Chloe Gong's books never fail to astound me with their intricate worldbuilding and complex characters. Vilest Things is no different - packed with action, suspense and intrigue, it also builds upon the world that we were introduced to in Immortal Longings. I loved learning more about how qi works, though I did feel that the magic system was a bit too vague considering its importance to the story.
Calla, Anton and August are all such interesting characters. You're able to sympathize with them all, yet at the same time you can't stand them! Calla's drive and ambition are stronger than ever, while Anton's desire for more power and vengeance against his family reaches its boiling points. August's character was especially interesting because I liked learning more about his motivations, even if he ended up being the villain.
The writing was excellent, as always. The dialogue had a good flow, and the setting was so atmospheric and realistic. I did feel that the shifts in POV were extremely jarring and choppy, which disrupted the flow of the story at times. It was difficult to keep track of the story when the perspective was being shifted in the middle of a paragraph.
After that ending, I absolutely can't wait to see what happens next! I'm sure there's a lot in store for Calla as she tries to navigate her newfound power.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Saga Press for the eARC!

I enjoyed this, but was left a little wanting. The book dragged while also skipping significant developmental moments I felt. One of the biggest gaps was Calla and Otta's unexplained hatred for each other. I would have loved to get a bit more to justify their distaste. I also saw a couple of the plot twists coming, despite never having read the Shakespearean inspiration. The expansion of the world was intriguing and I liked getting to see more of the inner workings of San-Er's court. Overall, a solid second book but not quite as good as the first. I will read the third though to see how the story ends.

It’s no secret that Immortal Longings was one of my favorite books last year (along with my reread last month) so when I had the chance to read an advance copy of the second book, Vilest Things, I was beyond excited!!

This book is so different from the first one, it still has the same gritty tone but it spends its time expanding on the world and magic system. I loved the expansion on the magic system, jumping and qi take on new strengths through this book. Vilest Things takes us out of San-Er and throws us into the deep end. Chloe Gong excels greatly in this book by creating complex webs of characters with warring motivations. These motivations give us more depth to the characters and helps you to understand them more.

Vilest Things spends more time on the politics and plotting than the first book, to its benefit, especially with the cliffhanger of Immortal Longings. If you are familiar at all with Roman History (literally my Roman Empire is the Roman Empire lol) or the Shakespearean play, Antony and Cleopatra, you will have some insight, but Chloe is able to weave her own lore into the story as well.

Another HUGE cliffhanger that I will be desperately awaiting resolution for (@sagapressbooks you know where to find me 👀) and another hard hitting FIVE STAR read for me in this universe from Chloe.

Thank you again to @sagapressbooks for the last minute eARC coming in clutch when my physical copy got lost in the mail! I can’t wait for everyone to read this when it drops soon! 🌙😈

Riveting, Unique, and Intriguing!!

This book was everything I wanted in a sequel. The plot twists and romance delivered.
Witty banter? Check. Mind games? Check. Morally gray characters? Of course.
Don't miss this!

Since this is a second book in a trilogy, I went in expecting a filler book with a bunch of info dumping and I couldn't have been more wrong. I am mostly impressed with the pacing of this book. No slow parts and when info was needed to be given, it was surrounded by action!!
This book takes place right where Immortal
Longings left off. Calla has won the games by killing her lover Anton and has crowned August as ruler but finds out Anton jumped into August body and he is not happy she killed him. Plus Anton's first love has awoken from a 7 year coma and strange things are starting to happen in the provinces.
loved how this story progressed from book 1. It was a continuation of book 1 but with more friction as now Anton and Calla have tension. I thought Otta would cause more problems with their relationship but it almost felt like Anton was more attached to Otta when she was in a coma than when she was awake. I think it really was the need to be needed that had him sticking around. I felt like Anton and Calla formed a relationship in book 1 mostly because they were stuck together but in book 2, they are choosing the relationship which makes it seem more serious.
The story is so good with all the tension between
Otta, August and Calla and Anton and I can't wait to see how the story unfolds in book 3. Will alliances stay or break?

I have long been awaiting the sequel to Immortal Longings, which I picked up as my June 2023 Book of the Month box and read while on vacation in Iceland last year. It may have been partly due to my sense of adventure on the trip, but I was very intrigued by this unique Anthony and Cleopatra retelling with a Hunger Games-like plot. I had no idea where the series was headed, but looked forward to learning more.

Unfortunately, I immediately had trouble diving back into this world. Due to the sheer amount of characters and POVs, it would have been extremely helpful for me if the author had included a summary of book 1 at the beginning of Vilest Things. I did end up getting a bit more sucked in as time went on, but this book overall felt difficult for me to sink into. While the prose itself was beautiful, it left something to be desired.

