4.5

Many authors face underwhelming sequels, but this did not disappoint. In fact, I found this better that These Violent Delights. Chloe Gong's development as an author is clear in this book as she manages to mesh the politics, and relationships and fantasy elements together seamlessly. Not only that but she manages to handle multiple point of view changes throughout each chapter and throughout the entire book in an organised manner, none of it felt forced or unnecessary.

The first book took me a while to get into, but this one, as I've seen other people say, had me hooked straight from the beginning. Maybe it's because I was anticipating the sequel, maybe it was because I was already invested in the story, but either way, this story starts quickly and drags you along for the ride.

The characters in this book are *chef's kiss* I loved them so much. Yes I loved them in the first book, but as with any series, they get better over time and learning more about them made me love them so much more. After the way things ended in the first book, most of the characters we see are going through it. The way that their relationships were broken down and rebuilt and the ways that these characters were emotionally wrecked and reformed throughout the sequel was done impressively well (but also emotionally wrecked me). With such a large cast of characters it can be hard to make sure each character gets enough screen time (page time?) to show their full development, but Chloe Gong used those almost 500 pages to do it, and she did it well.

This was a very satisfying sequel to a wonderful first book and I cant wait for other people to get their hands on this book so I can yell at them about the entire thing (but mostly the ending :') As I said, I was emotionally wrecked.)

4.5 Stars

"These violent delights have violent ends."

We all know how the play Romeo and Juliet ended so it was a given that I was a nervous wreck long before picking up Our Violent Ends. I loved These Violent Delights (see my review here) and I care too deeply for the characters that I wouldn't and couldn't think of how will I manage if Chloe Gong choose to end this duet the same way the original play by William Shakespeare did. (For the record, you will not get a confirmation from this review whether Chloe Gong followed the same ending or not.)

Our Violent Ends was a wild and beautiful ride from start to finish. Chloe Gong didn’t bother with pleasantries and just jumped into action from the very start which was an amazing way to keep the readers alert and paying attention. I may or may not have had multiple heart attacks while reading this - the violence, gore, hate, tension and angst was through the roof!

Like the first book, the story relied heavily on politics and monsters and was written with beautiful metaphors. The political intrigue was more apparent with more players on the board vying for power and control. The plot was full of substance and was very close to the reality of Shanghai's history in 1927. Racism, homophobia, colonization, blood feuds and civil war were some of the topics in addition to the romance. Bring out google translate, you would need it.

The dialogue was wonderful and some of my favorites were between Juliette and her Dad - although I wouldn't want to have their kind of relationship personally, I still found it entertaining that made me laugh.

"I said I wanted you dead, [...] I never said I didn't love you."

The romance - chef's kiss! Roma and Juliette's wheel of enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers to enemies kept on turning but it never gets old. There's so much intensity and angst compared to book 1 and I must say this is an enemies to lovers done so well. The side character's romance was also beautifully done and I wished there was more.

"Keep fighting for love. It is worth it."

My favorite character development in the duology is defintely Kathleen's. I was rooting for her eversince These Violent Delights and she made me so very proud. Her storyline was inspiring, she's one hell of a character to watch out for.

Our Violend Ends was a great ending that I would highly recommend. I shed a lot of tears and emotions reading this story, I would warn you to brace yourself but nothing will ever prepare you for this ride.


Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley for providing me an advanced digital copy to review.

One of the best books I've ever read. Our Violent Ends is the sequel to These Violent Delights, a Romeo and Juliette retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, and I'm not kidding when I say it is one of, if not the best sequel I've ever read. The story had already hooked me from the minute I finished the first chapter. I feel like this was better than the first book, as much as I loved it, for many reasons.

The plot for sure picked up a lot faster, there was always something going on and there was always a new conflict to solve. The plot twists though!! I definitely didn't see them coming, and I found myself gasping out loud while reading this at 2 am. This whole book was an emotional roller coaster, that is the best way to describe it. I found my heart pounding one minute, and then my cheeks hurt from smiling the next.

