4,5 stars, rounded up.

No one does it like Chloe Gong.
The Secret Shanghai series is one of my favorite series of all time, and the Flesh & False Gods series is so different, yet it is just as great.
It is such an ambitious feat, with the magic being incredibly unique, the world being complex and so layered, and the characters being based on Shakespeare's work which is evident in many aspects, yet they're so distinct.

One of the reasons I don't always enjoy trials in books because I feel like often, the plot is too focused on the trials, even though you can tell there is something much bigger going on outside the trials. Immortal Longings did a fantastic job at balancing the two, and it made me so excited for where the series could go and I had a feeling it would really take off.
And boy, did it take off. The political intrigue and schemes, revolution, more magic, more epicness, the body jumping being used perfectly to create more tension and suspense – Vilest Things really kept me on the edge of my seat, with the last 40% being absolutely unputdownable.

The only reason this is 4,5 stars is that because of its ambition, it felt a bit complicated at times, and I sometimes felt like I couldn't follow everything that was going on. I didn't re-read Immortal Longings though which might have helped a bit, which is why I'm rounding up to 5 stars.

Truly, this series is unlike anything I've ever read and Chloe Gong is an absolute master at her craft and I cannot wait for the sequel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

Calla has succeeded in eradicating King Kasa and now serves as royal advisor to the new king, August. But she knows it's not really him. Anton is furious about her betrayal and does not want to give up his newfound power. But when his first love Otta awakens from her years-long coma and divulges a secret that threatens the monarchy, chaos erupts. All the while an unknown threat is coming their way...

Leaps right into the moment where Anton has jumped into August so we get to see what happened there. Then we go to Calla after the coronation. I adore how she is in everyone's faces, not adopting 'diplomacy' for her new position. With bated breath we anticipate the expected tension between the former partners and to see if they will tear each other apart. Their interactions are definitely a highlight for the reader.

After kind of sputtering in the beginning, the engine starts and the book finds its flow. It is wonderfully paced from then on and feels grounded in reality and is casually immersive. There is an understated power to the storytelling as events and shocking revelations (my jaw hurt from dropping for a few) come to be without loud fanfare but as parts of the characters' journey, making the impact of the oncoming thrill even more dynamic. The narrator is an observer and a philosophical undercurrent is felt. The figurative speech gifts us with unconventional and vivid images. I've always admired Gong's flair for visuality.

There is a lot of info to digest about what is happening in this powder keg of a brutal word, but given in a matter-of-fact, 'friend telling you how it is' tone to make it for the most part pleasantly readable and interesting. It feels like Talin itself is taking part in the story with interjections that set the overall mood and situation.

I really had no idea where this sequel would be going, without the games as its 'main attraction' though the author has built a captivating world and mythology. The characters appear to do things that seem out of character but really aren't and I love it. There is so much to unpack and reveal having to do with truths. About Calla, Anton, Otta and Talin as a whole. But also mysterious deaths that have to do with qi along with some other tidbits promising intrigue, excitement and the Machiavellian, cutthroat streak continues in this installment too.

Breaking the status quo is an important theme here as is social inequality. It deals with the difference between justice and revenge. The book encourages us to stand up for what is right, for what we believe in.

I am so happy when a series gets better with book two and doesn't squander its potential. This sequel sets foundations for epicness and achieves it. The finale of this series is going to be glorious.

i was scared this book was gonna suffer from the book 1 syndrome where it was boring all the way through and only became interesting by the end, and unfortunately, it did suffer from exactly that. i was bored out of my mind for a good chunk of the book, confused out of my mind, and the only reason i kept on going was to get it over with. there was a lot of powering through done here just to finally be done with it and hallelujah i did.

i will also admit that despite the plot being convoluted, the romance wasn't the book's savior, i love the lovers to enemies trope, but i think this could've used more tension, more chemistry, so that the romance at the end would feel earned; it wasn't. anton does say some very pretty words though which were very 🤭 chloe gong does know how to write a man that's so very down bad and i love her for it.

i wasn't planning on going to read the third book once it comes out, but with that ending, i now fear i must. praying and hoping i end up enjoying it more than this one, and that this book just ended up suffering from second book syndrome

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

Vilest Things takes places right after the events of Immortal Longings, sending readers back into the world of San-Eir where our main characters Calla, Anton and August all battle for power. Probably will be an unpopular opinion, but I actually preferred the first book over the sequel, despite rating them both 3.5 stars. In saying this, I am intrigued to see how the third book plays out.

