Unfortunately this didn’t work for me, I had a few expectations going in and they were just not there – nonexistent romance in a Romeo and Juliet retelling? The writing is great but much of it seems like filler, nothing happens in 80% of the book. I didn’t connect with the story or any of the characters, it was honestly just okay, meh, fine. I was looking forward to the historical aspect, while it’s set in 1920s Shanghai, you forget the era while reading, seems more modern in the characters’ interactions. Very forgettable, I can’t say I remember much of the plot, the audiobook narration was monotone and the conversations were almost whispered where I found myself adjusting the volume a lot.

Ultimately I think this book falls into the YA curse for me. Maybe eventually I’ll get to the other books, but I’m not in a hurry.

Title: These Violent Delights
Author: Chloe Gong
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Rating: 2.5/5 ⭐️⭐️✨