I have to say, the characters were definitely my favourite part of the book. Chloe Gong has the ability to write easily loveable characters that you get attched to. No spoilers of course, but let's just say Roma and Juliette fans will be pleased. I feel like a lot of the characters did a lot more growing this book in a way, they all found themselves along the way. I loved how the multiple points of views were used in this book, it was effective, and you will find that you get to learn more about some characters that you maybe didn't know a ton about before.

As far as the ending goes, I had no words. I think I sat there for a good minute or two processing what just happened, that's all I will say. And yes, I cried.

By far one of my facourite duologies. I'm just gonna sit here and wait until November for you guys to read it, and when I get my hands on a physical copy, I'm gonna annotate it so much.

This sequel to "These Violent Delights" is a worthy finale to the "Romeo and Juliet" retelling. Building on what she's established in the first book, Gong expands the themes of imperialism while smartly incorporating elements from the beloved Shakespeare play. The characters are well fleshed-out and interesting, even when difficult to love. There is no doubt that Chloe Gong has a brilliant career in front of her.

Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars!!

This was such an action-packed and enjoyable read! When I first read the first book in Chloe Gong’s duology, These Violent Delights, earlier this year, I was left a little disappointed as it fell a little bit flat for me (even though I still enjoyed it). However, I was overjoyed when I received an ARC for the sequel, Our Violent Ends, because I saw so much potential in the story and Chloe’s writing. & my faith was not misplaced! Our Violent Ends had me hooked from the very beginning. The action started and didn’t stop once! Chloe’s writing showed significant improvement in this book, and I continue to be impressed by her beautiful prose and character work. I’m so excited to read more of what she writes in the future.

Even if you think you know where the story is going, I promise you definitely don’t. Chloe Gong keeps the reader on their toes the entire time.

I love retellings, and the story of Romeo and Juliet will always have a special place in my heart. This book took this classic story and twisted it in such a new and refreshing way. I don’t want to give anything away, but you will definitely be satisfied with this book if you loved These Violent Delights. You will laugh, and you will cry! I’m so excited for everyone to read this incredible book when it comes out on Nov. 16.

Holy emotions.

This highly anticipated sequel to These Violent Delights did not disappoint. While I found this book to be very different from the first, I absolutely loved every minute of it. Because of the unique change of pace in the second book it prevented the series from being repetitive and kept me on my toes on every chapter. I swear there was at least thirty times where I gasped out loud because I could not believe the direction she was taking the book in. Yet somehow, it all still tied together beautifully and came full circle. I really don't know how Chloe Gong was able to pull it off.

The politics, the romance, the characters, everything was a masterpiece. Juliette and Roma continued to have amazing and utterly unique banter all throughout this book, which I often find to be rare in the second book of an enemies to lovers romance. The side characters all remained fantastic and I enjoyed reading about every single one of them, and loved reading about how all of their separate stories intertwined throughout the novel.

Overall, this book is going to keep you on your toes, and hopefully be everything you hope for in the conclusion of the these violent delights series (I know it was for me!)

Overall: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot: 4.5/5

I loved These Violent Delights and was so excited for the sequel, and it absolutely did not disappoint! Chloe Gong is such a talented writer. And what a great way to end this duology! I cannot wait to see more of her work!

The monster is back and this time there is more of them!

I loved Our Violent Delights - drove to 3 bookstores to find a copy during the week it released love, so when I got the notification telling me that I was being given an ARC for this sequel I immediately got imposture syndrome. Me? I am not worthy, did they get me confused with Oprah or Reese Witherspoon?
There is no greater gift than being able to read a sequel early after the incredible debut left me on a cliffhanger.

Picking up where Our Violent Delights, the threats and extortion come quickly at the start of Our Violent Ends as the two rivals gangs fight to protect their city.

The will they/won't they slow burn romance between Juliette and Roma continues, and just knowing that the story was based on Romeo and Juliette had me on edge the entire story, but this was not just Juliette and Roma's story. The side characters continue to be heavy involved with their own side plots. Gong is not a hot and heavy romance style writer, what this story lacks in romance is made up for by the intricate plot and detailed lives of all the main characters.

