Vilest Things Book Review
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.
Synopsis
Chloe Gong returns with power plays, spilled blood, and lethal romance in the thrilling fantasy sequel to New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller Immortal Longings, inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra.
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 now serves 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 yearslong 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.
REVIEW
Chloe Gong’s Vilest Things is an absolutely masterful continuation of the Flesh & False Gods trilogy, filled with political intrigue, morally gray characters, and an angsty romance that blurs the line between love and power. Picking up where Immortal Longings left off, this sequel shifts from the battle royale of book 1 to the complex fallout of Calla Tuoleimi’s actions—dethroning her uncle and putting August Shenzhi (invaded by Anton Makusa) on the throne. The result is a richly woven tale that blends political machinations with tense personal dynamics, all while raising the stakes to ridiculous heights.
One of the most compelling aspects of Vilest Things is the relationship between Calla and Anton. Their bond, much like that of Cleopatra’s and Antony’s, is dark and twisted, driven by a devotion that borders on obsession, in my opinion. I mean—
“I loved you,” he spits, “and you chose to kill me.”
“You have so quickly forgotten,” she says quietly, “that I would have razed the twin cities for you.”
“Is this a death warrant?” He curls a finger around a strand of her hair. It slithers like water, glides like silk. “Mutually signed, mutually enacted?”
“I will swear myself to you here, if that’s what it takes. From this moment onward, I am your follower. Your acolyte. Whatever it is you need, as my ruler or my deity.”
The utterance sinks heavily into the room, like ingots in water. What a terrible promise. What a beautiful promise.
The tension in their dynamic is palpable, both emotionally and politically. They are a pair “on the precipice of falling off the very world,” and the push-and-pull of their complex relationship, in which they are simultaneously in love and rivals vying for power, had me stressing and will keep you constantly on edge. As they attempt to navigate the chaos of a kingdom on the brink of anarchy, it’s impossible to look away from their battle to either save or destroy each other until there is nothing left.
Beyond the romance, Gong’s skill in building a politically charged, dystopian historical fantasy world shines in this book. Where Immortal Longings focused on the deadly games, Vilest Things digs deeper into the actual implications of book 1, very reminiscent of The Folk of the Air series (but in a way I relished much more). The pacing is smoother here—more so than in the first installment—and the stakes are impossibly high with the threat of the old gods, new qi/magic manipulations, and Otta’s awakening after her seven-year coma. Every twist is crafted with nuance and delivered perfectly.
Look you sad, friends?
Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra
The gods rebuke me, but it is tidings
To wash the eyes of kings
Another fascinating part of reading this trilogy that I’ve already alluded to in my reviews of both books thus far is how carefully Chloe Gong threads Shakespearean themes into her work. I don’t know if anyone else noticed, but the title of this book, Vilest Things, was cleverly foreshadowed in the quote from Antony and Cleopatra at the beginning of Immortal Longings. Similarly, I can’t help but wonder if the title of the final installment will be either Gods Rebuke or Eyes of Kings—both phrases from the Shakespeare quote at the beginning of this book.
Calla’s teeth are gritted so hard that her jaw hurts.
“Bitch,” she manages under her breath.
Continuing on, the moments of humor sprinkled throughout provide some nice relief from the intensity of the plot. Calla’s deadpan delivery here—
“We put her in the most secure cell under the palace for a reason. She is dangerous.”
“I wasn’t put there.”
“You weren’t considered enough of a risk to warrant it.”
“Oh. Oh, wow.”
“Are you . . . offended by that?”
“I murdered the king, Galipei. What else did you want from me?”
and exchanges like—
“Your Highness, you’re not dressed correctly.”
“Oh, fuck off.”
and
“What’s wrong with a little dearest of my heart?”
“Tyrant of my heart is far more fitting.”
offer levity that I personally loved without detracting from the weight of the narrative. These bits help balance the grimness of the plot, adding another layer of enjoyment to the read.
Overall, Vilest Things is a brilliantly layered sequel that surpasses the first book in its complexity and depth. The political intrigue, high stakes, constant plot twists, and the intoxicatingly dysfunctional romance between Calla and Anton make it such a good read. Chloe Gong’s ability to mix humor, tragedy, and romance within such a dark, twisty framework is impressive, leaving me eagerly awaiting the final book in the trilogy. If you’re a fan of retellings, star-crossed lovers, morally gray characters, and fantasy worlds where the price of power is steep, this one is a must-read.
Final verdict? Vilest Things is an excellent, angst-ridden sequel that sets the stage for a truly explosive conclusion.
Content warnings include violence and death.
Expected publication date is 10 September 2024.
Author Profile
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, Forbes, and more. She is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she double-majored in English and international relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Chloe is now located in New York City, pretending to be a real adult.
You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok under @thechloegong, or visit her website at www.thechloegong.com.
TL;DR
- Rating: 4.5 stars | Genre: Historical Fantasy | Pages: 384
- Book 2 of Flesh & False Gods trilogy
- A retelling of Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra
- An intoxicatingly dysfunctional romance subplot
- Political intrigue, high stakes, and constant plot twists
- A must-read for fans of retellings, star-crossed lovers, morally gray characters, and fantasy worlds where the price of power is steep
- CWs: violence and death
Want more?
See my review of Book 1, Immortal Longings, HERE!
