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A review by vinireadsbooks
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
5.0
4.5
“You destroy me and then you kiss me. You give me a reason to hate you and then you give me a reason to love you. Is this a lie or the truth? Is this a ploy or your heart reaching for me?”
These Violent Delights is a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai. A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. Alliances have been drawn, and there is no middle ground. But when a mysterious illness begins to spread through the city, Juliette and Roma, separated by their families, and a long-ago betrayal, they must set aside their differences and investigate the outbreak.
Okay, so this book was fantastic!! I totally understand all the hype now! This was so good, and it was definitely one of the best YA fantasy books I've read all year.
Despite me being a little of a Shakespeare nerd, Romeo and Juliet was never my fave! I didn't enjoy the original when I tried to read it. But I do really like the Leonardo Di Caprio Claire Danes adaptation, and I love the Hopeless Fountain Kingdom Halsey album. So I already knew the story pretty well going into this book.
And the retelling aspect of this story was incredible!! The way that Chloe Gong changes the characters, the scenes, and storylines from the original book and puts them in 1920's Shanghai with a river monster was masterful. This might be one of the best retellings I've ever read because it changes so much from the original story while still recognizable and not predictable.
The characters were so dynamic. Every single one of them was distinctive, and I was connected to all of them by the end. I really appreciate that it had queer and trans characters and that they played such a big part, which is something I don't see a lot of in historical fantasy stories.
I loved the dynamic between Juliette and Roma. Juliette is ruthless, but still has emotions, while Roma is just as powerful but not as brutal. The romance is soo slow-burn and enemies-to-lovers perfection.
Overall, this book was a lot of fun and so fast-paced, it has 450 pages, and I read it in three days. I'm so excited for Our Violent Ends but also slightly terrified because this is a Romeo and Juliet retelling, and I don't want it to end the same way as the original
“You destroy me and then you kiss me. You give me a reason to hate you and then you give me a reason to love you. Is this a lie or the truth? Is this a ploy or your heart reaching for me?”
These Violent Delights is a Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai. A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. Alliances have been drawn, and there is no middle ground. But when a mysterious illness begins to spread through the city, Juliette and Roma, separated by their families, and a long-ago betrayal, they must set aside their differences and investigate the outbreak.
Okay, so this book was fantastic!! I totally understand all the hype now! This was so good, and it was definitely one of the best YA fantasy books I've read all year.
Despite me being a little of a Shakespeare nerd, Romeo and Juliet was never my fave! I didn't enjoy the original when I tried to read it. But I do really like the Leonardo Di Caprio Claire Danes adaptation, and I love the Hopeless Fountain Kingdom Halsey album. So I already knew the story pretty well going into this book.
And the retelling aspect of this story was incredible!! The way that Chloe Gong changes the characters, the scenes, and storylines from the original book and puts them in 1920's Shanghai with a river monster was masterful. This might be one of the best retellings I've ever read because it changes so much from the original story while still recognizable and not predictable.
The characters were so dynamic. Every single one of them was distinctive, and I was connected to all of them by the end. I really appreciate that it had queer and trans characters and that they played such a big part, which is something I don't see a lot of in historical fantasy stories.
I loved the dynamic between Juliette and Roma. Juliette is ruthless, but still has emotions, while Roma is just as powerful but not as brutal. The romance is soo slow-burn and enemies-to-lovers perfection.
Overall, this book was a lot of fun and so fast-paced, it has 450 pages, and I read it in three days. I'm so excited for Our Violent Ends but also slightly terrified because this is a Romeo and Juliet retelling, and I don't want it to end the same way as the original