A review by ahc001
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang

dark sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This was a solid debut. I enjoyed how this was a darker exploration of the gruesome realities of colonialism. All of the characters had very few redeeming qualities and deep flaws. As depressing as it was to read sometimes, knowing the historical basis for the book, as well as the author's connection to that history, made it worth reading. I enjoyed the prose immensely, and Chang's use of figurative language was perfectly balanced between "flowery" and realistic. 

My biggest issue was the pacing, particularly the

6 month time skip where, presumably, Ruying undergoes massive character development (not necessarily the positive kind, but the kind that would have assisted me in understanding her character arc. Additionally, I'm sure this 6 month period would have had many of the interactions between Ruying and Antony that would help us understand their relationship better occured.

It felt like an out for the author in the "murky middle" where it can sometimes be difficult to fill the space in an engaging way, to keep readers interested as the book moves towards its final conclusion. Unfortunately, taking this section out entirely did the entire book a disservice. 

Additionally, this book was marketed as having science fiction elements, but that is a *huge* stretch. The main "scifi" elements are the constant references to "science" and "experiments," as well as the existence of electricity and machinery in the more modern realm of Rome. The largest "on the page" scifi reference is

in the very last part of the book, where Antony describes the reasons behind his experimentations on Pangulings, and includes what I can only assume is a rudimentary explanation of blood cell science.

Having elements of science fiction does not make a book a scifi/fantasy crossover. This is solidly a YA fantasy. 

Many other reviews talk about the colonizer/colonized romance being "problematic," but I didn't see it that way. I simply think the development of that romance needed to be more fleshed out. I saw it coming from a mile away, but it didn't quite fit into the larger narrative the way it needed to. Again, this is where

actual on page events instead of a 6 month time skip

would have come in handy.

I will most likely read the next book. Again, this book had some issues that are common in debut novels, especially around pacing, but I believe it was a solid YA fantasy. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation