Chloe Gong.Photo: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Fans and followers of Chloe Gong, prepare yourselves!
The 23-year-old author of the bestsellingThese Violent Delightsduologyhas started a new two-part series — and the protagonist is “prickly-but-passionate” Rosalind Lang!
“Even before I finished writing my debut, the seeds of this spin-off were taking root,” Gong tells PEOPLE in a statement. “Rosalind was a character who had such a compelling background, who made terrible mistakes that I wanted to explore, but she remained in the background because it wasn’t her story.”
The author continues: “Now she gets her time in the spotlight: to fall in love (and be loved back!), to fight for what she believes in, and I’m so proud of how she shines.”
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Gong’s debut novelThese Violent Delights— a fantastical twist on Shakespeare’sRomeo and Juliet, filled with monsters and gangs and set in 1920s Shanghai — landed in the No. 3 spot onThe New York Times' YA bestseller listwhen it published in November 2020. The second and final book in the series,Our Violent Ends, is also on the bestseller list, where it debuted in the No. 1 spot. (It is currently holding the No. 2 spot.)
“I had so much fun writing these characters and expanding the world of my previous duology,” explains Gong. “New readers, prepare: it’s 1930s Shanghai, the city is filled with spies, and people aren’t who they say they are. Returning readers, brace yourselves: you’ll see plenty of familiar faces in this new decade, starting with our prickly-but-passionate protagonist.”
Gong has grown a fiercely dedicated fanbase because of her immersive world building and for her social media presence. During the pandemic, she won fans over when she started talking aboutOur Violent Endsin her TikTok videos.
Gong has also been applauded for bringing Asian and LGBTQ characters to the forefront in fantasy.
“There’s not enough out there, I think, where a certain racial or core identity is the character’s backstory,” Gongtold PEOPLE in November. “And then their plot line is just completely unrelated — about fighting monsters and falling in love. I think that’s something that everyone wants to read about.”
Foul Lady Fortunewill hit bookstores on Sept. 27.
source: people.com
