4.5 ⭐️
I absolutely loved this book! I knew I would since I haven’t rated any of Chloe Gong’s books lower than a 5 stars but she’s truly outdone herself with this duet. The plot is insane and will keep you on your toes for the entire book, and the ending caught me so off guard! It was the best feeling ever to be back with these characters that I love so much, and Chloe Gong never fails to breathe life into them and make them feel as real as possible. The writing was also spectacular, I think her writing is exactly the type that I love : beautifully crafted, witty, and really inspiring 🫶🏻 I do think I enjoyed the first book more, because this one was a bit less romance-heavy and more focused on the plot— I do really love the storyline but the romance felt a bit cast aside in this sequel. Overall this series is one of the best adult fantasy I’ve ever read and I would highly recommend any of Chloe Gong’s books!

A fantastic follow up to Immortal Longings, VILEST THINGS takes everything I loved about that book and intensifies it. The danger is more severe, the world is expanded with much more to explore, the stakes are higher, and the relationships are more intense (esp the romantic relationship!). We’re also given a bit more history on the magic system and the way this world works, and I was really able to get a firmer grasp on the world this time around.⁣
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As I’ve mentioned previously, this book is far more intense than its predecessor and while much of the story focuses on Calla and Anton’s journey to the kingdom, a fair bit of it also focuses on their personal relationship. I love me a good angsty uncertain romance, and that’s definitely what we’re given with these two. When they’re not butting heads, they’re pining endlessly for one another, and it’s such a frustrating and joyous back and forth. ⁣
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I’m starting to realize that Chloe Gong is the queen of Shakespearean retellings. I didn’t think that anything could top my love for her previous Shakespearean-inspired duology, but then along comes this phenomenal trilogy. This book has everything — twists and turns, political intrigue, betrayals aplenty, and so much more. I adored this story, though I must warn you: these books end on some serious cliffies. 5 stars and I’ll be patiently waiting for book 3. Or waiting not so patiently, more than likely.

I read this as a standalone book, not as a sequel book that it was part of. I liked the story, even though I think I missed a lot of context that I missed from not reading the first book. I did still enjoy the story, and the magical parts of the book. I think the characters were pretty good, and the ending was decent!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Chloe Gong is exceptional. Vilest Things is my favorite sequel of 2024. There was so much happening that I did not predict.

Calla will forever be one of my favorite characters.

Anton is interesting, but I found Calla's POV to be so immersive and epic.

*Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

File this one under "oopsie, thought it was a duology". Like literally until I finished the book... But that really shows that it doesn't suffer from second book syndrome. It's every bit as dynamic as Immortal Longings, just without the death games tournament. And then we get a little bit more worldbuilding, both in the setting and the magic system. We've got angst, we've got tension, we've got a WHOLE lot of lore, and man I want to reread the entire series already.

This is my year of Chloe Gong and I regret nothing. Read this series if you love sci-fi, Shakespearean retellings, or dark and angsty reads.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4/5 stars.

I regret not reading this way before it was published, but also I'm thankful I didn't because CHLOE GONG HOW DARE YOU WITH THAT ENDING? I thought this was a duology??? nooooooo, no it's not. also was not prepared for the erm, adult writing that occurred in bits of it.

Anyways, I still love this world and the Shakespeare influence and how it's a modern but also not but also dystopian but also talks of colonization and whatnot (like her other series as well). Calla and Anton are just...chef's kiss. I did get annoyed a bit at all of the plot twists and the literal jumps in the plot (get it, since they can jump from body to body with qi) and I feel like some of the plot got lost in some of the other things going on...but I mean....I still rather enjoyed it.

Vilest Things is the follow up to Chloe Gong's Immortal Longings, a series loosely based on Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra. But while Immortal Longings is largely a Hunger Games competition, where the two help each other and ultimately fall for each other, knowing one with have to kill the other, Vilest Things becomes much more complicated. I was surprised that I enjoyed this book more than the first one!

There is a lot to understand in this urban fantasy world based on a declining Rome. There is magic that allows certain people who have the power to "shift" into the body of someone else. This took some getting used to in reading the first book, and continues to be an important (if not convenient) plot device. For me, this power is right on the edge of my ability to suspend my disbelief, but for the most part I was able to do so. It was still the characters of Anton and Chloe that kept me wanting to read more, even when I the plausibility would have tapped me out otherwise. There is a good bit of action in this story, but the conflict is far more political than in the first book. We learn more about both characters (as they learn essential things about their past). "Who will get the crown and the end of the day?" is the driving question.

I am always a little disoriented when I think a series is a duology only to learn there will be another book. When I realized I wasn't going to get the closure I hoped for I am usually not happy. But here, I think Gong gives us enough of a mind blowing ending that I was still satisfied as I am also still primed to see what happens next.

*4.5 Stars*

A lot happened in this. It was a pretty different setting than the first book and I loved getting to know the characters more and discovering more of this world. I saw none of the twists coming and I was just taken aback time after time. I'm really loving our two main characters and some of the secondary characters. I was captivated from beginning to end, I really love all layered this is and all the different points of view. I can't wait to delve into this series more. I just know the last book is gonna be absolutely epic and I can't wait to read it.

