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A review by lovelymisanthrope
Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I found a copy of this book at the library bookstore.
"Our Violent Ends" is the sequel and conclusion to "These Violent Delights". A year later, and Shanghai is growing very close to a revolution. Juliette sacrificed her relationship with Roma to protect him, but all Roma knows is her betrayal, and he will not forgive her. Juliette is also trying to handle her unruly cousin who is attempting to take the throne from her and rule the Scarlet Gang himself. Roma is still trying to process the death of Marshall, and he will do anything to exact revenge. But when a bigger threat than both gangs combined threatens everyone, Juliette and Roma are forced back together to try to figure out who is terrorizing their city, and why.
I had absolutely no intention of reading this book. When I originally read "These Violent Delights" I was terribly underwhelmed and figured that this series was just not for me. But, when I found a nearly perfect condition for sale, I figured it was probably a sign and I should give Chloe Gong one more shot, and I am so happy I did.
This book had everything I wanted from the first book, and more. This duology is inspired by "Romeo & Juliet", which is great, but I wanted to see the author take this original idea and do more with it: enter book two. Juliette and Roma and their feuding families still do not get along, but Juliette and Roma still love each other, even if their love is buried by confusion and betrayal. The pair are still forced together, and their spark is still very much alive.
This installment kept having twists and turns I did not anticipate, which kept me very engaged throughout this story. I did not want to put this book down, because the stakes felt so much higher. Both gangs were out for blood, and either gang could have very easily taken out either Juliette or Roma. Juliette's perspectives were my favorite because she was acting like a double agent. She saw the bigger picture but could not let anyone in on what was happening.
If you were like me and struggled through the first book, I recommend giving the second book a shot, it is definitely the stronger of the two.
"Our Violent Ends" is the sequel and conclusion to "These Violent Delights". A year later, and Shanghai is growing very close to a revolution. Juliette sacrificed her relationship with Roma to protect him, but all Roma knows is her betrayal, and he will not forgive her. Juliette is also trying to handle her unruly cousin who is attempting to take the throne from her and rule the Scarlet Gang himself. Roma is still trying to process the death of Marshall, and he will do anything to exact revenge. But when a bigger threat than both gangs combined threatens everyone, Juliette and Roma are forced back together to try to figure out who is terrorizing their city, and why.
I had absolutely no intention of reading this book. When I originally read "These Violent Delights" I was terribly underwhelmed and figured that this series was just not for me. But, when I found a nearly perfect condition for sale, I figured it was probably a sign and I should give Chloe Gong one more shot, and I am so happy I did.
This book had everything I wanted from the first book, and more. This duology is inspired by "Romeo & Juliet", which is great, but I wanted to see the author take this original idea and do more with it: enter book two. Juliette and Roma and their feuding families still do not get along, but Juliette and Roma still love each other, even if their love is buried by confusion and betrayal. The pair are still forced together, and their spark is still very much alive.
This installment kept having twists and turns I did not anticipate, which kept me very engaged throughout this story. I did not want to put this book down, because the stakes felt so much higher. Both gangs were out for blood, and either gang could have very easily taken out either Juliette or Roma. Juliette's perspectives were my favorite because she was acting like a double agent. She saw the bigger picture but could not let anyone in on what was happening.
If you were like me and struggled through the first book, I recommend giving the second book a shot, it is definitely the stronger of the two.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and War
Minor: Sexual content