Immortal Longings is Chloe Gong's adult debut, and the first book in a new trilogy.

Chloe is already one of my favorite authors of all time and I love her books and I was really curious to see how she was going to transition into her adult writing and it's safe to say that I am super satisfied with what is the result and I am beyond in love with this book and I'm so grateful for the publisher Hodder & Stughton for providing me with this anticipated copy so many thanks for that.

I didn't know a lot about this book before I read it because I tend to not read synopsis before picking up titles, especially when I already like the author/no the general vibe of the book which was the case with this one I knew it was going to be a sort of inspired by Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra and I knew it was going to be a trilogy I knew they were going to be fantasy elements. And that's pretty much all I knew about this book and so although I'm going to say in my review things that are in the synopsis I do feel like if you the least you know will get you more surprised in this reading experience, but I also know that my parameters are not the same as everybody else's and so I know that knowing a fair share of a book it's okay.

So the protagonists of this story are princess Calla Tuoleimi and Anton Makusa, but I would definitely say that the big protagonist is definitely Calla she gets the most chapters the most focused and development it's very centered on her story which also is amazing and I was really captivated by this character although I did found some similarities between her and Juliette for some reason maybe it's just something in my head but it did strike me as a resemblance but I enjoy a lot of what motivates as a person and I did love her chapters. Now we do get a few chapters written by Anton but like it's the proportion is so much less than the ones for column and we do get also a few random chapters written by other characters in the book this is sort of a thing that Chloe does and her other books but like here is not a it's not a third protagonist or something else it's just literally random chapters which help to construct some of the mood and some of the in a Revelations that she was working through the story and it's nice to have others as the perspective but it's safe to say that we do have like this is a story focused on Calla that's why she is on the cover of the British edition which also leads me to something else I would like to comment about this book.

The cover. The cover. When I first saw the US cover I loved it I thought it was really pretty and I was generally aesthetically pleased and when I saw the British cover I was like "what is this what book is this" and I did not enjoy that cover at first, however now that I read the book, now that I know the story, my opinions have changed because the British cover is in its essence the book. The British cover is purely, Immortal Longings. The US cover doesn't give me anything doesn't represent anything you know it's just that it's just a generic cover it's just aesthetically pleasing cover it's not an ugly cover I'm not going to say that but definitely the US cover is just very bland and also I don't really associate that cover with Chloe Gong's books specifically. So now I do feel like I enjoy the British covers so much more now that I know the story now that I know that this cover conveys the story so well and the atmosphere.

The atmosphere. Wow. This is one of my favorite things about this book I think it was worked perfectly and you can really see that the author has spent a lot of time constructing a very strong and descriptive ambience, and this setting is just fantastic you know it's very unique you have this world a.k.a City that truly existed in the 1990s and it's such a unique place I was so enthralled and captivated by this setting and and truly the descriptions were so immersive and I think it's one of the best jobs Chloe has ever done with creating a setting in an in a place and it's so different from all of right before from her because her previous books had all been historical in setting, either the Gatsby-esque setting of TVD and OVE and the 1930s of FLF, and it was very refreshing to read her writing something so modern and constructing such a strong atmosphere.

It also made me notice that her writing keeps evolving, I mentioned in my FLF review how much her writing had developed from TVD and how she was at her best in that novel, and I feel like now, yes her writing is once again improved, but I also feel like the writing is different in this book. It has that same feeling of "oh i'm reading a Chloe Gong book" which I LOVE about authors, that just stay on their own brand of writing that you would recognize anywhere, but she has taken a shift from what she did in her other novels, I feel like combined with the setting/aesthetic and also the pacing, because this book moves much faster than her other ones, it all makes her writing a bit different (still good tho) and it makes for a nice reading experience, especially for readers like me who have been reading her books for such a long time.

Also, I was very curious how she would work her way into writing her first trilogy because her other books were all part of duologies and the first thing I noticed is that Immortal Longings is much shorter in size. While her other books were all on the big size of over 500 ish pages (FLF is almost 600), IM has according to the publishers page and to GoodReads around 380 maybe 400 pages, and that is a much more average size. I feel like instead of writing to chunks of books and calling it a day, she simply divided those pages better into three segments and called it a trilogy. But that also makes the story move much faster, because there isn't enough pages to dwindle or waste, everything is at top speed here.

