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The StrangeLoom Trilogy #1
Coldwire
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong comes the start of a daring new dystopian series where humanity has moved to virtual reality to flee their deteriorating world, following two young soldiers who must depend on unlikely allies in their fight for survival.
The future is loading…
To escape rising seas and rampant epidemics, most of society lives “upcountry” in glistening virtual reality, while those who can’t afford the subscription are forced to remain in crumbling “downcountry.”
But upcountry isn’t perfect. A cold war rages between two powerful nations, Medaluo and Atahua—and no one suffers for it more than the Medan orphans in Atahua. Their enrollment at Nile Military Academy is mandatory. Either serve as a soldier or risk being labelled a spy.
Eirale graduated the academy and joined NileCorp’s private forces downcountry, exactly as she was supposed to. Then Atahua’s most wanted anarchist frames her for assassinating a government official, and she’s given a choice: cooperate with him to search for a dangerous program in Medaluo or go down for treason.
Meanwhile, Lia is finishing her last year upcountry at Nile Military Academy. Paired with her academic nemesis for their final assignment, Lia is determined to beat him for valedictorian and prove her worth. But there may be far more at stake when their task to infiltrate Medaluo and track down an Atahuan traitor goes wrong…
Though Eirale and Lia tear through Medaluo on different planes of reality, the two start to suspect they are puzzle pieces in a larger conspiracy—and the closer they get to the truth, the closer their worlds come to a shattering collision.
The future is loading…
To escape rising seas and rampant epidemics, most of society lives “upcountry” in glistening virtual reality, while those who can’t afford the subscription are forced to remain in crumbling “downcountry.”
But upcountry isn’t perfect. A cold war rages between two powerful nations, Medaluo and Atahua—and no one suffers for it more than the Medan orphans in Atahua. Their enrollment at Nile Military Academy is mandatory. Either serve as a soldier or risk being labelled a spy.
Eirale graduated the academy and joined NileCorp’s private forces downcountry, exactly as she was supposed to. Then Atahua’s most wanted anarchist frames her for assassinating a government official, and she’s given a choice: cooperate with him to search for a dangerous program in Medaluo or go down for treason.
Meanwhile, Lia is finishing her last year upcountry at Nile Military Academy. Paired with her academic nemesis for their final assignment, Lia is determined to beat him for valedictorian and prove her worth. But there may be far more at stake when their task to infiltrate Medaluo and track down an Atahuan traitor goes wrong…
Though Eirale and Lia tear through Medaluo on different planes of reality, the two start to suspect they are puzzle pieces in a larger conspiracy—and the closer they get to the truth, the closer their worlds come to a shattering collision.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published November 4, 2025
405 people are currently reading
24641 people want to read
About the author
Chloe Gong
20 books25.9k followersChloe Gong is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Secret Shanghai novels, as well as the Flesh and False Gods trilogy. Her books have been published in over twenty countries and have been featured in the New York Times, PEOPLE, Cosmopolitan, and more. She was named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 for 2024. Chloe graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in English and International Relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, she is now located in New York City, pretending to be a real adult.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 773 reviews
November 7, 2025
This was my first Chloe Gong book, and I hate to say it, but it was just so boring. Her books have been sitting on my tbr for a while now, and a lot of my friends absolutely love her work, so I went in with high hopes. I might give her another chance, but this book wasn't for me at all.
I could not get into the writing style; it honestly made me cringe multiple times. I understand this is YA and meant to have a certain tone, and the writing is meant to skew younger, but this was so juvenile that it genuinely hurt to read at times.
I feel like I'm complaining about the same things in every book I've been disliking lately, and I'm getting so damn tired. But seriously, what more can I say when the issues just keep repeating? So many books these days have good concepts but terrible executions, like failed dual timelines/povs that make the plot feel lacklustre, containing boring and immature characters with authors who have a tendency to focus more on aesthetics than actual plot development and overall delivery.
This book felt like it was more invested in the aesthetic of dystopia than actual dystopian storytelling. Maybe I'm cursed, or maybe this is purely coincidental, but I've now read three books in a row with dual povs/timelines that just don't work at all, and this one might have been the worst struggle yet. They are undeniably hard to write and execute well, but having dual povs that ruin the plot and leave readers confused as hell most of the time is the worst feeling ever.
The pacing was completely off. The world-building was so lacklustre that I could never find myself invested in the plot at all. Maybe it's the reading slump talking, but this book was such a slog to get through.
Again, I'm saying the same thing in every review I write, but the concept is cool. It’s set in a cyberpunk dystopian world where humanity escapes into virtual reality to flee a collapsing society. The social commentary on AI—these are important themes to explore in today's world, I mean, anything dealing with AI or virtual reality feels incredibly relevant right now, and there was real potential here. I appreciate what the author was going for, but again, the execution failed.