A complete emotional rollercoaster.

Before reading Our Violent Ends, I had high hopes, as I loved These Violent Delights and that became my favorite read of July, and Chloe certainly met, and exceeded my expectations on OVE. I can assure you that OVE will make you cry, laugh, and smile so bright your cheeks start to hurt, ( in a good way of course ).

There are a lot of things that stand out to me in both TVD and OVE. To start, the frequent switch through multiple POVs. I think it was incredible to read through not only the lead characters Roma and Juliette, but also the supporting characters like Kathleen, Benedikt and Alisa. I think the frequent change of POVs helped with the suspense and pace of the book. Also, Roma and Juliette's love story. I would say I enjoyed reading about Roma and Juliette's story more in Our Violent Ends than These Violent Delights. That is because, I feel it was more complex and detailed while keeping within the YA category. Of course I need to talk about the ending. It will definitely keep you thinking all night, wondering and creating multiple possible outcomes. It kept me rereading the final few chapter and desiring for more.

The These Violent Delights duology were the first books I've read that are retellings. I didn't know what I was going into when reading the books, but I'm definitely glad I read them!
Thank you #Netgalley and #SimonSchusterCanada for an ARC of Our Violent Ends exchange for an honest review!

Everything about this was beautiful. I was hooked from the first chapter and loved every minute till the end. Thank you Chloe Gong for writing this masterpiece!!!

How dare you Chloe Gong! That ending. What did I ever do to you?!?!

I may have squealed in delight when I received the email saying I was approved for this ARC and then promptly pushed aside my very large TBR to read this immediately. And by immediately I mean in one sitting it was that delicious.

The pacing was on point. The book constantly shifts POVs between Juliet and Roma and other secondary characters which helps to keep the story moving. Book two picks up shortly after where we left off in the first. The things I love about the first book are evident in the sequel, including the way Chloe seamlessly integrates history, by including issues of colonialism, race and economics in 1920s Shanghai).

My dislike of the fantastical element continues more so in this book. There just weren't enough moments where I was really afraid for our characters' well-being because of said monsters (not the individual(s) and/or group(s) that controlled them. I know they served the purpose of acting as a catalyst for bringing two warring parties together but it still remains my least favourite aspect of this duology.

That being said, I still absolutely LOVED this book.

The dynamics between the two gangs made for an emotional rollercoaster and a lot of unexpected surprises. The romance between Juliet and Roma was much more compelling in this book than the first. Particularly because Juliet has to deal with the consequences of her actions at the end of the book and how that affects both her family and Roma. On the flipside we watch Roma grapple with what Juliet did. Roma really comes into his own and steps up in terms of being worthy of such a badass heroine.

Nevermind the fact this may crack the list for my Top 5 favourite books I’ve read this year, I think this may be my favourite Romeo and Juliet retelling I’ve ever read. Do yourself a favour, if you like YA romantasies be sure to pick this duology up!

I look forward to reading what Chloe publishes next (fingers crossed for more historical-type fiction!!!).

My thanks to #Netgalley and #SimonSchusterCanada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Publishing for providing me with an eARC of “Our Violent Ends” via NetGalley for me to read and review honestly.

Our Violent Ends is a beautifully written conclusion to the "These Violent Delights" duology. The sequel takes place in late 1920s Shanghai, where our beloved characters are once again faced with a river monster that has only evolved since their last encounter. The book is well-paced; it had me hooked from the start and eager to keep reading. I loved so many aspects of this book - from the rich culture to the fantastical elements, to the ever so intriguing historical politics. The plot and character development were done so well, I've grown more attached to these characters than I had after reading the first book. I especially loved how Gong was truly able to set her book apart from other Romeo and Juliet retellings through the reshaping of the play's characters and making them her own. I was not prepared for this emotional roller coaster but I sure hope you are.

Chloe Gong has outdone herself with Our Violent Delights and has only made me more excited for her upcoming duology in 2022, Foul Lady Fortune.

