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abby_ace_of_books 's review for:
These Violent Delights
by Chloe Gong
Apparently, it doesn't take much to convince me to want to read Shakespeare...
In true Abby fashion, the first time I read These Violent Delights, I read the sequel series first. Now I'm rereading both series in order, and it makes a lot more sense... In my defense, I still loved this book the first time, and it's made me want to reread Romeo and Juliet again (I'm holding off because I'll have to read it for class next year). Also, I forgot most of the plot twists, so it was fun to relive them.
This book takes inspiration from Romeo and Juliet but sticks them in 1920s Shanghai filled with gangs and monsters. Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov, sworn enemies, must work together to discover what - or who - is behind the madness that has struck both their gangs. The story is a decent mix of action, drama, romance, and mystery. As with every Chloe Gong book, there's always one action scene that sticks in my mind, and the romance almost always has me super excited. The action and the mystery elements mixed together well to keep me interested, although sometimes the pacing felt a bit slow to me. I didn't enjoy this as much as I did the first time, and I think it's either a reading slump or the fact that I remembered the biggest plot twist. Regardless, it was still an enjoyable read (and it's worth a read for the sequel series alone).
Another thing I love about Chloe Gong books is the character dynamics. I absolutely love Juliette - she's a strong female character, and I really like how she's the main fighter between her and Roma. Roma, too, is so fun to read about; he cares deeply for his family and friends, but he isn't afraid to protect them. Their enemies(ish)-to-lovers dynamics are well-done and not overly instalovey, which I appreciate. I thought Benedikt and Marshall played a bigger role in this book (I misremembered), but I like how their dynamics mesh together, and I also appreciated our introduction to Alisa. I actually liked Kathleen a lot more on this read-through, so I'm glad she's in the sequel series more.
Chloe Gong excels at Shakespeare retellings, and These Violent Delights is the perfect introduction into her writing with a mix of action, intrigue, and mystery.
4.25/5
In true Abby fashion, the first time I read These Violent Delights, I read the sequel series first. Now I'm rereading both series in order, and it makes a lot more sense... In my defense, I still loved this book the first time, and it's made me want to reread Romeo and Juliet again (I'm holding off because I'll have to read it for class next year). Also, I forgot most of the plot twists, so it was fun to relive them.
This book takes inspiration from Romeo and Juliet but sticks them in 1920s Shanghai filled with gangs and monsters. Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov, sworn enemies, must work together to discover what - or who - is behind the madness that has struck both their gangs. The story is a decent mix of action, drama, romance, and mystery. As with every Chloe Gong book, there's always one action scene that sticks in my mind, and the romance almost always has me super excited. The action and the mystery elements mixed together well to keep me interested, although sometimes the pacing felt a bit slow to me. I didn't enjoy this as much as I did the first time, and I think it's either a reading slump or the fact that I remembered the biggest plot twist. Regardless, it was still an enjoyable read (and it's worth a read for the sequel series alone).
Another thing I love about Chloe Gong books is the character dynamics. I absolutely love Juliette - she's a strong female character, and I really like how she's the main fighter between her and Roma. Roma, too, is so fun to read about; he cares deeply for his family and friends, but he isn't afraid to protect them. Their enemies(ish)-to-lovers dynamics are well-done and not overly instalovey, which I appreciate. I thought Benedikt and Marshall played a bigger role in this book (I misremembered), but I like how their dynamics mesh together, and I also appreciated our introduction to Alisa. I actually liked Kathleen a lot more on this read-through, so I'm glad she's in the sequel series more.
Chloe Gong excels at Shakespeare retellings, and These Violent Delights is the perfect introduction into her writing with a mix of action, intrigue, and mystery.
4.25/5