Every year, eighty-eight citizens within the twin cities of San-Er, put their name in a lottery to take part in the palace games, fighting each other to the death by using their body jumping abilities to stay one step ahead of the competition and gain untold riches, and be revered across the cities. Princess Calla Tuoleimi has spent the past five years biding her time, crafting her plan to take down the monarchy once and for all, and bringing prosperity to the citizens who've long since been struggling to survive under the thumb of tyrannical and uncaring monarchs. Princess Calla's uncle, King Kasa, lives in perpetual fear of her, and her violence and determination to end the monarchy, holing himself up from the public, knowing that winning the game is her one shot at ending him and his line.

I had very mixed feelings about this one, I adored These Violent Delights, so I was so excited for this one, but the pacing felt a little chaotic and there's a lot of info dumping with very little explanation to follow it.

Princess Calla is ferocious, resilient, and deliciously violent. After massacring her own family and leaving the palace of Er empty, she's been driven purely by spite and determination to defeat the monarchy, and her next target, just so happens to be her tyrannical and reclusive uncle, and the last remaining monarch of San-Er. Calla has a dark past and a quick temper, extraordinary in combat, she longs for nothing more than to kill her uncle and bring a new peace to the twin cities. So, when she comes face to face with Prince August, the only heir to King Kasa, they strike up a mutually beneficial deal, August will help Calla win the games, as long as she kills the King, but Calla is capricious, and not so easy to trap, she knows that if he shows even an inkling of betrayal towards her, she'll end him just as easily if it means the kingdom thrives, even if it leads to her own demise.

Anton was an interesting character, exiled from the palace and ex-best friend of Prince August, Anton no longer has access to his own body, jumping from citizen to citizen, he's one of the best jumpers within the kingdoms. Desperate to obtain the unimaginable riches bestowed upon the winner, to save his childhood love from the come she's been stuck in since they were both exiled, and escape the increasing debt he finds himself in to keep her alive, Anton has everything to lose, and that may just make him the most dangerous contestant in the game.

August, heir to San-Er is cunning, strategic, and very good at manipulating to get to a higher status. He's worked his way up form poverty to becoming the last remaining heir to Talin royalty. You've got to give him his props, he's smart, and knows how to face obstacles in a way that only empowers and strengthens his ambition and goals.

I honestly spent the first couple of chapters of this story having no idea what was going on or why. It's slow, like almost excruciatingly slow, it feels like nothing really happens and the tension and high stakes didn't come through for a while, and the world-building is extensive but felt like a slog at time.

I ended up having to DNF (which I was utterly disappointed in) at 47%, I really tried to keep going, but my eyes ended up skimming the majority of a page, I felt no connection or pull to the characters, and the info dumping just became way to intense, and yet confusing all at once. I ended up dreading picking this up, and I'm absolutely devastated because TVD was incredible!!!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book, unfortunately I wasn’t able to get to it before it was archived but will review in full when I do.

Really enjoyed immortal longings this is my first time reading Chloe going and I'll definitely continue, I found myself slightly less intrigued in the middle but picked up again in the last half interest to see where it goes in book 2.

Thank you so much to the publishers and netgalley for the e-arc

I enjoyed this book. I did see the link to The Hunger Games in the second half of the story but it was always going to feel like that because that story is so prominent for many people. However, it wasn't suppose to be the focus of the story and that did come across I think. I enjoyed the second half of the story more than the first as I think it was pacier and more captivating. It was a fun read for sure!

I love me some Chloe Gong. Her Secret Shanghai books are some of the best YA novels I’ve read in years. Her first foray into adult fiction with Immortal Longings did not quite stir the same feelings in me.

I’m going to start with the good. I loved the characters, especially Calla. No one writes badass female protagonists like Gong.

During the first half of this novel everything was working pretty well for me. The characters were distinct and intriguing, the games were full of action and suspense, and the setting was a great fit for the plot. Although I will note that I found the world building a little messy, at this point I was engaged and excited to see what happened next.

Things started to fall apart from around the halfway point and then Gong completely dropped the ball in the final act. The ending was such a disappointment. It was rushed, anticlimactic and undid all the ground work she laid in the first half.

