Title: Vilest ThingsAuthor: Chloe Gong
Series: Flesh and False Gods #2
Pages: 384
Publication Date: Sept. 10, 2024
Publisher: Saga Press
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Fantasy / Romantasy
Synopsis:
Calla Tuoleimi has succeeded in the impossible. Despite the odds, she has won 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. 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 prevent anarchy… even if their empire might be better off burning.
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A life is short. Legacy is forever.
I’m so excited to be on the blog tour today for Vilest Things, the second thrilling novel in Chloe Gong’s Flesh and False Gods series. I think this is one of the most unique Shakespearean retellings I’ve ever read. The way Gong weaves plot elements, themes, and lines from Antony and Cleopatra while still remaining wholly fresh and original is brilliant, and I adored the complex characters, unpredictable plot, and slow-burning romance.
There’s something about Chloe Gong’s storytelling that pulls me in from the start, and I was eager to go back to this dark and dangerous world. We witness the aftermath of the shocking chaos that occurred at the end of Immortal Longings and are thrust back into a high-stakes, politically charged, and immersive setting. I like how the story delved deeper into the political intrigue and social upheaval. I also think the author did a great job of fleshing out the magic system more because that aspect of the story is so fascinating!
If you like a morally grey character, then you should totally check this series out because there isn’t one character I can think of who isn’t morally grey. lol Having the different POVs added so much to the plot and character development, and gave such interesting perspectives, sometimes complimentary and sometimes contradictory. I also liked seeing the story from major and minor characters, some new and some old. They all have a story to tell and each perspective is unique and compelling. Of course, my favorites were Calla and Anton.
Anton and Calla. Calla and Anton. They. Are. Everything. That is all.
Ok, maybe not all. lol But their story is my favorite part of the whole book. It’s complicated and messy, and I wasn’t sure what would happen between these two considering what happened at the end of Immortal Longings. The chemistry and sexual tension are off the charts. I adored their slow-burning romance – the banter, the longing, the angst, the way they know each other even though they don’t know each other at all – I just adored every part of it. So much of the story is intense and ominous, but watching Calla and Anton and their incredibly complicated feelings add hope and light in a dark and deadly, high-stakes world.
Like the multitude of relationships and characters explored, the plot is intricately woven and complex.. So many twists and turns and shocking revelations kept me on my toes and fully engrossed and entertained. I love stories that are unpredictable, and this one really surprised me more than once. And like the first book, this one left me with my jaw hanging open.
A fantastic sequel to Immortal Longing, Vilest Things is a wild ride from start to finish, and I’s so thankful to TBR and Beyond for having me on the tour. You can check out the full tour HERE.
“a fish in poisoned water won’t be thankful to await a feeding every hour. It will want a new tank where it can swim uninhibited to find its own food.”
“Don’t envision the limits, they say. The moment you expect a ceiling, your head will bump against it.”
“If something seems meaningless, rarely are we looking at it correctly.”
“A life is short. A legacy is forever.”
“Power has a certain taste to it. A hot, golden tang slinking down the throat and trailing smoke in its wake, like seared meat or aged liquor. Something to settle the body, soothe the heart. It is the answer to every type of hunger, an addictive luxury that requires little else in accompaniment, some salve solely made to take up every bit of space it can find.”
Chloe Gong is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Secret Shanghai novels, as well as the Flesh and False Gods trilogy. Her books have been published in over twenty countries and have been featured in the New York Times, PEOPLE, Cosmopolitan, and more. She was named one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for 2024. Chloe graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in English and International Relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, she is now located in New York City, pretending to be a real adult.
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Great review! Gong definitely knows how to take Shakespeare and put her own take on it, and I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this one 🙂
Thanks, Becky. She definitely does! And I haven’t read many Antony & Cleopatra retellings before.