It redeemed itself a bit by the end but i struggled through this one. The main character was stockholmed syndrome almost the entire book and I didn’t like that. I didn’t believe any kind of romance or affection between Ruying and Antony. He’s the literal worst. I considering DNFing so much and ultimately I’m glad I didn’t bc the end was surprisingly interesting. Not interesting enough for me to read the next book though.

Thank you netgalley for this arc!

I’ve heard a lot of the controversy around this book, but I think Molly X. Chang did a really good job. This book hooked me in and I thouroughly enjoyed it! I will be looking forward to reading more from her.

I am honestly unsure how I feel about this one! I like the themes of the book but it was such a slow build for me that it was hard for me to stay engaged in it. It is written with a lot of imagery, but it was almost too detailed for me at times where I just wanted to get to the plot. This could be a me problem, I don’t know. I did like the magic system and the fact that the main characters were morally gray. Ruying’s experiences broke my heart. It is admittedly difficult to get past the main love interest being so horrible to her though. Some things aren’t forgivable, which is why I had mixed feelings overall. Toxic relationships have their fan base, but note that this isn’t for you if you aren’t into that.

DNF. While I am unsure if this is truly a colonizer romance, I do think that they make a good argument. As a white person I have decided to stay out of that dialogue and defer to the reviews by persons of color.

I had a difficult time getting through the beginning of the book, a bit slow of a start. The over-descriptions fell flat for me. I wanted more world building and less fluffy language.

was not the best book i have read. was really excited for this one, but it really missed the mark. maybe the next book the author publishes will be better fleshed out.

I absolutely ate this up. I felt like this was a very strong debut novel. I loved The Poppy War Trilogy and this gave me those same feels. I felt like this story was unique in the way that Rome not only invaded Pangu but it had crossed through worlds to do so and was using resources in Pangu to save Rome from it's collapse due to the Human's mistreatment of their world. I loved where the story left off and I am absolutely dying to know where this is going to go and can't wait to get my hands on the next one. Thank you @netgalley and @delreybooks for the arc.

dnfing this one

the writing is so circular and confusing at the same time and i just can not read anymore of it. i have been trying to read it for a month and it’s just not happening, i’m sorry

This was fun story. It took a little bit to get into it but it was a blast. The world was fun and the characters were very likable. It’s worth the read.

This book is…interesting.

I should start off by saying that it is NOT a colonizer romance, nothing even close to it. There is a romance element, but it’s moreso based in the vein of manipulation and deception from the actual colonizer. I believe poc should be able to write very factual stories about being manipulated to do something against your own will without being accused to romanticizing that wasn’t romanticized to begin with.

With that being said, the author HERSELF markets this book very very badly. She calls it an enemies to lovers, it is not, nothing close to it. She markets the main character as this all powerful character with powers she uses to be a bad person, the book is somewhat that, though the main character is moreso docile and manipulated into doing bad things for the sake of those who she loves.

Onto the actual book:

It has potential? And for the most part reaches it, but it slightly falters towards the ending, which falls flat. The main character, Ruying, is annoying, despite being justifiably so, and you can understand her actions. The side characters are developed fine enough; though I would’ve preferred if characters like Baihu and Rome’s functioning to be explained further.

The magic system is actually quite interesting! I loved the way it worked, and the way it was done…as well as the worldbuilding, which was easily refreshing and fun. I especially loved the descriptions, if anything, that was my favorite aspect of the book.

With all the prospects and general ways this series could go, I think it will improve DEEPLY in its sequel. All this book told me is that maybe we should read the books before accusing it of something it is not.

Ruying hates the invaders who are taking over her home using technology that far overpowers the magical abilities and old fighting styles of her people. Perhaps just as much, she hates her people who have opted to betray their own and allied with the Romans for personal gain. So imagine her inner turmoil when she has no choice but to do the same for not just her survival but that of her grandma and sister. Blessed by Death with the ability to pull life out of mortal bodies, Ruying shouldn’t have to fear these foreign invaders, but she does. When an enemy prince discovers her powers, he offers her an impossible deal. If she becomes his private assassin and eliminates his rivals, her family will never starve or suffer harm again. Are the evils of this agreement really in the service of a much greater good? Will she betray her entire nation by protecting those she loves the most?