I also felt great romantic tension in Immortal Longings, but felt absolutely none of it in Vilest Things. I experienced none of the buildup here, and simply felt confused during the scenes of sexual intimacy - I cannot see the purpose they served.

Overall, I did like the writing, and it's obvious the author has planned this story out well. Sadly, I simply wasn't invested and simply won't be continuing the series. Huge thanks to Chloe Gong, NetGalley, and S&S for a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vilest Things is a masterful blend of dark fantasy and rich storytelling that grips you from the first page. I loved the massive world building that was filled with complex characters. It was such a treat to read and kept me hooked and engaged the whole story.

A thrilling sequel that delivers non-stop action, intricate political intrigue, and complex character dynamics. Chloe Gong's masterful storytelling keeps readers guessing until the very end, with unexpected twists and morally gray characters. A must-read for fans of high-stakes fantasy and stunning prose.

I’ve been pining for this sequel since the last one ended. That cliffhanger was brutal. And here we are.

Did it take off with a bang? No. It took a while to get going and even then the book sauntered on motives and events that were in a word: confusing. For someone who read the first book so long ago, I could have used a recap. Whereas the first one did such a great job with world building, this one left me lost for most of it. I also found the dialogue to sounds less modern times and more something that would occur in 1200 BC. So between the visuals and the plot, I struggled to envision the story like I could with the first.

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

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Alyssa's review
Aug 11, 2024 · edit

really liked it
bookshelves: sagasayscrew

I enjoyed the second installment of this series, maybe even a bit more than the first.

The story picks up right where book 1 left us, which I really appreciate. The pacing sometimes is a bit slow in areas, maybe because this book has more politics in it (no way around that though!).

The characters Calla and Anton have a bit more depth this book, which I loved, but sometimes felt overwhelmed by the many directions this book seems to take us. I think the addition of strong secondary characters like Bibi and Otta is really smart and well done. They were so intriguing and I can't wait for book 3 (you know what I'm talking about!). I also love the use of more POVs, it adds dimension and depth. My only complaint would be wanting more from these POVs because they're so interesting.

The ending is a star but I also wish there was still a little bit more there, maybe it's the reader's FOMO and not wanting it to end so quickly.

Overall, can't wait for book 3. I hope it's going to be a knockout!

Thanks to Saga Press and Netgalley for the ARC :)

Vilest Things delivered a masterful sequel with higher stakes and interesting character dynamics.

We pick up almost immediately after the events of Immortal Longings. Calla Tuoleimi is now advisor to King August, and the only one that knows his secret, that Anton Makusa is in fact not dead.

Despite their strained relationship, Calla and Anton start to piece together the mystery of odd qi deaths in the outer regions. But when Anton’s old flame Otta Avia wakes from her coma, the strange events start appearing closer to home. There is a race to capture the crown before it falls into wrong hands.

The political intrigue had me in its clutches! What a complex tale of fighting for power and where an epic fantasy could begin. I loved uncovering the various layers of different religious factions and buried secrets, just getting to scratch the surface of Calla’s history.

The tension between Calla and Anton was really like no other, testing the fragile alliance they created in book one. I very much enjoy the strong female voices in this story. Besides Calla, Bibi and Otta are new characters introduced in this book and I’m very curious to see how the story unfolds with their addition.

What I loved originally about the first book was its world building, and it expanded in this sequel. The intricacies of the magic system have been embellished and I cannot wait for the next book to see it come to a head.

Thank you to Saga Press for the review copy.

