**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Another Anthony and Cleopatra reimaging, another let down.. Not to say that I didn’t enjoy aspects of this book but this now happens to be the second time I’ve been disappointed at the outcome of a retelling around these figures despite the fact that the dynamic they evoke interest me SO MUCH.

Now I’ll admit I’m not as familiar with Shakespeare’s Anthony and Cleopatra as I am with Romeo and Juliet so maybe that is what put me at a bit of a disadvantage. However, I do think that Chloe Gong may have been a bit too ambitious with how much was actually thrown into this first book more than anything else if we set aside the fact that I wasn’t able to appreciate all the nuances to the original play it was inspired by.

Down to the bare bones it is a story surrounding a handful of individuals wanting to overthrow a king, each for their own reasons and there is a tournament to the death involved in which two of the main protagonists are participants. I think where things got a bit flimsy surrounded this tournament as though all the action and tension was written quite well the games themselves sort of felt a little disconnected from the rest of the story for me.

The setting of San-Er gave glimpses of Ancient Rome but I believe it is inspired by the Kowloon Walled City (Hong Kong). However, I couldn’t help but compare it to the Shanghai of These Violent Delights and how the city there shone as its own character.
I felt in Immortal Longings the story didn’t really capture the feel of the setting maybe until halfway through and again I feel like this came down to how Gong was also trying to bring this dystopian Hunger Games vibe in for the games on top of everything else. Don’t get me wrong Gong’s writing and descriptions of the atmosphere were great I just feel like they didn’t link up to the narrative straight away so it all felt like a separate thing.

What I was most looking forward to in the book was the reluctant alliance dynamic. It is one trope that I really enjoy reading about and the one that formed between Calla and Anton was great, full of the right amount of banter and camaraderie (if it can be called that) that comes about when two opposing forces have to team up. Where their relationship fell short I believe is with the romance side of things or at least the fact that it came around too quickly.

In fact this can be said to be the case for a couple of things in the book for instance coming back to how much was going on, for an adult fantasy it was too short. Certain scenes and developments could have been given more room to breathe in the narrative with a couple more pages. I think why the romance didn’t immediately work for me was because Anton’s motive for winning the games was to save “his ex” but then romance rapidly ensued with Calla and we didn’t really get enough time showing them working together to justify it.

More than the games I was intrigued by the wider politics that were happening in the background and the mystery that it brought about. But the best part of the book was without a doubt the power/magic system. This whole idea of people having the means to jump out of their body and take over someone else’s was so compelling and made for some great twists in the book. I caught onto a few of them but they were honestly written in so well I was still impressed. Also the whole idea of autonomy and morality and identity that comes in was really interesting especially when you have characters constantly jumping around and others who refuse to do so.

So despite not loving this one as much as I had hoped, it has still left some fascinating questions behind which have me super keen to get my hands on book two as well as that killer ending! It was one twist I saw coming but am super excited to see develop.

I plan on trying to get my hands on Shakespeare’s work if I can before book 2 releases and then give this one a reread so I can catch all the call backs that I am sure are there because that was one big highlight I had with These Violent Delights!
Final Rating – 3.5/5 Stars

IMMORTAL LONGINGS is a sci-fi set in a fun location about characters pursuing their desires but not always being honest about them.

I really enjoyed the setting of this book, a dense urban jungle of high rises crowded together to block out the sunlight. It's inspired by the walled city of Kowloon and gives the book a sci-fi/cyberpunk setting. It's also an absolute maze, which makes the deadly games claustrophobic and isolating at once because someone could be anywhere, ready to pounce.

The ability for people to jump between bodies makes the claustrophobia more intense, because it's hard to know if someone is who they appear to be - of if their body has been hijacked. One set of mysterious antagonists seem to be breaking the expected rules of what can be done, with hints that the protagonists may push their abilities in those directions in later books to catch up with their enemies.

This book is very loosely based on the Shakespeare play Anthony and Cleopatra, more akin to how FOUL LADY FORTUNE was so loosely based it was hard to spot it (here at least the names are more or less obvious!) The inspiration does, seemingly, mostly come through the names, which is pretty fun for the side/minor characters as the names hint at the bigger roles they have to play, or the chaos they may be about to cause.

What the book does bring from the play is the destructive relationships and pretty much every character's desire to achieve their goals, no matter the cost. But how many are lying to themselves about what their goals really serve?

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this title in exchange for this honest review.

This book was probably my biggest disappointment of the year. I was incredibly excited for this ever sine i first heard of it, but it just didnt deliver for me.

Immortal Longings is a tale of violence. Not only of the violence caused by the deadly hunt that the characters are part of, but the violence of the empire. It's part of the fabric of this world, and Chloe Gong does a perfect job of capturing this violence. She has succeeded in crafting a cruel yet interesting world and in showing how her characters exist within this landscape.

The world-building is good. Very vivid. But I have some issues with the pacing and I felt uninterested in the story though the premise is good but somehow in the middle I got bored.

