The Other Worlds Where My Characters Would Thrive, a guest post by Chloe Gong

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As someone who loved reading fanfiction growing up, I’m fascinated by the idea of AUs, otherwise known as “alternate universes” where you take the characters you’re fond of and plonk them into entirely different worlds from the ones they originally came from. That’s half the reason why we read, right? To grow entirely attached to leading protagonists and their motley crew, following them anywhere they go from the beginning to the end of their journey.

Let’s walk through all the different series where the characters of These Violent Delights might have a bit of fun. Or might encounter a lot of trouble. Either or. Same thing, really.

The Last Hours trilogy

This is my go-to when I’m asked about which other book’s characters that my characters might be friends with, because I lean right into the logical route: historical era. The first book in The Last Hours, Chain of Gold takes place in 1903, which is close enough to 1926 in These Violent Delights where maybe if someone boarded a boat, they would end up meeting in history! Even so, if Juliette, Roma and co. took a steamship into London, I think they would fit right in with the angst and miscommunication among the Shadowhunters. You know what they say—birds of a feather flock together. Juliette especially would get along with Matthew Fairchild because they’re both dramatic and overly fond of collapsing down on a settee bemoaning the state of the world.

The Diabolic trilogy

Now we’re getting the proper AU zone. The Diabolic is a sci-fi set in the far future, off Earth on a vast empire built right into deep galactic space, so suffice to say a steamboat isn’t enough to get our characters from 1920s Shanghai there. Put them into a machine though, and these historical gangsters would get on with these futuristic murder children fantastically. Nemesis, the main character of The Diabolic, is a genetically engineered bodyguard stronger and better than any human. She might be tempted to snap Roma’s neck at first because she can smell softness from ten miles away, but I know Roma has the people skills to win her over. Or at the very least, Tyrus, Nemesis’s love interest and the heir to the galactic empire would calm her down for long enough so that the whole squad can hang out and have tea while galactic revolution rages on behind them.

Six of Crows duology

This is a given; we all had to know it was going to be on this list. Ketterdam has similar gritty, criminal-run vibes to the era of Shanghai that the characters of These Violent Delights came from, so they would easily know how to navigate the streets and not only survive, but thrive in making the climb to the top. Juliette could first learn the ropes from Inej in the shadows while they bond over their love of knives, then jump into the spotlight to make her climb to the top. In her absence, Alisa would be so happy to be the eyes in the shadows, crawling around the walls and jumping across the roof tiles. I don’t think Roma quite has Kaz levels of angst, but Kaz might take pity on him for not wanting anything to do with the criminal lifestyle and give him some shelter. Marshall would immediately befriend Jesper and they would be the most chaotic combined force on the streets.

The Folk of the Air series

Jude and Cardan from The Cruel Prince and its subsequent books are some of my favorite characters, so I had a very, very deep think about whether the characters would get along. I’ve come to one conclusion. Although the natural inclination is to assume Juliette and Jude would be besties—what with their similar names, love for knives and sad boys—I almost feel like the better friendship pairing is Juliette with Cardan and Roma with Jude. Think about it: both Juliette and Cardan come from families where they have been used to privilege, but are overlooked for what they can actually do and their true capabilities. They swallow their true feelings a lot and end up acting aloof and sparkly, hiding a deep interior of what they really want. On the other hand, Jude and Roma are scheme-y. Jude will plot her way to the top, Roma will carefully construct a plan to feign betrayal and keep it up for four years without showing a single emotion on his face. Jude and Roma wouldn’t like each other at first, but then they would play a chess game with each other and go skipping off into the sunset to go get donuts together. Juliette and Cardan would stare after them in absolute disbelief. Then Cardan would ask what donuts are.

That brings us to the end of the little AU journey my characters would go on! Back in their own world, the conclusion to their story Our Violent Ends is coming out November 16th, and who knows—maybe once they finally deal with the monsters in their own city, they really can go travelling the world to give Matthew Fairchild a visit.

Meet the author

Chloe Gong is the New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and its sequel, Our Violent Ends. She is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she double-majored in English and international relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Chloe is now located in New York pretending to be a real adult. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok under @TheChloeGong or check out her website at TheChloeGong.com. 

Author Links

Book Buy Link: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Our-Violent-Ends/Chloe-Gong/These-Violent-Delights/9781534457720

Author Website: https://thechloegong.com/

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/thechloegong

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechloegong/

Author TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thechloegong?

About Our Violent Delights

Shanghai is under siege in this captivating and searingly romantic sequel to These Violent Delights, which New York Times bestselling author Natasha Ngan calls “deliciously dark.”

The year is 1927, and Shanghai teeters on the edge of revolution.

After sacrificing her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, Juliette has been a girl on a mission. One wrong move, and her cousin will step in to usurp her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir. The only way to save the boy she loves from the wrath of the Scarlets is to have him want her dead for murdering his best friend in cold blood. If Juliette were actually guilty of the crime Roma believes she committed, his rejection might sting less.

Roma is still reeling from Marshall’s death, and his cousin Benedikt will barely speak to him. Roma knows it’s his fault for letting the ruthless Juliette back into his life, and he’s determined to set things right—even if that means killing the girl he hates and loves with equal measure.

Then a new monstrous danger emerges in the city, and though secrets keep them apart, Juliette must secure Roma’s cooperation if they are to end this threat once and for all. Shanghai is already at a boiling point: The Nationalists are marching in, whispers of civil war brew louder every day, and gangster rule faces complete annihilation. Roma and Juliette must put aside their differences to combat monsters and politics, but they aren’t prepared for the biggest threat of all: protecting their hearts from each other.

ISBN-13: 9781534457720
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date: 11/16/2021
Series: These Violent Delights Series #2
Age Range: 14 – 18 Years

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