This is a dark colonizing romance with magic and historical based events just changed to a different people. It has some great concepts just want for me.

The cover is gorgeous and the premise of this sounded amazing. Unfortunately the world building made no sense. The blend of seemingly medieval Chinese setting with Ancient Rome but also modern technology felt messy and confusing, and sections of info and exposition dumping didn't make it any tidier. It felt as though the world didn't quite know what it wanted to be.

The romance also left a lot to be desired and wasn't fully believable as a romance were meant to root for. The prose itself was fine but the story execution was disappointing.

Synopsis: To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods follows the protagonist, Ruying, who lives in Pengu with her grandmother and sister Meiya. In Pengu, the people suffer due to the invasion of the Roman Empire that took place over two decades ago. The Romans use new science against the people of Pengu forcing them to comply and face the destruction that the Romans cause in their city, Jing-City. In a world fear-stricken and on the edge of war, Ruying is offered a deal with a Roman Prince, Antony, who promises to protect her family and offers a better world if she serves him. The cost is using her death magic and going against her people by trusting a Roman. Are the crimes that she will commit against her people justified for the promise of a better world? Is this deal with the prince even trustworthy? Ruying will have to decide what side of history she is on and if she is making the right choices in this debut novel by Molly X. Chang.

I was so excited to read this book and the cover is so beautiful! The pace of the book was overall consistent for me and I enjoyed reading this book although I had a hard time understanding the main character. I admired Ruying’s character and her determination to survive but I did find myself annoyed whenever she naively believed everything Antony said. I felt that she contradicted herself at times and was not true to who she wanted to be. The overall story line was definitely very different than what I anticipated it to be but I plan to read book 2! The fantasy world that Molly X. Chang created and intertwined with real inspirations had me intrigued. I found myself wanting to learn more about the real events that this was based on and I felt like I understood why Ruying did the things she did even though I didn’t agree with them. Therefore, I recommend this book for the hope that it reflects, the story it tells, and the sacrifices it embodies. However, this book does contain heavy content so definitely read at your own discretion.

I really wanted to like this book. The cover is gorgeous and I was intrigued by the blurb and thought I would like it. I've been trying to read it for almost a month now and I just can't get into it. I DNF it at 25%. I may try again at a different time, but for now I just need to let it go. It just wasn't for me.

I think the author has a lot of potential and I do like the idea/premise of the world-building but unfortunately, I couldn't connect with the characters and overall story. I found that the writing had too much angst in terms of internal monologue where the main character was describing everything without "showing" the incidents, events, and actions. I think this left the world-building undeveloped.

I think the author wanted to convey the impacts of colonization but the way she developed the relationship felt even more oppressed. I was hoping that maybe the two main characters was going to overcome tribulations where there's like a redemption arc but I couldn't seem to get past the constant torture and then, I lost interest.

It was actually hard to stay invested due to the writing style, lack of understanding in the cause of Rome/Pangu's origins, love interest/world building.

Still, I do think the author has a lot of potential and I hope my mind is changed for book 2 and other future stories the author writes.

I really wanted to love this book. The synopsis was on point with books I enjoy and the cover art is beautiful. However, I have been trying to read this book for a full month now and I just cannot get into it. There is not much in the first part of this book that grabs your attention and convinces you to keep reading. It feels very slow and drawn out and I just could not get into it. The FMC is not very likable and the story of how her village has been taken over, and all the people that are addicted to drugs, wasn’t a very appealing plot. I would like to give this book another chance once published, I’m a mood reader so we will see if I try again.

This was.. interesting. The plot was intriguing but I did not like the female main character. Her motivations, while pure, were so naive and frustrating. It didn’t seem like she had much growth or development until the last 15%. The male main character? It felt like I was viewing him through a hazy filter the whole time and I wanted to be shown more of him to understand his motivations.

I have been wanting to read more BIPOC fantasies and I really wanted to love this. But I didn’t. As it stands, I will likely dnf the series.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to review a kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Alright, this is going to be a difficult one to put into words, but I am going to try my best!

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is a beautifully written novel: the prose is gorgeous, the world is full and ripe to be explored, the characters are complex and flawed, and the danger feels so, so, SO incredibly real and frightening. Reading the authors note in the beginning, it is easy to see where the authors writing gets its emotional charge, as it is inspired by very real events that are impossible to fully capture the brutality of in mere words. This is the kind of novel that makes you want to burn down the world, and everything and everyone who is corrupt within it. Based on my reading experience of the story alone, it is at LEAST 4 or 4.5 stars.

