Crackling with tension and filled with (surprise, surprise) violence, Our Violent Ends is a deliciously dark* conclusion to the These Violent Delights duology. The first book in the series smashed onto the YA scene with much fanfare, a loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in Shanghai in the 1920’s, substituting rival gangs for feuding houses and adding a mysterious, monstrous illness. (Also, the author was literally still in undergrad when she published it, so uh…what am I doing with my life???) In this second installment, the stakes–both personal and political–are higher than ever, and the result is an action-packed, emotional whirlwind.

This book is blood-soaked and brutal, in the best possible way. The constant clashes of rival gangs, plus demonstrations by the Communist and Nationalist parties, leave the pages of this book filled with gunfights, fistfights, thrown knives, fires, and explosions, a constant stream of violent uprisings punctuated by plenty of scheming, gossip, and emotions that burn just as hot as the literal flames.

It’s true, this book does follow a wide range of characters–primarily Roma and Juliette, but with snippets from Benedikt, Marshall, Kathleen, Alisa, and Tyler as well–but you can tell that Juliette is the one the author is most attached to, and her narrative arc takes precedence over anyone else’s. Frankly, I’m okay with this*: Juliette is the antihero of our dreams, whose two default reactions to feelings are “stuff it down and ignore it” or “inflict physical damage or injury on something on someone” (or, sometimes, both). She is ruthless but impulsive, a short-tempered sharpshooter, a trigger-happy gang heiress with conflicting emotions about her loyalties being torn between her family, her city, and the boy she loves. Chloe Gong does not shy away from the more jagged edges of Juliette’s character; this girl really is prepared to kill men in cold blood whenever needed, and the character’s comfort with weapons of all sorts is moderately alarming. I also appreciate the self-awareness that the author takes toward Juliette’s physical prowess–a casual comment from Lord Cai mentioning how he is surprised she can move so quickly given that she never exercises made me grin.

* That said, I would not have minded if we got a bit more of Marshall and Benedikt; their relationship is one of my favorite things. There are also rumors swirling about spinoff books based on Celia and/or Alisa, and if that’s the case, I’m totally down for it. Celia is a badass, but a smart one, who actually thinks and properly plans her schemes, and Alisa is just the right amount of feisty.

Some people have cast this book as a romance, largely because of its Romeo and Juliet influences (though, I will note that they are not quite as prominent in this book as they were in the first one). I’m not saying that it doesn’t have romance–indeed, the amount of romantic tension between Roma and Juliette is practically palpable (a certain scene on a train comes to mind)–but it really doesn’t feel like the focus of the story. As much as their romantic entanglements drive some emotions, the real focus of the story feels more political, with frequent commentary on ideas of colonialism, imperialism, and nationalism, as well as general questions of morality: Is there a point in saving a city that is full of relatively horrible people? What is an acceptable price to pay for some semblance of peace? Which is better–stability with forced division or precarious unity? At some points, the musings on these topics got a little heavy-handed. They caused the plot to drag in a handful of places, and once or twice I felt like I was being beaten over the head with them too much, but they’re still important things to discuss, so I’m not too angry about that.

On a related note, as with the first book, I really appreciated the depictions of clashing cultures that Gong included in this work. You have clubs that go by multiple names, depending on which faction is describing them (Russian, Chinese, American). You have Juliette in her American flapper dresses alongside her cousins in their traditional qipao. You have characters who are fluent in at least four languages who regularly switch up which one they are speaking in, depending on context. And of course, certain expressions from the characters are cast in their native languages inside of otherwise-English narration. As someone who’s studied Chinese, I won’t translate them all for you, but I can say that the phrase “tā mā de,” which Juliette uses multiple times, is the Chinese equivalent of a four-letter F-word. (Not going to type it here, because I don’t know how publishers feel about profanity in these reviews? But yeah, it’s there.)

