Our Violent Ends
-
-
4.4 • 14 Ratings
-
-
- $11.99
Publisher Description
An instant #1 New York Times bestseller!
Shanghai is under siege in this “tightly paced” (School Library Journal, starred review) and searingly romantic sequel to These Violent Delights, which New York Times bestselling author Natasha Ngan calls “deliciously dark.”
The year is 1927, and Shanghai teeters on the edge of revolution.
After sacrificing her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, Juliette has been a girl on a mission. One wrong move, and her cousin will step in to usurp her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir. The only way to save the boy she loves from the wrath of the Scarlets is to have him want her dead for murdering his best friend in cold blood. If Juliette were actually guilty of the crime Roma believes she committed, his rejection might sting less.
Roma is still reeling from Marshall’s death, and his cousin Benedikt will barely speak to him. Roma knows it’s his fault for letting the ruthless Juliette back into his life, and he’s determined to set things right—even if that means killing the girl he hates and loves with equal measure.
Then a new monstrous danger emerges in the city, and though secrets keep them apart, Juliette must secure Roma’s cooperation if they are to end this threat once and for all. Shanghai is already at a boiling point: The Nationalists are marching in, whispers of civil war brew louder every day, and gangster rule faces complete annihilation. Roma and Juliette must put aside their differences to combat monsters and politics, but they aren’t prepared for the biggest threat of all: protecting their hearts from each other.
Customer Reviews
the bard would approve
chloe gong has truly outdone herself with “our violent ends,” which was not just a stunning sequel but an excellent exploration of “romeo and juliet” set against the backdrop of shanghai in political turmoil. i throughly enjoyed “these violent delights,” but i absolutely loved “our violent ends.” the pacing and plotting were much tighter than its predecessor, and i think that the characters drove the story forward even more in this installment.
gong’s writing is incredibly atmospheric—at times i felt like i was in the alleys of shanghai along with the leading cast of characters. i loved that we were able to see more of the side characters, including benedikt, marshall, alisa and kathleen. each character had their own moment to shine, which just further enriched the already packed storyline.
of course, i can’t write a review for a romeo and juliet retelling without mentioning the main couple themselves. i am such a sucker for the star-crossed lovers trope, and “our violent ends” certainly delivered. my heart ached for roma and juliette—every moment between them was electric and it was devastating every time i remembered what “our violent ends” is a retelling of.
as i made my way through the book, i was impressed by the way that gong weaved the classic elements of “romeo and juliet” together with the rising tension between the communists and the nationalists in 1920s shanghai. i think that both halves of the plot were interesting enough to be fully fleshed out, but never overshadow each other. as well, i think that the foreshadowing and references to the original text were so well done. even as someone who hasn’t actually sat down and read through “romeo and juliet,” i was able to recognize the iconic scenes and lines that were perfectly integrated within the story.
i also just have to add that chloe gong managed to make me gasp (out loud!) at a reveal that has been public domain for over 500 years… that’s talent folks!
thank you to simon and schuster canada for providing me with an ARC for an honest review!