Another great read from Chloe Gong! While I didn't love it quite as much as Foul Lady Fortune, I still enjoyed it immensely. It was interesting to explore a new world with new magic. The descriptions of SanEr were so evocative that I could really imagine the close buildings and cramped streets.

The body jumping made it really interesting. While I cringed a little from the different rules of consent, it made it so much darker and more interesting. I almost wish we could have had the viewpoint of one of the characters who had to deal with their body being hijacked and what they would do to protect themselves, because I think that would have been an interesting perspective.

The characters were really strong unusually for me, I actually got quite caught up in the romance. It was an interesting enemies-to-allies-to lovers type romance that was refreshing to read. It was good to get an enemies-to-lovers where the characters weren't of completely opposing viewpoints, because that has become really common lately.

All around this was a great book. Strong plot, strong characters, a strong setting and an ending to make you desperate for the next book. I can't wait.

There were many issues at the core of this book, but the main one was that it tried to tackle too many issues at once, leaving all of them unexplored. It was sad to see the lost potential of both the story and the premise.

First, the characters. Both Calla and Anton had no romantic chemistry whatsoever. I believed they are enemies, but there was nothing there to made me want them to turn into lovers. Both were also absolutely obsessed with themselves. Calla's personality changed 180 degrees after they got together just to justify it.

Second, the plot. Dystopian is a challenging genre, where the core to understand it is to pose a way to question the system. Even after the plot-twist, where we can find out more about Calla's motivation, nothing really justifies her or August actions. I only assume the consequences of seizing the power with the vaguest plan for the future possible will be explored in the next instalment.

The worst thing, as I mentioned, is that the book felt very much like the first draft, and with the right editing it could be pushed into the right direction, and make it a complelling story, exploring poverty and class, and maybe if the main characters didn't come from power, but give voice to the revolt of the people. The smut scenes also had potential, as the writing improved substantially during them, which shows the author's potential to improve her craft. The covers on both editions are beautiful though.

The missing Princess has been found. The adopted Prince needs her to help overrule the throne and kill the King to bring new rule to Talin. People live starving, in poverty, with a little hope given by entering a conquest of 89 people. Last one standing is given a great prize.

The magic of jumping was really interesting especially when there was no consent of the other person and the messy details of nearly dying while in another body. This was quite a bloody book at times but the action scenes were good. There was romance which I think was done well. I think it would have been good to know more about what Calla had been doing while in hiding. The book had some great twists that I didn’t see coming.

What an ending! That’s all to be said really, leaving us all on a cliffhanger/twist and a great one at that.
3.5 stars

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong. Having read from this author before this one did not disappoint.
I really enjoyed the authors writing style and found it flowed really nicely.
The world building was refreshing and the pace was a little slow but that was only due to building the story. The second half of book was definitely where the action and more of the story came to life.
There are plenty of twist and turns in this book which is something I really enjoy especially when it surprises me!
I’m really looking forward to the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for this eARC

I really enjoyed immortal Longings by Chloe Gong. I thought it was well written and rich in lavish details. The storyline was fast paced and kept me engaged.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Hodder & Stoughton for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: death, body manipulation, graphic violence, blood, gore and injury, dubious consent

“Immortal Longings” is the epic adult debut of Chloe Gong, adapting the story of Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra” but in an urban fantasy setting where people can hop bodies with little consequences. Calla Tuoleimi, the long-presumed-dead princess of San-Er who massacred her parents five years ago, has been on the run for years but that is about to come to an end: every year the crowded and poverty-stricken twin cities host games for people confident in their body-hopping abilities, and this time Calla intends to use them to end the monarchy for good. Her uncle, King Kasa has been reclusive since the massacre but every year he greets the winner of the games and promises extreme riches. After meeting with her cousin, the adopted Crown Prince August Shenzhi, Calla makes a deal to go undetected in the games, win them and execute August’s father; he believes he can make things better but he can’t publicly do anything that might count as treason. At the same time, the exiled aristocrat named Anton Makusa enters the games without anyone knowing. He is the former best friend of Crown Prince August and one of the greatest body jumpers in the world. Since his violent banishment from the palace years ago, Anton’s childhood sweetheart has lain in a coma and he is rapidly sinking into chronic debt trying to keep her alive. He hopes that winning the games will bring him the money needed to save her, so a team-up between Anton, August and Calla benefits everyone. However, it soon becomes clear that there can be only one winner, and all of them want different things- even as Anton and Calla make the deadly mistake of falling in love with each other.