As an aside, folks who aren’t familiar with French may benefit from a digital version of this book so you can easily look up the random French sentences interspersed. The surrounding text gives sufficient clues to get the gist of it, but it’s nice to have a clear translation. Alas, such translations will not be useful for Chinese or Russian, as the text shows the pinyin and Romanized versions, respectively, so Google Translate doesn’t really know what to do.

Anyway, returning to the review proper: This is overall a riveting read. The pacing is much better than the first book, even if it still does have some unnecessary lulls. The characters feel better-developed, with the possible exception of Tyler, who is still a rather two-dimensional villain. The moral gray area is just as intense, if not more so. The emotions are higher, the plot feels simultaneously easier to follow and more intricate, and in general, the entire tone is darker. And it is willing to lean into difficult questions about race, class, and colonization, which is always a plus. This may not be an ideal read for those who like clean and happy books (or endings), but if you want something gritty and full of both fights and feelings, this is a great choice.

Trigger/content warnings: insects, blood/gore/violence, kidnapping, drugging (rag with presumably chloroform?), mentions of death of children

*Note: a post on my Bookstagram for this book is forthcoming, after publication date, when I have a physical copy to take a picture with

Our Violent Ends was such a perfect sequel to These Violent Delights. It had been so long since I read These Violent Delights, and I had so much fun meeting the characters again and loving them even more than I had before. Every scene between Roma and Juliette was so full of tension and feelings, I could not put the book down. Also, Benedikt and Mars made me cry real tears. It took me a good bit to remember where things had left off and who the minor characters were, but otherwise, the plot was a great continuation of the first book. Despite having read Romeo & Juliet and knowing how this story would end, I was praying that Our Violent Ends would not end as expected. Just so you know, this book killed me (in the best way possible).

The blood feud between the Scarlet Gang and White Flowers from These Violent Delights continues on in the sequel, Our Violent Ends. 🔥

I loved that this Romeo and Juliet fantasy retelling continues on in the streets of Shanghai during the 1920s. - Roma and Juliet are star crossed lovers and heirs of powerful rival Russian and Chinese gangs.

Their relationship is less obsessed love and more along the lines of will they shoot one another, or kiss, or both at the same time?

Fun stuff!

Much like the first book, there is plenty of action, tension, and mystery to keep the reader enthralled. Also, the killer monster creature with it’s bug posse is back.

This was an awesome conclusion to the duology. I loved the blend of fantasy and historical fiction that Gong seamlessly blends. If you are a fan of enemies to lover tropes, YOU NEED THIS.

This book was the most stressful thing I’ve ever read…and I loved every word of it. Juliette Caí can do no wrong ever.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC of this book!

The climactic sequel to its predecessor These Violent Delights, Our Violent Ends follows Juliette Cai and a cast of friends and foes as their home city of Shanghai faces social uprisings and political unrest. While I initially found it difficult to get into this book, due to its slower pace at the beginning, I quickly became invested in the calamities of 1920s Shanghai once the plot picked up.

A great aspect of Chloe Gong's storytelling technique is her use of literary and political knowledge in her novels. In one of the most creative, ambitious interpretations I've read in a while, Gong weaves fantastical elements into the historical contexts of the political tensions of 1920s Shanghai. I was left speechless by Our Violent Ends' intricate political world-building and its lavish writing style, which combined to create a tangible sense of conflict and consequence throughout the book.

Compared to These Violent Delights, the character dynamics in Our Violent Ends were further developed and explored in such an intelligent manner. Every character’s inner monologue revealed their hidden vulnerability behind the harsh exteriors they wear and made every character pop off the page. Gong’s ability to transcend the realm of fiction and make you sympathize with gangsters and murderers is incredibly impressive.

The way Gong took the source material and restructured it to align with her vision for the story took my breath away. In a way, Our Violent Ends transcends the typical fantasy retelling; it reflects our society and its values and acts as a warning of the dangers of unchecked political power. Refreshingly creative and intelligently done, Our Violent Ends somehow managed to break my heart and mend it back together all within 494 pages, and I’m excited for everyone to get their hands on a copy. It is wonderful to hear a voice as ingenious as Chloe Gong's in the literary scene, and I am excited to see what else she develops over the years.

