Gong incorporates true Shanghainese history into the story, and one of the main focuses of the novel is how the White Flowers and the Scarlet gangs are both struggling to hold on to the power they hold over the city as both gangs begin to succumb to Great Britain, France, the United States, and Japan’s imperialistic forces, as well as clash with the rise of Communism in their city. Roma and Juliette are 18 years old, having already had their torrent love affair at 14 that ended in a betrayal and forced Juliette to live in New York for four years before the book even began. The Scarlet Gang (Oblivionsdream on Instagram) Many would have turned their noses up and left at the mention of “Romeo and Juliet.” But this story takes a wild spin and reimagines it in a diverse story that slightly spins the rules of the original play. If you’re still reading this, good for you. They are still star-crossed lovers, of course. “These Violent Delights” reimagines “Romeo and Juliet” in a fast-paced, darkly-twisted, story of a contagious illness, or “madness,” that tears through the streets of Shanghai that cause its citizens to tear out their own throats and forces Roma (Romeo) and Juliette (Juliet) to set aside their weapons and work together to get to the roots of the madness rampaging through both of their gangs and killing their members. Glittering Shanghai befalls bloody death in Chloe Gong’s debut novel “These Violent Delights.” Split in half between two powerful, feuding gangs, the city is run by the Capulet and Montague family equivalent of 1920s gangster Shanghai: the Cais and the Montagovs, respectively the Scarlets and the White Flowers gangs.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |