I am sure everyone can relate to the confusing, but exhilarating time of being in college. You are trying to figure out what exactly you want your career to be, and can begin feeling like you are ten steps behind everyone even though you have a million things always going on and are always socializing. However, one author was dealing with these struggles and became a New York Times Bestseller at 21 (what like its hard?). Chloe Gong is a 24-year-old author from New Zealand whose writing journey is truly mind-blowing and inspiring.
In multiple interviews, Gong shares how her interest in writing began as a young child obsessed with reading. She would go to her local library every week, coming home with multiple books that would quickly be finished before the week was out. Eventually, she was reading too fast to keep up with her habit, and so out of pure boredom, she began writing her own stories. As Chloe entered high school she actually began writing manuscripts and refining her writing to be individual ideas.
This would be the path which would lead to her to her debut novel, These Violent Delights. In this novel, Chloe Gong incorporates Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Shanghai history with forbidden romance, gangs, mystery, and political intrigue (what’s not to like). I read this book in 2021 and was absolutely obsessed, and clearly the rest of the world was as well — two weeks after its publication it was on the New York Times Bestsellers list and took over BookTok (a.k.a the book side of TikTok if you are not completely obsessed with reading as I am). Not only are people like myself entranced by the vivid writing, but also Chloe Gong’s personal story: she finished her book while attending the University of Pennsylvania for English and International Relations, went against the grain by never attending professional writing classes, and brought to light a history not often known.
Chloe Gong having this book finished and published during her college career is an undeniable feat I am sure any college student can attest to. The fact that she was able to somehow find a way to begin pursuing what she wanted while in classes — and not only that, but be successful — gives hope to all of us college students that we can make an impact. On top of this, Chloe Gong not taking professional writing classes inspires youth to see that there are different paths to obtain what you want.
In addition, Gong is able to go about her books in a less mechanical way that is refreshing as a reader, giving her a unique edge. It also allows for her voice to shine through making her books stand out and grab millions of readers (myself included). There is also of course Chloe Gong’s focus on the history of Shanghai not often known or told. As a Chinese woman, Gong grew up hearing stories from relatives about what Shanghai was like with gangs, different jurisdictions teeming with people from all over the world, and a divided political climate in the 1920s and 30s following colonization and mass immigration. Thus she became inspired and decided to highlight this piece of history in her novel, allowing others to see a part of history too overlooked and for others to see representation of their families and history.
Overall, these things are what have made Chloe Gong a unique powerhouse, and she has gone on to write two more books and a novella, all climbing up the New York Times Bestseller’s list. Gong has truly become a famous name in writing and an inspiration for others who want to accomplish something but may think the goal is too big or the timing too early. She is truly in a league of her own, and if you have the time, I could not recommend enough that you check out her novels for yourself — I promise you will not be able to stop once you start.