Don't get me wrong, I love the characters which is something that Chloe Gong never fails on. Calla is by far my favourite character in this trilogy but I do wish that the characters had a little more of a character development. Additionally, I loved the tension between Calla and Anton in Immortal Longings but felt none of it in this book, instead feeling a little forced? I'm hoping in the next book they get their spark back.

However, I felt like the story dragged a little, which could be due to the pacing and lack of action. It focuses more on politics which I think didn't help with how slow it made the book feel. There are some new powers involved but I didn't take all of it because it wasn't explained that well. The last 30% saved this book for me, where we finally got some action and the plot actually began to take off.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

First of all I’d like to thank the publisher and netgalley for granting me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

While I really loved Immortal Longings, I unfortunately struggled with Vilest Things until the very end.

While the world building in Immortal Longings was very interesting and extremely captivating to me, it all became very confusing during this sequel and I found myself skimming passages just to get through the chapters a bit more easily.

I just felt like nothing really major happened for like the biggest part of the book? Characters just interacted with each other and went places, but that was it. And everything that I found intriguing about the first novel, just got dumped out I feel.

Almost felt as if the romance (which was one of my favorite things in Immortal Longings) was an afterthought of the author, and was added just for the sake of it. Due to the events of the first book, I understood the romance would play a lesser part in this, but when we did finally get some romance, it just felt bland, and didn’t hit the same as it did in the first installment

I’m absolutely gutted that I didn’t end up loving this, but I might give the third book a try, and hope it makes up for this one

3.5

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me an eARC to review!

After being a bit disappointed with Immortal Longings, I was pleasantly surprised by the second instalment. I think because the plot was progressing past the games the comparisons with The Hunger Games fell away, and this was able to come into its own a bit more.

When a race for an artefact was introduced I was a bit worried, but there was some interesting politicking going on and I liked Calla as a character more. I liked that she wasn't your typical super smart super tricky strong female protagonist - she can be brash and unsubtle, but can also scheme and claw her way out of a bad situation.

The only thing I wasn't entirely sold on was her relationship with Anton - I didn't really buy some of the more angsty/dramatic moments just because I wasn't really invested enough in their relationship. Some of this could probably be put down to having read book 1 a while ago now, but some of the dramatics just weren't really hitting like I feel they should have.

It reminded me a bit of The Jasmine Throne in terms of the main couple being on kind of opposite sides of a rift, and with the religious cult/sacrifice elements. I'm interested to see how the next book will wrap things up, and I would recommend people try this one even if they didn't love book 1 as I do think this was an improvement.

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0 STARS

If you enjoyed Chloe Gong’s previous works, you will definitely love this.

Unlike Immortal Loggings, Vilest Things dives deep into San-Er’s history and complex political environment, and god is it goooood.

I find most fantasy series fall flat when it comes to the sequel. We get given all the action and knowledge in the first book, and there’s almost nothing to keep it going but Vilest Things DELIVERED.

My attention was rapped.

Okay so I didn't like this as much as I liked Immortal Longings. I loved the games aspect from the first book so I did miss that the sequel didn't have that side of it, though I understood why. It would have made no sense for the games to still be around after Calla had already won it.

[redacted due to possible spoilers]

I'm really excited for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

🌟🌟🌟💫/5

One word I never thought I'd use to describe a Chloe Gong book was uneventful. As someone who is known for her action pack stories with plot twists that keep you at the edge of your seat, Gong's Vilest Things ultimately came off as a disappointment. Oh, how this suffered from the second book syndrome.

Immortal Longings was one of my favorite reads of 2023. I was curious to see the direction in which the sequel would head now that the games were over. Vilest Things fleshes out the world introduced in book 1. However, I preferred the setting of San-Er more. There wasn't a lot of action in this one. Also, the gods, which seemed to be an important part of the worldbuilding were not given much attention. Writing smut is definitely not Gong's forte. The characters did not have any chemistry during the smut scenes and they felt forced.

