Chloe Gong has, once again, simultaneously torn my heart to shreds while making me desperate for the next book.

THE TWISTS? Immaculate.

I absolutely devoured Immortal Longings. I already adore Chloe’s writing style but it was darker, grittier, and much more violent than her YA writing style in her adult debut.

Immortal Longings is beautifully atmospheric, grungy, and Chloe did a wonderful job of making the cities feel claustrophobic.

Character-wise, I was obsessed with Calla from the get-go, and Anton is just as wonderful. They’re both morally grey (though Anton definitely has the moral high ground) and Calla is, frankly, unhinged. I love her. Their dynamic is great and the romance is top tier.

I will now be waiting for book two very VERY impatiently. Favorite book of 2023!

4.5 stars

If there is one thing that I like about Chloe Gong's writing, it is that her openings are always bangers. From the second I read the first line of Immortal Longings , I knew I was in for a wild ride. I started off thinking the book was going somewhat slow, but the action ramped up pretty quickly. Immortal Longings had a strangely magnetizing intensity and I did not want to tear my eyes away from it.

The characters in the book are very strongly driven by their motivations and it is so clearly visible in all of their actions. Calla wants to kill the king, and so does her cousin August. Anton wants to save someone (no spoilers here!). But each of them have their own secrets to hide from the other, which make them so very interesting to read. All of their perspectives offer a unique look at the same world and the same story, just differently.

As for the romance between Calla and Anton, I can see the chemistry between them but I feel I need more scenes to decide my opinion on their relationship. Especially after that ending. In typically Chloe Gong fashion, it was a little bit wild. I did think it could happen but not in the way I expected it too.

This was a really exciting read and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

A really big thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong is loosely based on the Shakespeare play Anthony and Cleopatra, and while I've never read or watched the play, this knowledge helped me to keep track of the characters.

While I really did enjoy this book, I'll start off with the things I struggled with. The fact that the two main male characters were Anton and August tripped me up the entire book. This is where it was helpful to keep in mind the play it was based on. Maybe it's just because I'm not the best with character names, but they were just a little bit too similar for me to identify them immediately.

Another thing that bothered me a little bit was the worldbuilding. Even after finishing the book I'm still unsure of how the city actually looks. Certain modern things exist, like cell phones, while cars don't. Not really knowing how this world functions led to a bit of a disconnect between myself and the plot. However, once the actual plot started, this was a true rollercoaster ride.

This book mainly focuses on Calla, a princess who committed regicide years ago and was thought dead. It follows her plot to enter a tournament where all 88 participants hunt each other until only one is left. Being the victor of this tournament will provide her with the opportunity to rid the kingdom of its toxic ruler once and for all.

While I might have struggled getting into the book, once you get used to the main character you can't help but root for her. Everything happens at quite a speed and you end up hoping that she might finally get her happily ever after... But the Shakespeare play was a tragedy, wasn't it?

Overall, I would highly recommend this to the original fans of Hunger Games and Maze Runner who are now looking for something more grown up. It was a wild, adrenaline filled ride, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Each year, the twin cities of San-Er hold a game. Eighty eight competitors fight to the death, with the winner being granted riches and the option of leaving the city for a quiet life elsewhere, something which nobody else is allowed to do. When Calla enters the game she’s determined to win, though not because she wants or needs the money. She’s a princess in hiding who’s been in exile since she killed her parents five years ago, and being the victor is the only way she can get face to face with the king, her uncle, so she can finish the job.

This book isn’t slow paced, but is deceptively slower paced than you’d probably expect, with a decent chunk of the word count being dedicated to descriptions of the cities that paint a clear and detailed picture of what San-Er looks like and what it’s like to live there. This is a stylistic choice that isn’t going to be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it! Gong managed not to lose my interest at any point, even during the passages where less was actively happening, and by the end of the book I had a really strong understanding and image of the city in my mind.

I loved Calla! She’s the sort of anti-hero who desperately wants the world to be a better place and is prepared to do whatever it takes to make it so, even if that means burning everything down and hurting innocent people along the way. She’s not happy about participating in the king’s games and she doesn’t revel in killing all these people but that doesn’t mean she won’t do it with brutal efficiency. She doesn’t waste time feeling guilty about any of it. Those people need to die so she can achieve her goal, that’s all there is to it, and she’s confident in her ability to get the job done to the point of arrogance. It was interesting to see the ways in which her priorities shift – and don’t shift – as she gets closer than anticipated to Anton, another participant in the game.