Vilest Things is a gripping whirlwind of power, betrayal, and twisted romance that will leave you breathless. As a sequel to Immortal Longings, this book amps up the stakes, blending Shakespearean drama with high-stakes political intrigue in the electrifying world of Talin.
Calla Tuoleimi is a force to be reckoned with—having won the brutal games and taken down her tyrannical uncle, she's now the sharp-witted advisor to the throne. But the real kicker? The man she’s advising isn’t really who he appears to be. Anton Makusa’s audacious move to hijack August’s body adds a deliciously complex layer to the plot, especially with his simmering resentment towards Calla. Their fiery dynamic is just as explosive as you’d expect, filled with tension that could set an empire ablaze.
Otta Avia’s return throws a serious wrench in the works, unveiling secrets that threaten to topple the already shaky monarchy. The author expertly navigates the tangled web of alliances and betrayals, pulling the reader along on a dark and thrilling journey to the kingdom’s farthest corners. The pacing is relentless, and the plot twists keep coming, making it nearly impossible to put the book down.
Vilest Things is a masterclass in how to craft a sequel that not only lives up to its predecessor but dares to go even darker and deeper. If you’re a fan of lethal love stories with a side of political machinations, this is a must-read that will leave you eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley and the Publishers for an eARC copy of this book!
This book will be published September 10th, 2024.
I absolutely loved the first installment in this series so I was extremely excited to jump into this next book. Unfortunately, this second book didn't live up to how much I loved the first, which I had given a 5 star, it had a lot to live up to.
I will start with the aspects I enjoyed an move into a few critiques afterwards. I want to preface that this was good, but not the greatness I expected.
Firstly, the continued inclusion of Mao Mao, Calla's kitty, was a fun tidbit. I sort of wish we got more of her, almost along the lines of crime fighting animal sidekick who skulks in the shadows. That she somehow instinctively knows when Calla jumps to a new body. We got a safe and spoiled palace cat though, so I guess no worries for an animal death.
I do enjoy political maneuverings in books, and this was a majority of that. This one also delves a lot deeper into world building that we didn't get a complete picture of in the first.
Now to some things that threw me off.
I went into this not having re-read the first book. I sort of wish I had, because character names would have took less brain power to remember how they fit into the past story moving into this next book. Just having the basic idea of Calla, Anton, and August was not completely enough.
After the high action games to the death of the first book, this was much more medium paced. It's not bad, just a very different feel from the first book for me. I read that one in 3 days, whereas this one it took me over a week.
I had a really hard time with setting. In this world we have electric lighting, cellphones, computers, and surveillance cameras, but yet they travel on horses and carriages. I would have an “oh yeah we do have technology” moment quite a lot. I feel as though Gong left your own imagination to interpret how villages and other areas looked as well. No descriptions for if something was more futuristic or if that was just the main capital of San-Er and the provinces were more farm.
I also was consistently wondering where this new book was taking us, and it was not something I expected the story to take, despite the series title. I still am unsure if I really like the sharp turn of directions with the plot. I knew the “games to the death” plot couldn't be done again, but I guess I didn't think what happened would be set up to finish off the series.
For those wondering how closely it “retells” Antony and Cleopatra in this one. It seems like it is still only in name reference. I have not fully read the play or brushed up on history, but looking at a full summary compared to what happens politically in this book. It is not close.
Overall, I do believe if you wanted more politics and world building in the first book, you will get that in the second. This one is less action, it has some but not as much. It did lean into Romantasy more, I think maybe Gong purposely went for a tad bit of spice due to the growing popularity. I am interested in the third book and where this series is going, but book one wins out for my favorite between these two.

I think it's clear that I will read anything that Chloe Gong writes at this point. Vilest Things is book two in the Flesh and False Gods series and it is just as crazy as Immortal Longings. I love how readers learn more about Calla and Anton in this book. Their relationship is so complex and filled with trauma. The dialogue they had with each other made me gasp nonstop!

The Qi magic system is also further explored in this book! At times the world-building went over my head, and I found myself having to reread parts of the story; however, it's clear how much time and planning Chloe Gong put into this book!

Like almost all of her books, this one ends on a HUGE cliffhanger! I can't wait to read the next one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Saga Press for an E-ARC of this book! Make sure to grab it September 10 when it is released!

Vilest Things, by Chloe Gong, is the second installment in the authors Flesh and False Gods series. Key Characters: Calla Tuoleimi, Anton Makusa, and August Shenzhi. However, there's a new character who appears to throw things into disarray and she goes by the name of Bibi and, of course, the reappearance of Otta Avia after being in a coma for years. In a stunning development, that which is supposed to kill you, can actually save you. You'll have to wait until the final page for her real identity and that will leave the book with a stunning cliffhanger ending.

Calla has succeeded in winning San-Er’s bloody games and eliminated King Kasa, her tyrant uncle and the former ruler of Talin. She serves now as royal advisor to Kasa’s adopted son, August Shenzhi, who has risen to the throne. Only Calla knows it isn’t really August. Anton Makusa is still furious about Calla’s betrayal in the final round of the games. In an impossible feat, he took over August’s body to survive and has no intention of giving up this newfound power. In fact, he seems eager to burn it all down with the help of some bad people.

But when his first love, the beautiful, explosive Otta Avia, awakens from a years long coma and reveals a secret that threatens the monarchy’s authority over Talin, chaos erupts. As tensions come to a boiling point, Calla and Anton must set their conflicts aside and head to the kingdom’s far reaches to find a crown that is supposed to determine who the real ruler of San-Er is. Even if their empire might be better off burning. Everything is more high stakes now than ever, because with Calla having no one on her side, until she and Anton can fix the things that happened at the end of the previous novel.

