I LOVED Calla. Yeah she’s flawed, but who isn’t? Like literally everyone in this book is super flawed and I loved the drama of it. Calla and Anton were the reluctant allies with sassy and sarcastic banter that I was looking for. And I really enjoyed how ruthless and powerful Calla was. August is a character I’m still trying to figure out, but he always seemed more shady than he acted. Anton was chaotic and brought the best (worst?) out in Calla. I’m really interested to learn more about the body jumping and Weisannas, so I’m already excited for the next book. Especially after the ending we got!!! While it took me a little bit to understand the concept of the world and the ability to occupy other bodies, once I got the hang of it, this was a super exciting read. Easy 5 star read for me! 🖤

The book sounded interesting but I couldn't get into it. Body jumping really? I don't think this is the book for me. And that's ok.

Chloe Gong doesn't disappoint in this setup for her adult series.

Unfortunately for me it felt like exactly that. I wasn't super thrilled by the ending, and felt that I could call it pretty quickly. This isn't an issue if it feels earned but it felt more orchestrated than earned.

I am excited to see where things go now though. So in the sense all book one's in fantasy series should end as if it's the very beginning, this does an excellent job.

I usually try my best to just push through when it comes to ARCs, but with this one I just couldn't do it. I read a bunch of chapters, and I was so bored that I resorted to skimming a little further ahead to see if my interest would grow but sadly, it didn't. I just could not get into it at all. Personally, I feel like lower-stakes fantasy is where Chloe Gong thrives, as she has proven more than once with her successful TVD duology and Foul Lady Fortune, and I'll for sure read more of her work if she chooses to write something new in that direction. As far as epic fantasy goes, however, I'm afraid it's a no from me.

Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alright so this book was good but just good. Pros: retelling or Antony and Cleopatra (I like their story), Hunger Games vibes, getting to know Calla! Cons: Really slow start, a lot of world building to the point where it gets to be too many details, flat characters. This book was my most anticipated book of 2023 and it just sort of fell flat for me. The plot moves too slowly, I didn’t love all the characters as much as I thought I would, and the details/history became too much.

Chloe Gong’s adult fantasy debut, Immortal Longings, is inspired by Shakespeare just as much as her YA novels are. But in this case, it’s the real-life tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra which shapes this science-fiction twist on the Bard. Unfortunately, Gong imports a little too much of The Hunger Games into her brew, causing the entire affair to come off as somewhat derivative compared to her usually flavorful stew.

Yearly, the kingdom of Talin hosts a violent athletic contest-slash-game between its capitol cities. There’s Er, the land of the rich, and San, the land of the poor. San-Er citizens come from miles around and use their magical abilities to slaughter their enemies in exchange for attention, money and glory. Since qi – a genetic mutation - allows them to take over the bodies of their opponents, that makes the game quite a tricky one to follow.

Our two central characters are Princess Calla Tuoleimi and Anton Makusa. Calla was once a member of the ruling class of Er, but the majority of her family was killed in a massacre – which she orchestrated, hoping to end the land-and-cash fat monarchy for good. She faked her own death on the way out, but planed a return. She’s going to win the games and meet her Uncle Kasa face to face, at which point she hopes to slaughter him, too.

Anton’s goals are much more personal and much more desperate. He’s a former aristocrat who enters the game hoping to get money enough to keep his fiancée Otta – who is in a deep coma – alive. Fortunately, he has an extremely strong grasp of qi and is the best jumper in the world.

In this every-person-for-themselves setting, Anton and Calla do not expect to become allies, but they do. They also become involved with the adopted son of Kasa, August, whom Calla plans to put on the throne in the hope of improving things. Is there a way out of this mess for any of them?

Immortal Longings was a bit of a disappointment for me. I don’t know if Chloe Gong’s intense worldbuilding – which she delivers in long info-dumps from characters thinking to themselves – or the lackluster action scenes, or the even more lackluster romance, but something felt off. Most of her grey-moraled characters feel unique and intriguing, but here Anton is cheating on his comatose girlfriend with this murderous (OR IS SHE!?) princess he’s become obsessed with – and that’s really his only personality trait. Everyone spends so much time hopping bodies that the book doesn’t take time to let the characters in question figure out who they really are, which, to Gong’s credit, is something that the characters do address out loud.

The readable prose will keep you going; Gong can paint a picture like no one else. And I liked the evil August in his wickedness. But I loved Juliette and Romeo from her These Violent Delights series (and Marshall and the rest), and here the romance is fraught in a not-fun way. The book also doesn’t bother to ask any queasy consent questions about all of this body jumping. Our main characters do not bother to think of that and use the bodies they ‘inherit’ to their full advantage.

Gong was inspired by Kowloon Walled City (which grabs a mention), and that ought to be an excellent locale for the stories she’s created over the past few years. But things get bogged down and even, to my shock, predictable, and when it’s not being predictable it’s confusing. Maybe it’s the attempt at infusing Egyptian and Roman history into a setting that’s both futuristic, fantastic and based on the old Hong Kong. The worldbuilding is wildly ambitious here, but it absolutely gets away from the author, which leaves the reader struggling to remember the hows and whys of what is going on. And yet it’s interesting and the royal caste situation generally works well.

While I’m not sold on the romance here and this is definitely Gong’s least-inspired book, I still want to know how that last plot twist pays off in the second book. Immortal Longings isn’t Chloe Gong’s best novel, but it still compels.

While Gong's adult debut took a while to find its stride, once I was in, I was all in.

Do I know enough about Antony and Cleopatra to know if this is a tried and true retelling? Absolutely not. However, based on my reading of Gong's previous works, I'm guessing the character names are inspired by Shakespeare's character names and the plot has similarities here and there but is otherwise completely different.

What worked for me with this book? It's the Hunger Games with body jumping and a walled city similar to Hong Kong's Kowloon. The characters were morally grey and only out for themselves. The love was all-consuming and fantastic. Like... I've never read a spicy scene with blood in it. Given, I'm not a dark romance girly, so some readers out there may think that's chump change, but it was a first for me and I found it brutal and amazing.

Gong has started something truly amazing with this series. I don't know if it's going to be a duology like Gong's previous works or if she has more in store, but I will be there for every release and will probably enjoy every story she blesses me with.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc and physical arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was SO good. I thought it was a little dull at first, and then I tore through the last 75% in one night. An Antony and cleopatra retelling but with fantasy elements,. Chloe gong has for sure found her niche, and it’s in making accessible and diverse Shakespeare retellings for young adults! Almost makes me want to actually read Shakespeare, and I was NOT a fan in high school

This was a fantastic YA fantasy read. It reminded me of a twist on Hunger Games that I would love to see made into a film! I was fascinated by the idea of “jumping” into other bodies. I think it was a great concept and the character development was as good. I’m looking forward to seeing if this story development continues.

DNF - at 41%.
I’m really struggling to get into this book. I feel a bit of a disconnect with the characters that is really making me struggle to get into the story. I have been attempting to read this book for the last 3 weeks and there isn’t enough motivating me to pick it up. I really gave it the best shot I could. I have loved Chloe’s other books. I find the world building a bit confusing and the characters have been getting confused in my head.

Quick Stats
Age Rating: 18+
Spice Level: 1/5
4.5 stars

Special thanks to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.

This was a good book, at times, it was even a very good book, yet I still found myself a little disappointed. Chloe Gong’s previous book, Foul Lady Fortune was my favorite read of 2023 (and I read almost 300 books!), and this just did not live up to that. I really enjoyed Immortal Longings, but I just kept thinking, I know Chloe Gong is capable of more than this.
It was a decently slow paced book, and the first 30% specifically, dragged sometimes. I think this author shines in her plot twists and her character relationships, but we don’t get much of either of those early on in the book. Plot twists, of course, can’t happen until you have a developed plot, but when they came they were amazing. However, the character interactions were very minimal in the first act. It was all exposition, a bit of info-dump world building, and internal monologue. Calla and Anton don’t meet until the 30% mark, and up until they team up, there’s little interaction between them and anyone else, either. Things are happening, but there isn’t a ton of forward action, plot wise. It’s all set up for the later plot and reveals and action. While I was interested, and I enjoyed getting to know Calla and Anton, I was never fully engaged.
That said, the last two thirds of the book—especially the last third—were action packed, high stakes, and easy to get swept up in. I finally started to see the talent and skill I knew Chloe Gong to be capable of. There were twists upon twists, and they all had me shrieking and on the edge of my seat. There was romance that was a little twisted and a lot of fun. And there was banter and character dynamics that made you fall in love with not only Calla and Anton, but the side characters, too. Once I got to the turning point, that first big reveal, I could not put this down. I flew through the last half of this book, and my rating jumped half a star. And all of that is not even to mention THAT ENDING??? I cannot wait for the next book in the series, and I’m optimistic that since we already have a lot of worldbuilding and set up out of the way, it will start a little stronger than this one did.
Despite the slow start, I highly recommend this book. I love Chloe Gong’s writing, and characters, and twists, and I really did love this book in the end. I already need more.