Going back to the narration I feel like since we got to see so much of Calla on this one, it opens up a lot of opportunity for in one of the next two books we read more about Anton. I have so many questions! About! His! Past! You better answer them Chloe!

I also have to say that Calla is amazing and she can do no wrong! I will defend her no matter what, and I'm already so emotionally invested in her.

And yes, Chloe didn't lie on her tiktok this book does feature a bit of spice which was a very nice surprise! It isn't much but it was good, but it also wasn't enough to make me think this book is super "adult!". I know the characters are like 23 and 25 and they do behave as such, but the thing is, I never believed Roma and Juliette were teenagers. They too behaved like twenty somethings, but we all know that it was marketed as a young adult novel etc etc etc. I just feel like a lot of these YA novels are very mature, in terms of the way the characters think and act, and then the same can be said about the characters here in IM, the only difference is that one is being actively sold as an adult book, but all of them characters behave like adults.

Nevertheless, it is a great book and I had a great time. Ever since the start I was pulled in and was immediately intrigued and captivated by the story, which was great since I was in the middle of a reading slump. I was constantly dying to know what would happen next, and also enjoying every minute of it and never wanting it to end. Which by the way lead me to the ending! What an ending!!! I can't believe I have to wait a year for the next book!!! I mean the actual book isn't even out yet and I'm already suffering with the time I'm going to have to wait, damn! I was totally speechless with that ending, I did not see it coming, and now I am even more excited to continue reading this series and for what comes next for these characters.

In short, I loved this book. It's a 5-star, it's a favorite. It has everything I love. And Chloe Gong can do no wrong.

Characters: 7/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Plot: 9/10
Worldbuilding: 8/10
Writing: 10/10

I apologise in advance. I have turned into a philosopher. First and foremost, this is my opinion and commentary. This version contains spoilers!

This book is Chloe's debut in the adult genre. Compared to Foul Lady Fortune, which was more fun and entertaining, it is serious and has a darker tone. I see why one could get bored with everything going on and the worldbuilding. If you aren't invested, you might struggle to keep up. I also found it to be slower paced.

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this, but it is a bit Hunger-games-esque so if you liked that I think you’d enjoy this too. There also are no explicitly good characters, for the morally grey character lovers. But don't go into this looking for queer rep because there's nothing concrete worth mentioning.

Everything in this book happens in San-Er, once two cities but now joined under the Tyrannical rule of King Kasa, the capital of Talin. The living conditions of the lower class are bad, which is why people enter The games. What the contestants might get out of them, even if by dying, is explained pretty early, so I’ll skip that, but the victor is greeted by the king and awarded a large sum of money. And that’s why the main character, a traitorous princess Calla, enters the game under a false identity, so she can finish what she started and kill the king. She is immediately discovered by August, the king's adoptive son and heir to the throne, who offers her support and pardon if she does the dirty work for him which would put him on the throne. Early into the games, she also allies with another contestant and grows close to him. But only one of them can become the victor, when they are the last one standing.

Something really interesting in this book was the concept of people being able to transfer into different bodies. But only people with a special gene have that ability. This skill is intertwined with the concept of qi which originates from Chinese culture. I found it quite fascinating. On the other hand, there are people from a certain family tree that are protected from being invaded by jumpers. There are also laws to how jumping works as well as various negative consequences. Everything was very thought out.

As in Chloe's fashion, the foreshadowing was excellent. I should have seen some things coming. I did sense something was amiss when Anton commented that Calla also had to jump out when she told him about the first time she did it, but I didn't read too much into it.

The book is written in 3rd person, allowing for more deception as we don’t see what’s going on inside the characters, just what is apparent from the outside. But with jumping, the factor of deception is even higher, which leads to many plot twists. Shoutout to Sydney for giving me this cue. Another thing about jumping is that people do not value their bodies (with the exception of the royals, who frown upon jumping into a lower person's body because of classism). They view them just as shells carrying their qi. Appearance doesn’t necessarily tell much, as there could be anyone occupying the body. Although jumping is illegal, it is not uncommon. And since it facilitates crime while being undetectable on surveillance cameras, there is also a great deal of injustice and dilemmas in the judicial system.

