These Violent Delights

A blood feud rages between two rival gangs in 1920s Shanghai - the Scarlet Gang and the White Flowers. At the center are eighteen-year-old heirs Roma Montagov and Juliette Cai, former lovers turned bitter enemies who must now work together to save their city. A mysterious monster stalks the streets, driving people to madness before they tear their own throats out. The deaths multiply across both gang territories as Roma and Juliette race to uncover the source of the epidemic, navigating colonial tensions and political unrest in a city on the brink of revolution. The novel reimagines Romeo and Juliet in Shanghai's criminal underworld, blending elements of fantasy, historical fiction and romance. Through its exploration of identity, power, and impossible choices, the story examines how personal desires clash with family loyalty and duty.

Readers praise the 1920s Shanghai setting, the enemies-to-lovers romance between Roma and Juliette, and Gong's vivid descriptions of the city's atmosphere. Many note the fresh take on Romeo & Juliet while incorporating Chinese history and gang warfare. Common likes: - Complex political intrigue and family dynamics - Balance of romance and action scenes - Cultural representation and historical details Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in the first third - Too much time spent on character thoughts/feelings - Some find the romance underdeveloped - Monster plot thread feels disconnected for some readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (179,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (5,800+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.5/5 (900+ ratings) Sample reader comment: "The atmosphere and setting were incredible but the pacing dragged until about halfway through. Once it picked up though, I couldn't put it down." - Goodreads reviewer

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🌟 The novel reimagines Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in 1920s Shanghai, during a pivotal time when the city was divided between foreign concessions and local rule. 🌟 Author Chloe Gong wrote the first draft of the book when she was just 19 years old, while studying at the University of Pennsylvania. 🌟 The book incorporates real historical elements of Shanghai's gang warfare between the Scarlet Gang and the White Flowers, based on actual rival groups that operated in the city. 🌟 The story features a mysterious plague that causes people to claw their own throats out—a plot element inspired by real disease outbreaks that affected Shanghai during the colonial period. 🌟 The novel reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list while Gong was still an undergraduate student, making her one of the youngest authors to achieve this milestone.