I also need to add that the ending, which was supposedly meant to be shocking, I unfortunately saw coming from miles away, which honestly just drained whatever very little remaining enjoyment I had left.
Despite this not working out for me, I’d still recommend it to anyone who gravitates toward YA and sci-fi books.
I could not get into the writing style; it honestly made me cringe multiple times. I understand this is YA and meant to have a certain tone, and the writing is meant to skew younger, but this was so juvenile that it genuinely hurt to read at times.
I feel like I'm complaining about the same things in every book I've been disliking lately, and I'm getting so damn tired. But seriously, what more can I say when the issues just keep repeating? So many books these days have good concepts but terrible executions, like failed dual timelines/povs that make the plot feel lacklustre, containing boring and immature characters with authors who have a tendency to focus more on aesthetics than actual plot development and overall delivery.
This book felt like it was more invested in the aesthetic of dystopia than actual dystopian storytelling. Maybe I'm cursed, or maybe this is purely coincidental, but I've now read three books in a row with dual povs/timelines that just don't work at all, and this one might have been the worst struggle yet. They are undeniably hard to write and execute well, but having dual povs that ruin the plot and leave readers confused as hell most of the time is the worst feeling ever.
The pacing was completely off. The world-building was so lacklustre that I could never find myself invested in the plot at all. Maybe it's the reading slump talking, but this book was such a slog to get through.
Again, I'm saying the same thing in every review I write, but the concept is cool. It’s set in a cyberpunk dystopian world where humanity escapes into virtual reality to flee a collapsing society. The social commentary on AI—these are important themes to explore in today's world, I mean, anything dealing with AI or virtual reality feels incredibly relevant right now, and there was real potential here. I appreciate what the author was going for, but again, the execution failed.
I also need to add that the ending, which was supposedly meant to be shocking, I unfortunately saw coming from miles away, which honestly just drained whatever very little remaining enjoyment I had left.
Despite this not working out for me, I’d still recommend it to anyone who gravitates toward YA and sci-fi books.
Want to read
June 11, 2024"thank you mother for feeding us," we all chant in unison !
September 27, 2025
A cutting-edge dystopian thrill that blends cyberpunk aesthetics, raw emotion, and sharp social commentary.
Wow, what a ride! Coldwire by Chloe Gong is a fiercely imaginative, beautifully layered dystopian tale that feels both terrifyingly futuristic and hauntingly familiar. It’s the kind of story that grabs you with sleek worldbuilding and keeps you turning the pages with relentless tension, political intrigue, and characters teetering on the edge of survival.
Set in a fractured future where most of society lives in an immersive virtual “upcountry” while the less fortunate are left to rot in the collapsing “downcountry,” Coldwire plunges us into a world where truth is blurred, loyalties are tested, and rebellion simmers just beneath the surface. From the very beginning, I was struck by how real this world felt—like something that could be waiting for us just a few short decades down the line. The technology, the class divide, the surveillance state—it all felt eerily possible.
I loved the dual narratives of Eirale and Lia. Their perspectives were so different, yet strangely complementary. Eirale’s gritty journey on the ground contrasted powerfully with Lia’s calculated moves in the virtual academy, and watching their stories unfold in parallel—knowing they were destined to collide—made for a gripping experience. Chloe Gong has a gift for tension and timing, and she uses both here to fantastic effect.
That said, there were moments when I struggled to keep up with all the world-specific jargon and complex political layers, especially early on. The pacing could be jarring at times, with quick POV shifts that left me scrambling to reorient. But once I settled into the rhythm of the story, I appreciated the ambition behind it. Gong doesn’t spoon-feed the reader—she trusts us to catch up, and that challenge ended up being one of the book’s strengths.
The emotional beats were subtle, but they landed. There’s a raw, unpolished vulnerability to the characters that really shines through beneath all the chaos. The hints of romance added just enough warmth to balance the darker themes, without ever hijacking the main plot. And the ending? Whew. Let’s just say I’m not emotionally okay and desperately need Book Two.
This book is a bold, smart, and timely addition to the YA dystopian genre. It tackles themes like social inequality, capitalism, climate collapse, and identity with intelligence and nuance—and it never forgets the humanity at its core.
A huge thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books for sharing this exhilarating digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts. Coldwire left me breathless, thoughtful, and just a little haunted. Bring on the sequel—I’m ready.
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Wow, what a ride! Coldwire by Chloe Gong is a fiercely imaginative, beautifully layered dystopian tale that feels both terrifyingly futuristic and hauntingly familiar. It’s the kind of story that grabs you with sleek worldbuilding and keeps you turning the pages with relentless tension, political intrigue, and characters teetering on the edge of survival.
