920s Shanghai, the city has many foreign occupiers from the British, to the French, to Americans, to Russians, etc (more about colonization later in the review). And the rival gang in the city is the White Flowers who are ruled by the Russians, and as of now the gangs ruthlessly kill each other while trying to assert dominance in their territories, but they might have to work together when a monster comes from the sea and attacks and kills anyone regardless of their hierarchies and districts. Oh, and it’s also a loose Romeo and Juliet retelling.
Remarkably interesting set up, true? I was so very intrigued, and I was not disappointed. I loved all the overarching important themes in this book and how this author unapologetically wrote about them. The monster might be a made up thing for this story, but the real monsters are the people who take land and culture while also trying to control every aspect of the people they are stealing from's lives. And those are very much real and still thriving in 2020, and scarier than the scariest of book monsters.


"You destroy me and then you kiss me. You give me reason to hate you and then you give me reason to love you. Is this a lie or the truth? Is this a ploy or your heart reaching for me?"


I really loved Juliet and I was always compelled to learn more and more about her and her family. The Romeo in the story is named Roma and he is also the heir to the White Flower throne, hopefully. Both of their fathers are not completely sold on their leadership, which is why they are both trying to prove so much. It is also why they have this common ground (and a common, but bloody, past) with each other. I think most of you will enjoy their dynamic, especially being rival heirs who once were maybe more. And I really enjoyed them dancing around each other, discovering clues, and just having to work together again before the city is completely destroyed.

"This place rumbles on Western idealism and Eastern labor…"


This book also very much talks about communism and how white people like to still romanticize the political theory. Meanwhile, so many countries have been completely torn apart by it. This book really shows how people will use communism to help them take over PoC’s land and cities in the name of equality when they are just stealing. The monster (and a contagious disease that people need a cure for) in the book very much plays a part in this. I will say too that this book was very unexpectedly gory. If you are a bit squeamish, you might want to take a bit of caution with this one, because the author does not pull back with incredibly detailed descriptions.

"They believed themselves the rulers of the world—on stolen land in America, on stolen land in Shanghai. Everywhere they went—entitlement."


Okay, let’s talk about colonization. Seeing Juliet feel like a foreigner in her own country? Her feeling like she must be more Americanized for people to hear her and listen to her? Being sent away to America, “forced” to get an education in American, using the name Juliet, dressing more American, speaking English and with a minimal accent at that? Heartbreak, truly heartbreaking. But this is a reality that so many Asians are forced to live even in 2020 (even my biracial white passing self). The world has always tried to tell us that Westernized voices are the ones that get heard, and if you want people to listen to you then you have to at least appear to be a “model minority” from the East. But I don’t even have words for how extra heartbreaking that is in your own country.
This book also has some really good queer representation, with a brewing m/m romances between side characters that I think will be very much developed in the next book, but also with a trans girl side character who completely won me over. Obviously, it is ownvoices for the Chinese representation, and one half of the m/m relationship is Korean!


"Juliette Cai feared disapproval more than she feared grim on her soul."


Overall (and again), I loved the themes of this book and I truly did love Juliet. I just felt like I didn’t love the plot with the actual monster in this book. I also felt like a lot plot points built up and just went nowhere, even though I’m sure they will be talked about in future books. I also didn’t love the romance, because I just didn’t love Roma. I think this book did a lot of talking, and not showing us, things about the characters. And the ending of this book really left me wanting so much more, but not necessarily in a good way. I still recommend this completely for the themes alone, and I think it is a very impressive debut. You can also tell that this story means a lot to the author, and her family and culture, and it is a tale that deserves to be read (and a history you shouldn’t let your Westernized education ignore). This is truly the highest of three stars from me, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Trigger and Content Warnings: lots of blood depiction, lots of gore, violence, death, murder, loss of a loved one, general plot around a disease that is contagious, talk of drug use and addiction, self-harm and suicide because of the “monster” in the book, colonization, racism (and lots of microaggressions), lots of talk of communism, brief mention of human trafficking and kidnapping, brief mention of loss of a pet, brief transphobia microaggression in the past (regarding choosing a name/identity), and just in general I think this book could be a tough read for you if you experience entomophobia (a fear of insects) so please use caution!

First - you had me at "Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai." YES. Insta-love or not, I have always been a fan of R&J as well as Shakespeare in general. I love reading retettings and new takes on the story, especially since it actually predates the Shakespeare version. So These Violent Delights was a lot of fun to read. I loved catching the refereances but also the fresh voice of the immigrant experience and how you can feel like a foregner in your homeland. This was a fantastic debut with reach worldbuilding, story, cuture and mystery. I cannot wait to see what Chloe Gong writes next! I am a fan.

Full Review on www.readandwander.com closer to publication.

An interesting, well-thought-out spin on Shakespeare’s classic tale of Romeo & Juliet, perfect for fans of Renee Ahdieh’s The Beautiful.

I had heard so many great things from other reviewers/bookstagrammers, and was so excited to be given an ARC of this book. I loved the idea of it being set in 1920s Shanghai, and the representation, as well as inclusivity in this book, was amazing. The execution, however, was a little disappointing for me. This book was HECKA dense. And for an R & J retelling, there wasn’t a whole lot of romance. Like, at all. I love the former lovers dynamic (Persuasion anyone 😏?), but it just didn’t sit right with this one. Instead of feeling the ache and the pining, I just felt nothing. I didn’t feel like I knew these characters enough to care. Not about their past, or the complicated tensions between their families. There was great commentary on colonization, and the politics of Shanghai, however.

I also found the whole subject matter of the mystery subplot to be super weird. It didn’t work for me in the story. This is just my personal opinion. HOWEVER, that doesn’t take away from the amazing inclusivity this story provided to the Shakespeare-retelling niche genre. It was definitely an interesting read! I learned so many new things about 1920s Shanghai that I didn’t know before.

Big thank you to Simon Teen + Netgalley for sending an ARC copy of this book!

2020 has not been a great year, but it did give us this marvelous debut. There is so much to love about These Violent Delights. The setting is gorgeous, the writing superb, the characters flawed and lovely. This is one book that played just like a Netflix miniseries in my head, and I hope that someday, I will be able to experience this book that way.

Shanghai, 1926. Does it get better? Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov are aspiring leaders of rival gangs. While this is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, this book holds its own as something new and exciting. While these two characters are dealing with movements against the other, as well as their slow-burning love story, there is a virus waging war on both gangs alike. The two of them must work together to put aside their differences while they try to discover what could be attacking their gang members.

As somebody who didn't like Romeo and Juliet, I can safely say this is far enough away from the original to be it's own thing. There are Easter eggs for anybody familiar with the play--character names and the skeleton of the plot is similar, but holy cow, did I love this book. I felt like I had fallen into this gorgeous world Chloe Gong laboriously put together. I loved how the characters spoke several languages, and I felt that I was just as invested in the side characters as I was the main two. Their love story was incredibly told, while feeling realistic. I loved the flashback scenes to show what had previously happened between them--I was dying to know! I am so excited for book two, and I can't wait to put this into so many teen's hands in the library. (And to make sure their parents and English teachers know about it too!)