I didn’t find the romance between Calla and Anton entirely convincing, which weirdly I thought suited the story well. Their relationship isn’t healthy and in the situation they’re in it would be almost impossible for it to be. They both have their own reasons for entering the game that means losing isn’t an option for either of them, and unless one of them pulls out of the game one of them has to die. They both know this from the start. They both know they aren’t planning on backing down. The third most significant pov character points out in text that Calla and Anton’s relationship can’t possibly be genuine love after so short a time. Just because a character believes something doesn’t mean they’re correct, and this book is a prime example of that. I believe that they believe they’re in love which is arguably the more important point. If you’re looking for a heartwarming love story this isn’t the book for you.

The magic system is centred around people’s ability to ‘jump’ from body to body, basically possessing other people. No more than two people can occupy a body at any one time, if someone possesses someone for long enough then the original person will fade away and effectively die, and the only way to tell who’s piloting a vessel at any given time is by looking at their eyes as those are intrinsic to the person and their qi, and not to the vessel. I thought this was a really cool detail!

Jumping is so normalised in this society that it’s stated that many people don’t stay in the body they’re born in, with Anton spending the entire book hopping from vessel to vessel without giving the people whose bodies he’s taking much thought. It also leads to there being a lot of collateral damage in the game, because if a player is killed then so is anyone else who happens to be in that vessel at that time. It’s established that people who’ve been jumped into are completely unaware of anything that happens during this time but that they still have to deal with the physical consequences of whatever was done while they were possessed. There are some inherent consent issues here. Someone who’s being possessed can’t consent to anything the person possessing them might decide to do with their body. Your mileage may vary on how much this bothers you.

This is getting a lot of comparisons to The Hunger Games, and it’s completely understandable why, but Squid Game is possibly a closer comp. Unlike in The Hunger Games, the people participating in King Kasa’s game have all volunteered to be there and are technically able to withdraw at any time, but the vast majority of them are facing financial situations such that they’re effectively facing death either way so almost nobody ever does. Just like in both these comps, the societal critique is both blatant and sadly needed.

I sometimes find myself wishing I didn’t read an arc of a book for the very simple reason that I’m now faced with even longer to wait until the next book in the series than most people are going to have. The way this book ends is such that I desperately want to know what happens next, both the bigger picture and also the next thing that gets said in that room. But I have to wait! Oh well, Chloe Gong hasn’t disappointed me so far, so I’m sure the wait will be worth it.

If you like retellings, battle royales and the societal commentary that tends to accompany them, a magic system based on possession, or the concept of cyberpunk-but-make-it-dial-up, then I recommend checking this one out!

Chloe Gong writes characters how I like them best. Dangerous and slightly unhinged. This book did not disappoint at all. So many twists had me gasping for air at the end.
So much happened in the last couple of chapters that I might need three days just to process what I read.
This book is perfect for the hunger game-esque times we have re-entered. It is virtually the hunger games set in the 1990s in Hong Kong if all the tributes had the power to move into other people's bodies.
I absolutely loved Calla and how she developed. However, I did not feel much chemistry between her and Anton. I did feel for Roma and Juliette in These Violent Delights.
I fully recommend this book and will be actively waiting for the second one.

Thank you, NetGalley and Hodderscape, for this amazing ARC

An excellent, exciting world. I hope there’s more. Huge thanks to the publisher for the ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book however trying to read the story within was extremely difficult for me. There was so much information in each sentence that I was lost before it ended, which continued on for the 22% I got through. I’m sorry, but the writing is too detailed and dense for me to get through.

okay. that was actually great!!! easy to get into, understandable world building and a clear plot. personally i think with this book, chloe has improved on a lot of things that i struggled with while reading her previously released books.

while i did like most of her other books, i found this one easier to read. i had to take a break for a few weeks because of exams but when i picked it up again, i could get back into it easily. i especially liked the beginning and the ending of this book. i really sped through the ending cause it was really fun to read!!

this is a series right? pls be a series

“Immortal Longings” offers a solid blend of action, drama, and politics, supported by an intriguing magic system. The individuals with a specific gene can jump between bodies and use them to fight (or get drunk with no consequences). A touch of romance adds further depth (?) to the story.

Princess Calla killed her parents five years before the start of the book. She has no problem killing and isn’t exactly a good person, but her parents were classic tyrants who cared nothing for people. Calla needs to kill one more person - king Kasa. Her ambitious cousin, August, offers her a deal. He becomes the ruler; she gets her vengeance.