However, there is one very glaring and difficult to sit with aspect of this story, and it is one that I have seen many reviewers taking issue with as well. Ruying finds a romantic interest in one of the prices of the land that has come to conquer, colonize, and ultimately genocide her people. This is brutal and complicated, and I see why many were not able to get past it once they got deep enough into the book. I will lead by saying that my ultimate opinion of this is going to rely HEAVILY on the direction of the next book. To me, especially come the end (but also throughout), this reads as a story about a girl who has been manipulated, deceived, abused, gaslit and brainwashed by the most powerful figure in her life, and I think that complicates the landscape of this issue by quite a lot. It doesn't make her overlooking his brutality OKAY by any means, I only state that it certainly complicates it. This is something I would take more issue with the grayness of in an explicitly YA novel, but To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is being published as an Adult Fantasy title in the US, and therefore I think this kind of discourse is reasonable to be explored, SO LONG AS it is well handled and put to rest in the future publications of the series.

Because of this issue, it is incredibly, incredibly difficult for me to come up with a rating at this time. I am going to call is 3 stars, but the future of the series will be the defining factor in my opinion about where this goes. This should be treated as a ***spoiler alert*** of sorts but: at the end of this novel, it seems as clear as day that the curtain has been pulled back for Ruying, and that she will be completely and utterly done with any romantic exploration with this character in favor of fighting for her people now that she knows the depth of which she was manipulated. I do not think Ruying is a character to be looked up to at this time, but rather one that has more story to tell before we can decide who she is and what this author is trying to tell us. If this does not go in the direction I suspect and there is any pandering or excuse making for the colonizer character, I will amend quite literally everything I've said here. For now, I look forward to the next release, and will think often about what this story has taught me, even if things do not go as I expect them to going forward.

Thank you to Random House Ballantine & Netgalley for this eArc!

This story shows manipulation at its finest. A seemingly benevolent ruler compared to his kin, the Roman prince has his sights set on Ruying who has the power to control death. After one wrong move, Ruyings thrown into the path of destruction and depravity that she tried to hard to avoid. All the while her traitorous childhood best friend watches in trepidation. A tale woven that reminded me of Throne of glass’ assassins mixed with The Poppy war.

Funny enough I have a good quote from a book about literal grooming My dark Vanessa that perfectly shows the dynamic happening here:

“To be groomed is to be loved and handled like a precious, delicate thing.”

The manipulation and smooth talking technique is just a few tools in the arsenal of men who use women for further gain or satisfaction. They have perfected it over the years and use it to bend others to their wills through lies and promises.

I loved the story and the magic. The relationships. The use of language to connect the meanings. It also was so well done I really felt like I was hanging on every word!

The only problem I felt this book had was it being a little too over telling. Repetitive in a way? Show not tell is the way to go. But this is the authors debut I believe and it really good work for one! I am actually excited to read book 2

I also did not like the time jump and how she was so easily swayed after resisting Baihu for the same reason for so long. And why is he spicy now just cause she’s doing the same thing he has been doing this whole time? Pot meet kettle.

I thouroughly enjoyed this book. I thought it was a fresh unique idea. I like that Rome is just literally what current day Rome is so it made world imagining easier. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.

In a genre where the dance of morality and power can weave stories of profound impact, 'To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods' unfortunately stumbles, leaving its potential untapped. This novel, despite the promising allure of its blurb and the endorsement of renowned authors, struggles to find its footing amidst the complexities it seeks to explore. At the heart of my disappointment lies the treatment of its central romance, which inadvertently veers into the territory of romanticizing colonial dynamics, a direction that may unsettle readers looking for a more nuanced examination of power and resistance.

The premise introduces us to Ruying, a character born of a conquered world and blessed with a deadly gift, offering a fertile ground for a narrative rich in conflict and self-discovery. However, the development of this promising setup quickly becomes overshadowed by the book's focus on the romantic elements between Ruying and an enemy prince, a relationship that struggles to transcend the problematic foundations upon which it is built. The prince, intended to be seen as morally grey, is depicted in a manner that dilutes the gravity of his actions and his role as a representative of the oppressors, failing to critically engage with the implications of such a dynamic.

The narrative's attempt to navigate the murky waters of love and loyalty against the backdrop of colonization could have opened the door to poignant discussions on consent, power imbalance, and the complexities of identity in the face of subjugation. Yet, the exploration of these themes feels surface-level, with the romantic plotline often detracting from a deeper engagement with the world's rich history and the moral quandaries it presents.