This is one of the rare times I'm going to say this: the sequel was so much better than the original!! If I'm being honest, I struggled to get through These Violent Delights but the potential of the storyline combined with the cliffhanger is what made me want to continue. I knew what I was getting myself into when I started this duology (considering how the classic story ends), but I still held out hope that the ending for these characters would be different. Roma and Juliet are morally grey but they make each other better and that's why it's impossible to not root for them. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Our Violent Ends and the epilogue left me with just enough closure to feel satisfied with story as a whole.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.

4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this to review! These Violent Delights was a treasure to read, and I’m so happy that the sequel lived up to expectations. Who knew that a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s China could be so dark and entertaining!

What I love most about these books is the way that the original play makes its way into the book. You can see the influence throughout the book, especially as you get closer to the ending. As a reader, I couldn’t help but wonder what changes Gong was going to make to the ending, since the play ends so tragically. Roma and Juliette have such delicious chemistry, and you’re rooting for them up until the very end. And honestly, they are much more likable characters than the ones they’re based on.

At the beginning, it took me a bit to get into this. I think it was a combination of being in the mood for something else and a bit of a slow start. And partly not 100% remembering what happened at the end of the last book. However, the last half of the book definitely makes up for this, as I absolutely couldn’t put it down! The stakes keep getting higher and higher, and you just have to know what’s going to happen next.

As far as Romeo and Juliet retellings go, I think this is one of the most original and interesting ones that I’ve read. There’s that fantasy element, but also some Chinese history as well. All in all, this was an enjoyable read and one that I think a lot of people will enjoy!

What an exciting finish to a beautifully written duology. This was so much more than a Romeo and Juliette retelling. This book is filled with twists, turns, backstabbing and forbidden romance. I found myself rooting for the characters even when it seemed as if all would be lost.

I was immediately drawn back into 1920s Shanghai and I never wanted to leave. From page one, the tension between Juliette and Roma is palpable. The political uprising coupled with gangsters and a growing supernatural monster problem was *chef's kiss.* I could read about this world forever.

If you enjoyed the first book, Our Violent Delights there’s no doubt you’re excited to step back into Chloe Gong’s world set in Shanghai in the 1920s and you will be SO glad you did! This book is a masterpiece. The emotion that is poured into this retelling is absolutely amazing. The characters each come with their own unique depth and the plot will have you ignoring all of your responsibilities to turn pages. Our Violent Ends twists a story of love and power and everything in between, finishing with an incredibly satisfying ending.

Starting this book we go straight into a conflict between the White Flowers and the Scarlet Gang. It was interesting to see more conflict and interactions between the gangs which was something I felt was lacking in the first book. OUR VIOLENT ENDS felt very plot-driven because of the familiarity with the characters. Our characters were constantly put into situations they didn’t want to be in.

As I’ve said, this book had more violence than the first, which I did enjoy. It’s what I would expect from a book with rival gangs. The tension between the Scarlets and White Flowers has gotten worse after Tyler’s ambush. Juliette and Roma’s relationship has grown very complicated now that there are more factors making it difficult to love each other. 20% into the book, it felt like both characters were coping through acts of violence. We see how the events of the last book have affected all characters. Even Tyler (who is definitely a prick) is shown to have grown more violent. It took me by the surprise at how descriptive the writing was at times when the monster would emerge or the fights between characters.

Gong’s world-building continuously impresses me. There are many layers within the world she’s built especially when it comes to politics. From the tensions between the gangs, nationalists and communists, and the foreigners. She addresses conflict from all groups of people and ties it all with a bow. It was honestly entertaining reading as it all came together. Granted, as we learn more about each group, it becomes a bit easier to predict what might come in the end.

Despite the added monster into the story, there is a lot of realism to it. Gong continues to address the struggle with identity in Juliette’s character and how foreigners treated the people of Shanghai. Throughout the book, we see how the Scarlets and White Flowers are treated as merely pawns and disposables by the nationalists and foreigners, yet the gangs strive to protect the city. We see more of how the gangs come into play when it comes to politics which was one of the things I enjoyed the most.

"These Violent Delights have violent ends." Book 2 in this series is just as amazing as the first, and that is hard to do with a sequel! I am so grateful to have gotten a copy of this book early and to share in this story. She did it again and it was just as captivating. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

This book. Wow. Thank you Netgalley for the E-ARC.

This book will be a delight for fans of the first one. There are moments so satisfying you think you just might scream. These characters are all really well developed and well finished. Their arcs feel conclusive and like the only end they should have. There are funny moments and heart wrenching moments, creating an epic finale,

I still find the politics immensely confusing, so I am docking a star just for personal reasons as it takes me out of the story every time trying to figure out what is happening in regards of the politics and the characters I don't see as often. The beginning was also really slow in my opinion, but the end was everything I wanted and hoped for and more.

Enjoy this one guys. It's a hit.

I read These Violent Delights much later than everyone else, so I never considered myself to be one of the hardcore fans of the series. That’s why I was excited to read this sequel but it wasn’t highly anticipated in my head and I was just hoping that it’ll be as fun as the first one. And wow did this surpass my expectations on every scale.

I had about 3 arcs of 2021 left to read and despite not being in the mood for any of them, I decided to pick this one up because I wanted to get atleast a couple of them read before their release dates. But once I started reading this one, I was hooked by the end of the first chapter. The author just knows how to capture a reader’s attention within a few pages, and then the story doesn’t let one go. It starts off with a tense situation in close quarters which made me anxious instantly and never let up from there. The twists and turns kept coming, the angst was peak level, and even the betrayals that I managed to guess were foreshadowing done well. The author gives subtle hints and sometimes even big indications to make us think the plot is going in a direction, but then throw us a surprise which feels perfectly earned. It is masterful craft at play and I could only get swept up in the magic. My almost year long binging of cdramas and little dabbling on Duolingo came to some use because I was delighted to encounter Mandarin words I could understand - mostly various forms of address - and I had the Pleco app open on the side for anything I didn’t understand. Even when the author didn’t try to explain the meanings of the words as footnotes or within the text, I found them to be seamlessly blended into the English text, making us feel the setting the story inhabited.

The backdrop of the brewing revolution in China by the workers and the fraught alliance between the Kuomintang and the Communists, while the blood feud between the Scarlet Gang and White Flowers is reaching crescendo is absolutely perfect for this story, giving a sense of impending doom on every page and keeping us on our toes. It also raises many questions about who is right and who is wrong, why the blood feud which kills and kills matters so much when the original reason for it has been forgotten, is there any hopeful way out of a city that is spilling with hatred, and so much more. It’s also hard not to sympathize with the common people and workers who rise up in revolution for their rights when we can see that they are battered on all sides by gangsters and politicians and colonizers alike. This whole setting is a powder keg waiting to explode and the author only notches up the intensity by pitting a forbidden love against this world full of literal and figurative monsters.

Juliette is the kind of female main character whom you can’t forget even if you try, and I felt it more in this book than the first one. She knows the privilege and position she has is because of her blood, that the violence she perpetuates to keep her loved ones safe is an unending cycle but she doesn’t stop caring. And despite all the obstacles in her way, she never stops wanting to save the people of the city too, atleast from the monsters. Whether she can save them from the blood feud is a question even she doesn’t have the answer to and it haunts her throughout the book. The toll that the futile violence in the name of her family and loyalty takes on her is agonizing to read about but much more hurtful for her.

Her dynamic with Roma is such an enticing push and pull that keeps us engrossed all the way. His anguish in hating her for killing his close friend but unable to kill her because the love still exists in his heart makes for great reading - it’s angst central and every single interaction they had before the truth came out felt like a blowup waiting to happen, collateral damage be damned. But later on, every scene of theirs was beautiful and so full of love and hope even in desperate situations, and I just had my fingers crossed wondering whether this would be a Romeo Juliet ending or something else.

