Vilest Things by Chloe Gong

Vilest Things by Chloe Gong

Vilest Things is the second book in Chloe Gong's Flesh and False Gods trilogy, a series inspired by Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra. Just like in the first novel, Immortal Longings, we've got a lot of stuff going on. Be ready for death, gore, toxic relationships of all kinds, bullying, violence and blood, kidnapping, religious bigotry, colonization, war, injury, and the death of a parent or two. There will be a spoiler or two for Immortal Longings in the next paragraph, so skip over it if you haven't finished the first book in the series.

At the end of the first novel, Calla wins Talin's games and manages to kill her uncle, King Kasa. Just like she planned with her cousin, the new King August. Just one, kind of really big, problem. August is not August. His body has been commandeered by Anton, the man that Calla loves and who she betrayed in the games, killing him in order to gain access to Kasa. As if that weren't enough, Anton's ex-girlfriend Otta just woke up from a seven year coma. Otta, who also happens to be August's half-sister and a first rate schemer. Can Calla and Anton get over their personal hang ups (attempted murder is a hard one to forgive) in order to save the country from destroying itself? And even if they can...should they?

Let me start by saying that Chloe Gong is capable of writing beautifully, of putting together a wonderful metaphor that really makes you envision the picture that she is painting for you. I just wish she tried to do that more often, because this book is a mess. Which is unfortunate because the premise is incredibly interesting and I really feel like it had the potential to be great. But what we get falls far short of what I wanted. Characters who, while heavy in weakness have almost no redeeming qualities that make them likeable or make me want to champion them. Plot holes that she tries to fill in but only manages to cover with a tarp, creating conversations between characters that only infuriated me and made me think these books were not really planned out or were rushed.

I'm giving Vilest Things by Chloe Gong 2 stars out of 5. To put it succinctly, it didn't check any of my boxes and I did not enjoy the book. In fact, it took me weeks to finish. But it got 1 star since I did manage to finish it eventually and it got another star basically because it has so much potential I didn't have the heart to rate it lower. But I probably should. The last novel in the series should be out in 2026, so stay tuned to see how much I hate it.

For more from Chloe Gong, check out her website at https://thechloegong.com/

Pairs well with roasted taro and knowing that there is a right time to give in to your carnal desires. And there is a very wrong time.

If this review didn't make you come to your senses and you need a refresher on what happened in Immortal Longings before starting Vilest Things, see our Flesh and False Gods summary page.

Review of Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong - Flesh and False Gods book 1