I’ve adored everything I’ve read by Chloe Gong so far so I was delighted to be approved for her adult debut, which is also a massively ambitious retelling of Antony and Cleopatra. This story has everything: romance, violence, tight but slow pacing, a gripping setting and compelling world-building alongside characters that completely fulfil their roles. The twin cities of San-Er are vivid from the first page, the crowded and overwhelming population feels like they’re pressing down on the reader as the games take place in public places. The concept of body jumping, especially without needing to ask permission, was fascinating in how it was written and I loved the idea of people abandoning their birth bodies if they want to; with this, the violent action scenes are always tenser, especially if a jumper doesn’t leave the body before death. Calla is an intriguing lead, morally grey and a self-confessed murderer because she believes that things will truly improve by killing Kasa; likewise, August believes that he can solve all his adopted father’s problems if he could just take the throne permanently. Anton, meanwhile, is a romantic but also one of the great body jumpers. However, the warning from the beginning is there can be only one winner to these games, so you spend the entire book waiting for that moment when the relationship between Anton and Calla will fall apart. This book is a stunning first novel for a series; nothing about it is predictable, the ending was incredible, and I can’t wait for more in this universe.

I think this is my favourite Chloe Gong read to date, I loved everything about it, world-building, the characters, the plot, just everything so well done, so intriguing and magical , also so much emotion and bloodshed, you need to read this

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you so much for accepting my request for this novel.

Although I enjoyed this novel it didn't grip me as much as I wanted it to. I have been having a reading slump so I will re-read as I feel it could be me and not the novel.
I did enjoy how the storyline developed and the characters felt real but I just wasn't feeling it unfortunately.

Do I still recommend? Yes because what I didn't feel doesn't mean someone else won't love.
Give this novel a go!

After having read three books by Chloe Gong that I for the most part enjoyed, I was actually looking forward to her foray into (new) adult fantasy. Unfortunately this book did not work for me at all.

One of the big plot points of this book is that Call is using the yearly game to get close enough to the king to kill him. Five years ago she killed her parents, the rules of the co-kingdom and would have killed the current king if she had not been stopped. Now she has been in hiding for 5 years in their walled city.

For five years she does absolutely nothing. She just hides. No plotting, no planning and al of a sudden this years game is going to be it. There is no explanation, nothing on what she has been doing these 5 years that explain why she is now moving or why she couldn't move. And lets not forget, how can you hide for 5 years in a walled city, near the caretakers she had while in the palace. She has an own appartment and a kitty. She doesn't work but has money. And lets not forget that she should be standing out as she doesn't body jump like the rest of them.

That is the big power in this book. Body jumping. There is a yellow flash when you jump so everybody knows. People have an own identification code to still be able to identify themselves. But there doesn't seem to be anyone stopping from jumping into a random person every 5 minutes. No consent needed. And if they are just about to get killed in that body, lets just jump to the next one. Tough luck for that body's owner. Even worse luck for those that don't have the jumping gene. They are meaningless and at any point they can be used and have no idea what has been done with their body. This is not at all adressed in the book and it feels very icky.

The game doesn't make sense. Why kill when the chip just has to get pulled or removed from a person? Make it make sense? Why would you even enter this killfest voluntarily because they all have to sign up, only the last 89 get chosen from all those signed up. And great there is something nice at the end, awesome. Money for those poor can be a great incentive. I get that. But the book doesn't actually talk about that. About previous winners and what it got them. And it is in the middle of the city. Nobody cares about collateral damage. What? Well there are barely any rules so whatever. If that joined school teacher just pulls a kid in front of them you just kill them both.

Adding on to that, I didn't really care about any of the characters and I also have isues with a lot of the plot twists that I don't want to get into because of spoilers.

Immortal Longings ⭐⭐⭐.5

In the twin cities of San-Er, a group of contestants is chosen from a volunteer pool to participate in brutal and spectacular street games. The city becomes an arena for the tournament, where only one can survive and receive unimaginable rewards. Calla has her own goal in joining. She does not care about the glory of victory but craves an opportunity to get close to the king and enact her revenge...