Furthermore, the book's inclination towards 'enemies-to-lovers' and 'morally grey' tropes without a robust foundation to justify these labels contributes to a portrayal that lacks the depth necessary to effectively challenge or subvert the colonial narrative it presents. This oversight is a missed opportunity to delve into the nuances of resistance, complicity, and the cost of survival in a world defined by conquest and domination.

While the premise of "To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods" promises a thrilling tale of magic, murder, and the high stakes of political intrigue, the execution falls short of delivering a narrative that fully realizes its potential to critique or offer new perspectives on the themes it broaches. The focus on the romantic subplot, at the expense of more comprehensive world-building and thematic depth, leaves a void where there could have been a compelling discourse on power, identity, and the possibilities of redemption and resistance.

In conclusion, "To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods" may appeal to readers drawn to the allure of forbidden romance amidst conflict, but those seeking a story that offers a critical lens on its underlying themes of colonization and power may find it lacking. The journey of Ruying and her complex relationship with the prince, while central to the narrative, underscores the challenge of balancing romance with the weightier discussions on morality and oppression that the story attempts to engage with.

Unfortunately I could not connect with Ruying and the story. I did not like Ruying, she seemed very boring and she did not make me want to get to know her character.
I also did not like the idea of these modern Romans, with guns that come from another world and using planes or some kind of flying machines, when I think about Romans, all I think about is about the Roman Empire. I would have loved it if it was some kind of historical.
I also do not like drug use in books, I don't want to go to fantasy books to read about real life stuff. I read 22% of the book and it did not interest me. Ruying was the main issue, she is not a likable character.
It was a DNF for me. I tries to leave a review or rating in Goodreads but they shut down the rating for this book.

I am DNFing this around 20%.

I am finding the writing to be a bit redundant. I have been reading this over the last few days, and there are multiple details of the story that just keep repeating, almost word for word, to the point that it is throwing me off.

I really enjoy the premise of the Death powers, and while I think that the world is a little confusing, I do hope that these issues have been cleaned up a little for the release.

I plan on listening to the audiobook once the completed work is published.

3.5/5 rounded up

This book has been on my radar ever since I first saw the cover/synopsis. Overall, I didn’t hate this, in fact I’m quite excited to see where the rest of the trilogy goes, but it also wasn’t as strong as a book as I hoped it would be. I usually don’t write such long reviews, but I have a lot of thoughts.

TL;DR for anyone trying to decide if they want to read this book:
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is what I would call an adult dark science fantasy story with some alternate history elements. It’s not YA (though apparently it’s being marketed this way in the UK for some reason and I would say it does have crossover appeal). It is also not a Romance/Romantasy (though it does feature a complicated romantic subplot involving the protagonist and a villain)
The writing style makes it very clear it’s a debut novel (lots of repetition, infodumping, telling vs showing) and the worldbuilding is rather vague and hard to make sense of
This is a character-driven novel featuring an unreliable morally-grey first-person narrator who makes terrible choices in order to protect herself and her loved ones which can occasionally be frustrating
The most compelling parts of this book are Ruying’s character arc, her Death magic, and her evolving relationships with Meiya (her twin sister who longs to be a revolutionary), Baihu (her childhood friend turned traitor with mysterious motives), and Antony (the secretive enemy prince she forms an alliance with)
It very much feels like a setup book for the next two books in the trilogy rather than a book that can easily stand on its own. I don’t think this is inherently a bad thing though because a lot of what I ended up enjoying about this story was how the elements setup here could develop over the course of the trilogy.

Full Review:

Writing Style:
This is the part I struggled with the most while reading. It is very clear to me that this is a debut novel. There’s a lot of infodumping and flashbacks (particularly in the beginning) and a lot of repetition. It’s also a book that’s full of telling rather than showing which is a bit frustrating - especially when there’s a six month time jump in the middle. In many ways it felt like an extended prologue for the rest of the trilogy - this book was full of set up in terms of world, character dynamics, and character development and not much plot. All that said, the writing style was easy to read, there were some really beautiful lines throughout, and the short chapters made this book hard to put down. Despite feeling like this book still needed significant revision, I was still quite invested.

Worldbuilding:
The worldbuilding is very vague and not enough information is given to fully make sense of it. The central conflict is between Pangu - fantasy China on a different planet (galaxy?) that is full of magic, and Rome - the colonizing empire (seemingly from an alternate/future Earth?) that comes through a portal in the sky bringing technology and scientific advancements. This creates some interesting concepts (the conflict of magic vs science, themes of colonization and environmentalism, etc) but they were not as developed as I would’ve wanted. I left this book with a lot of questions about the world that I hope will be answered in the rest of the trilogy. On one hand it’s understandable since this is a first-person story and our protagonist doesn’t have a lot of information herself. On the other hand it makes it hard to feel fully immersed in the world.