Thanks you Netgalley and hodder for the e-Arc in exchange for my honest opinion and veiws.

This book was intriguing and fantastic I love the Cleopatra and Anthony vibes. I was absorbed into the story and characters and couldn't put it down; the world building was at a good pace and so was the action.
Chloe Gong knows how to create interesting and complex characters that are likable and fun; Princess Calla is a fierce warrior, her chemistry with Anton was just as fiery.
A solid read if you like the Hunger Games with a Shakespearean twist and vibes.

3.5 stars

Okay, so. Definitely not my favourite Chloe Gong book that she has ever released, BUT I still love her and adore her and will read anything she writes, and Immortal Longings definitely has not changed my mind on that.

I have absolutely ZERO knowledge of the Shakespeare play of Antony and Cleopatra; I don't think it's necessary to have prior knowledge, but I think it would have helped me. From reading the author's note however, it seems that this isn't exactly a retelling but more of an examination of the original Antony and Cleopatra's obsession with each other. I just think that if I had known even a little bit more of the original play then I might not have felt as confused as I did at the beginning of this book.

One other thing that I found confusing was the body jumping. In this book, bodies are essentially just "vessels" - what body you're in doesn't really matter, it's about whose soul or qi is occupying it. I think this is a really cool concept, but I just felt quite confused by it all. Like, how does anyone know who they're talking to? How does anyone form friendships or relationships? I almost just wanted Chloe Gong to sit me down and explain it to me like I'm five.

Aside from all of that, however, I did enjoy this book, and I don't think it's deserving of the 1 star reviews it's been getting. I loved how every single character in here is morally grey - there is not one person in this book who could be technically classed as morally good, and I loved that. Calla was ruthless, cunning and I loved her as a main character, she's incredibly complex and there is so much to unpack with her. Anton is mysterious and charming and I'm so intrigued by his character and what is to come from him. Their fraught alliance had me on the edge of my seat - they were the definition of "are they going to kiss or kill each other" and I ate it up!

I also found that the setting of these heaving, claustrophobic twin cities was really atmospheric, and the perfect setting for this story. I loved getting to know San-Er and it's secrets, and I think there is so much potential with this location.

As I said, this isn't my favourite Chloe Gong book, not by a long shot, and there is potentially the argument that she should stay in YA where she shines, but I do love her and I do think this story and this world has a lot of potential, and I hope that as the trilogy goes on she will find her feet in adult fantasy a bit more!

I enjoyed this one but I wasn't as enthralled as I wanted to be. I think the pacing was too slow for my liking and i couldn't fully engage with the characters. The world-building was slightly lacking and the plot twists were predictable.
I did find the political aspects intriguing. I really only liked the FMC and the premise was promising, but the execution was lacking. The Hunger Games comp wasn't accurate and I'm not sure i'll give this author another chance.

I finished reading Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong, which I will present as The Hunger Games meets Kate Dylan's Mindwalker and/or Shakespeare. This novel was on my list of most anticipated reads of 2023, yet I admit I was a bit disappointed by it. As always from Miss Gong, the writing was very sophisticated and beautiful, but the book's content felt a bit sloppy, dragging in many instances, and not particularly gripping. I am fully aware this is the first opus in (maybe) a duology or a trilogy; there will be many points to develop in the plot in further books I'm sure, and I ask to be surprised with those books, honestly. I just don't think I will be anticipating them as much as I did with this first book, and so far, apart from those plot points, I struggle to see how the storyline will develop. Will it still be inspired by Anthony and Cleopatra? Will it be other Shakespearean plays? Also, I thought the characters were interesting during some chapters, and their backstories were well-built, but when it came to their personalities and relations, it lacked chemistry in my opinion. To me, Anton and Calla didn't match that much and their proximity felt too pushed to be appreciated. Thus, what I will remember of Immortal Longings will be the beautiful descriptions and very unique atmosphere of the story. I will give a chance to the second book and see if Chloe Gong succeeds in convincing me of this new saga.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of Immortal Longings.
This is an amazing and captivating start of a new series by one of my favourite authors. The writing is very descriptive and pulls you right into the story. The characters feel relatable in their actions and I loved the bonds that were forming between Calla and Anton. And the whole story is full of twists, turns, secrets and betrayals. After reading the ending I can say that I'm hyped for the sequel. After his cliffhanger, I need answers.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc of this book!

Now where do I begin...... main characters who have no personality? Characters who have no chemistry? Characters who do not grip me and suck me in as a reader? A very strange and uneasy magic system that has no rules?

I just don't know what to say. I had high hopes for this novel but it just didn't pan out that way I'm afraid. I DNF'd this book as it felt like a chore to read. The story was lacking in emotion, believability, decent main characters and just a good plot.

This was trying to be but not be the hunger games and that's probably one of its downfalls. I wish there was something new about this but it felt all too familiar. I'm sad that this book didn't work out for me.