From the beginning, I was over the moon excited for Immortal Longings. Having been a fan of Chloe Gong's Secret Shanghai Universe, this speculative fiction debut has been making waves. On a world building premise alone, I love this idea of body jumping and being unable to trust your surroundings, or anyone really. There's this distinct sense of danger and atmosphere from the very first pages. And I think something Gong does an excellent job at is laying this foundation. Making sure that any twists, turns, revelations or even additions are building off of - or opposing and changing - this framework.

There are hundreds of small references I loved - like the cat appearances or a side character who's death made me tear up - but Immortal Longings is a thrilling first book in a series. It's clear from the beginning there's a sense of scope, of the opening act of this world and these characters. This world and setting have a Hunger Games feeling to this deadly competition and the gross inequalities of the world, the poverty and the desperation in the games. It creates an atmosphere of people you would never expect in the games with their own agendas and lives to risk.

From reading the synopsis, this book sounds fascinating. It has a Hunger Games plot, an enemies-to-lovers romance, unique body-jumping idea, and lots of politics interweaving through everything. There's some tense action as well as plot twists—especially with that cliffhanger at the end.

However, the story and the romance didn't grab me like I wanted it too. There's lots to unpack about the politics, world, and body jumping, and I don't feel like I truly have a grasp on the world. Also, King Kasa was a weak villain. We got almost no page time with him, so I couldn't feel hatred (or any other emotion) towards him.

The romance was such a slow burn that then turned into lust, and then suddenly they were dropping the "love" word left and right. I don't know if I missed something in the middle, but I needed way more growth with them together for it to be believable for me. Because of this, the ending felt lackluster.

I'm still intrigued with the world and the ending that I'll definitely consider picking up the next book, especially because I love Chloe Gong's other series. But this one didn't speak to me.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 3
Character Development: 3
Overall: 3

Thank you, Gallery Books and NetGalley, for the arc!

Trigger/Content Warnings: fighting violence and death, poisoning, starvation, mass killing, injuries, one open door scene

I haven't been a huge fan of Chloe Gong's writing in the past, and was hoping that her adult debut would change my mind, but alas. This was a book that I ended up DNF'ing, as I've done in the past with Gong's work. Something about the writing and the structure simply doesn't work for me. I think the premise of this book is interesting, and it did catch my attention at first, but it felt very slow. I don't think that Gong's style of world-building works for me, either. It felt clunky and boring.

I think that Gong's fans will enjoy this. However, for me, the Shakespeare retellings are starting to feel like a crutch. I'd be interested to see what Gong might do next, especially if it's a more original storyline. Unfortunately, this just didn't work for me.

Immortal Longings is the highly anticipated adult debut from Chloe Gong!! I love Chloe Gong’s YA books and her adult debut was equally as incredible. It is a Cleopatra and Anthony retelling, with a focus more on them as characters than the plot from Shakespeare. Calla is a princess whose main goal is to kill the secluded king. With the help of her cousin, she’ll have one shot at him at the winner’s ceremony of the annual games. First, she has to actually win the games. In the deadly competition she meets Anton, who she forms a reluctant partnership with. When the games conclude, who/what will Calla choose to protect?

I couldn’t put Immortal Longings down! The world-building was fascinating from the beginning, especially the close quarters and vertical mapping of the buildings. I appreciated how much research Gong did and that this was inspired from Hong Kong’s Kowloon Walled City in the 1990s. Although this is fantasy, real issues of poverty and inequality are highlighted and cause serious challenges, such as unfathomable medical debt. The magic system was very creative! It felt really well thought out and comprehensive. There are lots of clever details and consequences that befall users who use it incorrectly. I can’t wait to see how this is expanded upon in book two.

