Hi, everyone! I know I haven’t posted anything in a WHILE *cough* but I’ve been neck-deep in revisions the past couple months. And since I sadly don’t possess an unlimited amount of time, I had to prioritize.
But a little while ago I read a book that blew my mind and I just had to share it: These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong.
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.
Perfect for fans of The Last Magician and Descendant of the Crane, this heart-stopping debut is an imaginative Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River.
First, I must say that I have been a longtime lover of the historical fantasy genre. Once I realized that historical fiction and fantasy could collide into masterpieces such as Belladonna by Adalyn Grace and The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith – well, any historical fantasy was automatically added to my to-read list.
But as for Romeo and Juliet – I have never enjoyed it. The story of two thirteen year olds falling in love before even speaking to each other, and then committing suicide because of their despair, never appealed to me. Though I enjoy other Shakespeare (particularly Much Ado About Nothing), Romeo and Juliet was always the play casting a dark shadow over his other works; I never had much initiative or drive to dive into more Shakespeare after reading it.
Despite that, I was VERY interested in These Violent Delights from the moment I read the synopsis. 1920s Shanghai? Gangsters? A blood feud? Murderous exes? A monster lurking in the depths of the Huangpu River? I was hooked from the prologue. Also driving me was my interest in the time period – never had I read something centered on 1920s Shanghai, and I knew little of the tumult coating the city until then.
I blew through TVD in two days, absolutely loving it. The setting, the atmosphere, the characters, the evocative writing, the grittiness that grabbed me by the throat. It’s a gripping mystery, with a slow-burn romance and a hint of science fiction. The themes were heavy and provoking – love and loyalty barely scratch the surface. And Roma and Juliette were amazing characters – it felt as if they were about to jump from the pages, warp from ink and paper to flesh and blood in the span of a minute.
Finally, it’s simply so inspirational that Chloe Gong published this at only 21 years old. So many teenagers passionate about writing are told to wait, to develop their craft, to be patient, that they don’t need to publish now, that they have their whole life ahead of them. While all these are true, if you’re ready, you’re ready. Anyone can write a bad book just as well as a good one, whether you’re 20 or 80. Your age simply does not matter, and I love how Chloe Gong is spreading this message to so many young adults who are writers and who long to be published. You don’t need to wait.
In closing, These Violent Delights is a sharp gem of a book – deliciously dangerous and beautifully bloody, set in a violent city with a monster lurking in its depths, woven with threads of love and loyalty and what it takes to survive in a world as broken as this.
“The stars incline us, they do not bind us.”