The body jumping was just strange. I couldn't understand how it was frowned upon yet ever other page someone was doing it? It just seemed incredibly uneasy and a violation of someone's body yet when that person got their body back, it was just kind of glossed over? Like ah cheers thanks for not killing my body see you around.

Also I don't know if anyone else struggled with remembering who was what character? August and Anton were basically the same character in my head.

So good! Not at all what I expected, not that I really know what I expected… My first Chloe Gong but absolutely not my last.

I really enjoyed the setting and the way it was described really brought it to life in my mind, Calla is an awesome protagonist and I can’t wait to see what she gets up to in the sequels! I’m so intrigued to learn more about Anton, August and Otta too.

That twist at the end was mind blowing! I had been guessing for the last couple of chapters that things might not be as they seem but I had no idea that was the direction things were going in!!! A cliffhanger ending is so unfair :(((

It did feel a little YA at times which was then in stark contrast with the more adult themes. I love YA but the mishmash made it feel a little careless!

4 stars

Thank you so much to Hodder and Stoughton & NetGalley for my e-ARC! Xx

The book itself was really interesting and I am a very big fan of the author’s writing style, however the world building seemed complicated and the plot was unraveling too slowly for my liking. The book was still enjoyable and i really loved the characters

I adored every second of this book. Chloe gong is a fantastic author who never misses. The way this book had me gripped from start to finish. She writes such a beautiful story and writes it so addictively. I cannot wait for more from Chloe.

This book truly e­nchanted me with its dazzling tapestry of romance­, fantasy, and history. Set in the vibrant backdrop of 1920s Shanghai, this captivating book se­amlessly weaves together Chinese mythology while hiding, within its page­s, a forbidden love story that will make your heart race! With every sentence painte­d in vivid prose, Chloe Gong effortlessly transports you to Shanghai's de­cadent world of nightlife. Definitely pick this one up if you're up for a journey that will leave you ye­arning for more even after the final page is turned.

I wanted to start saying, the cover is Beautiful!
Now to what really matters.
Im a big fantasy girly and i think i get into fantasy books fast. That unfortunately was not the case.
I had trouble understanding and getting into thed world building since there was so much going on. Also info dumping. I think the author could "manage"it more. so it wasnt all on top of each other.
Characters. I couldnt see the chemistry between them. probably cause i was trying to much enter the world building and trying to understand it. Other than that i quite enjoyed the book. It was fasted pace. Loved the whole games. Lets see what the next bring us.

After reading These Violent Delights and Foul Lady Fortune last year, Chloe Gong quickly became an auto-buy author for me. I love the worlds that she has created and the beautiful writing style that she uses.

However, this book just wasn't it for me. Maybe it was because it was slightly more Sci-Fi than I prefer, or maybe it was because I found the ending a bit predictable and I hate to say it but somewhat boring. I don't know, but either way it just wasn't my favourite read. That being said, this book was written by the one and only Chloe Gong, so it is still beautifully written, had some good banter and her step into adult fiction with that slightly steamy scene with the chair was fantastic.

I probably won't be picking up the second book in this series when it comes out, but I will definitely still be checking out all of Chloe's other work in the future, because if nothing else she's worth trying new things for.

At the beginning I had a hard time understanding the worldbuilding, the magic and the politics at the same time but I was immediately engrossed by Calla's motivations that seemed so naïve to me. How killing the king without a plan for the aftermath will change anything in the politics of the empire??

I'll never understand societies where massacres are considered as nice entertainments. In Hunger Games, at least it was more understandable as the kids killing each other were not from the Capitol where the people enjoyed the games. The districts were not happy to watch their kids being killed. But here, anyone from the city can ask to participate (this, I get. It's dispair that pushes people to want in in the games), the games take place in the city and people like watching that??

The magic system was really fascinating: people can jump from their bodies to another. I didn't really get what the rules were, but it was very interesting to see that people didn't have a strong connection to their bodies because of that. So I have a lot of questions about gender identity, sexual orientation and physical attraction, and how it is all perceived, and I hope we'll see more about that in the sequel. We've already seen that Anton doesn't really care what body he inhabits, but when he is with Calla, he is always in a male body.

And actually, about the relationship between Calla and Anton, which is supposed to be a retelling of Anthony and Cleopatra, it fell a little flat to me because it went from 0 to 10 in a paragraph (and Calla was very emo about it which felt pretty strange to me).

The end of the games left me crying then gasping, and the chapter with the girl in the coma was...wow but it kind of broke the flow of the story.

Rep: saphic couple in the background, genderfluidity?
TW: blood, murders, parenticide, extreme poverty, betrayals, physical violence

Immortal Longings is a mind-blowing fantasy inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra.

I loved the multiple POVs and the body-jumping concept, but what really sold me was the overall atmosphere full of tension, twists and backstabbing.

Wanna talk about that ending?! I NEED the next book now!

DNF 75%

This book was awful...the characters are boring and one note and there are just obvious plot holes. Everything goes well for the MCs until they randomly need something to go poorly and then some random thing saves the day. Just not engaging at all