Oh my god. This book was absolutely amazing. I will admit my heart was breaking a lot but the plot twists, the development of Roma and Juliette’s love story , the characters development, everything was so amazing. It is so obvious to see Chloe Gong’s growth as an author in this book. It is so well written and I honestly didn’t expect it to end this well. Be aware that this book will most likely make you tear up once and a while but as Roma and Juliette would say, the ending gives hope that their story is still to continue. Out of “These Violent Delights” and “Our Violent Ends” I honestly preferred this one. The amount of romance in this book is on point and the overall fights in Shangai are extremely interesting. I honestly hope that this won’t be the last time Chloe Gong writes about Roma and Juliette but if it is then she did an excellent job in concluding this duology.

our violent ends has officially cemented this duology as in the top five of my favourite adaptations of anything ever---and this is coming from someone who has taken a shakespeare adaptation course in uni and was obsessed with the lizzie bennett diaries in 2016.

there are a lot of things i like about this, but what stands out about both books to me is the (genius) way that chloe gong weaves history, shakespeare and issues which are still present today and manages to keep things fun(ny), thrilling and intriguing. beyond the titular love story, gong explores the violent horrors of colonialism not only through a literal monster, but through the parties who behave as though shanghai is a thing to take and divide, rather than a breathing place full of existing people and cultures. as someone from a country that has been colonized twice, it really struck me to read the passages wrought with pent up human anxiety and the damning promise of monstrous blood. throughout the book, juliette and roma (but mostly juliette imo) fight to control their beloved city and keep the terror away for as long as they can. even at their best, it felt like watching water slip through their palms--yet the refusal to relinquish the right to a fight was as glorious as it was tragic.

imo the pacing for this was excellent; in many ways, it felt to me sharper and twistier than the first, perhaps because we were already familiar with the world and characters. the beginning was a little slower, but either way, i finished these 500ish pages in three days (!) and that's got to count for something.

juliette cai, once again, was an amazing lead and one of the best morally ambiguous characters in ya. roma was still not my fave, but he def grew on me, and the tender scene before everything goes down (redacted) made up for me not strongly shipping them in the first one. something about enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers to enemies just hits different idk. celia/kathleen continues to be the best (i'm so excited for her spinoff!), ben and (redacted) were absolute gold. also, idk if this is an unpopular opinion or not, but i felt for rosalind and i def sympathized for and understood her choices, even if they weren't always the cleverest. tyler, who i loathed in the first one, also made me feel some things, so kudos to gong for making me care.

there was definitely a lot going on, but i felt that the plot threads were mostly handled well. some parts did feel a little rushed near the end, probably because there was so much to resolve, but overall i thought it was an immensely satisfying conclusion.

basically: read this! it is worth it!

baz luhrmann would be proud. :)

Our Violent Ends is the sequel to These Violent Delights, a retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai. The Montagues and Capulets are reimagined as rival gangs, the star-crossed lovers as their heirs. With witty banter and incredible angst (not to mention vivid worldbuilding and nuanced, updated secondary characters), it's no wonder that These Violent Delights has been on every enemies-to-lovers recommendation list in the last year.

If you've read These Violent Delights, you know how rich Chloe Gong's depiction of Shanghai is, how effectively she weaves the plot of Shakespeare's original tale with her own, how heart-wrenching Roma and Juliette's interactions can be. Though the book was strong (especially for a debut!), Gong's writing has greatly improved in Our Violent Ends. I personally struggled with the pacing at the beginning of the first book (as I know a couple of other people did), but Our Violent Ends had an incredible breakneck speed, making it impossible to put down. The complicated dynamic between the gangs was also further explored and I am very happy to say that all-new levels of angst were reached!

The chapters are frequently split into multiple POVs, a technique that I'm not usually a fan of but truly enriched the reading experience in this case. Since the novel has such a wide cast of complex secondary characters, the constant shifts allow us to keep tabs on everyone without getting bogged down by longer chapters focusing on less interesting characters. Because some of the shifts are so quick, they also build tension. Readers will be glued to the pages, desperate to find out what happens next.

