Review: These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

Title: These Violent Delights
Author: Chloe Gong
Series: These Violent Delights #1
Genre: Retelling/Historical Fiction/Romance
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: November 17th, 2020
Edition: Hardcover, 464 pages
Source: Goodreads Giveaway ARC copy
Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | BAM

Synopsis:

The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.

    A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal.

    But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.

    I really enjoyed this book. Retellings are one of my favorite tropes, and this one did not disappoint. The characters really made this book for me. The plot was fast-paced and very engaging. But I loved the characters. Roma and Juliette are fantastic.

    The setting really brought some new life to the retelling, 1929 Shanghai? Yes, please. While I've never been to Shanghai, I could still picture what everything looked like, I was fully brought into the world. 

    The rivalry felt like it was more part of the story than the Shakespearian tale of Romeo and Juliette. It also felt like more was at stake. The romance between Roma Montagov and Juliette Cai was more believable than  the original story as well, as they are both older, and have romantic history from when they were younger teens. 

    The monster in the city was hard for me to picture, even though that was the driving point of the plot, I was far more interested in the mystery of the "madness", and what the cause of it was. The rivals inside both White Flowers and Scarlet Gang, was also very interesting. I suspect and expect Tyler to be something Juliette needs to deal with in the sequel, and I really hope she does. 

   With that cliffhanger ending, I am very excited for the sequel.