palmkd's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a great start to a new adventure set in the same world as These Violent Delights & Our Violent Ends. I strongly recommend you read the first duology before picking this one up as there are major spoilers for those books in this one.
This story takes place in 1930s Shanghai following the events of Our Violent Ends but with a focus on Juliette's cousins, especially Rosalind Lang who now goes by the codename Fortune. Curious what kind of shenanigans a former gang affiliate turned Nationalist spy might get up to? Now's your chance to find out because she's just got a new assignment and it's going to be her most challenging yet.
Full of some familiar faces but mostly new ones, this new duology hits the ground running and keeps on running.
After reading this one, I recommend reading Last Violent Call which contains 2 novellas, before continuing to Foul Heart Huntsman
This story takes place in 1930s Shanghai following the events of Our Violent Ends but with a focus on Juliette's cousins, especially Rosalind Lang who now goes by the codename Fortune. Curious what kind of shenanigans a former gang affiliate turned Nationalist spy might get up to? Now's your chance to find out because she's just got a new assignment and it's going to be her most challenging yet.
Full of some familiar faces but mostly new ones, this new duology hits the ground running and keeps on running.
After reading this one, I recommend reading Last Violent Call which contains 2 novellas, before continuing to Foul Heart Huntsman
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Body horror
dame_samara's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
CW: Assault, Blood, Child Death/Death, Drugs, Gore, Gun Violence, Human/Medical Experimentation, Hospitalization, Kidnapping, Murder, Needles, Poison, Torture, Minor Transphobia, Violence, And War.
It would be wrong to say "It's Gay and It Slaps" but this book does squarely sit in the Queer Rep, category. With Celia taking a much more prominent role in this book alongside her sister Rosalind, who we find out sits somewhere in the ace spectrum.
This book was honestly a blast from beginning to end for me, I enjoyed the switch in Point of Views between Rosalind, Orion, Celia, and Oliver. Though later we drop off more to just Rosalind and Orion's POV.
I was a sucker for the Married for The Mission plotline, paired with Rosalind trying to do Spy work when normally her normal area is strictly assassinations. Also Orion and and Rosalind's banter is top notch the entire time, and also adorable especially the way Orion's terms of endearment shift towards Rosalind as they grow closer.
Other fun things you can find: Stereotypical Sexualized Gun Vehicle Fight Movie Scenes
The twists that are pulled out or the woodwork at the end of this book. Had me honestly so excited, because I'm normally the type of person who puts pieces together before the big reveal but I was genuinely shocked, I had to pause and get up from my desk at work to process what just happened after the first reveal because it was so shocking.
Then our second reveal, I do feel like I have to reread this book with that knowledge to see if I can find any clues in the text that would have clued me into them as our BBEG.
The third reveal ended up being the only one that I was even semi close on and even then I had uncertainty on who that individual was, especially after the first reveal. But looking back all the close Gong gives since in alluding to them.
TLDR: This Book was great, I love this series, someone come read it with me so I can gush about it.
It would be wrong to say "It's Gay and It Slaps" but this book does squarely sit in the Queer Rep, category. With Celia taking a much more prominent role in this book alongside her sister Rosalind, who we find out sits somewhere in the ace spectrum.
This book was honestly a blast from beginning to end for me, I enjoyed the switch in Point of Views between Rosalind, Orion, Celia, and Oliver. Though later we drop off more to just Rosalind and Orion's POV.
I was a sucker for the Married for The Mission plotline, paired with Rosalind trying to do Spy work when normally her normal area is strictly assassinations. Also Orion and and Rosalind's banter is top notch the entire time, and also adorable especially the way Orion's terms of endearment shift towards Rosalind as they grow closer.
Other fun things you can find: Stereotypical Sexualized Gun Vehicle Fight Movie Scenes
The twists that are pulled out or the woodwork at the end of this book. Had me honestly so excited, because I'm normally the type of person who puts pieces together before the big reveal but I was genuinely shocked, I had to pause and get up from my desk at work to process what just happened after the first reveal because it was so shocking.
Then our second reveal, I do feel like I have to reread this book with that knowledge to see if I can find any clues in the text that would have clued me into them as our BBEG.
