One of the strengths of the novel is Gong's ability to seamlessly weave together elements of Chinese folklore and mythology with the familiar themes of love and sacrifice found in Shakespeare's play. This adds depth and a unique cultural perspective to the story, making it both familiar and refreshingly new.

However, some readers may find the pacing of the novel to be a bit uneven, with certain sections feeling rushed while others are more leisurely paced. Additionally, while the blending of genres is a key aspect of the novel's appeal, some readers may find that the balance between the historical setting, the romance, and the fantasy elements is not always consistent.

This book was not my favorite. I enjoyed some of it, and I truly appreciated the twist on the source material of Antony and Cleopatra, but it did not keep my attention for a few reasons. I felt that it could have moved faster in terms of story and plot, and while I liked the characters fine, none of them were memorable once I finished reading. I didn't feel there was anything intrinsically unique about this book, which is unfortunate because Chloe Gong is an excellent author. I'll still continue to read her though!

Chloe gong is an absolute queen and I stand by that wholeheartedly. This one gave me heavy hunger games/squid games vibes that I really enjoyed and I loved the Antony cleopatra dynamic, which is a romance retelling I feel like I don’t see often.

DNF this book. Just didn’t intrigue me enough to keep reading. Maybe it just wasn’t for me and it may have gotten better but I couldn’t get into it

I think maybe Chloe Gong's writing style is not for me. I just could not get into it. Which is a real shame because I always find her premises to be so interesting!

I'm honestly very surprised by the hate for this and questioning whether or not I have good opinions. I really liked this book. I know that this was supposed to be dystopian and similar to the hunger games, but for me it felt very much fantasy meets the squid games. It more so reminds me of the squid games because these are mostly adult players that purchase a ticket to be entered into the games. They are mostly desperate to win (mostly for the money) for one personal reason or the other (whereas the hunger games features children who were forced into the games just trying to survive). I think the world building is excellent.

**NOTE**: I received a digital copy of this and then listened to the audiobook instead. So, I do think things were easier for me to follow because I listened to them. And frankly, the narrator did a fantastic job in the audio book so paragraphs never felt like they were just going on forever, as they may have in the book. 10/10 would buy the audio book for my library.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong. I have not read much in this genre, but I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this. I really enjoyed the characters and the plot. If you are a fan of the Hunger Games, this is definitely a must-read for you!

This is my first read of Chloe Gong books even though I own them all.
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This book was Hunger Games-esq with a fantasy twist.
I enjoyed the magic system of Jumping your Chi from body to body.
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Many aspects of this book were repetitive. Info dumping galore. The city was described beautifully and in great detail the first time. And the again and again also in great detail. Same for the explanation of the games.
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But the twist at the end DID make me want to read the second one now. Too bad it’s not out yet. 😂

A book win for everyone that deserves a chance. It has all the elements that keeps you intrigued while wanted to know more. Also, the ending was so disrespectful.

Chloe Gong can do no wrong in my book. I love this take on Antony/cleopatra. I’m so glad someone did their love story justice. Chloe is another automatic buy author for me.

I have never really enjoyed this author's work. It just doesn't work for me but this one really didn't work for me. The writing is not up to her usual skill and the story itself felt off.

Not my favorite of Chloe Gong's, but I gave it a real try. We still have a copy in our library because to each their own, but I won't be rereading my copy.

This book was a fun adventure and so exciting to read. I enjoyed the characters and the world building was easy to understand. I enjoyed this book a lot.

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book.

I requested this book because of Chloe Gong, as everyone is raving about her lately, and because the synopsis had me hooked, as it sounded like the start of the next best dystopian series. Let me say, and I say it in the nicest way possible, this is a Hunger Games rip-off.

In what was advertised as a retelling of The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra, a princess, an exiled aristocrat, and an adopted son heir to the throne are the main characters of this Hunger Games reboot where the concept of body jumping is the only difference between the two dystopian novels. Everything else lacks novelty and the descriptions feel redundant, unnecessary, and take away from the main story.

This story was a difficult one to complete. In my opinion, Ms. Gong's attempt at a Shakespeare retelling misses the mark as the story bears no resemblance to the play that served as its inspiration. As a result, I can confidently say that I'm done with this series.

This was my first book to read by this author but it won't be my last! This was a beautifully written novel that evokes so many emotions. Don't miss out on this one!

Okay, wow, this was so good. Excellent slow burn, nice world-building, exciting fights, anti-hero(es), and much more! Some parts felt a little slow, but then it immediately picked back up. I’m ready for the next book!

I would definitely recommend this to adult readers, but to some teens, too, if I knew them well enough to know they’d be okay with the mature content.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fun read. It did take me a while to get into the story and understand every thing that was happening but I got there. I liked the games and yes it will be said it’s like hunger games it really didn’t feel that way and stands out on its own. Fun concept and the writing the flows that I couldn’t stop at a certain point. I liked the characters and I I was pleasantly surprised by the ending.

I think maybe Chloe Gong's writing style is not for me. The premise seemed very interesting, however I just could not get into it.

The writing of this novel was subpar. The characters had feeling for specific things, situations, and each other though the author did not provide emotional depth to accurately express the feelings. The plot was enjoyable but the novel feel short in keeping me interested.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for "Immortal Longings" by Chloe Gong in exchange for an honest review. I recommend this book to any fantasy lover and/or Hunger Games fan. While it took me a little to get into the novel due to the heavy information that the reader has to digest in the beginning, However, I was able to find an attachment for the main characters. I didn't like the idea of body-jumping, it felt invasive and uncomfortable due to the execution of it all, when there could have been important themes incorporated with it instead. Read this if you love multiple POVs! The chemistry between two characters in the book felt realistic and I love a book that ends in a cliffhanger, it makes you want to know more.