I have seen some criticism of this story revolving around the idea that this is a "colonizer romance." I more or less felt that way when reading The Hurricane Wars. I don't really feel like this reads all that much like a romance, though. I think the struggle is more about our FMC deciding between upholding her morals and surviving and protecting her family. She judges the other members of her society who have "betrayed" her people but now she is forced to make some of the same choices. In that sense, I find it an interesting premise: how our morals and ideals change as war is waged. Any "romance" or racing hearts that are alluded to read more like manipulation than love/attraction that I am supposed to root for or buy. With that said, I don't particularly enjoy the pacing. Our FMC makes many a questionable decision with dubious motivations at times. So I wouldn't say I necessarily enjoyed reading it. But I am willing to give the sequel a try before tossing in the towel.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Courage in boys was bravery. Courage in girls was foolishness. From this day forward, I wished to be foolish."


Maybe I should be embarrassed with how quickly I devoured this book in one sitting, but maybe I won't and live my best life. To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods was definitely hard to put down. I quite enjoyed this book, and it's interesting to see everyone's opinion after reading it themselves. Especially after just reading the very last page.

In this, you will meet Ruying Yang. She and her sister live with their grandma and have seen their fair share of heartache and horror. Ruying would do anything within her power to keep her family safe. Ever since her world was invaded, she has never understood why the emperors sat back and did nothing. Especially after they brought the drug, opian, that got people she loved addicted to and eventually died from. On top of that, little raids are happening, and people are disappearing more and more frequently.

There's not much she can do once she steals from someone—a prince, no less—and becomes his prey. She doesn't want to strike the deal but does so to keep her family and friends safe. Little does she know what safe truly means when she strikes a deal with a prince who isn't from her world. Along the way, we get to know more about her magic and what happens to her when she uses it. We also get a glimpse that the prince doesn't truly know anything about her world or the magic she wields.

As for the romance, I don't necessarily think it was truly brewing between her and Anthony (the prince). It might be more one-sided than anything because she's a toy to him, and he's quite frankly fascinated by her. Or should I just say in her magic? As for the other guy, I could see something growing between them. Oh, and before I forget - no, I didn't get any love triangle vibes in this.

If the romance is supposed to be between her and Anthony, then I truly need the guy to redeem himself. Still seems unlikely though.

Then there's the betrayal—my god, so much freaking betrayal. Whether it's just secrets that aren't told until it is too late or the ones that sneak out with help from some wine, I truly think the next book is going to be her redemption arc. Towards the end, the wool has been lifted from over her eyes. She was young and naive for most of this book. She was truly doing the things she did because she just wanted to keep everyone safe. Sure, she also maybe believed the prince was a good guy and didn't want him to die. But now? Ha, no.

Vengeance is coming. Be prepared.

"...those blessed by Death can either save the world one day or destroy it."

To gaze upon wicked gods- 3.5⭐️ .5🌶️

Fantasy
Dual POV
Magic
Eastern Asian influence
Colonized nation
Rebellion
Intrigue
Coming of age
War

The cover of this book is beautiful. Truly.

The plot was interesting, bringing up the question of technology vs magic. Whether the magic would stunt an empire from growing to their full potential because of the reliance in the mythical… and how it would hold up against technology and modernism. I found the call to look at the morality of power and what it means to different people to be a good topic to pursue. I appreciated the book showing the birth of a political assassin, even if it was really annoyingly that the FMC’s grandma taught her everything that she needs to know about fighting, stealth, knife work… a bit too conveniently.

The pacing of the book was broken up quite a bit by repetitive inner dialogue as well as for-shadowing mentioned multiple times, making the twists and turns fairly predictable.