The magic system isn’t very complex but overall it was enough for me. I found Ruying’s Death magic to be one of the strongest parts of the book and I always loved the haunting way it was described.

Plot/Characters:
I went into this book expecting it to be more plot-driven but it actually is very much a character-driven story. Once I realized that, the elements of this book that didn’t work for me were less distracting. It’s a first-person narration story and the plot is Ruying facing significant moral dilemmas after being forced to become the private assassin for a Roman prince. There’s not a lot of action and if that’s what you’re looking for this story will likely not be for you. Instead this book relies heavily on internal monologues and conversations between characters as Ruying tries to sort out right, wrong, and the grey areas in between. While I think at times this grew repetitive and I felt the narration could be a bit subtler, I found that I really loved Ruying’s character. She stood out to me as a kind of fantasy protagonist I rarely see - she’s selfish (yet has a big heart for her family and friends), naive (in a way that feels like a coping mechanism - willful ignorance as a form of self-preservation), and realistically cowardly given her circumstances. It’s refreshing to see a fantasy heroine who isn’t naturally a bold revolutionary leader. She makes 100000 bad decisions throughout this book but her (albeit unreliable) narration always made me understand why - even if it was a bit maddening to be in her head sometimes. I enjoyed her character arc throughout this book and the ending sets up an intriguing arc for Book 2. I’m excited to see her journey throughout this trilogy as she has potential for some really great character growth.

Outside of Ruying, I found that the book particularly shined in scenes that were just conversations with various characters that were pulling her in different directions - Meiya, her twin sister who longs to be part of the revolution, Baihu, her childhood friend turned mysterious traitor, and Antony, the Roman prince with whom she forms a very complicated alliance. She is pulled quite a few different I’m very intrigued to see how these relationships evolve over the course of the series.

Romance:
I think the most important thing to note about this book is that just because there is a romantic subplot, it does not inherently make this book a Romance/Romantasy. There are some mismarketing things that I think perhaps set up wrong expectations but throughout the book I felt that the narrative was clear on what the central relationship really was. It’s a slowly built and complicated enemies to “allies” to “friends” to “lovers” (sort of?) to enemies dynamic. I would also call it a “villain romance” so if that type of character dynamic is not appealing to you at all, you likely will not enjoy this book. Ultimately though describing it in terms of tropes doesn’t truly capture the layers of the relationship between Ruying and Antony. It’s a morally grey relationship built on an imbalance of power, manipulation, and many secrets. While there is a genuine connection (or at least what the two of them think is a genuine connection) their relationship arc over the course of the book takes a significant turn and I think it’s highly unlikely that this is a couple that will be endgame. Also, despite the fact their relationship is central to the story, the romantic elements in this book are quite minimal - to the point a case could be made that it didn’t need to turn romantic at all. That being said, I think the romance adds an interesting layer to their dynamic to be explored in future books. If I had to compare it to another character dynamic I would say it’s similar to the Alina/The Darkling dynamic from Shadow and Bone.

There’s also another potential romance for Ruying that I do think will be endgame and the angsty slowburn potential of it developing over the course of this trilogy is excellent.

I am DNF-ing this book at 35%.

Maybe I will come back to this story some day, but right now I am simply not interested in it.

The world building is sloppy in my opinion. It may get better at the middle and end, but I am too tired of it. I do not want excessive telling rather than showing, and the info-dumping is too intense for my taste. It feels as if the author does not trust the readers to make their own opinions. Maybe the manipulation of the lead is partly why it feels that way, but again, I'm not in the mood for this currently. At the time I am stopping, the writing needs another round of major edits. This writing isn't getting to the meat of the story like it should.

I am rating this three stars because I DNF-ed. I do not have the whole story to rate, so I am neutrally rating it.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for access to this digital ARC. This review is based on my own interpreting and enjoyment of the text. Unfortunately, I didn’t love this one. I found myself excited when looking at the incredible cover art and the synopsis was very intriguing. As I progressed through the first quarter of the book I found my interest being challenged to the point where I decided to begin skipping though future chapters as I tend to do when my ADHD gets the best of me while reading subjects that don’t fully captivate me. I was hoping I would gain some cultural insight, that there would be some lore or mythology to support the way things were presented however I found that there was quite a bit more darkness between the characters than I realized. I don’t particularly look to read titles with colonialism at the forefront and this title took it to another level. I just couldn’t get on the same page as the characters to the point in which I stopped reading and put it down all together. I’ve taken some time away from it and yet after coming back have decided it’s just not something I want to read. While the writing itself wasn’t to blame for my disinterest, the topics and presentation made it challenging to continue therefore Ive decided to not finish the title. Some might like the direction of this story, however I did not.