I also loved the supporting characters a lot in this book. Kathleen’s loyalties are divided because she feels too connected to the people she meets in the Communist worker meetings and has to decide what she values more - the lives of the people or her fidelity to the Scarlet Gang. Benedikt is devastated and ready to burn the world down in his grief until he realizes his truth. Marshall’s decisions keep changing until he has to make a choice between trying to work from a place of privilege to better the lives of the people and save some of them, or leave it all behind and start over with the love of his life. They all make significant contributions to the advancement of the plot and I loved all of it came together towards the end. Alisa maybe a smaller presence but I loved how wise she is despite her age and kept wishing she would be safe amidst the chaos. I also liked how despite their being quite a few antagonists in the book, the author emphasizes that the actual villain is the violent system and everyone in power who uses more violence to get what they want and kill everyone who doesn’t agree with them.

To conclude, this was a perfect sequel/finale. It has a great balance between an alluring plot, extremely memorable characters, a vivid setting that leaves a mark and so many twists and turns that we are left gasping for a moment of respite which never comes. If you are looking for a fast paced and well written historical fantasy with little sci-fi elements, or an unforgettable East Asian Romeo Juliet retelling with a brewing civil war as a backdrop, then look no further than this duology. Once you start, you will not be able to put it down.

This was a satisfying conclusion to Gong's duology. I enjoyed the action-packed thrill of the story. There were so many twists and turns, really driving me forward. I think the characters grew even stronger in this novel, with more personality, a depth of feeling, and they clearly grow as people over the course of the book.

Gong's writing style, while at times a bit over the top dramatic, fits well in the retelling of the forbidden romance of Romeo & Juliet. I think her interpretation of this classic story and overlaying it with the historical setting and with the race and class tensions of the time period make for a really compelling read.

Overall, I think the ending is decent, that fans of the first book will weep openly, but will ultimately be happy. This is one emotionally-charged book, but any fans of forbidden romance will have their fill in reading it.

This review will contain spoilers for Book 1, These Violent Delights

Review:

I… think I’m devastated. These Violent Delights was one of my favorite reads of 2020 and probably my favorite YA novel, so I had such *such* high hopes for the sequel. Sadly, I found myself struggling and struggling to finish this book, until I finally sat down one day to sit down and just forced the last 70% down. As I’m going to spend most of the review talking about what I didn’t like and what I think went wrong, I will touch broadly on major plot points. So, for those looking to completely avoid spoilers, don’t read this review.

So what didn’t I like? Surprisingly, a lot of it. The plot lines felt repetitive and at times, completely unnecessary. The dialogue felt oddly forced at time (I can applaud Gong for trying to include some of the lines from the original Shakespeare, but when you’ve got characters talking like normal teens at one moment, then spitting verse in Old English the next, it’s gonna come off weird). Some of the actions taken felt like they were forced in to match the major plot points from the original R&J, but didn’t feel authentic to the actual characters. Mostly importantly, though, I felt that there was no real development from book 1 to book, that the characters hadn’t really progressed anywhere.

So lets unpack these one by one, and I’ll start with the overarching plotlines. We open with a new monster in town, with both the Scarlets and the White Flowers being blackmailed over the threat of new monster attack. Roma and Juliette, being their respective gang’s most familiar members with these monsters, quickly begin investigating the perpetrators. Naturally, their actions lead them revolving each others circles, but with the bitterness of the ending of Book 1 fresh in their minds. Their investigations lead to a series of revelations that, up until the 50% mark, seem extremely plot relevant.

However! After about halfway through, the Nationalists make their move! Throughout the first half, there’s been (very) quiet rumblings about Nationalist vs Communist movements and their rivalries. Then suddenly, the plot shifts and the Nationalist take over. It felt like everything that Roma and Juliette had spent the first half the book working was just ignored for this new political development. Yes there was occasional reference to the first half but like, the monsters are still at large at this point. That blackmailer is still completely unknown, And yet it seems there’s no movements from said blackmailer nor any concern given to them by the gangs nor the military powers despite them still being the most powerful playing card in this field. I wish these two storylines were more intertwined in a way that didn’t feel like, Story A, Story B, end. (Admittedly, I also didn’t like the inclusion of the monsters in the sequel at all and maintain that the story would have been much more interested if it focused entirely on the politics and gang wars).

Because this is a Romeo and Juliette retelling, the major plot points of Romeo and Juliette do occur. Namely, events like Romeo and Tybalt’s duel, Juliette’s faked death, etc. However, because of the monster chasing in the first half, these events feel very much crammed into the second half of the book, with characters making decisions that feel designed only to force events along. (This was a criticism I had for parts of the first book as well.)

From external conflict, let’s also talk about the internal conflicts of Juliette and Roma. Book 2 is very Juliette-centric, so I’ll focus on her. Mainly, I’ll focus on what felt like her utter static-ness as a character. I praised Juliette in my book 1 review because I loved how refreshing it was to see an unapologetically villainous female YA lead. However, the Juliette of book 1 felt like the same Juliette of book 2, despite how much she’s been through. Book 1’s Juliette was worried about her relationship with Roma, her about her parents catching the two together. Book 2’s Juliette is likewise worried about her relationship with Roma, and her parents catching the two of them together. In fact, since Rosalind and Kathleen are stuck on the backburner in this book, it felt like her only important emotional turnoils were Roma and her relationship with her parents.

As for the relationship between Roma and Juliette, I did enjoy the two of them together. Gong has developed a phenomenal chemistry between the two of them and, when not arguing, the two are a straight up power couple. However, I do really really hate the on-off, get-together-break-apart trope in romance and I think the two of them do it like, three different times. At some point, you really just want to shove them in a room and yell, TALK TO EACH OTHER.

I’ve talked with some friends reading this ARC as well, and I think our general consensus is that this sequel felt like it needed more editing. It was difficult to write this review because I found it hard to really properly pinpoint exactly what made this so difficult to read, because of so much of it felt like it was almost there! The characters are interesting, the writing style is beautifully done, the worldbuilding for 1920s Shanghai is excellent. So why were all of us struggling when everything is almost there?? A truly difficult situation to explain.

Overall, I must rate this book a 2/5. I adored book 1 and desperately wanted to love this too, but the pacing and what felt like a pointless first arc, paired with flat characters and forced plot points led me to struggle.

Chloe Gong is a rising star in Young Adult Literature. Her duology is such a refreshing take on an age old story. Her characters are phenomenal. Our heroine is such a strong woman who is trying to survive as best she can. Emotions are high throughout this sequel. Overall I would say if you like retellings you're going to love this, and even if you don't I would still say give it a try. You might find something new to love.

First off, I do want to mention that this is the sequel and conclusion to the These Violent Delights duology, so please be aware of any spoilers before you read on! That said, I will try to keep things as spoiler-free as possible to ensure that you have the best possible reading experience.

Following the events that happened in the first book, we follow Juliette and Roma as they continue to battle against mysterious monsters in the midst of a brewing civil war (and possible revolution) in 1920s Shanghai. Juliette and Roma’s relationship has become more convoluted than ever, leading to some of the most stressful yet addicting interactions.

That’s all just to say: this title of this book really nails the core of the story. Even though tensions continue to rise and more conflicts occur, our star-crossed lovers face it all head on no matter the consequences. The events in Our Violent Ends relentlessly pushes all of the characters to their boundaries, and Gong offers fascinating takes on what people will do in the face of love, loyalty, and survival.

This book does dive much deeper both into the world and history of Shanghai as well as the cast of characters. One of my favorite parts of the first book was its setting, so I loved seeing Gong’s reimagining of Shanghai’s history blended in this new world full of fights and gangs. And reading the interactions between Benedikt and Marshall was just such an adorable experience.