There are people who don’t inhabit a different body from their birth one, people who temporarily take over someone else's when convenient for them, or people who don’t even have a permanent one. Which makes you think, who actually are we, or what if our bodies are mere vessels? What defines us?

Moving on to Calla, who actually isn’t the original princess. But a farmer girl who accidentally jumped into her body and has occupied it ever since. Out of all the characters (which I admittedly didn't really care about), she was the one I liked the most. She is strong, independent, and also ruthless. Her life as Calla is all she’s ever known. She does not remember what it was like not to be her. The original Calla has probably faded away, her body taken over. It is why Calla also refuses to jump. She has no identity without that body, and hasn’t done it since it happened for the first time. The once poor girl is set on removing the king from the throne, so the world could become a better place. August wishes the same. But I think he would have ended up on the same path as the king before him. He’s calculative and goes by any means necessary to achieve his goal. Unfortunately for him, he never gets to sit on the throne as he gets taken over by Anton. Or maybe he’s still in there with him. That would be interesting. I didn't particularly like Anton. He is the contestant Calla allies with, and eventually, they develop a romantic relationship.

Now, this relationship I found very intriguing. I’m not sure whether it was intentional or not, but I’m hesitant to call what they had love. Anton has a history of being obsessed with his childhood sweetheart. He did not occupy any body permanently (so she slept with a random dude?) so it couldn’t have been physical attraction that Calla was feeling for him. But was she truly in love with just his character? I'm not convinced. Their emotional connection came a bit out of nowhere. At the very end, the reason he entered the games in the first place was so that he could pay medical bills for Otta his girlfriend, who had been in an artificial coma preventing her from dying for years. He clings on to her hoping she would awake, all while claiming he was in love with Calla. When she suggests he steps out of the games, so she could win with them both alive, he refuses. So, when Calla is forced to choose between him and freeing the people from a tyrant, I don’t find her choice surprising. Obviously, I didn't expect Anton to actually be dead but him jumping into August, now the king, makes things complicated. And I bet he's pissed about her killing him. But I mean, what was the guy expecting? He couldn't let go of his ex, so why should she give up everything for him? I wouldn't mind if Calla gets a new love interest. If this goes down as allies to lovers to enemies, then I am here for it. I knew Otta was going to wake up, and maybe she'll gang up with Anton, who'll want revenge on Calla. At least that's how I'd set everything up. But if he turns out to be fine with everything that went down, I'll be disappointed. I want conflict. There's a lot of potential for drama, interesting and juicy stuff. Basically, I hope they don't have a happy ending as a couple because where's the fun in that? I just love messy relationships and complicated characters. Gives you something to think about.

There's a lot left unanswered, so I will be looking out for the sequel.

Ps: If people were so recognisable by eyes alone, why didn't anyone ever think to wear contacts? Do they not exist???

~It has gotten monotonous to be leagues above everyone else.~


Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (NO, I'M NOT EXAGGERATING!!!!)

Spice Meter: 🌶️

⚠️Trigger Warning: Graphic Scenes of Death⚠️

📍Release Date: 25 July, 2023


EXCUSE MEEE??? WHO GAVE CHLOE GONG THE RIGHT TO UTTERLY OBLITERATE MY MIND AND SOUL???

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, in my life right now that could come close to making me feel as ecstatic as this book has. I had little doubt that I would fall head over heels for it. As I was hoping, Chloe Gong's literary work has gloriously rescued me from a devastating reading slump once again. I feel invigorated. I could read book after book after book without blinking. Unsurprisingly, everything she has written so far has been phenomenal. It appears as though her writing streak will continue incessantly for a long time. First of all, the plot and the subsequent sub-plots are so well thought out and perfectly executed they had me in a chokehold from start to finish. There is a strong The Hunger Games vibe that works perfectly with the story. Also, I was blown away by the spectacular, utterly shocking plot twists (THAT ENDING IN PARTICULAR) that left me reeling. The world-building is equally remarkable. The lore, the social system, and the politics are bound together beautifully.

