Chloe Gong
These Violent Delights (These Violent Delights #1) by Chloe Gong
Released: November 7, 2020
Pages: 449
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Overall: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Setting & World-building: 5/5
Emotional Investment: 3/5
"That is what this city is. The party at the end of the world."
The amount of times I screamed reading this book is bordering inhumane. Chloe Gong really took the world of Shakespeare by a swoop and shook it to its core.
Quick Summary: In 1926 Shanghai, the city is split between two rival gangs- Scarlet Gang and White Flowers. Juliette Cai, heir to the Scarlet Gang will do anything for her city and her family. Even team up with enemy to fight a madness that has taken Shanghai by a storm that no one can stop. Roma Montogav- heir to the White Flowers was Juliette's first love, and first betrayal. The wound of that particular cut has never healed causing tension during their journey to save the city. But can they solve their personal issues to see a future Shanghai?
I'm getting really bad at summaries if people can't already tell. I'm going to start this review by saying this is honestly the coolest reimagining of Romeo and Juliette, I've ever read. Like how does one think of such an idea, especially such an idea that is so flipping good? First of all the setting, Shanghai. The really beautiful thing about this book is how it is essentially a love letter to Shanghai. The words used to describe this city literally had me weeping cause it was so beautiful. Mind you, I've never been to Shanghai, but I have never wanted to visit a place more. The cultural tones of this place were not lost, and I really could read the struggle and divide that comes from many countries trying to colonize a vibrant city. This story was not white-washed which I appreciated, and of course, hoped for considering Chloe Gong is not white. But this particular detail made me really happy because it a story about a Chinese girl named Juliette who loves her city but battles a severe identity crisis on where she truly fits in. Everything about the culture-specific parts of this book was so well-written, that I actually learned a lot.
Now, I really thought the plot was going to get slow at parts but it was definitely enticing the entire time. Juliette was a funny character to read. She had a very dry kind of humor that bordered self-deprecating, but then in public, she was such a bad-ass with so much swag and confidence, it made me feel powerful. The plot was constantly moving, whether it was family drama, or Roma issues, or just her threatening her disgusting cousin, Tyler's life. Now Roma's chapters were also very fun to read because he is such a soft boy. He clearly has been made cold through his god-awful father. But underneath it all, he just loves his sister, friends, and Juliette.
The diversity in this book made me so fucking happy. Kathleen is trans, and the shit she has to go through made me heartache, Her father, the piece of shit, doesn't accept her and only allows her to continue because nobody knows (haha spoilers). I'm pretty sure Marshall is gay, which is dope. I swear Benedikt and Marshall love each other, and I ship so hard. Benedikt got so flustered over one event and I was like omg they better fall in love. I love how protective Rosalind is. She clearly has some anger towards Juliette because she will never be protected like Juliette and that me sad. But I did not appreciate her still talking bad about her, we don't stan Juliette slander. I hope Kathleen and Rosalind find a possible lover, not because they need one, but because I want to see them in relationships to see how they would act. That would truly bring me enough happiness to last a couple of months.
I wish there were also more parental interactions. Lord and Lady Cai are so distant from Juliette and that probably sucks, but right now I can't tell if they are good or bad parents. I already know Lord Montogav is a shitty parent to both Roma, and his younger daughter Alisa.
Now the plot twist at the end of the book. Let me tell you I waited so long for them to finally kiss and make up so when the ending happened I got so mad. How dare they try to protect each other by also betraying each other. The flipping audacity. Juliette did a thing and I can't even get mad at her because I know she truly believed it was the right thing to do. Now the whole monster thing freaked me out a lot. Bugs in the hair are not it. So the ending had me literally screaming. I need closure so much. November 17 needs to come so much faster or I might just combust.
Quotes
""You look rather woeful."
"I am. I am perpetually filled with woe.""
"You know me. Running around. Living life. Committing arson."
"Even the thickest blood from the womb could run thin if given the empty space to bleed."
"You give your word. But you have always been a liar"
"Was the line between enemy and friend horizontal or vertical? Was it a great plan to lumber across or was it a high, high wall-- either the scaled or kicked down in one big blow?"
"It is never as simple as one truth."
"I cannot fathom it. You destroy me and then kiss me. You give me reason to hate you and then you give me reason to love you. Is this a lie or the truth? Is this a ploy or your heart reaching for me?"
"The stars incline us, they do not bind us."