"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."-- Provided by Amazon
The smartest thing Chloe Gong does is skip the meet-cute. Her Romeo and Juliet are already exes, so the tragedy turns into a mystery. Kirkus sees it that way, with the whodunit as the engine and the slow-burn romance riding behind. Admirers like the twist. Others find the leads' history a little thin.
The setting does real work too. Shanghai, with foreign powers and rival factions circling, lets Gong poke at colonialism and the strain of living between cultures. Some readers think she explains the politics too much, and the early chapters can drag. If you know the play, you'll spot sly Shakespeare nods. If you don't, nothing is lost. The book ends on a cliffhanger, so keep the sequel within reach.
Kirkus liked the historical detail, the multilingual dialogue and a gripping mystery, and said readers will want the sequel at once. Publishers Weekly called it a lush, original retelling with arresting prose. Middle-of-the-road reviews mention a slow start, heavy political explanation and an ending that leaves you reaching for the sequel. It was a 2020 Goodreads Choice nominee for YA Fantasy.
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Reinterpreting classic William Shakespeare plays within vivid historical and fantasy settings has become a defining hallmark of contemporary speculative fiction. New Zealand novelist Chloe Gong made a significant impact on young adult literature with her 2020 debut novel These Violent Delights, a 1920s Shanghai adaptation of Romeo and Juliet that reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Her expanding body of work spans young adult historical fantasy, adult romantic fantasy, and science fiction published in over twenty countries.
Born in Shanghai, China, in 1998, Chloe Gong relocated to Auckland, New Zealand, with her family at two years old. She began writing fiction during her teenage years and drafted her debut novel at age nineteen while attending the University of Pennsylvania. She graduated in 2021 with a double major in English and International Relations, academic disciplines that directly informed her focus on political intrigue, rival factions, and complex worldbuilding.
Following her breakout debut, Gong achieved critical and commercial success, winning New Zealand's Sir Julius Vogel Award in 2021 and being named to Forbes's 30 Under 30 list for 2024. Her novels have been featured in major outlets including The New York Times, PEOPLE, and Cosmopolitan. Now based in New York City, Gong continues to write across speculative genres, expanding from her Secret Shanghai novels into her Flesh and False Gods trilogy and science fiction projects.
Gong's narrative style blends fast-paced action, political tension, and high-stakes romantic conflict. Drawing inspiration from classical drama—most notably Shakespearean tragedies like Romeo and Juliet and Antony and Cleopatra—she reimagines iconic stories within high-concept fantasy settings marked by gang rivalries, urban intrigue, and dangerous magic. Her writing frequently explores themes of duty, power dynamics, moral ambiguity, and the personal sacrifices required when personal loyalties collide with political agendas.
These Violent Delights