Moreover, Gong's affinity for multiple POVs, even of characters that aren't even secondary, carried on to Immortal Longings as well, which I usually don't enjoy, but Gong has a way of making it work in a way that makes me forget I'm not a fan of it. Naturally, Calla Tuoleimi, the protagonist and the most important POV of the story, has stolen the show with her intelligence, skills, sarcasm, and arrogance. Yes, I know some of these are red flags, but I've never been one to worry about such things anyway. On top of that, she's prone to self-destruction and possessiveness (in a hot/ only mildly concerning way 😏), and she has done things that completely deteriorated my mental health. Basically, she's the total package, and I have a major crush on her.

However, I am not the only one who's crushing on her or whose mental health has been shattered because of her. Anton Makusa is as much Calla's victim as anyone who chooses to read this book and lets themselves fall for this hot mess of a princess. Not that he's entirely blameless, either. On the contrary, he could walk all over me anytime he wanted. He stole my heart with the same ease Calla has. He is charming, talented, witty, and extremely complicated. Essentially, he is as much of a hot mess as the princess is. In fact, they share a lot of the same alarming traits. They truly are a match made in heaven...or...well, you know. 👀👀

Additionally, I obviously adore the relationship between Calla and Anton. Since their first encounter, their chemistry and tension popped out of the page stark and near-tangible. They are rivals-to-lovers as they are both participating in a deadly competition where only one can be left standing, making that sweet, glorious banter all the more enticing. It was so intense I squealed like a schoolgirl reading her first romance novel all over again. Besides, they are so profoundly evenly matched in talent and intelligence that together, they have made a formidable, impressive team. You can imagine how these attributes made their relationship all the more passionate....and steamy. 🥵🥵🥵

Lastly, August Shenzhi, the frustratingly enigmatic Crown Prince, whose morals are so gray it's hard to know whether to root for him. While he seems to care deeply for his kingdom and its subjects, he makes some incredibly questionable choices making him one of the most complex characters in the novel. Even though I have a lot of mixed feelings about him that leave me undecided on whether I want him to be happy or to suffer, I am fascinated by his character and curious to see how his arc develops. His relationship with his friend and bodyguard, Galipei, is particularly intriguing. It is the main reason I wonder how his story will progress later.

Remember Immortal Longings will be released this year on 25 July. DO NOT MISS IT!

Unfortunately this is a DNF at 15%, I found the main female character to be very similar to the authors other series. I couldn’t connect with the story and found it to be quite boring and lacklustre.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this e-ARC!

I loved Chloe Gong’s writing style since I read These Violent Delights so I was excited for the start of another series because I knew she wouldn’t disappoint.

Although I must admit that it took me a little to get hooked, once I got it I couldn’t stop reading, the double plot that revolves during the entire book and the 3 main characters are absolutely brilliant.

Unlike her other books, the pacing of this one is faster, which makes it easier to get sucked into this world, plus Chloe’s way of telling stories makes you imagine yourself in the world where the story takes place.

Our three main characters are described as killers who don’t have remorse on killing whoever they need to kill, this is well done in the entirety of the book until the romance plot appears and two of the characters leave that aside because they don’t want to k!ll each other, although I understand this change of thinking for the plot of the story I would’ve loved to see more of Calla’s side during the whole book, as we end up seeing at the end of the book.

Overall I think this was an incredible story, a great beginning for a trilogy and what can I say that ending left me with the need of the second book asap, everything Chloe does is impressive, can’t wait to read the next book.


Ps: tears were shed.

Can't decide on the rating but I'm landing around 4 stars
It was an easy read and Def got me out of my slump. The story was compelling and interesting, and my favourite part was the setting. The worldbuilding was stellar in that aspect
The idea of body jumping to me isn't as great, it feels more visual than anything
Also I sometimes find Gong's romantic writing a tad saccharine or cringey, and there was some of that in here. But nonetheless, I still very much enjoyed all around and I think she has developed a lot from her YA stuff

wow.