Immortal Longings is a novel full of action, excitement and fights. There are actually lots of fighting sequences in this book, and they are brilliant. The problem is, there is no structure to the tournament. The players run around the city, hiding, jumping each other and fighting to death. All of this seemed too chaotic, but it actually stressed the ruthless nature of San-Er. Who would allow such games in their city? Our main characters all believe that change is necessary. All of them want to achieve something else through the games.

Honestly, I don’t know what to think about this book. The plot seemed chaotic, and there was no clear reasoning behind many scenes. The characters could use more development. The romance? The idea of two contestants of a deadly tournament falling in love with each other is nothing new but still enjoyable. If it’s done well and this romance was rather flat.

This was my first Chloe Gong book, and I heard so much about her Secret Shanghai series. I probably will read the second book to check if the story improves.

This was an interesting read, which I wanted to love, but somehow didn’t. For starters, the story was written in present tense, which slightly jarred as it was also in third person point of view. This tense is generally more effective in first-person viewpoint (I) and I found the narrative slid out of the protagonist’s head and into a fairly hefty descriptive passage about the city, or the shop, or palace, or a slice of historical background without convincing me that we were still in the protagonist’s head. This happened throughout the story, which really held up the narrative pace. The fact it was a desperately overcrowded city and the ruling elite were incompetent and uncaring of the general population was repeatedly demonstrated throughout. Not only did these chunks of description interfere with pacing, but it also got in the way of the characterisation – at least where I was concerned.

For me, this was the biggest problem. Try as I might – I didn’t warm to Calla, Anton or August, who were all scheming and ruthless. Calla and Anton had to kill off a number of people along the way – and this didn’t bother either of them nearly enough. The fights were described with visceral intensity that added to the tension and excitement, although it would have mattered more if I’d been more invested in the characters. What did work was the slowly increasing affection between Calla and Anton. It was this conundrum that kept me turning the pages, as I wanted to discover how they got around this issue. It wasn’t exactly a love story – in many ways it was an anti-love story…

Which also had me scratching my head as to how this story has any connection with Antony and Cleopatra. Back when Noah was knee-high to a hen, I studied the play for A level. And I couldn’t see sufficient similarities between the two stories for one to claim to be a retelling of the other. Antony and Cleopatra had flaunted their established love affair for each other – to the extent that it led to their downfall. And whatever Calla and Anton were doing, it wasn’t that. The conditions of the city were vividly described and the jumping between bodies created some interesting twists. However although I was never tempted to DNF this offering, it wasn’t quite the engrossing read I’d expected. While I obtained an arc of Immortal Longings from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
6/10

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for giving me an e- arc of this book. However this book might not have been it for me. I can appreciate the world building and the levels op spice, but this is not something ill be likely reading again, and I love Chloe's books. This is just not very well done and if she'd taken more time this story couldve been so much more!

Having enjoyed Chloe Gong's YA books, I was excited for her adult debut - and I wasn't disappointed. Immortal Longings is a hunger games style dystopian adult fantasy. It's a retelling of Anthony and Cleopatra. I'll admit that since I have not read the Shakespearean original, I probably didn't fully appreciate the references to the source story.

The world Gong created is rich and jumps of the page - San-Er offers an urban setting, a crowded and impoverished, bustling city, where eighty-eight contestants fight to the death for the chance at riches and a better life.
The two main characters, Cella, the former princess who has long been assumed dead, and Anton, a palace born exile, find themselves among the contestants. They quickly form an alliance to eliminate other contestants faster, which develops into a romance. But it wouldn't be an Anthony and Cleopatra retelling without politics and betrayal.

I loved that the politics and action took centre stage, and the relationship between Cella and Anton was woven into the background in a perfect mix of character development and plot.

Another element I enjoyed was the concept of body jumping and all the moral questions this raised. What of the bystanders that got killed while their body was possessed? But also, how did I feel about the idea of loving someone for who they are, completely detached from a physical body?

While the initial part of the book moved a bit slowly, once the story hit its stride, it was a fast-paced page turner. I loved the plot twists and the ending left me impatient for the next installment in this trilogy.

This was very interesting, the premise sounded really good and I have enjoyed Chloe's work before. This was definitely a unique retelling, but I just expected more from it. I felt like the games were lacking a bit, and the action scenes were very 'she killed him super fast'. It was a fun read though and I'd like to read book 2.The ending was great!

I received this book as an arc by Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton / Hodderscape in exchange for an honest review. Thank you again for this opportunity.