The third reveal ended up being the only one that I was even semi close on and even then I had uncertainty on who that individual was, especially after the first reveal. But looking back all the close Gong gives since in alluding to them.
TLDR: This Book was great, I love this series, someone come read it with me so I can gush about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Torture, Death, and Gore
Moderate: War, Torture, and Body horror
Minor: Death of parent and Child death
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Murder, Violence, and Body horror
Moderate: Stalking and Gun violence
Minor: War
jessiereads98's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book is decent to fine. I enjoyed the story and characters well enough that I’ll probably pick up the sequel if I remember. I do wish it had been rooted more firmly in the time period in terms of the vibes of the 1930s and with more references to the dance halls of that era or the decor or fashions. I think I probably would’ve enjoyed this more had I read the Violent Delights duet prior to going into this for more context and world building but I didn’t realize that would be necessary. I also found this very tropey to the extent I was rolling my eyes at moments that were so obviously inserted in order to fulfill a trope. The characters all also seemed to act very young compared to their age. The timeline seemed to me like while yes Rosalind was frozen at 19, all the older characters at this point would be in their early to mid 20s but were all acting like they were still 17-19. While I didn’t entirely expect the solution to the main mystery, the final reveal of the book was very predictable.
UPDATE: I read the These Violent Delights duology then read this again. It is better after reading that. However, I still feel that the setting and atmosphere in this book are lacking, even in comparison to the These Violent Delights duology. It seemed like Chloe Gong decided that rather than expanding on that, and the changing political climate, she would handwave world-building for this one. The tropeyness irked me less on reread. The characters do still read a little young for what their ages seem to be, but not as harshly as I originally thought. It especially makes sense when these are young people caught up in large, shifting politics and underworlds, and that’s a theme Chloe Gong is clearly exploring in both duologies.
UPDATE: I read the These Violent Delights duology then read this again. It is better after reading that. However, I still feel that the setting and atmosphere in this book are lacking, even in comparison to the These Violent Delights duology. It seemed like Chloe Gong decided that rather than expanding on that, and the changing political climate, she would handwave world-building for this one. The tropeyness irked me less on reread. The characters do still read a little young for what their ages seem to be, but not as harshly as I originally thought. It especially makes sense when these are young people caught up in large, shifting politics and underworlds, and that’s a theme Chloe Gong is clearly exploring in both duologies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Colonisation, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment, Body horror, Classism, Confinement, Death, Grief, Torture, Transphobia, and War
btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical trauma, Blood, Body horror, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Medical content, Torture, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, and Self harm
Moderate: Murder, Car accident, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Drug use and Kidnapping
sydneyluxford's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
There is absolutely no way the book ended like that, and Chloe Gong just ALLOWED it??? I literally need the second book this instant. WHAT??????
The last 30% of this book was absolute carnage, oh my god. STUFF KEPT HAPPENING AND I JUST COULD NOT PREDICT IT.
The way this book had me hooked from the first chapter, OMG. I loved it so much.
Orion and Rosalind were so cute. And I loved that in this grumpy x sunshine, the girl was the grumpy one for once, because then I can finally relate. The way Orion just presented himself and spoke to Rosalind 🤭🤭🤭. Bro, and Rosalind. I have a fat crush on her. She could murder someone in front of me and I’d turn a blind eye TBH.
Spoiler
”It’s a pleasure to meet you properly, Priest.”The last 30% of this book was absolute carnage, oh my god. STUFF KEPT HAPPENING AND I JUST COULD NOT PREDICT IT.
Spoiler
Rosalind needs to find and save Orion ASAP, because I literally have no clue what it going to happen to him.The way this book had me hooked from the first chapter, OMG. I loved it so much.
Spoiler
I KNEW JULIETTE AND ROMA WERE ALIVE. I KNEW THE WHOLE TIME. That letter addressed from “JM” was definitely Juliette, but she’s now a Montagov. BRO, THEY HAVE TO BE ALIVE!!!Orion and Rosalind were so cute. And I loved that in this grumpy x sunshine, the girl was the grumpy one for once, because then I can finally relate. The way Orion just presented himself and spoke to Rosalind 🤭🤭🤭. Bro, and Rosalind. I have a fat crush on her. She could murder someone in front of me and I’d turn a blind eye TBH.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Abandonment
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