What I loved about this was all the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) ways that Gong brings in the classic Romeo and Juliet. All of these details are woven in so expertly, making each one a surprise, especially if you're pretty familiar with the original story. What she did with the story makes it unique and interesting, bring you into this world of 1920s China.

The relationship between Roma and Juliette is at the core of the story, but also this feud between their gangs and the newcomers into Shanghai. All of the elements work together so nicely to create an engrossing story. There is also an excellent diverse cast of characters, including race and sexuality (one of the POVs is even a trans character). I'm so glad this lived up to the hype! Once I got into it, it was difficult to put down. Only deducting half a star because I wasn't necessarily a fan of all the gore/violence. But it made sense for the story that Gong was telling.