(And not just because they’ll want to know how it all ends.)Ĭulturess got the chance to chat with Gong herself about what readers can expect from These Violent Delights, how she went about recreating historical Shanghai, and why YA fiction is so popular among readers of all ages right now.Ĭulturess: Can you summarize the story of These Violent Delights a little bit for us and why our readers might want to give it a look?Ĭhloe Gong: These Violent Delights is a Romeo and Juliet retelling by way of The Godfather, set in 1920s gangster-ruled Shanghai. It’s a rich, complicated tale, and one that will stick with readers long after the last page.

These Violent Delights deals with everything from gangland politics to period social mores, with a terrifying monster thrown on top for good measure. A loose retelling of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the story is set in 1920s Shanghai and follows the story of Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov, heirs to the city’s two most powerful rival gangs.Įx-lovers with a complex and mysterious past, they are both struggling to figure out their places in their respective organizations and a city that’s changing rapidly, thanks to an influx of various foreign influences. By Lacy Baugher 2 years ago Author Chloe Gong chats with Culturess about her highly anticipated novel These Violent Delights, how she turned Shakespeare into 1920s Shanghai, and why representation in fiction is so important.Īuthor Chloe Gong’s highly anticipated debut novel, These Violent Delights, hits shelves this November.

Chloe gong these violent delights