“IN 1920’s SHANGHAI A MONSTER AWAKENS” is the opening line, but it is only the beginning. Continuing her number one best seller, Chloe Gong sets on fire the literary world with her sequel to These Violent Delights. Readers are once again thrown back into the world of Roma and Juliette as they navigate a familiar world, but in circumstances far from being favored. 

Our “play” continues months after Roma and Juliette are separated, once again, but on Juliette’s own volition and agenda to protect the one she loves. However, there is trouble brewing on Shanghai’s political front – they are on the verge of revolution, cries of a civil war on every front, political leaders making what could be their final moves. And as if there wasn’t more that could be taken, a new monster arises. One that requires both Juliette and Roma’s cooperation in order to destroy the thing that almost destroyed their own people and that had assisted in their own destruction. Time is ticking for Juliette and Roma, but there is only so much of it they can waste and they’re both willing to set Shanghai on fire in order to solve it. 

Gong returns to the stage with her marvelous writing and intricate characters that pull readers in within the first pages. Gong travels deeper into her characters – their motives, their flaws, and fatal ends. 

Those who enjoyed These Violent Delights will not be disappointed in her final ending of her duology. If readers truly cannot get enough of Gong’s work, her sister books, Foul Lady Fortune, The Last Final Call and the finale to end all finales to her “Secrets in Shanghai Universe”, Foul Heart Huntsman that comes out late this year, are fabulous continuations of her novel that will be praised among readers.