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These Violent Delights

the fierce, heart-pounding and achingly romantic fantasy retelling of Romeo and Juliet

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About this listen

 Perfect for fans of The Last Magician and Descendant of the Crane, this heart-stopping, New York Times bestselling 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.

In glittering Shanghai, a monster awakens . . .

A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city in the grip of chaos. At its heart 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.


'Heady, smart, and vicious' Tessa Gratton, author of The Queens of Innis Lear

'Deliciously dark' Natasha Ngan, New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Paper and Fire

'Dark and beautiful' Emiko Jean, author of Empress of all Seasons

'A terrific, deliciously unputdownable read' June Hur, author of The Silence of Bones

(P)2020 Tantor Media©2020 Chloe Gong Fantasy Fiction Historical Fiction Literature & Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy United States World Literature Heartfelt China

Critic reviews

A deliciously dark twist on Romeo and Juliet that feels vibrant, modern, and wholly exciting. Gong's writing brims with energy. I was swept away to her dark Shanghai from the first page and never wanted to leave!
Heady, smart, and vicious, These Violent Delights strikes every note with precision, layering romance and politics into a roaring 20s Shanghai of both monsters and monstrous imperialism
Chloe Gong's These Violent Delights plants a Shakespearean classic in the rich soil of 1920s Shanghai, allowing her characters to grow, flourish, and steal your heart while warring against their own
Gong ensnares readers with a delicious tale of family rivalries and forbidden love all set against the glittering backdrop of 1920s Shanghai. Don't miss this dark and beautiful retelling of Romeo and Juliet!
Full of glitter, suspense and gore, These Violent Delights takes readers into the perilous world of 1926 Shanghai . . . Chloe Gong's debut is a terrific, deliciously unputdownable read!
These Violent Delights combines strong characterisation, skilfully interwoven political insight and an atmospheric portrayal of a Shanghai in the throes of change
A lush, wholly original debut that will satiate Shakespeare aficionados and draw those seeking an engrossing, multifaceted historical fantasy
A must-read with a conclusion that will leave readers craving more
The setting's brilliant, a city split by merchant colonies and divided into gang territories, in a country itself fractured politically and on the verge of revolution
Filled with Gong's lush prose, These Violent Delights brings 1920s Shanghai to life, along with a romance that is weighed with history
Stylish and engrossing
A rip-roaring, magic-tinged epic of cabarets and speakeasies, dens and divas . . . Gong's vivid Shanghai is a place to get enjoyably lost in
Gong's darkly seductive YA debut transplants Romeo and Juliet to 20s Shanghai for a gripping story of rival gangs, forbidden love and a plague that threatens to tear the city asunder
The Bard would surely approve
These Violent Delights is a phenomenal book and a wonder of a debut . . . Chloe has written star-crossed lovers/lovers-to-enemies like I've never read before, and if you love yearning, then trust me: you'll love These Violent Delights
This is the kind of book where I sort of just want to open my mouth and let the words expressing my love tumble out with abandon . . . I truly loved everything about this book
More than anything, These Violent Delights is a rich portrait of a seldom-depicted time and place
An unforgettable reimagining of Romeo and Juliet
All stars
Most relevant
Oh my...I am so in love with this book and these characters, but I need more! I am now so excited and so hungry for the sequel.

I Need More!

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Was looking for something a little different, very engaging and enjoyable read. Happy to recommend.

Well narrated debut novel

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the book is so good and nicely narrated. Would recommend for fiction lovers. really good

so good

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Chloe Gong has a talent for enviable descriptive prose which wholly suits the bawdy hedonism of 1920s Shanghai and draws the reader in to the story. As a lover of the original "Romeo and Juliet" whilst simultaneously having little patience for stories based on the premise, I only picked this story up because it was a precursor to "Foul Lady Fortune". It didn't help that the MC names lacked a stunning degree of imagination!
That said, Ms Gong's writing is irresistible, and the story is surprisingly original in its own right, the supernatural tone just right for its far Eastern sertting. Even though she used the term "boy" to describe some of the Montagov central characters once or twice, it wasn't clear whether it was Ms Gong's intention to layer in that these were still really just kids at only around the age of 18. It coloured their every word and deed, yet they never gave themselves a break because of it. Roma barely did so when admitting acritical decision made at the age of 15...
There were also unexplained questions around the Lang sisters, particularly Kathleen, like how she managed to do what she did in the story. Maybe the next instalment will clear it up a bit? "Foul Lady Fortune" is all about Rosalind and Celia in the 1930s.
Ms Kay, on the whole, gives a quality vocal performance, creating believable male voices and accents of varying stripes. But, for some reason, she only allows the entire cast to whisper or murmur in low voices, despite then clearly narrating the writers intention of having them express emotion or change intonation (like saying LOL without actually laughing or smiling at someone's joke/antics)! It gave an emotionless, weirdly modern cast to the voices she gave them. Maybe Ms Kays American accent was a little overpowering, but I really liked that her pronunciations were very believable.
In my opinion, it's really only James Marsters of The Dresden Files (Spike from Buffy The Vampire Slayer) is THE Jedi Master of Vocal Performance, and no one else comes close.

Vivid and engrossing

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Oh my goodness... I absolutely loved this book!

This is a fantastic twist on a well known tragic love story (Romeo and Juilette) we have two gangster families sworn enemies and always at gunpoint with one another, but within the chaos our main characters Juilette and Roma are doing their best to stop devastation take over shanghai and keep their hearts separate from the task at hand.

Dark and beautiful this book has everything from mystery and heartache, set in roaring 20s I truly felt like I was transported back in time and was experiencing everything beside these two brilliant characters.

THAT ENDING WAS... HOW DARE THAT ENDING HAPPEN.. 😂

Would I suggest reading this book... Hell Yes!!

Brilliant Adaptation

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