A Chloe Gong book would never be complete without plot twists. Although quite a lot less in number than in book 1, the plot twists hit HARD. As disappointing as the majority of this book was, the last few chapters were perfection. For those, I'll be rounding off my rating to 4. I'll definitely be reading the sequel!

The story and world building evolves into something much bigger, the world expands and the plot moves into a direction I didn't see coming. Also the "jumping" part is more of a topic in this one.
Once again, you shouldn't go into this book expecting the most kicking-my-feet-feeling romance, cause it's really more focused on the story.
I liked the writing in this one more compared to book 1, it didn't feel as overly edited and unnecessarily complicated as it sometimes did in the first one.
Liked Calla as a main character again, I love how she just doesn't apologize for anything.
Chloe Gong just knows how to write the most quiet but intense twists - I'm so excited to see where the story will end up in book 3.

Stunning, spectacular give me 14 of them right now 😭😫🤭

Miss Chloe Gong really does know how to drop the most juiciest, jaw-dropping information after writing the most intense and heartbreaking moments.

I don't want to mention any spoilers, but all I will say is that this journey is a complete 360 to Immortal Longings but in an incredible way. I have never been so gripped as I had read this. The twists and turns were so incredibly well written and honestly left me guessing every single time.

I need book 3 immediately, I just know that it will be the most tense and jaw-dropping book I'll read.

Thank you, netgalley and hodderscape for the e-arc 🫶

After reading Immortal Longings, I wasn’t sure if the sequel was going to be quite as good but Chloe proved me wrong. Vilest Things was even better than I anticipated and I think it even surpasses the greatness of the first book. Chloe’s writing has always been so immersive and this story is no different. The development of all these characters was so refreshing to see and I’m excited to see everyone’s fates at the end of this series as a whole. The twists in this book were so good and very unexpected, in the best way possible. The introduction of a few new characters and more background on the same characters from Immortal Longings kept the pace of the book just right. The fast-paced moments with the best action scenes were perfectly balanced with the slower paced scenes in between.
I cannot wait for the final book to be released!

Much like Immortal Longings, Vilest Things is a litany of all things morally grey and murky. The second installment of this trilogy sees Calla and Anton unpicking the catastrophic mess they've made at the end of book 1, both in Talin and their personal lives.

There is a lot of context in plot progression with light call backs, so would suggest a reread of Immortal Longings ahead of reading this if it's been a while.

The crowning glory in this book is Calla and Anton's relationship and banter. And most notably Calla's unique ways of apologising. 😂

This book will make you audibly gasp. All hail Chloe Gong, master of emotional damage!

This book was an absolute whirlwind of passion, intrigue, and power plays. The blend of romance and political machinations kept me on the edge of my seat. The author’s writing style is both sharp and evocative, pulling me into the emotional turmoil and high-stakes drama with every page. The witty banter and deep romantic tension between Calla and Anton were portrayed with such nuance, I couldn’t help but get completely absorbed. The character dynamics were rich and complex, adding layers to an already gripping narrative. This isn’t just a fantasy romance; it’s a rollercoaster of emotions and a brilliant exploration of power and identity.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Actual rating: 4,5 ✨

I wasn’t expecting to be this shocked after reading Vilest Things by Chloe Gong. The first book in this new trilogy didn’t really reach my expectations, I felt so disappointed by it and I thought that its sequel couldn’t be any better. Well, I was wrong.

Vilest Things is the second novel in a trilogy inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony & Cleopatra but with Hunger Games vibes and a TRUE enemies to lovers. Chloe Gong turned out to be one of my favourite authors and I finally recognised her talent while reading Vilest Things.

Since it’s a sequel, I don’t want to spoil anything about the plot, but I need to state that the ending of Immortal Longings left the reader with a lot of questions and in a state of utter astonishment. That ending was the perfect springboard for this new book. It had the right tension, the stakes were higher than I remembered and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.

Even though the romance featuring the series is well done (it’s probably the best enemies to lovers I’ve ever read), my favourite character was Calla. If you liked Juliette in These Violent Delights, you’ll worship Calla! She’s unpredictable, filled with vengeance and hatred, and extremely powerful. You’ll love reading her povs, especially if you’re fascinated by morally grey characters.