Set in a fractured future where most of society lives in an immersive virtual “upcountry” while the less fortunate are left to rot in the collapsing “downcountry,” Coldwire plunges us into a world where truth is blurred, loyalties are tested, and rebellion simmers just beneath the surface. From the very beginning, I was struck by how real this world felt—like something that could be waiting for us just a few short decades down the line. The technology, the class divide, the surveillance state—it all felt eerily possible.
I loved the dual narratives of Eirale and Lia. Their perspectives were so different, yet strangely complementary. Eirale’s gritty journey on the ground contrasted powerfully with Lia’s calculated moves in the virtual academy, and watching their stories unfold in parallel—knowing they were destined to collide—made for a gripping experience. Chloe Gong has a gift for tension and timing, and she uses both here to fantastic effect.
That said, there were moments when I struggled to keep up with all the world-specific jargon and complex political layers, especially early on. The pacing could be jarring at times, with quick POV shifts that left me scrambling to reorient. But once I settled into the rhythm of the story, I appreciated the ambition behind it. Gong doesn’t spoon-feed the reader—she trusts us to catch up, and that challenge ended up being one of the book’s strengths.
The emotional beats were subtle, but they landed. There’s a raw, unpolished vulnerability to the characters that really shines through beneath all the chaos. The hints of romance added just enough warmth to balance the darker themes, without ever hijacking the main plot. And the ending? Whew. Let’s just say I’m not emotionally okay and desperately need Book Two.
This book is a bold, smart, and timely addition to the YA dystopian genre. It tackles themes like social inequality, capitalism, climate collapse, and identity with intelligence and nuance—and it never forgets the humanity at its core.
A huge thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books for sharing this exhilarating digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts. Coldwire left me breathless, thoughtful, and just a little haunted. Bring on the sequel—I’m ready.
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November 6, 2025What's more dystopian, collapsing ecosystems or late-stage capitalism in a virtual reality to flee a deteriorating world?
Black Mirror and Ready Player One would probably be proud.
Black Mirror and Ready Player One would probably be proud.
October 31, 2025
I am such a dystopian girlie, and this world was so freaking insane 😮💨
Imagine a world where downcountry is Earth, where you physically live, but you get into a pod and log into upcountry, which is a spitting image of it, just virtual and where you spend most of your time. You think it ends there? Nope add corporations and governments that want to rule over the world with two girls who work for said companies with military academy background, and you’ve got an insane plotline.
This book was a bit slow atå the beginning, I won’t lie, and it got a bit confusing with the limits and rules of the virtual world. I’ve never read this author before, but the way she builds worlds DAMN, I loved it hehehe.
I keep talking about the world (duh, because i’m obsessed), but let’s get into the book. You meet Lia and Eirale, each with their own “mission” one in downcountry and the other in upcountry. The way these timelines mash together is actually insaaaaneeee.
Idk how to talk about it without spoilers, so i'll summarize it with the following: If you like dystopian, gasping moments and a sprinkle of 'come find me' then you will adore this read. I also loved the author's writing and will definitely read again.
AND THE LAST 15% EDGE OF MY SEAT MATERIAAAAL
tropes
💘 dystopian
💘 dual POV (two different FMCs)
💘 virtual world vs reality
💘 forced proximity
💘 one bed hehe
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅ a dystopian where everyone connects to a virtual world pls. say less.
Imagine a world where downcountry is Earth, where you physically live, but you get into a pod and log into upcountry, which is a spitting image of it, just virtual and where you spend most of your time. You think it ends there? Nope add corporations and governments that want to rule over the world with two girls who work for said companies with military academy background, and you’ve got an insane plotline.
This book was a bit slow atå the beginning, I won’t lie, and it got a bit confusing with the limits and rules of the virtual world. I’ve never read this author before, but the way she builds worlds DAMN, I loved it hehehe.
I keep talking about the world (duh, because i’m obsessed), but let’s get into the book. You meet Lia and Eirale, each with their own “mission” one in downcountry and the other in upcountry. The way these timelines mash together is actually insaaaaneeee.
Idk how to talk about it without spoilers, so i'll summarize it with the following: If you like dystopian, gasping moments and a sprinkle of 'come find me' then you will adore this read. I also loved the author's writing and will definitely read again.
AND THE LAST 15% EDGE OF MY SEAT MATERIAAAAL
tropes
💘 dystopian
💘 dual POV (two different FMCs)
💘 virtual world vs reality
💘 forced proximity
💘 one bed hehe
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅ a dystopian where everyone connects to a virtual world pls. say less.
November 4, 2025
3.5 ★— You know, reading about artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and shady, dangerous governments isn’t that fun when it’s increasingly mirroring reality and the headlines you’re confronted with daily. This story really took me some time to finish because of that, and also because much of its worldbuilding felt slow and clunky.
