āTo the stars who listenāand the dreams that are answered.ā / Chloe / 21 / booknerd / writer / superwho / tea drinker / english major / bookblogger / Currently Reading: A COURT OF SILVER FLAMES 2021 Reading Challenge ļæ¼ Chloe has read 7 books toward her goal of 35 books. hide 7 of 35 (20%) view books
The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.
A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gangāa network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Julietteās first loveā¦and first betrayal.
But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their gunsāand grudgesāaside and work together, for if they canāt stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.
WOW! This book. As I attempt to get back into book reviewing, I thought I would start off with this reimagining of Shakespeareās Romeo and JulietĀ set within the cultural context of twentieth-century Shanghai. As an undergraduate student myself, I was wholly impressed that Chloe Gong is still in school (the fact she found time to write this masterpiece in between classes still baffles me) and knew I had to get my hands on her book ASAP. I wasnāt disappointed. You can read my full review below:
Switching between third person past and present tense, Gongās skilled prose sets the scene for a city ruled by debauchery and tension between the opposing gangs, framing Shanghai as a character itself. The third person tense allows the bookās secondary characters to play a pivotal role in the text, delving into the way each individual grapples with their own unique emotions and the hierarchies within the gangs. While Gong veers away from the traditional plot of Romeo and Juliet, the heart of her novel remains true to the original tale. Roma and Julietteās attraction to each other is evident from the start yet is complicated by the betrayal that ended their prior relationship, allowing for a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance.Ā
Another theme explored heavily in the novel is duty. Roma and Juliette both have complex relationships with their parents and struggle under the pressure to one day carry on the blood feud. Living under the expectations of your parents is something I think every teenager can relate to (even a hundred years after the setting of this book), something I think Gong explores well.
Plot-wise, the book starts off slow but gradually picks up in pace. Each scene clearly drives the story forward while taking the time to dive into the charactersā heads, exploring their thoughts and motives to better highlight the consequences of the blood feud on the city as a whole.Ā
Iām eager for Book Two (a.k.a These Violent Ends)Ā as well as the bookās spin-off series. Gong is a strong writer and imaginative storyteller--I have no doubt I will enjoy anything she puts out!
I highly recommend this book to any lover of Shakespeare, enemies-to-lovers romance, or morally-ambiguous characters.Ā
[ID: Tweet from monicayk97 reads, "honestly i'm just fucking done and tired with it all. i'm angry that i know the white supremacist shooter's name before the names of the asian women. i'm angry that it's working class asians that are targeted and people wanna erase us all as wealthy. i'm just fucking angry" end ID]
some places to donate (compiled by monica):
advancing justice (atlanta, GA local org)
stopaapihate (aapi women-led)
'i'm ready' movement (aapi women-led)
asian prisoner support committee
apienc (for queer and trans asian people)
source tweet. (edit: includes other orgs to donate to, as well as some additional comments/corrections to original tweet)