With everyone seemingly against her, Calla has to figure out how she’ll save San-Er by herself. She also has to navigate the complicated history Otta has with everyone, leaving her half a step behind. We also have to question who Calla really is since she easily can bounce from one body to the next, even those though impossible. The boy swapping is by far the most twisted part of this series. Otta is a catalyst with too much information that she seems impossible for even August to handle. To make things more wicked, Bibi seems to be willing to burn things down in order to help Calla, but is she really an ally?

I own every single one of Chloe Gong's books at this point and will most certainly be buying Vilest Things to go along with Immortal Longings. What a talent and a great story - I can't wait for the hardcover to come out!


Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Saga Press and Netgalley for sending me an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

How does one even begin to describe such masterpieces as the ones that Chloe Gong writes?? Just when I think I have everything in line and I'm caught up, she throws in more of her genius and expertise in worldbuilding and plot twists. This world is one that I never would have imagined from book 1, and I can't wait to see where Gong goes with it from here. There's so much opening up to discover and an infinite amount of directions things could go, but I know that Gong will somehow find the best path to take us down. (It will probably hurt, but that's the sacrifice we give her).

I loved the romance aspect of this book as well! There was a lot of angst and longing in it, and then the build up was so worth it! Anton has definitely stolen my heart with his passion and gentleness. I love a broken love interest, they make the best angst. He and Calla really took it up a notch in this book, and I need more of them so quickly!

This is a book that is so expertly written that I am in awe of how much mastery of her craft that Gong has. She is an icon for a reason, and Vilest Things is just another piece of evidence to that!

One of my most anticipated reads of 2024! This is a strong follow up to Immortal Longings, and Chloe Gong does not mess around when it comes to jaw dropping cliffhangers. I appreciated that Calla and Anton's characters and their backstories were given a stronger spotlight in the sequel, even though I wanted the romance storyline to be more prominent earlier on. The story ends with a bang and has me excited for the next book in the series, which feels like it's going to widen the scope of the world even more.

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

i was very excited for this story, especially with how immortal longings ended and clued us in on the fact that a lottttt was about to go down. i really enjoyed learning more about the provinces, especially as calla tried to uncover more of her original identity. i also really enjoyed unpacking the evil within august (and let’s be real… we all knew he was a bad guy right???) i also am extremely proud because i predicted the cliffhanger plot twist CORRECTLY like 60% in and i feel like that is pretty slay. anyway, while there were a lot of fun, riveting aspects, the story also lagged at times and made me disinterested. i kept wanting to skip ahead to the action instead of reading through some of the blander scenes. for that reason, this is rated a little lower than book 1. however, overall this was a good story and i do very much look forward to reading book 3 when it releases in 2025!

3.5 stars

There’s something as uniquely mesmerizing as a Chloe Gong retelling and her latest novel, Vilest Things is no exception. Taking place right after the last book ended, the story plunged readers back into the divided world of San-Eir where Calla, Anton, and August battled for power. As a Shakespeare (and history nerd) I loved the inclusions of nods to both the Bard’s telling and general history.

First, the characters. If there’s one thing Chloe Gong excels at, it’s writing developed and morally gray characters you can’t help but root for. Though Calla certainly wasn’t your typical rebel princess, I adored how she lived in shades of ambiguity. Her motivation wasn’t perfect, and neither was she (which, I can assure you, is a high compliment indeed). Anton was basically what could be expected of such a character (I hate Mark Antony in whatever form he appears in—though Gong’s was less infuriating than usual), and I liked that he struggled with his past and his past relationships (if you read book one, you know what I mean).

The world of San-Eir was incredibly complex without feeling overwhelming. I appreciated that the scale of the world expanded slowly rather than all at once, giving readers time to adjust. The Asia-meets-Rome-meets every empire ever was a nice touch, leaving readers with little easter eggs to unpack if they so choose.

My main issue with the story was the magic and randomly introduced deities. I like magic systems that have consequences (and consequences that can’t just be brushed off as distant collateral damage). Everything about the power system felt too easy and it undermined the rules that had been established in previous books. Additionally, the smut scenes didn’t add anything to the story and generally fell flat. There are ways to make a book more “adult” without adding unnecessary smut (and I say that as a romance reader), so I think the smut felt out of place here.

Despite my issue with the magic, I enjoyed Vilest Things. The pacing was incredible (a true Chloe Gong staple) and the writing was lyrical and easy to read at the same time (imagine that!). I can’t wait to see readers fall in love with the complex world she had created. If you love enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers-to-etc, fast-paced storylines, betrayal (and lots of it), then you will truly enjoy Vilest Things.