These Violent Delights Chloe Gong – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

These Violent Delights Chloe Gong

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book2024

62%

WISE Score

4.7

Amazon

Romeo and Juliet meets 1920s Shanghai gang warfare with fantasy violence—gorgeous prose, gory throats, and star-crossed heirs.

These Violent Delights Chloe Gong

book

2024

62%

WISE Score

4.7

Amazon

Romeo and Juliet meets 1920s Shanghai gang warfare with fantasy violence—gorgeous prose, gory throats, and star-crossed heirs.

4.7

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Screenwise Verdict

These Violent Delights is genuinely good YA fantasy—Chloe Gong can write, the premise is creative, and the 1920s Shanghai setting is lush and atmospheric. It's earned its bestseller status.

But let's be clear: this is not for 12-year-olds. The violence is graphic (throat-tearing, blood feuds, body counts), the language is rough, and the emotional landscape is dark. Common Sense Media, Plugged In, and actual teen reviewers all agree: 13-14 minimum, and honestly, 14+ is safer.

For high schoolers who love dark romance, Shakespeare adaptations, or historical fantasy? This is a win. It's got literary value, cultural depth, and the kind of star-crossed angst that teens eat up. Just make sure your reader is ready for the intensity—this isn't Twilight-level violence, it's closer to Hunger Games territory with a Romeo and Juliet twist.

Age Fit

This is solidly for high school readers, 14+. The violence is too graphic and the themes too mature for middle schoolers, despite being marketed as YA. Teens who love dark fantasy romance and can handle intense content will devour it; younger readers should wait.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Romeo and Juliet retelling with gang warfare, blood feuds, and betrayal at its core. While it explores loyalty, love, and complex relationships, the emotional landscape is dark—people tear their own throats out, deaths stack up, and the central romance is built on past betrayal. Not exactly modeling healthy conflict resolution, though the forced cooperation between rivals does show some growth.

Imaginative

Reimagining Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in 1920s Shanghai with gangs, fantasy elements, and a mystery brewing in the shadows is genuinely creative. The Secret Shanghai setting blends historical fiction with fantasy, and Gong's world-building invites readers into a lush, dangerous, and atmospheric environment. The premise alone—star-crossed heirs navigating blood feuds and supernatural mayhem—sparks curiosity.

Safe

Common Sense Media flags lots of fantasy violence with gory descriptions of people tearing their own throats out, plus real-world violence, swearing, and some adult situations. Plugged In notes rough language and violent content. Multiple kid reviewers on CSM recommend 13+ due to sex references, swearing, and violence. This isn't nightmare fuel, but it's definitely not something you want a 10-year-old stumbling into without context.

Enriching

Shakespeare adaptations inherently bring literary value, and setting it in 1920s Shanghai adds historical and cultural depth. Readers engage with themes of loyalty, prejudice, colonialism, and the consequences of violence. The mystery element and forced cooperation between enemies offer ethical complexity. It's not just entertainment—it's a gateway to discussing historical Shanghai, gang politics, and classic literature. That said, it's primarily a romance-driven fantasy thriller, not a profound meditation.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely creative reimagining of Shakespeare in 1920s Shanghai with fantasy elements and atmospheric world-building
Strong literary value—introduces teens to classic story structure while exploring historical colonialism and gang politics
Complex characters navigating loyalty, betrayal, and forced cooperation between enemies
Lush, cinematic prose that's earned #1 NYT bestseller status and a devoted fanbase
Gateway to discussing historical Shanghai, the Romeo and Juliet source material, and ethical dilemmas around violence and prejudice

⚠

What to Watch For

Graphic fantasy violence—people literally tear their own throats out in gory detail, plus gang warfare and stacking bodies
Mature language throughout and some sexual references (no explicit scenes, but adult situations)
Dark emotional tone—betrayal, blood feuds, and a doomed romance vibe that can feel heavy
Not for sensitive readers under 14; Common Sense Media and kid reviewers consistently flag 13+ minimum

Conversation Starters

"Have you read or seen Romeo and Juliet? How does setting it in 1920s Shanghai change the story for you?"
"Juliette and Roma have to work together despite their families being enemies. When have you had to cooperate with someone you didn't trust?"
"The book shows how gang violence destroys a city. What do you think drives people to join groups that hurt others?"
"What did you learn about Shanghai in the 1920s that surprised you?"

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