But now to my favorite part of this book: the relationship between Juliette and Roma. While we do see glimpses of the enemies-to-lovers relationship in the first book, the dynamic comes in full force in this book. And I loved it. The tangible yearning and desires, the distrustful and conflicted tensions, the confusion where something familiar feels so close, yet so far. Gong does a wonderful job reminding me why I love this trope. And in the context of this story being a Romeo and Juliet retelling, she masterfully follows the story you expect, while also flipping it on its head.

With the stakes becoming much higher in this book, there was less of the gang fights and betrayals that I enjoyed so much in the first book. However, Our Violent Ends does a wonderful job concluding the Juliette and Roma’s story, which has my favorite type of endings: one where you feel satisfied, yet you’re left wanting just a bit more.

This sequel surpasses the first book. I loved Our Violent Delights but was surprised at the amount of page space given to the monster. In this book, the monster takes a backseat to the politics and the romance and that is exactly how I wanted the novel to play out. Gong has a very accessible and fun way of writing and I could see that her writing is even stronger in this sequel. I look forward to reading more novels by this writer.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO SHUT UP AND GO PREORDER THIS BOOK! I AM IN TEARS!

Shanghai is crumbling to pieces. After Juliette sacrifices her relationship with Roma to keep him safe from the blood feud, Juliette now finds herself in a precarious position in fighting for the title of heir to the Scarlets. Roma is reeling from a betrayal most foul, he will stop at nothing to get revenge, even if that means killing Juliette. However, the threat of the monster still looms above Shanghai, and the two will be forced to work together again. Will they save their beloved city and themselves, or will other violent ends find them?

I cannot express in words how beautiful and painful this book was. Let's start from the beginning. I read the first book around the time it came out and I thought it was okay. I had some hopes, but wasn't sure I would pick up the sequel. I was quickly proven wrong because this might be one of the best sequels I've read this year.

Roma and Juliette I feel really come into their own roles, especially with their parallels in the classic Shakespeare play. Juliette realizes that not everything she has is what she wants, and what she doesn't have is what she really wants. Roma manages to grow past his hatred for Juliette... again. But they both had some beautiful moments together, even when they both thought they still "hated" each other. There was also a great line in there somewhere about having knives in bed and I'm still reeling from it.

The real stars of the show, in my opinion, were Benedikt and Marshall. OH MY GOD I've been wanting these two to get together for months now. This book filled my heart with so much hope for them, and seeing their own growth apart from each other hurt me so much. But them being reunited gave me all the love I've needed these last few months. Their arcs were done tremendously well and I applaud Chloe for that. I have cried at all of their scenes and I was not disappointed.

I felt like Kathleen had more of her own moments to shine than Rosalind, but regardless I think she still had some good times to shine through, especially with her own growth outside of the Scarlet Gang. Overall, I'm neutral about their growth.

In terms of plot, I thought it was decently fast paced. Do I think that the whole "re-emergence of the monster" plot was put too much in the background? Yes. Am I mad it was overshadowed by political riots and disruption? Absolutely not. I'm usually not one for political intrigue in a book, but this was done so well that I really felt for the rage and fury that Juliette had for her own city being destroyed before her eyes, because of forces she cannot control. It really mimics what happened in history at that time, and tied it right into the lives of the main characters enough that it could not be ignored. And in the end, it didn't become a fight to stop the Nationalists and the Communists. It was more a "we need to save ourselves because we can't stop this," and I really love that take on it. We don't see that a lot in YA books these days, where protagonists are set on demolishing evil political powers. It's refreshing to see this take such a different approach and yet still have it really fit the characters.

I also just really loved Chloe's style of writing?? It's done so beautifully well and I think it finally hit me how good stylistically this sequel was. I really felt myself among the streets with the Scarlets and the White Flowers in Shanghai and felt every single emotion these characters felt. It was so impactful on me as a reader.

Our Violent Ends far surpasses its legendary predecessor and will make you cry. Chloe Gong, you mastermind, I cannot wait to see what else you have in store for us. Oh, and bring your tissues for this one.

I received a copy of this book as an e-arc from NetGalley. Any and all thoughts and opinions are my own.