Vilest Things
Chloe Gong

Here are my top 5 reasons to read:
Vilest Things

1. Fantasy filled weaved with mystery
2. Unique magic system, and phenomenal worldbuilding
3. Political intrigue, that will have you in a chokehold
4. Angsty romance and morally grey characters
5. Incredible character dynamics

Vilest Things by Chloe Gong is a stunning masterpiece that weaves together dark themes and rich character development with a captivating plot. Gong’s lyrical prose immerses readers in a world brimming with tension and emotion, making it impossible to put down. The intricate relationships and moral dilemmas faced by the characters are both thought-provoking and relatable. This novel is a powerful exploration of humanity’s complexities, solidifying Gong’s place as a must-read author in contemporary fiction!

Just fantastic! Such a fast paced read but one I wanted to sit down and savor and have it never end. I loved it so much and I need more from this author immediately. The characters, the plot, the pacing. It was all perfection.

An absolutely INCREDIBLE follow-up to book 1! Most of the twists smacked me in the face and were, in hindsight, masterfully laid out. I loved the ugly, heartbreaking path that Calla and Anton's relationship took. People who loved the battle royale aspect of the games from IMMORTAL LONGINGS may not be as into this book, but I personally love mysteries and quests more. Absolutely foaming at the mouth for the finale!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book post-release. Vilest Things takes place right at the end of Immortal Longings, and was just as amazing as book one. Ms. Gong's ability to build new complicated worlds and complex characters makes her one of the best young authors of this generation. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

I love this world and all things Chloe Gong! The body jumping, the duplicity, the ruthlessness. Divine.

Second books in trilogies inherently have a lull, and this was not exception. That said, I find the body jumping so fascinating! It adds such a wonderful component to this world. Cannot wait to see how it all ends in book 3!

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

Vilest Things is the second in Chloe Gong’s sci-fi romantasy series. In this Asian inspired setting, the educated few can use qi to jump between bodies and there is a struggle for the throne and the country’s destiny. Are the gods real and do they choose the ruler with a crown of destiny? If you love scrappy heroines like Katniss, you’ll be rooting for Calla.

No middle book syndrome here! Vilest Things was just as intriguing, gruesome, and action-packed as Chloe Gong's first installment in the Flesh and False Gods series. We pick up pretty much right where Immortal Longings left off, and while the first half of the novel focuses on a great deal of political scheming and trying to determine whom to trust (answer: no one), things get sufficiently wild and fast-paced in the second half, so much so that I couldn't put it down at the end! Did I remember all the intricacies and who everyone was from book one? No. Do I have a firm grasp on how jumping works? No -- but to be fair to myself, neither do most people in the book. Does that matter? Not at all. I will now be (im)patiently waiting for book three.

Thanks NetGalley and Saga Press for an advanced copy of this book.

I was so happy to be able to read this from Netgalley. The dynamic of the problematic family really was interesting to touch for the plot. I do like the characters growing up and coming together to solve and stop the issue. Great read.


Cons: We don't need comments from the publisher or favorite reviews. We need summaries on the backs of books

let's talk about it!

We're finally here at book 2 of The Flesh and False Gods trilogy. I was so intrigued that Chloe was releasing an adult fantasy series based on an Anthony and Cleopatra retelling! I've read all her YA novels and this was huge for me! While it took me a while to get into the world in book 1, I eventually got into the book and was captivated by the last half that shocked me! For book 2, we jump right into the aftermath of what transpired at the end of book 1 and are thrusted into this new problem plaguing book 2 ( which was a tad confusing tbh).

This book was riddled with plot twists, shocking reveals, and betrayals. The world that this is set in is so bizarre to me and I feel like we don't have all the information but will learn more in book 3, which is fine, but I feel like at times she tells us rather than shows us the lore/history. I don't care about the politics of it all, but the body jumping issue I had with book 1 is a non-issue in this book. Partly because I feel like it was explored more and explained in a better light than book 1? for some reason? idk.

I could see how Calla and Anton would NOT be involved with each other after the ending of book 1. Their tension was so high but throughout the book Anton realizes that Calla actually loves him. Now let me tell you, I WAS SWEATING with Otta was in any scene and knew she was speaking with Anton despite his current body. Like, if he was to hook up with Otta, Anton would have been dead to me. This was a great enemies-to-lovers, back to enemies, back to lovers hahaha

We learned so much about backstory for certain characters, more history and lore, and revelations about body jumping that will have HUGE impacts in book 3.

Chloe's writing is so so beautiful and her ability to pull the rug out from under you is as always, amazing. I did NOT see the final reveal coming and I had to go back and double check if I understood correctly. I have so many questions about WHO Calla actually is and now that she has made some new enemies and alliances with the crescent societies, I am anxiously awaiting book 3!

I think Chloe Gong is a sensational writer. I've mentioned this in my ARC review for Immortal Longings (Book 1), that this Flesh and False Gods series is my first book(s) from her. I know her earlier works are revered in the YA space, so I was curious to see how she would continue to grow. My initial thought is that this is one of those series that are so complex and well-thought out that it's difficult for readers like myself who read almost 100+ books per year to stay engaged in the story in-between releases. That being said, I can completely see how this would be a great series to binge-read, unless you had an insanely good memory recall. I found myself struggling to get through the first 20-30% of the book, mainly because I was still reacquainting myself with the characters and the history. The book picked up right where the first ended (which was an INSANE cliffhanger). I think I would have enjoyed this one more had I read it closer to when I finished Immortal Longings. I'm dying to see how this one concludes. (my rating: 3.5 ⭐️)

Thank you to Saga Press & netgalley for the eARC!