Thus, Calla enters the annual gladiatorial-style games, confident in her superior abilities that should guarantee an easy victory. However, a royal exile named Anton stands in her way, taking part in the games to save his comatose lover. As expected, the unlikely alliance between Calla and Anton blossoms into a passionate love affair. The problem? There can be only one winner and the remaining 86 contestants die.

I read the whole book during the flight back from holidays (today). I liked its relentless pace and cool magic system. However, the character development fell short in my opinion. The ending felt rushed and I’m not the biggest fan of a predictable enemy-to-lovers trope. Still, kudos for immersing me in action and suspense. I would have liked it to have more depth and a more satisfying resolution (though as far as endings go, this one is strong).

I liked it. Not as much as others, but I expect New Adult readers will find it more emotionally engaging than I did. Worth a shot.

Immortal Longings is TikTok favourites Chloe Gong’s first adult novel and it is a fantasy inspired by Shakespeare’s Anthony and Cleopatra. It is yet another hunger-games esque deal if you set The Hunger Games in an urban city landscape, made all the contestants ‘Careers’ and had the general populace as collateral. It is fast-paced, brutal and action-packed and every character in it is morally ambiguous. It is less about the societal implications of the games and more about the political intrigue and power-playing amongst those who rule the kingdom. Oh and people can body jump too!

Our main protagonist Calla, is a fugitive princess on the run after massacring almost her entire family and she has entered the games under a false alias to finish off the job. Her rival and ally in the game is Anton, a former courtier who has been exiled out of his body for treason, who has entered the games to pay the medical bills for his lover, who is in a coma. The story is a whole lot more complicated than that, but it’s better that you go in reading this one blind, trust me.

I really enjoyed this - I would say I was skeptical up until halfway through, there was a lot of world building and so many plot points that it initially felt a bit convuluted. However, these plot points do eventually thread together to make a satisfying book overall, with lots of twists and turns and really good reveals. The enemies to rivals to unlikely lovers was done reasonably well, I bought into the enemies to rivals part but it jumped very quickly into “I would kill for you” but the question really was “would I die for you?”

This is my first book by this author I’ve read and although I have heard that it is possibly her weakest so far, I will be eagerly awaiting the sequel and will be checking out her YA offerings. I would recommend this to people who love The Hunger Games, Blood and Ash and The Cruel Prince. Warning though - this book is considerably bloodier and I would check the trigger warnings before reading.

4 stars overall.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an arc in return for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for granting me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

SCREAMING INTERNALLY AT THAT CONCLUSION.

Holy shit, I enjoyed this read. It reminded me of Battle Royale and Hunger Games, except with people willingly volunteering to participate. It also reminded me of the film Jumper with people's abilities to jump into bodies, or course in Jumper they jump to places, not bodies.

Calla and Anton both participate for reasons of their own and begin a rocky alliance. This is made harder with Anton's ability to jump so a catchphrase is used to help Calla identify him. She can jump as well she just chooses not to.

I can't wait for the next book, Chloe, you did an amazing job!

𝟰.𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀

[𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘦-𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺]

Every year, the kingdom of Tali hosts a set of deadly games, in which competitors fight to the death for a chance of winning riches beyond their wildest dreams. Calla and Anton both enter the games, though their end goal is quite different. Being the most powerful competitors, they end up striking an alliance, that quickly turns into something they weren’t expecting.

This is Chloe Gong’s adult fantasy debut and it did not disappoint. Everything about this book fascinated me. Although the beginning was a little slow, due to the worldbuilding being quite dense, I found myself quickly mesmerized by the world Gong has created. The contrasts in the kingdom are really big, the nobles all indulging in riches, while the rest of the population is left to starve and fend for themselves. The author did a terrific job in setting the atmosphere, the discontentment of the people, their anger and helplessness is very tangible. They’re miserable, but they fear the king and won’t risk a rebellion, if it will only make their lives worse. The plot is so good, I loved the hunger games vibes, but I appreciate how it’s not a copy paste version of it. This being an adult book, I particularly enjoyed the violence of the games, that only made the environment more deadly. The magic system is brilliant and unique. Some people are born with the ability to body jump - their essence, referred to as “qi” in the book- is able to enter someone’s else’s body. Interesting, isn’t it? Without giving spoilers, I’ll say that because of this ability, some jump from their birth body to another body, which means it’s difficult to trust someone when you don’t know if they’re who they say they are.