A 19 year old girl with the power of Death is torn between helping her family survive or helping bring peace to her world.

What I liked about the book: the main struggle or conflict is explored enough for the reader to understand the circumstances of the main character but there is some mysterious aspects left to discover as the story progresses. I liked Baihu's character as he is constant with the personality shown at the beginning but has some improvement throughout the story. The main idea for this book was interesting enough to keep me reading.

What was lacking: the main characters (protagonist and antagonist) were a bit vague and weird. The protagonist is not constant with her personality and keeps doubting herself (which makes her read as a YA character.) The antagonist is not really good nor bad, he reads as a kid trying to look evil and its just wanting to trick others into giving him what he wants but its not doing a great job. I couldn't get to care about the other characters as they were not explored that much. The way the chapters were split made the reading immersion a bit confusing. I don't think it was necessary to explain every aspect of the character's life if we could discover it through events in the story or know what another character was really doing/meaning if we could read about it through another character's revelation.

The romance in the story was not the best. I think that it could have been avoided and made into just a friendship or strong bond somehow. It read like the characters knew they were on a book and were doing fanservice just because romance was expected in the book. I get that romance is an important part of books these days but it doesn't mean that you have to force it into the story.

Overall, I liked the story enough to finish the book but it did have some irregularities that could have made it better. I liked the world building and the different living styles portrayed for each world. The main idea was interesting and I'm hoping the second book brings answers and emotion to the story.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

I was really excited to read it based on the description and topics, however I just found the overall story - not bad. It’s not something I’d personally reach for to read again. The overall story line was ok. Good concept. I liked the exploration of the xianlings and the various types of magic. Perhaps this could have been explored more. I didn’t mind the tension between the worlds and the science va magic- all great concepts. I think one thing that would help is a bit more backstory. I was super confused how the two worlds came together - and even still kind of confused in the end. Is Rome in the future and traveling back through time in the portal? The enemies to lovers aspect lacked the feeling for me. Normally, there is hatred but a spark that slowly builds- but I never felt that. The romance was a bit more of an annoying element in the story for me personally. Perhaps others feel differently. Again, not a bad book, just not my cup of tea.

DNF @45%

I should've stopped reading sooner. I didn't like the writing and the "romance" made no sense and was a terrible addition to the story.

Right off the bat this book failed to pull me in - I found the writing on the dry side and the worldbuilding and characters underdeveloped. It took a really long time for the plot to actually start happening, so I’m not sure why the first book failed to really set up the structure of the story if there wasn’t any plot either. There was also quite a bit of what I can only describe as “melodramatic YA inner monologue” that kept taking me out of the story more and more.

This book was beautiful. Molly X. Chang weaves a gripping narrative into her poetic prose, presenting her characters with choices too big for any one person. Set in a fictional universe, where Rome conquered the whole earth and found a portal to other worlds, Chang unfolds a fantasy and a nightmare all in one. Reading this book felt like being curled up, listening to one of my aunties tell stories of far away lands. If you liked The Cruel Prince, you should give this book a try.

This story touches on so many topics—war, poverty, addiction, power, loyalty, honor, exploitation… and just when you think you can’t take another ethical dilemma, another one appears. The twists and turns in this story were incredible. I want to mention that I did find the timeline a little confusing, and there was some repetition in the details that felt unedited, but otherwise, every beat in the story compelled me to keep moving forward.

Ruying is a complex and conflicted FMC, and we only see that increase as she transforms into something fearsome. I think I finally understand the allure of morally grey characters. While I have to admit that it’s not my favorite trope, the relatability of facing ethical dilemmas is so powerful, even if what I experience is so much less than life or death. It’s easy to put ourselves into the shoes of our MC’s knowing that we would struggle to choose too.

Sweet and terrible Antony. I wanted to love him and I wanted to hate him. Very rarely do characters make me feel so conflicted! I am amazed at the empathy I developed for his character, even though his ambition made me question his every move. I do believe that he was the lesser of two evils, though I suppose we will never know…

As a debut novel, I think Chang knocked it out of the park. I will definitely be reading whatever she writes next!

(Review will go up on Goodreads once reviews can be posted again—there’s currently a review limitation for this book on Goodreads. Review will go up on Insta in the next couple of days and then again on pub day.)