I also loved reading all these different povs. Not all the characters narrating the events are extremely relevant for the story, but their perspective gave more depth to the plot. Galipei and Anton have my heart, I really wanted to read more about their relationship and I hope they’ll be deepened in the next book.

The ending really took me off guard. I expected what was going to happen, but I really enjoyed reading it!

The magic system is the main focus in this novel and it’s uniqueness makes it even more interesting. How it develops and changes completely as new knowledge is discovered, how it’s portrayed in a different way from character to character, and how it’s a fundamental part of San-Er’s society.

All in all, Vilest Things proved to be a beautiful book, despite the disappointment of Immortal Longings. So, if you like Hunger Games and enemies to lovers than do not miss this trilogy!

I had thought this was the last book of a duology, so was at points confused when things weren’t coming to a conclusion towards the end (which is my own fault).
My Chloe Gong continues to be a fantastic and I’ve so far loved everything she writes, I love her morally grey characters, which are always so interesting. And imagery I got from her words was so fleshed out.
I look forward to the next instalment!

The start of this story lacked focus and direction for me. I would probably have benefited from a re-read of Immortal Longings, but even so, there felt like a lack of continuity, or at least, a lot of meandering from where the first book finished. At 30% in I was wondering where it was going.
Our two main characters, so magnetic and charismatic in the first story, felt like shadows of their former selves.
It wasn’t until around 70% that the mists began to clear, and glimpses of the relationship between Calla and Anton from the first book began to emerge. With a bit of exposition, the finer plot points were also revealed and it felt like the story had some direction.
The last 30% saved this for me. The ending was great. Had the rest of the book been the same, I’d have rated it 5 stars. However, overall this was a disappointment, so it’s 3 stars for this sequel, and I won’t be picking up the next one.
With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a chance to read the ARC.

When in doubt about a sagging middle instalment, look to the characters to lead the drama stir-ups.

There were many things I enjoyed in this instalment. The heated back and forth between Calla and Anton. Anton chasing down dead leads. The heartbeats of anarchy palpating to life every now and then, a reminder of threats older and larger than our cast persisting and setting up the climax. The lovely twist with history. The qi experiments and the larger role of divinity within the story, throwing more weight behind the name of this trilogy.

I had the puzzle pieces but I wasn't able to make every last one click together...not until the final chapter. Oh, was it an itch satisfied. Patting myself on the back for noticing the clues (and the clues were nicely woven in!)

It certainly sets up what's going to be a truly bloody showdown. But will Anton, Calla, and San-Er survive?

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with the e-ARC/DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I was incredibly disappointed in this instalment, especially with how much I enjoyed the first book. I will preface this by saying that I had assumed that this was the last instalment of a duology so I spent a lot of this book confused as to why it didn't feel like any questions were being answered, in addition to finding the character development (or the lack thereof) and the actual plot quite confusing.

Something I loved about book one was the morally grey nature of all the characters. Our three main characters were all shrouded in mystery, with complex motivations that get hinted at throughout the book. Usually, some of that ambiguity would be cleared up by the second book but it wasn't this time which meant that I was just incredibly confused about what was driving these characters and their decisions the entire novel. They also didn't go anywhere the entire book - they didn't seem to grow or change as people at all.

The concept itself - both this idea moving your qi into different bodies and the politics of the world - should be engaging and fascinating but they just weren't. The rules about jumping into different bodies seem to change halfway through which I didn't love. Something I still really love is the fact that Calla and Anton's relationship develops whilst he isn't in his birth body and isn't reliant about how he looks at all. However, this general lack of clarity completely distracts from the cliffhanger at the end for me.

Overall, I don't think this book moved forward or developed enough. It felt stagnant and didn't seem to add much to the premise, world building or characters. I'm still interested in how the series ends but this instalment could've used an extra 100 pages to really expand and provide some extra clarity. 4 stars for Immortal Longings. 1.5 stars for Vilest Things.

EXCUSE ME, but you cannot leave me on that ending omg.

This book is full of twists, strategic moves and questionable intentions and I absolutely loved it. The magic, the developments regarding Qi and people from the past. This story grows and explores new angles with detail and it leaves you nothing but intrigued to find out more.

I will need 3-5 business days to wrap my head around the complexity of those twists and the dangerous path they have led the story down. I’m so excited for the next book!