The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
emilywemily6's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Classism, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Death, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Torture, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, War, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Child death, Sexual content, Child abuse, and Homophobia
prashiie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This story too shows similarities with Shakespeareâs Romeo and Juliet. I donât want to spoil it, so youâll see when you read it. Just read itâŚ!
âI take you, Juliette Cai,â Roma whispered in concentration, âto be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, untilâŚâ He looked up as he finished the knot. Paused. When he spoke again, he did not look away. "No, scratch that. To have and to hold, where even death cannot part us. In this life and the next, for however long our souls remain, mine will always find yours. Those are my vows to you.â
Graphic: Deadnaming, Colonisation, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Xenophobia
moonchild_cos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Death, Violence, Torture, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Confinement, War, Alcohol, Murder, Gore, Genocide, and Colonisation
Minor: Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Sexism, Sexual content, Death of parent, Homophobia, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Classism
jessiereads98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Chloe Gong once again nailed it with the setting and atmosphere of 1920s Shanghai. I loved how she tracked the shifting the politics and atmosphere of change. The pacing in this book is great. I also just love a fantasy novel set in or based on 1920s East Asia.
The characters were well done and compelling for the most part. I feel like we got a good amount of time with all the side characters to experience the world outside the view of the two main characters, without it feeling like it detracted from the story or was a waste of time. I actually wish we had gotten more time with Rosalind. I think the story wouldâve felt more complete, and she wouldâve been a great counterpoint to Juliette had she been more fleshed out. I was left with questions at the end around her character and motivations.
Once again, this book is a bit overwritten. Thereâs metaphors and heavy handed setting descriptions that are unnecessary. Some of the dialogue feels forced rather than natural for the characters and their setting. There are a few moments of cringe, but it isnât enough to make the entire book off-putting.
Graphic: Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, Death, Gore, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Confinement, Grief, Body horror, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: War, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Suicide, Abandonment, Homophobia, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Sexism
readsbymoonlight's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, and War
Moderate: Blood, Suicidal thoughts, and Mass/school shootings
dianaschmidty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Mass/school shootings, Colonisation, Gore, Medical content, Murder, War, Genocide, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, and Homophobia
Moderate: Confinement, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Kidnapping
Minor: Police brutality
carlyoc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
However, this installment was a bit of a slog with a slow pace. Both books in the series could have been half their length. I'm glad I made it all the way through though. I found the overarching theme of the triumph of hope and love over hatred and violence to be uplifting even if the events of the book were dark, bloody, and sad.Â
Graphic: Violence, Mass/school shootings, and Suicidal thoughts
guessgreenleaf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and War
Minor: Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Colonisation, Gun violence, Death, and Emotional abuse
sharobi01's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Gun violence and Violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Torture
pages_with_panda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
âTiÄn nÇâ (I hope I'm using that phrase right!)Â
A beautiful continuation of the first story, picking up right where we left off. There's really no time for much recap so if it's been a while since you read the first one, maybe brush up on some names. This book is fast-paced, full of betrayal, violence, and yearning.Â
"Lovers turned to strangers, and it cut deep enough to bleed."
The monsters are still here - this time with a new master who can control them at will. The threat of the Communists, the Revolutionaries and both gangs are still around our main characters and they have to deal with the plot-twist of the last book.Â
Juliette and Romeo's relationship in this book was amazing. I loved their development from enemies-to-lovers and their love-hate relationship. Forced together (again) to work on solving the mystery of the monsters was great and I ate it up.Â
 Only he knew that if he screamed I hate you, what he really meant was I love you. I still love you so much that I hate you for it.Â
Beyond our two star-crossed lovers, I fell in love with Alisa, Rosalind, Celia, Marshall and Benedict. Their stories were intertwined well with our main characters, and I loved all of them...Though one a lot less than the others.
The relationships/romance weren't the main points of the story either. (Reminder that the original Romeo+Juliet wasnât a romance but a TRAGEDY.) Gong does a great job of making this a historical fantasy book by tying in real events that happened in Shanghai. The politics were interesting and making no one faction the good guy/bad guy made for a great story. Her writing was descriptive and poetic, and she even quoted some of the plays dialogue in a way that fit the setting.Â
And even though this is a retelling, the story was full of surprises and I audible gasped at a few scenes. The ending should've been expected but still hurt.Â
Loved it.Â
ÂShe would rather hold this hope so close to her chest that it feels like a fire on its own, flickering against the darkness, flickering even where other embers burn out. Â
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Death, Violence, War, Murder, Blood, and Gun violence
Moderate: Torture, Suicidal thoughts, and Gore