Vilest Things is a mixed bag of a book. Chloe Gong is one of the most talented fantasy authors I’ve ever encountered, but wheel-spinning is the name of the game for the next chapter in the Flesh and False Gods universe. The complex heroine, Calla, is, as always, interesting to follow, but the worldbuilding, while unique enough, is headache-inducing. Sadly, this series looks to be a middling one compared to the author’s incredible Secret Shanghai.

Princess Calla Tuoleim has done just what she set out to do and won the king’s game, slaughtering her competition on a quest to depose her uncle, King Kasa, and to put Prince August on the throne. Anton Makusa has not given up in his own quest for power, but in doing so he’s leapt into the body of Prince August Shenzhi, for whom Calla now works as royal advisor. As the much more reasonable August, Anton can finally find the birth body stolen from him years ago – and attain more power than he’s ever dreamed of.

Calla knows that August isn’t August anymore, knew from the very moment she killed him. She thought she was getting everything she ever wanted by deposing Kasa, but now she’s stuck with Anton, who’s still angry with her for her double-cross in the arena. Things are suddenly made even more difficult when Anton’s original driving force in the games – Otta Avia – wakes from a long coma. There’s no love lost between Otta and Calla, and soon Calla learns Otta knows something about the royal family that could undo them all. When Otta unleashes that knowledge, all hell breaks loose, pitting Anton and Calla against August and Otta in a race to find a sacred crown which will determine the true ruler of the kingdom. Who will survive?

Not your brain, unless you make a flowchart to keep track of all of those ups and downs and double crosses. The magic system is so confusing in Vilest Thing, with a sigil and blood magic being introduced into the already-stuffed system of power. If you don’t pay attention, the constant body hopping Calla, August, and Anton do will leave you completely confused, too. Reincarnation pops into the mix, which is also aided by the body hopping. This worked better in the previous book. Here, the lack of the tournament to focus on makes the march toward war feel long-winded and shapeless. ‘

As always with Gong, the battle scenes are excellent, and everything that involves fighting in this series works. The interpersonal relationships and worldbuilding and politics – including the confusing romance between Calla and Anton – just continues to leave me cold as they tangle and confuse. And yet, Gong has such a spark, such great prose, so maybe Vilest Thing is worth a read if you’re enthused by her writing talent – but bring a pad of paper or a notes app with you.