Review: To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods (Gods Beyond the Skies #1) by Molly X. Chang

*I received a copy of this book from Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods

(Gods Beyond the Skies #1)

by Molly X. Chang 

April 16, 2024

Goodreads Summary:

She has power over death. He has power over her. When two enemies strike a dangerous bargain, will they end a war . . . or ignite one?

Heroes die, cowards live. Daughter of a conquered world, Ruying hates the invaders who descended from the heavens long before she was born and defeated the magic of her people with technologies unlike anything her world had ever seen.

Blessed by Death, born with the ability to pull the life right out of mortal bodies, Ruying shouldn’t have to fear these foreign invaders, but she does. Especially because she wants to keep herself and her family safe.

When Ruying’s Gift is discovered by an enemy prince, he offers her an impossible deal: If she becomes his private assassin and eliminates his political rivals—whose deaths he swears would be for the good of both their worlds and would protect her people from further brutalization—her family will never starve or suffer harm again. But to accept this bargain, she must use the powers she has always feared, powers that will shave years off her own existence.

Can Ruying trust this prince, whose promises of a better world make her heart ache and whose smiles make her pulse beat faster? Are the evils of this agreement really in the service of a much greater good? Or will she betray her entire nation by protecting those she loves the most?

Review

I was not at all prepared for how raw To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods would feel. It’s a story of despair but also of hope. I experienced many emotions reading this one.

All the characters in To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods had vulnerabilities but Ruying was the most insecure. When she came off as naïve, I could understand her wanting to see the good in everyone. What I couldn’t get behind was her ignorance. Ruying was constantly thinking up excuses to justify her choices and actions. Even when something was clearly not right, her desperation clouded her judgement. For that, I had a hard time liking Ruying for most of the story. But I’m glad I didn’t give up on her because changes occur. I’m super curious to see what Ruying will do in the next book.

I can see why people have concerns about the romance in To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods. But I also think the author does a great job showing how incompatible Ruying and Antony were for each other. From the beginning it’s obvious they’re not meant to work out. He was using her for her abilities and she clung to him as a break from all the horrors in her life. They just felt wrong on so many levels. There’s also the fact that the author seems to be hinting at another suitor towards the end of the book. He would be a much better love interest for Ruying so fingers crossed!

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods was powerful and consuming. I’m wholly invested and need to see where the story will take these characters.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the copy I received.