I also found the romance contrived and unremarkable (to a point even unbelievable). This surprised me the most because the romances have always been my favourite parts of phenomenal books, and I’m not generally a big romance fan.

When this was described as an Anthony and Cleopatra retelling I was expecting a grand, sweeping, heartpounding tale full of action and seduction. This was far from that.

The only reason I’m going to read the next book is because of the loyalty I feel to Gong after loving the Secret Shanghai series, but I’m not sure how she course corrects after that dismal ending.

3.5 stars rounded up!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC! I know this has gotten very mixed reviews but I enjoyed it!

This a book with a lot of heavy world building and at times it can be a little info-dumpy and hard to follow but that didn’t affect my enjoyment. I like a lot of world building in my books. The world itself was really bleak and almost cyberpunk-esque. The author described the twin cities so well I could picture every scene clearly. The battle scenes were also well described, I often find it hard to follow fight scenes but they were done really well. There were SO many twists and turns, I didn’t see any of them coming, especially the major plot twist.

However, some plot points just didn’t make sense and there were some plot holes. I can’t discuss specifics because that would be a spoiler. I also only felt connected to the characters about 70% of the way in which was kind of a bummer. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the two main characters and then suddenly they were in love with each other. At the same time though, I could believe it.

At the end I was left wanting more in a good way. I’m so glad the next book is already out and I’ve already jumped straight into it because that ending had my jaw on the floor. That last sentence…mic drop. This instalment was released 18th July 2023 and is the first in a trilogy!

This novel had all the elements of a book I should have loved—an intriguing riff on Antony and Cleopatra, a cool and unique premise, and a richly imagined world. I desperately wanted to be swept up in the story, but despite my hopes, it just didn’t click for me. The characters felt flat, the pacing was uneven, and I found myself struggling to stay engaged. It’s frustrating because I was so invested in the concept, but in the end, it didn’t live up to its potential for me. Believe me, no one is more disappointed than me.

Review not posted anywhere else.

Chloe Gong, known for her YA success with These Violent Delights, ventures into adult fiction with Immortal Longings, a novel inspired by Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. Set in the capital twin cities of San-Er in the kingdom of Talin, the story revolves around brutal gladiatorial games where participants fight to the death for wealth and status.

The narrative follows two main characters: Calla, who enters the games to assassinate her tyrannical uncle, King Kasa, and Anton, who seeks the prize money to save his comatose lover. Despite their conflicting motives, they form an uneasy alliance, leading to complex dynamics and moral ambiguity.

While Immortal Longings has its strengths, including rich world-building and a captivating premise, it often feels more like a YA novel than an adult fantasy. The characters' concerns and behaviors, along with the shallow character development and predictable motivations, contribute to this impression. The intricate world of Talin, with its body-jumping magic system, is vividly described but lacks the depth needed to fully engage readers.

The novel's pacing is uneven, with the middle section losing tension. However, the Shakespearean elements woven into the story add a layer of sophistication, making it an entertaining read. Despite its flaws, Immortal Longings shows promise, and fans of Gong's previous work may appreciate the familiar style and themes.

Overall, Immortal Longings is a solid but imperfect debut in the adult fantasy genre. It offers an engaging story with complex moral dilemmas, but it falls short of its full potential. Chloe Gong's talent is evident, and with further development, her future works in this genre could reach new heights.

I just fell in love back in a day with her writing. As usual, I’m a big big fan of Chloe gong and her worldbuilding is always impressing !
I recommend this book and I just can’t wait to re read with the following one

Ok so what if The Hunger Games was set in a city ruled by a monarch who has a family member trying to assassinate him and that family member is now one of the contestants. Also imagine that people can jump their “qi” into different bodies at will, the only tell being a flash of light when that happens. There’s a lot of rules regarding this-firstly that it’s completely illegal but happens ALL THE TIME. These things and related points are repeated over and over-e.g. the royal family don’t like to switch bodies as they’re too fancy-yeah I know you’ve told me already to explain why our main FMC doesn’t jump despite being able to. That said though, there are secrets and relationships through the book that I’m interested to see how they develop further on in the series especially after the ending!

