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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: Death, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Body horror, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
eh1736'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
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, and Violence
mythxcally'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
I LOVED reading this book. The drama... the tense atmosphere... the romance, I just couldn't put it down!
However, the reason its not 5 stars is because I felt like the ending could've been done better.
Other than that, fantastic book, would read again
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
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 would’ve felt more complete, and she would’ve 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. There’s 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 isn’t enough to make the entire book off-putting.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Homophobia, Sexism, Suicide, Medical content, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
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, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Police brutality
littlewishling'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: Death, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Gore
isitcertain'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
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol
aistuuh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Gore
lyla_wicks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
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
“Tiān nǎ” (I hope I'm using that phrase right!)
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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 wasn’t 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.
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.
Loved it.
She 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.
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and War
Moderate: Gore, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture