Review Detail

THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS is an intriguing Romeo and Juliet retelling in 1920s Shanghai. The White Flowers and Scarlet Gang rule the city with battle lines drawn to separate their territories. Things are changing, with foreigners moving in and edging on their territories. The rising Communists are also coming into play and the gangs are on edge - even more so now that mysterious deaths are rising in both gangs with rumors of monsters and self-inflicted wounds. Juliette and Roma are the potential heirs to each gang, but with past romance and betrayal hanging over their heads, others are edging their ways in.

As the deaths are piling up on both sides, Roma and Juliette must decide whether they can put aside their differences to discern what is going on before the death toll rises too high.

The monsters and mysteries were fascinating, and it was interesting to follow it through to the end. The retelling of Shakespeare managed to feel similar to the original albeit with so many changes (perhaps the names helped with the connections). The political background was really intriguing with the rise of communism as well as the colonization of the city being represented on the backdrop of the rival gangs. I also appreciated the queer reps from the side characters with their own histories and romances presented in the story.

In places, it felt really hard to follow, remember all the characters and the plots that had occurred. The pacing was almost too fast in a way for me, as I did not get deep enough into the main characters to really connect and move through the story. In places, it was all dialogue with minimal explanation, and I personally needed a bit more. This was not a quick read for me as a result, as I kept having to go back and remember everyone, their connections, and what had happened before. Background is revealed slowly.

An intriguing plot and mystery make this retelling one for fans of fast-paced historical fantasy.