I was unable to finish this book, unfortunately. I had myself pick it up several times before giving up. Despite my admiration for Chloe Gong's past works, I didn't find the writing style to be appealing. I didn't connect with the characters or the world-building. This book wasn't for me, but it might be for you.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and the author for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So on my way to get to all books by Chloe Gong, this one was a no-brainer but I was a bit too lost. The world-building was a bit all over the place and I still have no idea about how, why and where this world is or works, I am going to be nice and give until next book in case the whole vague thing was intentional (who knows lol), also because this was such a dark dark book even darker than the Secrets of Shanghai universe. So we enter the era of Anthony and Cleopatra

So the book follows the story or more suitably the horrors of San-Er, the tyrant king and the masses in absolute shambles of a city restricted inside walls. We have Calla the disgraced princess in exile who has only one goal, kill the last king left on the throne and end his tyranny. The only way for her to do this is enter the games and win it, so that she can be close enough to her uncle, the king and end it all once and for all. So that is our Cleopatra and the we have our Anthony. Anton Makusa needs to win the games as this is the only way he might be able to save his childhood love. So now we have 2 people who needs to win the games, an alliance why not? but will it work? who knows?

The games I believe is kind of hunger games inspired and the whole city is the arena, with the contestants being able to jump from one body to another with the strength of their Chi. The book was very fast paced and easy to read, even though it felt like I was missing a lot of things from the very beginning up until the end. Having said that I am placing my bets on book 2 and cannot wait to get my hands on them.

I'm new to the fantasy genre, so was interested in giving this one a read. Sadly it wasn't for me. I am firmly in the adult romantasy camp, not the YA fantasy which this book was

Absolutely stunning cover though and since I have also got a paperback copy, I will be saving it for my girls to read when they get to the right age - I think they'll love it, as I think I would have if I had read it when I was younger

That is to say, it is a well written book, I am just not the right demographic

Such a great fantasy read. Brilliant writing and story line. Loved the plot and all the characters. Love the cover design it's beautiful

the world building was great, and the plot was solid. that cliffhanger was so good I need to know what happens next. The writing is good, reccomend it!

I wanted too read this because it says it's like hunger games now hungers games has a special place in my heart so I had too pick it up I love anything with trials and competitions this is good fast passed but I also found it hard too get into and struggled too stay engaged because it was so hard too stay focused

I really wanted to love this one as I'm such a fan of Chloe's other series however this one just really missed the mark with me.

I found myself not feeling anything towards our main characters and struggled with the storyline as a whole. The jumping into other peoples bodies just didn't sit right with me, especially at the beginning when someone jumps into a child's body.

Chloe is an amazing author and there were moments of this book I enjoyed but I just don't feel a connection to this story and probably won't be carrying on with this series.

Despite what I've heard online and in other reviews, I thought this book was quite interesting from Chloe. It feels like a bit of a departure from her previous books (i've only read These Violent Delights duology) so perhaps the other 3 connected ones flow more this way. I'm excited to read the second book in this duology.

This idea of a fantasy version of the hunger games set in a futuristic urban setting is a unique and compelling concept. I really enjoyed the world and set up for this book and the characters were well-developed and interesting. However, I really struggled with the first half of the book which was heavily dominated by complex irrelevant world building which made the book hard to get into. I thought the overall plot was good and well thought out but ultimately there was not enough pages devoted to its development. This left the book lacking where it mattered and meant that the twist wasn’t as impactful as it would have otherwise been. Whilst the world building was dull and heavy, the plot and characters were enough for me to be interested in the sequel with the hope that it has more focus on these elements.

I absolutely love the stunning cover for the UK edition of this book. I'm sad to say that that may be all that I truly appreciate about this story. I think this book fell flat for me in every way. I was expecting a lot in a book that mixes so many genres like sci-fi and fantasy with darker elements and a promise of extensive world-building. However, there was none of the exhilaration I was expecting in this one. I may have to revisit it so I can read the second installment of this series when it releases.