The characters were fine. The FMC having her inner struggle of morality was interesting… both FMC and the MMC being morally grey was ok… but having feelings for the MMC with the oppression and emotional manipulation was icky. It gave Stockholm syndrome vibes and not necessarily in a good way. The book was mostly in the FMC’s POV, with a single VERY short chapter in the MMC’s POV. It almost felt like we were meant to sympathize with the MMC? While he was painted as a terrible person TO the FMC the whole time. Ugh.

Anyway… I wish things were a little deeper, when it came to the side characters. They felt very surface level.

Over all, this book gave post-apocalyptic earth realm colonizing other realms. Finding a love story in the opposing sides is hard to empathize with. I think I want to know what is going to happen, but at the same time I hope this is just a duology.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and Del-Rey for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

As a reader who eagerly delves into fantasy realms, I picked up "To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods" by Molly X Chang with high hopes, enticed by the promise of strong writing and immersive world-building as depicted by its captivating cover art. However, upon finishing the book, I found myself grappling with disappointment on multiple fronts.

First and foremost, the central theme of colonizer romance left a bitter taste in my mouth. The narrative hinges on a romantic relationship between a colonizer and a native inhabitant, a trope that has been criticized for perpetuating harmful power dynamics and romanticizing historical oppression. While I understand the author's intention to explore complex relationships, the execution felt tone-deaf and failed to provide any meaningful critique or resolution to the inherent issues at play.

Moreover, the writing, touted as strong on the cover, fell short of expectations. While not outright terrible, it lacked the depth and richness I anticipated from a fantasy novel of this caliber. Dialogue felt stilted at times, and character development seemed superficial, leaving me unable to fully invest in their journeys.

The world-building, another aspect hyped by the cover, proved to be disappointingly mediocre. While there were glimpses of interesting concepts scattered throughout, they remained largely underdeveloped and failed to coalesce into a fully realized and immersive setting. As a result, I found myself struggling to envision the world beyond the surface level descriptions provided, ultimately hindering my ability to become fully engrossed in the story.

In conclusion, "To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods" fell short of its promises, delivering a narrative marred by problematic themes and lacking the depth and world-building necessary to truly captivate its audience. While it may appeal to readers less concerned with nuanced representation and immersive storytelling, I cannot in good faith recommend it to those seeking a more satisfying fantasy experience.

I really enjoyed this story and the characters. Its hard not to see the parallels between this fictional story and what is happening in our own. I'm not going to lie it was difficult to read at times because colonization has and continues to be a big problem.

As difficult as these issues are they need to be pointed out and discussed and in the end stopped.

This book was very intense but so good! The authors note in the beginning is unlike anything I've read before in a YA fantasy and sets a heavy but important tone for the story. This story is unlike anything I've read and I can't wait to see how it continues and how the main character continues to grow. Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

Main character Ruying is all about survival. So much so that she's lost herself. She has deadly magic, which is both gift and curse, for obvious reasons. She loves her family and wants more than anything to keep them safe, to be the hero of their community. But otherworldly colonial oppressors called Romans get in the way. Yes, its Planet Rome vs a world reminiscent of ancient China. Science vs magic, which kind of pissed me off to cast all of science as a villain. And the love story is just as problematic. Ruying falls for her oppressor, and I'm not sure how I am supposed to feel about the relationship. If I'm supposed to feel icky and creeped out, then the book's a success. But ... ew.
On the plus side, I am intrigued by the Phantom character, their followers, and plans. I wish this book hadn't been such a long preface to that story. 

[Thanks to Del Rey/Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods was a solid start to a new fantasy trilogy! The magic system is unique (everyone’s is different and it feeds off your qi), and the worldbuilding is imaginative and a strong metaphor for history/colonialism (it’s the West bringing opium to China, where the West is still “Rome,” China is a different world altogether, and opium aka opian is a magic-enhancing drug).