Set in a futuristic society where the higher classes live in Upcountry, an artificial reality created after the devastating effects of climate change took their toll on the environment, while those without the means remain in the real world, or Downcountry, the story had me struggling a bit to keep everything straight.
It threw out so many fascinating futuristic ideas and pieces of technology, all of which had the potential to be incredibly interesting, but were regrettably only explored on a surface level. That lack of depth made it hard to stay fully invested in the world or its stakes, especially when the narrative leaned on a fairly basic and not particularly exciting storyline.
The dual POV structure didn’t help much either, since one perspective was clearly stronger than the other. Between the book's two main characters, Lia and Eirale, Lia’s chapters were far more compelling to me. Be it her dynamic with Kieren and the academic rivals angle to their relationship or the actual exploration of the futuristic academy they were both apart of, which added excitement that Eirale’s sections lacked.
As I mentioned before, it all comes back to my main frustration: the story keeps presenting cool ideas and intriguing characters without ever truly exploring them. Take the character of Nik Grant, for example, a supposed anarchist and government enemy introduced through Eirale’s POV. We’re told he’s leading a revolt, yet he ends up feeling completely one-note and bland. He's basically a tall, handsome placeholder without the conviction or complexity an anarchist-against-the-government-storyline could actually provide!
The book did manage to pull me back in at times, especially with some revelations in the ending chapters, which were among the most interesting moments. The issue is that the rest of the narrative just wasn’t strong enough to make those payoffs feel worthwhile.
In the end, Coldwire has a cool aesthetic and some intriguing concepts but not much beyond that. It feels like a generic story with a mildly fun twist that ultimately didn’t make it worth the read for me.
Still, this might appeal to YA readers looking for a different kind of setting or to fans of Detroit: Become Human who want a lighter story than that, but still crave shades of that setting.
__________
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Set in a futuristic society where the higher classes live in Upcountry, an artificial reality created after the devastating effects of climate change took their toll on the environment, while those without the means remain in the real world, or Downcountry, the story had me struggling a bit to keep everything straight.
It threw out so many fascinating futuristic ideas and pieces of technology, all of which had the potential to be incredibly interesting, but were regrettably only explored on a surface level. That lack of depth made it hard to stay fully invested in the world or its stakes, especially when the narrative leaned on a fairly basic and not particularly exciting storyline.
The dual POV structure didn’t help much either, since one perspective was clearly stronger than the other. Between the book's two main characters, Lia and Eirale, Lia’s chapters were far more compelling to me. Be it her dynamic with Kieren and the academic rivals angle to their relationship or the actual exploration of the futuristic academy they were both apart of, which added excitement that Eirale’s sections lacked.
As I mentioned before, it all comes back to my main frustration: the story keeps presenting cool ideas and intriguing characters without ever truly exploring them. Take the character of Nik Grant, for example, a supposed anarchist and government enemy introduced through Eirale’s POV. We’re told he’s leading a revolt, yet he ends up feeling completely one-note and bland. He's basically a tall, handsome placeholder without the conviction or complexity an anarchist-against-the-government-storyline could actually provide!
The book did manage to pull me back in at times, especially with some revelations in the ending chapters, which were among the most interesting moments. The issue is that the rest of the narrative just wasn’t strong enough to make those payoffs feel worthwhile.
In the end, Coldwire has a cool aesthetic and some intriguing concepts but not much beyond that. It feels like a generic story with a mildly fun twist that ultimately didn’t make it worth the read for me.
Still, this might appeal to YA readers looking for a different kind of setting or to fans of Detroit: Become Human who want a lighter story than that, but still crave shades of that setting.
__________
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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June 7, 2024MOTHER IS ABOUT TO EAT ONCE AGAIN
November 7, 2025
☆☆☆.5
Coldwire by Chloe Gong was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and while it wasn’t a bad read, it unfortunately didn’t live up to my expectations. The premise itself was incredibly original, she always brings such creativity and bold ideas to her stories and I was genuinely intrigued from the start. I didn’t see the plot twist coming, which was a pleasant surprise and definitely one of the highlights of the book.
That said, I found the worldbuilding to be quite confusing. The constant switching of perspectives between Lia and Eirale didn’t really help clarify things, and at times I struggled to stay grounded in the setting or understand how everything fit together. The plot also felt a little strange and disjointed for most of the story, though it did start to make more sense toward the end.
Usually, I absolutely love Gong’s books, but sadly this was my least favorite of hers so far. Even so, I’ll definitely continue with the series, it is Chloe Gong, after all, but I’m not quite as eager for the sequel as I was for this one.
Coldwire by Chloe Gong was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and while it wasn’t a bad read, it unfortunately didn’t live up to my expectations. The premise itself was incredibly original, she always brings such creativity and bold ideas to her stories and I was genuinely intrigued from the start. I didn’t see the plot twist coming, which was a pleasant surprise and definitely one of the highlights of the book.