«  It doesn’t take a blade to carve open a heart. It only takes a soft glance. »

One overall sentence of the feel of the book / my feeling on the book

(Tropes)
🌸 Family feud
🌸 Villain mc
🌸 Enemies/rivals to lovers
🌸 Graphic scenes

Rating: 4⭐️
Genre: Adult Fantasy Romance
Format: Ebook / Physical
Pages: 392
Spice:🌶️ one detailed on-page scene
POV: third pov with multiple povs
S/S: Flesh and False Gods #1
Check trigger warnings for any book

thoughts:

Wow. I think this is by far my favorite Chloe Gong novel this far. The world-building is tedious, but it is so well done. You are in San-Er, you can smell the air, hear the eery sounds… The immersion in the world is very easy. Though the description can be a bit dense at times, or a bit repetitive as the book went on.

The characters? Immaculate. They have so much depth, so much goodness, rawness, and selfishness. The way they interact was addictive.

The plot itself? Very intriguing. The whole Hunger Games-ism of the San-Er games was well done. The bloodlust, the bloodshed, the desperation, and the hatred. All could be felt.

The lore of the jumping gene? How cool is that!!!! I wish we had even more history on it, as well as what was evolving with that gene. This led the so curious!

And that ending? That final paragraph??? I gasped audibly. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NOW MISS CHLOE GONG??

I am now awaiting the sequel. Too many questions, too many things are going to happen and I just NEED TO KNOW!!

Leena - Leena.reader review - xoxo

"Immortal Longings" by Chloe Gong takes readers on a thrilling journey into a world where power, love, and sacrifice collide amidst a deadly competition. Set in the dangerous and dense capital twin cities of the kingdom of Talin, this novel weaves a tale of danger, secrets, and the price of ambition.

The heart of the story centers around the annual deadly games hosted by the palace, where those capable of jumping between bodies fight to the death for the promise of unimaginable wealth. Princess Calla Tuoleimi, who has been in hiding for years after committing a heinous act, plans to use the games to exact her revenge against her reclusive uncle, King Kasa. However, her path becomes intertwined with that of Anton Makusa, a man seeking to save his comatose childhood love by winning the games.

Gong masterfully crafts a world that is both richly imaginative and ruthlessly unforgiving. The intricate political landscape of the kingdom and the pulse-pounding action of the games draw readers in from the start. The author's ability to create vivid descriptions and tension-filled scenes contributes to an immersive reading experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The characters are multi-dimensional, with motivations that are complex and relatable. Calla is a fierce and determined protagonist, driven by her desire to liberate her kingdom from her own family's tyranny. Anton's unwavering love and sacrifice for his comatose love bring a sense of heart-wrenching authenticity to the story. Their unexpected alliance evolves into a captivating partnership, rife with tension and genuine emotions that leap off the page.

Gong excels in depicting the moral dilemmas faced by her characters. The stakes are high, and the choices they make are both heartbreaking and compelling. The story raises thought-provoking questions about the true cost of power and the sacrifices one must make for the greater good.

At its core, "Immortal Longings" is a tale of love, loyalty, and the pursuit of justice. The novel's pacing is well-crafted, with suspense building steadily as the games approach their climax. The author's writing style effortlessly alternates between action-packed sequences and introspective moments, allowing readers to connect deeply with the characters' inner struggles.

It felt at times like the author had a word count to fulfil, which led to unnecessary repetition and prolonged scenes. The constant repetition of character's full names disrupted the flow of the story, was redundant, and frustrating at times.

World building was lacking, felt sparse, and not very well thought through.

I love Chloe Gong's book! This is her first adult-fantasy and I was very excited to read it. I loved her worldbuilding and the character-development was spot on - didn't disappoint!

You best believe Calla and Anton are living RENT FREE in my head since the moment I finished Immortal Longings. No one writes star-crossed lovers like Chloe Gong does and Immortal Longings has definitely solidified her place as one of my top all time favourite authors. This book was addictive. The kind that has you up at the middle of the night wondering what will happen.

I’m already asking myself how soon is too soon to reread… 👀 it’s going to be a painful wait for book two after that ending!

Chloe Gong never dissappoint, I really loved this book. Even though, it took me longer than it should have to know which character's who, this book was really enjoyable to read. I really loved all of the characters and I'm excited for book 2