I found the main character, Ruying, to be a breath of fresh air. She’s not a hero (at least, not yet in this book). She’s making morally gray choices to stay safe, stay alive, and keep her family fed and off the streets. I do think she’s tending toward chosen-one territory, but for this book, it was neat to spend time with an MC who isn’t focused on good vs evil, just survival.

There are a good number of reviews (mostly from early readers who were served, it seems, a different framing from the way this book was eventually marketed) calling it a colonizer romance. (Warning to skip the rest of this paragraph if you don’t want even the softest of spoilers.) While there IS a romance plotline in this book between Ruying and a prince of Rome, I thought it was pretty clear that he’s the Tamilin of this series (LOL). I guess we’ll see if that turns out to be correct, but just know he’s not her only option, people! Plus, she’s an unreliable narrator and probably has Stockholm Syndrome. TLDR, I need to read the second book before deciding if this feels cringey or not, because there’s a LOT of story left (at least two whole books!).

At the end of the day, I enjoyed this and look forward to the second book.

2 Stars

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!


I really really should stop requesting based off the cover because I am a sucker for a pretty cover and the substance of the books are difficult for me to get into. I actually had to pick this up on audiobook when it was available at my library because the thought of physically reading it put me off for so long. I really like the world building and was intrigued by the relationship between Ryuing and Antony (for about a second, one line really GOT me) but nothing really stood out about this book. I was not really into the plot until the ending reveal and I did not feel like I needed to go back and re-listen to any parts that I may have missed.

By the end of the book, it felt more like a chore to get through, but the concept and world is interesting. Just not the book for me!

Molly X. Chang’s To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is an Asian fantasy debut novel about Yang Ruying (Ruy), a young woman who lives in a land conquered and occupied near the time of her birth. Ruy’s once well-regarded family has fallen into despair and hunger through atrocity and war crime, and her mission now is to safeguard what little remains— the lives of her sister and grandmother. The story is inspired by Chang’s grandfather’s experience living in Manchuria, China during World War II, surviving the horror that was Unit 731, the Japanese military’s subjugation of and experimentation on the local population that resulted in at least 200,000 deaths.

With the magical world of Pengu as her foundation, Chang sets the stage for a compelling exploration into how far one will go to ensure their family’s survival, weaving science fiction and bloodthirsty, modern-day Romans into her portrayal of the subjugators. Imagine China from the early 1800s, except one that is split into five kingdoms, each gifted with citizens who could call upon their magic powers. This is Pengu from twenty years before the story begins, a world almost foreign to Ruy, who was born after the Romans flew through a rift in the sky, sending planes carrying gun-toting soldiers who swiftly conquered the kingdom.

Chang grounds the fictional Pengu in the specific architectural details, sounds, and places reminiscent of the era, such as bustling tea houses and familiar foods at the night markets. Atop this foundation, she weaves in the description of the Xianling—those who hold magic, of whom Ruy is one. Like the un-gifted, however, Xianling are powerless against the infinite supply of enemy bullets and the ensuing flood of opian (a drug similar to opium) the Romans unleash onto the population. Under this rich backdrop, the story unfolds with Ruy walking the streets, seeking the narcotic to aid her sister through deadly withdrawals.

Ruy’s present-day is bleak—from the scenes of poverty and hunger, to the Romans’ casual use of violence, to their racism against Ruy’s people. This is a time of scarcity, where every valuable has been relinquished in order to bring her family enough food; Ruy has sold everything to give her sister a chance to break her addiction. Chang reveals Ruy to be a passionate, caring sister and granddaughter who endures multiple hardships—one who risks venturing near the enemy, who will own nothing after this purchase of opian, who will do anything to ensure their survival. This is exclusively Ruy’s burden. In Ruy, Chang renders a pragmatic young character whose morality will be continuously tested, her values eroded. The result is an authentic and tragic portrayal of a woman attempting to stay whole.