That said, I found the worldbuilding to be quite confusing. The constant switching of perspectives between Lia and Eirale didn’t really help clarify things, and at times I struggled to stay grounded in the setting or understand how everything fit together. The plot also felt a little strange and disjointed for most of the story, though it did start to make more sense toward the end.
Usually, I absolutely love Gong’s books, but sadly this was my least favorite of hers so far. Even so, I’ll definitely continue with the series, it is Chloe Gong, after all, but I’m not quite as eager for the sequel as I was for this one.
Want to read
February 12, 2025i'm a simple girl, i see "ya cyberpunk" written by the chloe gong, i click want to read
i'm so excited 😭
i'm so excited 😭
November 3, 2025
i liked the concept of this, anything with AI or virtual reality will always capture my interest. i enjoyed the first half, but the middle meandered a little too much for my liking and i started to lose patience. I’ve been seeing a lot of shock over the ending to this book and i have to admit that i called the plot twist almost immediately earlier on, so nothing about the conclusion surprised me. i don’t think this is the most original story tbh, but the biggest issue is without a doubt the pacing.. its way too long for what it is. i wouldn’t be against rereading this when im more in the mood now that i know what to expect, i am curious enough to continue the series.
⇢ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Simon and Schuster Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.
⇢ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Simon and Schuster Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.
November 14, 2025
haven’t been this gagged by a plot twist in a minute
November 9, 2025
In this book Chloe Gong gives a masterclass in crafting a cohesive, innovative and relevant piece of work. Coldwire begins many discussions, important ones. It begs the question of who should have control of technology, and by consequence the power to control the masses, or if that should even be in the hands of a government. It is provocative, it left me thinking about many issues and what the future holds. Gong’s way of presenting the world made it seem not only fictional, but with just enough ties to familiar things that it could very well be a not-so-far future. I have never read anything like it, it's such an obvious way to go with fiction, but I haven't seen much of it explored(the exception is one short story in a dark academia anthology I read a few months ago), and I am very intrigued to see if it will pop up more now.
Now onto the actual book.
Coldwire is a split pov book, we have two main characters seemingly with no relation, each one in a different mission. Eirale is an orphan and a sort of police officer, on a mission to catch a rebel that is causing problems to the government. Lia is the adoptive daughter of an important man in the government going to an academy with the end goal of becoming an agent much like Eirale. Two very different characters, but they both have in common their place of birth, which is considered inferior and limits their choice of future. They are obligated to go to said academy and become weapons for the government of the country that does not accept them. Oh, and you know that theory that soon people will live their lives in the virtual world and the real world will be basically abandoned? Yeah, this is a thing here.
I love everything about this book. Usually with dual pov books, I quickly find one pov I like more and am mostly interested in that part of the book. Not here. Both parts are equally as interesting and engaging, I was not bored at all and there was never a moment where I just wished I could skip a chapter to see the other pov. The characters are so well written, I'm already missing them. And I can't even put into words the shock that twist was, I can't remember a single time a book has left me so speechless(maybe ballad of never after). It was so smart and I had to put the book down to clear my head before continuing, that's how good it was.
The ending left me desperate for the sequel, it will pain me to have to wait however long it takes for book 2, but I want the author to take the necessary time because this has the potential to become one of my favorite series.
Thank you so much to Margaret K. McElderry and Netgalley for the ARC!
Now onto the actual book.
Coldwire is a split pov book, we have two main characters seemingly with no relation, each one in a different mission. Eirale is an orphan and a sort of police officer, on a mission to catch a rebel that is causing problems to the government. Lia is the adoptive daughter of an important man in the government going to an academy with the end goal of becoming an agent much like Eirale. Two very different characters, but they both have in common their place of birth, which is considered inferior and limits their choice of future. They are obligated to go to said academy and become weapons for the government of the country that does not accept them. Oh, and you know that theory that soon people will live their lives in the virtual world and the real world will be basically abandoned? Yeah, this is a thing here.
I love everything about this book. Usually with dual pov books, I quickly find one pov I like more and am mostly interested in that part of the book. Not here. Both parts are equally as interesting and engaging, I was not bored at all and there was never a moment where I just wished I could skip a chapter to see the other pov. The characters are so well written, I'm already missing them. And I can't even put into words the shock that twist was, I can't remember a single time a book has left me so speechless(maybe ballad of never after). It was so smart and I had to put the book down to clear my head before continuing, that's how good it was.
The ending left me desperate for the sequel, it will pain me to have to wait however long it takes for book 2, but I want the author to take the necessary time because this has the potential to become one of my favorite series.
Thank you so much to Margaret K. McElderry and Netgalley for the ARC!
October 20, 2025
ᝰ. 3.5 ✰
First of all, I just want to start by saying I absolutely loved the concept—a cyberpunk dystopian world where humanity escapes into virtual reality to flee a collapsing society. I liked the social commentary on AI, capitalism, and corporate control.
