Title: These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
Reviewer: Aditi N., Grade 9
Rating: 4 Stars
A mysterious plague has engulfed 1920s Shanghai, leading
victims to sever their own throats. The city's two main gangs are forced to put
aside their long-standing rivalry and work together to repress the source
before it's too late. Among the animosity are ex-lovers Juliette Cai and Roma
Montagov, who are both heirs to their respective gangs. Past betrayals and
rivalry between their clans are keeping them apart. An alliance is formed,
clues are unraveled and discoveries are made. It is a mystery, a monster-hunt
and a Romeo and Juliet retelling, all rolled into one.
The author’s eloquent writing was by far my favorite aspect
of this book. It seemed to flow naturally and complemented the ornate setting
of Shanghai. Each page brimmed with emotion and elegance. Artfully built
suspense provided a dark aesthetic as the novel progressed. The action-packed
plot was pleasantly paced and featured outstanding characters. Although I
couldn’t connect with any of them, I enjoyed the diverse representation that
the book had to offer. The prose was thoughtfully laced with themes of
communism and colonisation that left me thinking long after I finished reading
it. I would recommend this novel to fans of dark mystery and forbidden romances.
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