This book was a delight to read. Reading the premise of the book I thought that it was going to be the exact same as every other book in its genre (I requested it anyway because why fix what's not broken, right?) I was pleasantly surprised by Chloe Gong's unique take. She did a fabulous job of crafting a world that you could delve into with a plot that managed to surprise you by doing what you expected in unexpected ways.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC, the thought and in opinions written above are my own and are freely given

Chloe Gong never misses. Immortal Longings is an adult fantasy retelling with a touch of mystery, interesting and brand-new world, and amazing banter. But this was extremely different from what I expected. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it. A lot. In my opinion, Chloe Gong adds the depth to her characters, makes them unique, complex, and interesting. She just makes you fall in love with them every single time. Just like her characters, her worlds are always so exciting, but also complex. That’s why I was confused at first. But truth to be told, I’m always confused as I dive into the new fantasy world. With this one I didn’t really see where the whole thing was going but then more and more started happening… Well, I was hooked. But I do think that Chloe might lack the attention grabbing at the beginning. Somehow, it’s always hard for me to get into her book (or at least the first one in the series) and understand the world. It was the same with this one. But as the plot resolved and she gave us pieces of the world, I got more involved in the story and couldn’t put the book down.
I have to comment on her writing style, because to me, it is an absolute perfection. As a huge fan of her previous books, I noticed a little change in her style, and I feel like it’s always in sync with the decade the story is taking place in. (Don’t tell the others, but I wish all the books were written with her words.)
So, if you’re a fan of retellings, fantasy, dystopia (Hunger Games or Divergent), badass main characters, witty banter, or all mentioned? Definitely dive into it once it comes out in July.

CHLOE I NEED ANSWERS!!!! she did it AGAIN! uuuuugh i knew there was a reason why she was my favorite author! this book has everything i could ever want: a very unique world building, amazing characters you can’t help but love and the best plots and plot twists seen in this world! i genuinely didn’t see anything coming AT ALL. if i had one criticism to make: there’s a slight incoherence concerning calla’s eyes (you’ll see) and it doesn’t make sense that they are how they are (i’m already saying way too much sorryyyy). but other than that, PER-FEC-TION. the romance only really starts at the 50% mark which leaves little time to actually develop it however, it didn’t particularly bother me. and OMG i almost cried towards the end!! you can’t do that to me, Chloe! i beg you to pick this up when it comes out (July 18🤭), the world of san-er is possibly the most unique thing i’ve ever read and if you love the hunger games you will most certainly love this. 5⭐️ (is is that big of a surprise? no)

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others
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I haven’t read the other books of Chloe Gong because they weren’t my cup of tea. This book however sounded good and because it’s her first adult debut I was curious to read it. However, I didn’t like it. I don’t know if it’s her writing style where she gives a lot of info dump or it’s this book specifically but I couldn’t hold my attention while reading and I didn’t like the characters much. The good thing in this book was the world building, but for me, that was the only good thing..

Just like any other book Chloe Gong has written, Immortal Longings was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and as usual, it did not disappoint.

Reading Chloe's first novel that was not YA or set in the Secret Shanghai universe was not as drastic of a change as I thought it would be. The writing and world building are familiar enough for those readers to know Chloe from her YA books, while bringing us a completely different universe and tone to the story.

San-Er is a dark and complex city that paints the picture of the cruel world these characters live in, the injustices they go through, and what drives them to participate in the games. In a way, it reminded me of Panem in The Hunger Games— due to the similarity of their inspirations— with fantasy elements, which are characteristic of Chloe's writing.

The fantasy aspect in this story is unlike anything I've recently read. In this story some characters have an ability called "jumping" in which they're able to invade another's body with their qi. To be honest I wasn't really sold on this aspect of the story when I first started reading as I felt there were many exceptions and loopholes to the rules, but as the story progressed I realized that this was done intentionally and many of my questions were answered.

As for the characters, Calla and Anton are amazing protagonists, their mysterious backgrounds and tragic love affair combined with August and Galipei's complex dynamic and calculating moves will keep you hooked to the story longing for more.