That said, the first half of this book was a real struggle. The dual POV shifts and uneven pacing made it hard for me to get fully immersed in the story. The beginning was a massive info dump—confusing, boring, and overwhelming. It honestly set a bad tone for the rest of the book.
The plot twist at the end was well done, but by the time I got there, I didn’t really care. I was too checked out and mostly just wanted this to be over with.
I can see why people love this, but personally, I think it needed a lot more editing to live up to its potential. Despite its flaws, it's still a decent YA dystopian. I would recommend checking out if you like sci-fi/cyberpunk themes.
First of all, I just want to start by saying I absolutely loved the concept—a cyberpunk dystopian world where humanity escapes into virtual reality to flee a collapsing society. I liked the social commentary on AI, capitalism, and corporate control.
That said, the first half of this book was a real struggle. The dual POV shifts and uneven pacing made it hard for me to get fully immersed in the story. The beginning was a massive info dump—confusing, boring, and overwhelming. It honestly set a bad tone for the rest of the book.
The plot twist at the end was well done, but by the time I got there, I didn’t really care. I was too checked out and mostly just wanted this to be over with.
I can see why people love this, but personally, I think it needed a lot more editing to live up to its potential. Despite its flaws, it's still a decent YA dystopian. I would recommend checking out if you like sci-fi/cyberpunk themes.
November 5, 2025
Well I made the mistake of reading *that* chapter while in public. Completely and totally crashed out while waiting in line for a used book sale, but it was so worth looking like a fool.
I am unwell knowing that I have to wait an undisclosed amount of time for the next book in the series.
This book was so good!
Whats to love…
- Dystopian, cyberpunk setting
- poignant social commentary
- a little romance
- a lot of found family
- interesting world
- political intrigue
- mystery, lies, and Oh F- moments
What might not work for some…
- pacing was a little slow around the middle but this is the first book series and an in-depth world so its to be expected that time is spent building those aspects.
- A heads up on the world-building. I was a bit confused a few times, it is a lot of information to follow - not really a bad thing but something you might want to be prepared for going in!
OVERALL…
GO READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW!!!!
4.75⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you NetGalley and SimonTeen for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
I am unwell knowing that I have to wait an undisclosed amount of time for the next book in the series.
This book was so good!
Whats to love…
- Dystopian, cyberpunk setting
- poignant social commentary
- a little romance
- a lot of found family
- interesting world
- political intrigue
- mystery, lies, and Oh F- moments
What might not work for some…
- pacing was a little slow around the middle but this is the first book series and an in-depth world so its to be expected that time is spent building those aspects.
- A heads up on the world-building. I was a bit confused a few times, it is a lot of information to follow - not really a bad thing but something you might want to be prepared for going in!
OVERALL…
GO READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW!!!!
4.75⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you NetGalley and SimonTeen for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
October 22, 2025
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Review ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
DNF at 67%. Now, Don't get me wrong, I loved this book. But unfortunately, the dangers of being a mood reader strike again. I think it was just really horrible timing, but this was a genuinely amazing dystopian book AND I'VE NEVER HATED BEING A MOOD READER MORE 😭. But chances are i'll come back to this after release date and fall in love with it, so until then !
Preread ~ I just got approved for a Chloe Gong book SOMEBODY PINCH ME. THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND S&S PUBLISHING FOR APPROVING THIS E-ARC ! It's DYSTOPIAN GUYS. DYSTOPIAN. Have I mentioned how much i love dystopian ?
DNF at 67%. Now, Don't get me wrong, I loved this book. But unfortunately, the dangers of being a mood reader strike again. I think it was just really horrible timing, but this was a genuinely amazing dystopian book AND I'VE NEVER HATED BEING A MOOD READER MORE 😭. But chances are i'll come back to this after release date and fall in love with it, so until then !
Preread ~ I just got approved for a Chloe Gong book SOMEBODY PINCH ME. THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND S&S PUBLISHING FOR APPROVING THIS E-ARC ! It's DYSTOPIAN GUYS. DYSTOPIAN. Have I mentioned how much i love dystopian ?
Want to read
February 15, 2025edit: it’s cover reveal day!! i might be the only one who doesn’t like it 😭
so late to this but i’m SO excited !!
so late to this but i’m SO excited !!
November 11, 2025
3.5 stars
🥱😒🤨🤔🧐😳😲🤯
^^accurate depiction of my progression during this book
I'm not gonna lie. This was hard to get into initially. The writing is good, the story is interesting, and the characters were great. But the sheer amount of info dumping made this hard to keep picking back up. Every time a new term, person, or place was mentioned, we were getting a detailed history/explanation of it. It slowed the story waaaaay down. And I don't think it stopped until well past 60/70%.