Amongst many other things, one of my favorite aspects about Gong’s writing is how much she focuses on the politics of the world, and this book in particular delves into the subject of political power in a dystopian society. The meaning of the games for this society is so well portrayed. King Kasa uses them as a tool, a way to keep the masses entertained and focused on something other that the utter chaos and violence that surrounds them everyday. In doing so, it keeps them occupied and contained, they’re so enthralled by the bloody violence of the deadly games, that, for a while, they forget the political turmoil that’s permanent in the kingdom.

We have a lot of characters, but Calla, Anton and August are the main ones. The characters are morally grey, very interesting and complex. It’s impossible not to want to know more about each of them. August is pretty much an enigma, I’m not sure he can be trusted, but I highly enjoyed his povs. Chloe writes amazing female characters and Calla is not an exception. She is sarcastic, arrogant and deadly, has self-destructive tendencies and is, to put it quite plainly, a mess. What’s there not to love? I adore her, there’s a lot of vulnerability behind the hard exterior, a girl who had to become something powerful in order to survive. Anton shares a lot of similarities with Calla, but he’s softer. He’s charming and witty, he stole my heart immediately, but he’s very complicated, and, just like Calla, a total mess.

From the moment they meet, the tension between Calla and Anton is tangible and I love their dynamic. If you’re a fan of knife to the throat, “I can kill you any second”, rivals to lovers and backstabbing betrayals, you’ll love them. Their romance is all consuming and obsessive, to the point where you’re left wondering if it’s really love at all. My issue with their relationship is that we don’t get to see a lot of it, I feel like a part of it happens off page and I wanted more!!

Because the book focuses more on the various plots that are happening, the character development is not as in depth as I wish it was. This, the slow beginning and dense worldbuilding, that left me a little confused at the start, are my main critiques and the reason why it’s not a 5 star read. However, it does not dampen my enjoyment and love for this book.

THE ENDING!! That final plot twist is incredible and I need the second book. I’m without words, I just know book two will be amazing. Immortal Longings will surely please Chloe Gong’s fans, but I believe it can also open the door for more readers to get to know her work.

In this immersive and action-packed adult debut, Chloe Gong drops a banger novel yet again! Secret Shanghai was her debut into the industry and now, as a well-established author, she strikes with Immortal Longings—a reimagining of another of Shakespeare's tragedies; Antony and Cleopatra.

Many readers assume that her brand is Shakespearean retellings and star-crossed lovers and though there might be some truth to it, it doesn't feel quite right. And I think there's a bigger picture to it. Post-reading Foul Lady Fortune and Immortal Longings, you would notice that Chloe's bejeweled prose and the stakes present throughout her books inadvertently take the spotlight. And not to forget, the yearning and angst that never fail to cater to her audience.

The games are around the corner in the packed twin cities of San-Er ruled by King Kasa who is the personification of tyranny. His adopted son, August Shenzi is to take over after him, but he grows impatient as the days seep by. Princess Calla Tuolemi, August's cousin, had gone into hiding after the infamous bloodbath where she "died" and now would do anything for Kasa's head. And Anton? He is desperate—the love of his life had been comatose for years and the hospital bills only keep growing. The only way to change that is by enrolling in the games in hopes of monetary compensation.

The author pitches the novel as Antony & Cleopatra meets Clove and Cato in a 90's Wong Kar-wai film and I think that it perfectly captures the atmosphere of Immortal Longings. It is very much Hunger Games-esque with the games going on in San-Er and cue Calla and Anton ending up in an unlikely partnership with each other. The novel also has a unique element to it; body jumping, which was executed so well. It felt real and I also found it interesting how jumping affects people and the way it plays a very important role in the story.

Calla and Anton are the ship to root for. And Chloe does that so well considering they're star-crossed so the stakes are even higher. It only gets better with each chapter, the threads of the plot unravel leaving you dumbfounded, but the twists only get more terrifying. My issue with the book, though, is that though Immortal Longings was a memorable read, the characters felt recycled. Calla reminded me too much of Juliette & Rosalind and Anton of Roma. Though they had their conflicts and ambitions, they just felt like another facet of the author's previous protagonists.

On an ending note, if you loved Chloe's previous works, you are going to enjoy this. If not, I think you'll need to check it out for yourself! At the end of the day, it's completely your opinion—sorry I got a little carried away, but I genuinely hope you enjoy reading it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Publisher for the review copy in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

"And what fine daylight we have today"

A starving city and a selfish crown. Citizens driven to participate in deadly games to escape their fate or at least give their families a chance of surviving in a lightless time.