The ending of the story was what made this book the masterpiece it is. It elevated the story to a new height and I can't wait to read what adventures Miss Chloe will take us on next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a Digital Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have no words... this book is amazing. It is a new adult book with some spice but there is still a plot to it. This feels to me like a hunger games kind of vibe but I genuinely love it. The magic system is really interesting. I really enjoyed this. It is completely different to her other books so go into it with a different mind set. This is a retelling of Antony and Cleopatra. Definetely a fast read and would highly recommend this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

Usually, this is a book that I would classify as "sounds great, but not for me".
Usually, I am not a fan of urban fantasy(-esque) settings, or dystopian elements or sci-fi elements, or fantasy worlds where technology plays a central role.
But because of how much I love Chloe Gong's work, I did not care about my usual preferences, because if Chloe Gong writes it, I am going to read it, and I am going to love it.

This was SO GOOD.
There is so much going on between the Hunger Games-style competition, the 90s inspired semi-historical, semi-dystopian/sci-fi/futuristic setting, the retelling of Anthony and Cleopatra, the Roman Empire inspired political structure and schemes, and yet it all works together so perfectly.

Everything that I love about the Secret Shanghai series, aka retelling a story in a new and compelling way and combining it with great worldbuilding, romance, writing and plot, was really taken to a new level in Immortal Longings.
It occasionally happens when reading adult debuts that you are able to tell that the author is used to writing in YA stories, but this did not happen here. From the character's maturity to the complexity of the politics and world to the moral ambiguity, everything is perfectly suited for an adult audience.

Trials and games are always a fun trope, and the competition in this book was one of my favorites I have read in quite a long time.
I think in recent years, too many books have been compared to the Hunger Games, especially since only a few if any actually succeeded in matching the brilliance of that series. And while I usually refrain from comparing books to others because I try to view each book as its own work, I do think that Immortal Longings is the perfect book for those of us who have grown up with Hunger Games.
The author perfectly blended the plot surrounding the games with setting up the overarching storyline of rebellion, revolution, political and societal change and shifts in power dynamics. There are themes of social injustice, colonization and upheavals, as well as the everlasting debate of tradition vs. modernity/technology.

I absolutely loved Calla and Anton! Chloe Gong is so good at writing badass female characters, and Calla is the sort of morally gray heroine I can never get enough of. Anton perfectly complements her, and I cannot wait to see how their relationship develops in the next books. I don't know much about Anthony & Cleopatra, so I can't say much about the 'retelling' aspect, but as far as I know there is some obsession and toxicity involved and I think the author succeeded in portraying that, while still making them a couple you want to root for.

The ending left me speechless and desperately longing (pun intended) for the sequel.
This book has definitely cemented Chloe Gong as one of my absolute favorite authors. Any nervousness about me potentially not liking the setting or an all-new series not hitting as hard as Secret Shanghai has been eradicated. Immortal Longings is a masterpiece and a release you shouldn't miss.

OH MY GOD I CANNOT PUT INTO WORDS HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS BOOK! this is one of my most anticipated reads of this year and it did NOT disappoint. chloe gong’s writing is so raw and full of talent as she captures you from the starting word all the way through to the last.

this book ripped me apart and i was obsessed with how dark it was - this is so different to her typical YA genre and i truly think that this is my favourite book of hers so far! this book looks at everything: childhood trauma, graphic violence, horror, spice, so this is not suitable for her original audience of the Secret Shanghai novels. i have learned to not get attached to characters whenever i read chloe gong’s books, but…. i ignored my own advice and got attached and now i am ruined.

while this book has romance involved, it is not the main focus of the book. i think this is a fantastic choice as it allows the readers to really dive into the horrors of San-Er and the games. i definitely got hunger games vibes from this book and i am so happy about that because i thrived in the early 2010s dystopian era.

i read this book in around three hours because it was just so fast paced and captivating that i wanted to know more with every page. this is one of the best thing about chloe’s writing, as you can really tell that she has thought about every word in this book. not a word was wasted. gong’s world building is absolutely fantastic, as always, and i find that she eases you into her system rather than chucking everything at you and hoping you understand.

Calla is such a badass and i will defend her actions until the day i die. i LOVED her character so much and i really cannot wait to see what happens with her in the next book. she has the typical shakespearean characteristic of ambition that guides her through the world.

ALSO THAT ENDING OMG??? BOOK TWO IS WHEN????

thank you so much to holder and stoughton, netgalley and chloe gong for allowing me to read this book prior to publication.