Ruy’s chief adversary is Antony, one of three sons who might one day lead Rome. There is also Antony’s brother, Valentin who advocates for war to solidify Rome’s hold. Antony, on the other hand, offers sympathy to the poor, despises unnecessary death, and seeks to solidify control to ensure his vision of peace. But he needs Ruy, who can deliver Death’s magic and assassinate the unwary without leaving evidence behind. Through Antony, Chang acknowledges the non-binary nature of war, and presents Ruy with a conundrum: Is it possible to align oneself with the lesser of two evils and still be on the side of good?

Chang does not make anything easy for Ruy, and the difficult choices are what make her character more relatable. When Antony’s promises to ensure Ruy’s family’s safety, she compromises her beliefs to become his assassin. Here, Chang balances the potentially treasonous nature of Ruy’s decision against the perceived benefit of peace for all. Similar balancing acts follow Ruy throughout the narrative through tests both logical and barbaric. Wading through this moral gray area, Ruy’s harshest judge is her own conscience. Through these harrowing choices, Chang builds suspense like rising water on the verge of bursting a dam—what will happen when Antony asks Ruy to kill and she refuses?

Antony’s Romans are fictionalized versions of what we know, but they are a compelling stand-in for the World War II-era Japanese referenced in Chang’s Author’s Note. While the narrative offers no definitive reason for using the ancient civilization, the choice is effective. These Romans come from our past as if their empire navigated through all its trials from the early first millennia, only to strengthen and persist to the modern day. They are ruthless, science-based, technology-rich, and militaristic. No real nation has demonstrated such longevity or tenacity, but this fictional Rome makes for the perfect antagonist, especially when personified through Valentin’s racism and warmongering on one side, and Antony’s empathic and more surgical approach on the other. This dichotomy is key to cultivating sympathy with Ruy’s character. Even if her path is disagreeable, the other choice is clearly worse.

Ancient Rome is a familiar touchstone, and drawing a connection between this authorial device and our own history, Chang challenges readers to ask themselves: if this version of Rome closely resembles my own world, how am I like the antagonist? The use of Rome elevates Ruy’s plight to social commentary, a point Chang further hones when she reveals the society’s global challenges bear a striking similarity to ours. When the pieces come together and the connections are made clear, the tension of Chang’s societal critique, pitted against Ruy’s desire to create a best of all possible futures, drives and delivers a gripping story. With Rome utilized as both the seed and the mirror to judge Ruy, Chang makes it near impossible to condemn her without also implicating ourselves.

Is Ruy a hero, a villain, or a victim? Chang’s narrative makes prodigious use of introspection to show Ruy’s never sure herself. Through this constant struggle, she elevates Ruy from the spotless hero into one who is multidimensional and decidedly human. Her resulting story is too rich, perhaps, to carry simple labels. Villain, hero, victim—Ruy is all three.

"To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods" by Molly X. Chang presents a captivating blend of fantasy, science fiction, and historical elements, offering readers a thought-provoking exploration of colonialism, power dynamics, and the complexities of morality.

Set in a fantastical world where magic and technology collide, the story follows Ruying, a young woman gifted with the power of Death, as she navigates the oppressive rule of a futuristic Roman empire. Chang's narrative deftly weaves together themes of identity, loyalty, and resistance, inviting readers to reflect on real-world issues such as imperialism and environmental degradation.

While Ruying's journey is compelling, it is her complex relationship with Antony, the prince of Rome, that truly shines. Their dynamic, though fraught with manipulation and conflicting loyalties, offers a nuanced exploration of power and desire in the face of oppression. Chang's prose is evocative and immersive, painting a vivid picture of the world of Pangu and its inhabitants.

Despite some shortcomings in character development and pacing, particularly with the supporting cast, Chang's rich world-building and thematic depth make "To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods" a captivating read. The novel's exploration of moral ambiguity and the consequences of colonialism resonates deeply, leaving readers eagerly anticipating future installments in this promising new series.

Overall, "To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods" is a compelling debut that challenges conventions and sparks important conversations about power, identity, and the nature of resistance. With its engaging narrative and thought-provoking themes, it earns a solid four stars and establishes Molly X. Chang as a talent to watch in the world of speculative fiction.