Calla is determined to rid Talin of its remaining ruler after she killed her parents 5 years ago and fled. Prince August finds her and enlists her support to supplant himself as king. As the games go on, Calla is forced to join forces with Anton who needs the prize money from the games to keep his childhood love alive. This partnership quickly becomes something more and Calla is forced to choose between her love and the kingdom she fought so hard to free.

I was a little nervous when I picked this up because as much as the blurb was intriguing, the dystopian hints do not always appeal to me. However this was excellently written with the world building precise and easy to follow.

Calla is an immensely strong character with a morally grey streak, with one goal in mind. How can she bring herself to pull away when she is so close to achieving what she needs to do. The chemistry between her and Anton while not the focus of the story, is interesting and their banter is engaging. You admire Anton's loyalty to his lover while August is willing to do whatever it takes to rule. This dynamic makes it easier for you to choose a side to root for.

Overall an interesting read with numerous twists to keep you turning the pages late into the night

Absolutely engaging ; this story captured my attention so quickly because it has EVERYTHING. The angsty characters, the political context, a very cool "magic" subplot, and deadly games, of course. Highly recommend if you're a Hunger Games fan and if you like your morally grey characters a little bloody.

First of all I want to be completely honest, I am afraid I didn’t get to finish the ending of this book due to device issues.

I found on a small device (a phone) the front was really to small to read comfortably, usually I would have a tablet with me, or even use the computer however as I am currently travelling I was struggling to read the front on Netgalley.

What I can tell you from the chapters I have read, is that this book is unique, and something very different to other YA novels I have read.

Once I am back home and on a computer I will try and get back and finish Immortal Longings for sure, however at this moment in time it isn’t practical to read it on such a small screen with small font.

I will definitely be checking back into it in the near future however.

The concept was really interesting, and the story was enjoyable enough to hold my attention. The main characters felt very similar to previous characters the author has written, which I struggled with, they felt juvenile, despite this being an adult debut. Despite liking how morally grey everyone was, on a few occasions it felt quite cringey, and the strong, powerful quotes didn't really work, or the impact felt lacklaster, especially with some of the plot twists being quite predictable. There were also a few moments during the book where the story felt stilted and repetitive, but for the most part, I really enjoyed it and spent hours happily reading.

Immortal Longings sets up an intriguing but familiar premise; a death game held in a kingdom on the brink in which certain members have the ability to launch their consciousness into other bodies. Unfortunately, the plot, and main characters, suffer from underdevelopment in service of world building that proves more confusing than enlightening despite the number of pages dedicated to it. The romance aspect of this narrative is so rushed as to be incomprehensible, with Calla's sudden desire one of few surprises in the novel. Despite being marketed as adult, this book is tonally and thematically a YA fantasy, and does not measure up to Gong's other titles on any metric.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC

I am a huge fan of Chloe Gong, and her secret Shanghai series is up there in my top five series of all time. When she announced Immortal Longings, I knew this was going to be just as good as the rest of her work.

whilst the world-building is in depth and took a little while to understand fully, I didn't feel like it was too much of an info dump. I may be biased because I love her, but this book was a firm 5 stars for me, and I can't wait for more from Chloe!

I had no idea this book would be so damn good. I especially really liked the world building and the characters. With the world building, I was kind of shocked that the book setting was exactly how I imagined it after looking through Chloe Gong’s Pinterest board and that clearly shows Chloe Gong wrote it so well.

Since this is marketed as an adult fantasy, I can see why that is. There is a lot of graphic scenes of violence and gore throughout the whole book so bare that in mind if that is not your cup of tea. I, however, absolutely loved every bit of it, and I think it was quite well written. Honestly, I think the gore was one aspect I loved most about the book.

Also, I feel like Chloe Gong’s writing improves with every new book she releases and it’s evident in how her writing flows so well. I was so in awe with her writing style throughout this book.

There were really good plot twists too that had me gasping because I probably would have never guessed it myself.

The tension between Calla and Anton was so damn good and I enjoyed every single moment they had together throughout the book.

Lastly, I can’t finish this review without talking about August because I’m literally a simp for him lmao. There’s just something so intriguing about him ever since the first chapter.

I’m definitely excited for the next book to come out because of that ending!!!