I don't want to say anything regarding plot because of spoilers, but Our Violent Ends *will* be an immensely satisfying yet extremely emotional roller coaster. You will laugh, you will cry, and Gong’s tale will shock you. Given how much her writing improved from These Violent Delights, I can’t wait to see what the Foul Lady Fortune, her next book, will bring!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an advanced copy of this book!

I don’t want to say anything that may be an accidental spoiler so I’ll just tell you how this book make me feel. What a roller coaster, Chloe Gong did not give us one second to breath in this book, it was one twist after another. All loose ends were definitely tied up in this book, this book left me spinning. Even when you think you know the story of Romeo and Juliet Chloe’s spin on the story feels so innovative and new. Even knowing the ending or R&J, she is still able to add her own twist to it.
The characters were so amazing, each so fleshed out and individual. I loved every single character.
This book is beautiful and heartbreaking and really shows the tragedy that is Romeo and Juliette, I would argue better then the original play does tragedy.

This is the second installment of the "These Violent Delights" Duology by Chloe Gong. It was a great follow up to her debut novel. It's a retelling/reimagining of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai. I am not Chinese or Russian, but based on what I could tell it was well researched. Some of the plot points were very predictable, but that was made up for in loveable characters.

This book is one of the best books I have ever read. Chloe Gong is an amazing writer. Our Violent Ends is a well done, beautifully written wrap up to Our Violent Delights. I'm sad to see the series end but I promise you, this book will have you laughing, crying and wishing she could continue this series forever. I love this book, I love the characters and I love the author.

A must-read YA fantasy filled with love and war!

THIS BOOK!!! First, a MASSIVE thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me this arc of one of my most anticipated reads of the years! Boy did this book not disappoint!

Set in 1920s Shangai, the highly anticipated sequel to our violent delights really was, dare I say, delightful! The action-filled plot is beautifully constructed around themes such as colonialism, rivalry, family, and love. Chloe Gong also does a magnificent job at mixing facts and fiction, giving readers a taste of monsters, both real and not, through her depiction of the Chinese civil war.

Chloe's writing is also so beautiful and there are so many quotes that I can't wait to share with the world in all their poetic glory! The characters are so well written and their relationships towards one another are well woven with the plot of the book! Personally, Marshall has my whole heart because he's Marshall and he deserves the world! And Roma also holds a special place in my heart for "biggest simp Russian gangster ever"!

Overall, since I can't spoil anything, I'd say this book was almost everything I expected although a little more closure would have been nice! Maybe in Foul Lady Fortune? Coming Fall 2022!

5/5

My burning (and vaguely terrified) question going into this book was: What would Chloe Gong do with perhaps the most infamous plot point of Romeo & Juliet? I have my answer now, and while I won't spoil it for anyone, I will say that by GOD, did this book ever keep me on my toes.

So I won't delay here: my favourite thing about this duology has been the romance. I haven't read such good YA fantasy romance in a long time. There were times where I was giggling and swooning and times that I was Settling Down Rubbing my Hands Together in anticipation for what I knew was going to be a Juicy(TM) scene. Most of all, I was really just trying to relish the feeling of reading this for the first time. Gong knows exactly how to write those burning, pining, romantic dialogues and actions that we love, combined with the angst of these doomed lovers. What was done really well in this book in particular was showing just HOW tragic these two were, how the blood feud between their families truly was a real barrier to them ever being together. I've read R&J retellings where that didn't feel like the case—where the stakes didn't feel real, just made up—but this book made it brutally and violently clear what Roma and Juliette would have to do to be together.

As for the other characters, some of them really DID surprise me. I enjoyed the side characters in general much more in this book than I had in the last. Plenty of things surprised me. This book was truly a roller coaster, I have to say.

I also want to comment on the worldbuilding—Gong's work in this regard is admirable. The atmosphere of 1920's Shanghai are so well set I had no trouble at all imagining the smoky and chaotic aesthetic. The amount of research must've been nuts.

So, overall? 5/5. A thrilling, romantic, explosive ride, and definitely one of my best reads of the year. Slightly overtakes my experience of TVD in terms of sheer enjoyment. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for Gong's next books.