I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

When this book was first released last year, the synopsis piqued my interest, but then I saw that it got a lot of hate on Goodreads, so I put it aside. When the publisher offered me a copy, I decided to go ahead and give it a try, and I’m glad I did. Was I blown away? No, but I also don’t understand all of the hate.

This is a very loose retelling of the Antony and Cleopatra story set in the fictional kingdom of Talin. The story follows Princess Calla Tuoleimi, a fierce and complex character who is hiding a dark secret from her past. As she plans to take down the monarchy that she believes is responsible for the massacre that killed her parents, Calla must face her inner demons while navigating the dangerous world of the palace games, where players fight to the death.

But Calla is not alone in her quest for justice. Enter Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat and best friend of August, the king’s son, with his own motivations for competing in the games. As these two characters form an unexpected alliance, the tension and chemistry between them threaten to come between them and victory, but only one of them can win – and with this being a fight to the death, it doesn’t look good for these two star-crossed lovers.

Gong does a decent job of weaving together action, romance, and political intrigue in a way that kept me hooked from start to finish. Did I feel like the story dragged in places? Absolutely, but the twists along the way kept me invested.

One of the most exciting elements of the story is the concept of body jumping, a unique and intriguing twist that adds an extra layer of complexity to the story. The idea of characters being able to switch bodies at will adds an element of unpredictability and suspense to the plot. It definitely ups the stakes of the games because it’s difficult to keep track of who you are hunting. While this intriguing concept definitely upped the stakes, it also caused some confusion on my end – especially in the more intense battle scenes. There were times when it got difficult to keep track of who was who, who jumped where, and who managed to escape because they jumped to another body. There’s also the added mystery of why Calla refuses to jump. Is it because she is determined to stay true to who she is, or is it for different reasons?

The dynamic between Calla, Anton, and August is compelling, with each character bringing their own motivations and secrets to the table. They are all connected in complex ways that eventually reveal themselves. While I enjoyed the connection, I will admit that I never felt particularly close to the characters until more than halfway through the book. Once a few secrets were revealed, I felt that I cared more about Calla and Anton especially – I just wished this had happened a little sooner. That said, once these secrets were revealed, the stakes grew higher, and I was totally invested.

While it started out slow, and I had difficulty connecting with the characters initially, I ended up enjoying this one. I am definitely looking forward to checking out the next installment.