Immortal Longings had great pacing, with plenty of action scenes that flow together seamlessly. Calla and Anton have such good chemistry and banter. I couldn't look away as they went from enemies to reluctant allies to lovers back to enemies. It was angsty in the best way!! Anton and Calla are definitely both new favorite love interests. The scenes were so vivid, especially the confrontational scenes between Calla and Anton. The conclusion was excellent and theatrical- it'll leave readers on the edge of their seats! I’m really looking forward to seeing where Chloe Gong takes the story next, especially the magic system and world-building!

Thank you so much to Chloe Gong, Gallery/Saga Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

The worldbuilding and magic system in this book is what kept me going and will keep me invested enough to read the second book in the series. I felt like the romance was a bit forced and rushed but can see how it could be further developed in book two. Overall entertaining and worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Immortal Longings" is my first Chloe Gong book and I may have had high expectations based off of what I've heard about her YA books from mutuals on TikTok because I found this adult fantasy severely lacking and underwhelming. One of the biggest issues I had with this book was that it didn't really read like I was following adults. August, Calla, Anton, and the other main cast of characters we follow were so juvenile. The only thing that really seems to make this an adult book is the fact that there is some spiciness (a sex scene). Other than that, if you told me the characters were 15-18 years old, I would believe you. I just found myself annoyed with how childish and immature Calla, Anton, and August were. Ugh, don't even get me started on Calla as a character. I really REALLY wanted to love her, she has all the trademarks of female characters that I love but something about how Gong wrote just didn't really land for me. And on top of that, all the characters' motivations just fell so flat for me. Even towards the end with the twists and everything...I just found myself saying "....Okay....So?" I mean, the twists I mentioned (which I won't spoil) were kind of predictable. I haven't even gotten into the "magic system" in this book because it just doesn't make sense. Like at all. Gong presents it as this sort of inherent thing because it's genetic but it just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe I'm just dumb, but I felt like Gong kept adding rules to the whole jumping thing that at some point, I just checked out. It didn't feel like a well thought out system and the way it's discussed throughout the novel felt like a writing exercise rather than a cemented thing in the book's world.

With all of that being said and with this being my first Gong, I can say that I'll likely never pick up another Gong book. And unfortunately, I'll be adding Gong to my list of overhyped TikTok authors.

Immortal Longings is by far my favorite Chloe Gong book! This book had excellent world building and was very plot-driven so I’m curious to see what fans of Gongs previous works think, but I think adult fantasy readers will really enjoy this one! Very well fleshed out! I could not put this down!

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery books!
I was so excited to receive this arc as I love Chloe Gong's YA books and was ecstatic to see her debut in adult fantasy. I've seen many people compare this to the hunger games, which hey very good comparison as the games in both of these books are similar. I love the inspiration behind the story as well as the premise of the games. I love the addition of the magic and rules in place for the games as it built on a common concept and made it a bit more unique to the story.

Short Synopsis:
This is Chloe Gong’s first adult fantasy, and what a wild ride. Inspired by Shakespeare’s Cleopatra and Antony characters, this fantasy is filled with power, gory battles and romance.

Princess Calla fled the palace after killing her father and family. But when the annual games of San-Er happen (a game where 88 contestants compete, leaving one person alive), Crown Prince August, convinces Calla to compete and take out the king. Once the games start, she crosses paths with Anton, another child of the palace. The two team up taking out their competition and catching feelings in the process.

My Thoughts:
I feel like way too many books are compared to The Hunger Games these days, but this is a solid comparison - deadly games, corrupt leader, romance with a contestant. It took me awhile to get into this book. The first half is slow with a lot of world-building vomit. BUT it is worth it. Once the plot is the focus, oh man, this book is a wild ride. I enjoyed it so much and cannot wait until book two. Especially with that ending. 🤯🤯

Read if You Like:
🌙 Shakespeare Retellings
🌙 Hunger Games
🌙 Action
🌙 Cliff-hanger endings
🌙 Unlikely partnerships