I was close to rating this closer to 3 stars but the ending was AWESOME. I had my suspicions about what might be going on during this book, but I DID NOT have the full extent, and it's setting up for a dope sequel that now I cannot wait for. Would definitely recommend for scifi lovers with a sprinkle of romance 🩵
Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
🥱😒🤨🤔🧐😳😲🤯
^^accurate depiction of my progression during this book
I'm not gonna lie. This was hard to get into initially. The writing is good, the story is interesting, and the characters were great. But the sheer amount of info dumping made this hard to keep picking back up. Every time a new term, person, or place was mentioned, we were getting a detailed history/explanation of it. It slowed the story waaaaay down. And I don't think it stopped until well past 60/70%.
I was close to rating this closer to 3 stars but the ending was AWESOME. I had my suspicions about what might be going on during this book, but I DID NOT have the full extent, and it's setting up for a dope sequel that now I cannot wait for. Would definitely recommend for scifi lovers with a sprinkle of romance 🩵
Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
Want to read
July 29, 2025chloe u know i absolutely love u but what is this ugly cover
November 7, 2025
pre-reading thoughts: DYSTOPIA IS SO BACK
Initial thoughts: Don't talk to me please. Unless you've read Coldwire and you'd like to scream with me. There was this... little undercurrent of suspicion I had from around halfway through, and then the last 20% was just so explosive and... I will be back with more coherent thoughts, just you wait. There's so much to say, but first and foremost, Chloe Gong has done it again.
———————————————————
For years, I have been wishing for dystopia to come back. It's now been a decade since the peak of the 2010s wave, and we are so back, baby. Coldwire is far from the last dystopian book I'll read this year, but it feels special that it's the first since the author grew up reading the same books that I did and is now heralding the new wave.
Set in the not so distant future, Coldwire follows two pairs of teenagers as they navigate a world that is split between virtual reality, upcountry, and the real world, downcountry. Lia and Kieren are students in their final year at Nile Military Academy, while graduate Eirale is based downcountry where she has to contend with Nik, Atahua's infamous anarchist.
This book has it all. The cast, the action, the mystery. It's fast-paced and full of twists and turns to keep you guessing. The bright neon world depicted so vividly on the cover feels just as real within the pages, perhaps aided by the fact that we do live in such dystopian times. Coldwire takes the best elements of 2010s dystopia and refreshes it for the 2020s world we live in. It's only the beginning, and I can't wait to see what book two has in store.
Thank you to Simon Teen and Edelweiss for the e-ARC!
Initial thoughts: Don't talk to me please. Unless you've read Coldwire and you'd like to scream with me. There was this... little undercurrent of suspicion I had from around halfway through, and then the last 20% was just so explosive and... I will be back with more coherent thoughts, just you wait. There's so much to say, but first and foremost, Chloe Gong has done it again.
———————————————————
For years, I have been wishing for dystopia to come back. It's now been a decade since the peak of the 2010s wave, and we are so back, baby. Coldwire is far from the last dystopian book I'll read this year, but it feels special that it's the first since the author grew up reading the same books that I did and is now heralding the new wave.
Set in the not so distant future, Coldwire follows two pairs of teenagers as they navigate a world that is split between virtual reality, upcountry, and the real world, downcountry. Lia and Kieren are students in their final year at Nile Military Academy, while graduate Eirale is based downcountry where she has to contend with Nik, Atahua's infamous anarchist.
This book has it all. The cast, the action, the mystery. It's fast-paced and full of twists and turns to keep you guessing. The bright neon world depicted so vividly on the cover feels just as real within the pages, perhaps aided by the fact that we do live in such dystopian times. Coldwire takes the best elements of 2010s dystopia and refreshes it for the 2020s world we live in. It's only the beginning, and I can't wait to see what book two has in store.
Thank you to Simon Teen and Edelweiss for the e-ARC!
Want to read
August 9, 2024Whatever Chloe Gong writes, I read💳💥💳💥💳🧎♀️
November 9, 2025
I won't lie, I feel like I would sound like a broken record reviewing Chloe Gong's books unless she does something to change. I'm most likely the minority here, but this book would've done wonders with plenty of editing and plot tweaks here and there, because for something so fast paced, it's actually a crime how boring and insubstantial it is.
I've come to accept that the dystopian genre has been used more as an aesthetic lately rather than a clear, nuanced discussion on society and how it has regressed. I love the cyberpunk concept and the idea behind this book, but the execution was done rather poorly. The writing was so incredibly juvenile that it rivaled the work of 12-year-olds on Wattpad, and it's almost insulting for it to happen, considering she wrote quite well in her first two books. So, what exactly happened here...
