These Violent Delights | A Brilliant Sci-Fi Retelling of a Tragic Romance

5/5 stars

A reimagining of Romeo and Juliet taking place in Shanghai 1926. Two gangs are at war. Juliette is a member of the Scarlet Gang. Her first love, Roma, now oversees the White Flowers. When an unknown contagion rears its head in both gangs, Juliette and Roma must come together to stop the deaths or else the entire city will end in ruins. 

Wow! I was unsure about a Romeo and Juliet retelling, but this was fantastic. It was such a creative story and I loved that it took place in Shanghai. The story was complex and original. The sci-fi twists were welcomed and added spice to the story. 

There was not as much romance as in the original story, and I preferred this. I appreciated how the characters were older and more mature. There was more to them than just being star-crossed lovers. Juliette definitely had a lot more depth and I loved her independent nature. 

There was more gore and violence than I imagine, but I didn’t find it to be an issue. The ending was a bit ambiguous and left room for a sequel. I truly hope one comes soon!