Also, I feel like I need to point out how Chloe Gong's growth as a writer doesn't go up nor does it stay stagnant but somehow, she found ways to be slightly worse than before. I talked about this before, but the more she writes, the more she just repeats the same formula that got her the success that Secret Shanghai garnered, and it's getting fucking boring. The same snarky and sassy and badass main characters who gets more brainless with each series, the same hate and love dynamic with the love interests, the same boring and insubstantial majority of the book followed with a sudden punch at the end just to make sure you stay tuned to her sequels even though it does NOT made up for the mess of the rest of the book, the same info dumping at the wrong times that breaks the flow of the book... I mean, will I ever read something new from her?
All in all, I had high hopes for this and it is fully shattered with miles and miles of disappointment. I wish this book were better executed, but alas...
thank you to hodder & stoughton and netgalley for giving me the arc to review
I've come to accept that the dystopian genre has been used more as an aesthetic lately rather than a clear, nuanced discussion on society and how it has regressed. I love the cyberpunk concept and the idea behind this book, but the execution was done rather poorly. The writing was so incredibly juvenile that it rivaled the work of 12-year-olds on Wattpad, and it's almost insulting for it to happen, considering she wrote quite well in her first two books. So, what exactly happened here...
Also, I feel like I need to point out how Chloe Gong's growth as a writer doesn't go up nor does it stay stagnant but somehow, she found ways to be slightly worse than before. I talked about this before, but the more she writes, the more she just repeats the same formula that got her the success that Secret Shanghai garnered, and it's getting fucking boring. The same snarky and sassy and badass main characters who gets more brainless with each series, the same hate and love dynamic with the love interests, the same boring and insubstantial majority of the book followed with a sudden punch at the end just to make sure you stay tuned to her sequels even though it does NOT made up for the mess of the rest of the book, the same info dumping at the wrong times that breaks the flow of the book... I mean, will I ever read something new from her?
All in all, I had high hopes for this and it is fully shattered with miles and miles of disappointment. I wish this book were better executed, but alas...
thank you to hodder & stoughton and netgalley for giving me the arc to review
November 4, 2025
HAPPY RELEASE DAY also the fact I'm getting this book today is a miracle the post office did fr fr
𝙻𝚘𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐.....
❯❯❯❯ --------ᗯEᒪᑕOᗰE TO ᑎIᒪEᑕOᖇᑭ. ᗷᑌᑕKᒪE YOᑌᖇ ᔕEᗩTᗷEᒪTᔕ
huge thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
⚠︎ chloe gong heard that the dystopia genre was dying and said let me serve real quick. and boy did she serve this to you on a sterile silver platter (deffo not drawing vibes from this book). this book was SO good that i don't know how to explain it? there was one thing that i drew off half a star but that's such a minor thing and literally me being a hater. ⚠︎
၊၊||၊ 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 - everybody wants to rule the world
plot
the twists. the turns. the upside downs. omg. this book had it all. coldwire had me losing sleep and finishing it in one night much thanks to my sleep schedule (or lack therof). i was guessing things and then i was second guessing things and then I was rereading things and then i was like OMG and then i was like omg. yes those are two different ones.
၊၊||၊ 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚'𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠
CHARACTERS
lia
shes literally such a slay and how her personality and everything that happened with her (she needs therapy. like all of chloe's characters need therapy bc of the hell they go through)
kieran
tell me please where i can find one of him. i'd like a special order asap. stat. please because boy kieran murphy the man you are. he's like academic rival x1000 (think Julius gong vibes tho no one could top my mans julius). he was SO in love with her it's so like mhm
eriale
shes such a strong fmc (loved her duel pov with lia) and seeing all of the way we had the plot laid out. i need to be her level of smart though because whenever im reading cool stuff im like oh wtf im so dumb???
nik
he's just a hottie who's a smartie. Please dont fire me for that line but like he just was so....cool. like i don't know how to explain it. AND AGAIN SO SMART LIKE HOW DUMB AM I ACTUALLY
၊၊||၊ 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙧
⫘⫘⫘ vibes, feels, and everything else
: read if u like
✴ cyberpunk dystopian setting / vibes
✴ academic rivals duo
✴ duel pov (different stories)
✴ virtual world + real world
✴ dynamic characters
✴ vibrant setting
✴ red rising (the book)
၊၊||၊ 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙
✴TYSM FOR TUNING INTO THIS REVIEW. I NEED THE SECOND BOOK PRONTOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. bye bestiessss, xx jo !
full review to come after i process what i just read
huge thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
somehow i got the arc ?? like okay coolness moment
𝙻𝚘𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐.....
❯❯❯❯ --------ᗯEᒪᑕOᗰE TO ᑎIᒪEᑕOᖇᑭ. ᗷᑌᑕKᒪE YOᑌᖇ ᔕEᗩTᗷEᒪTᔕ
huge thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
⚠︎ chloe gong heard that the dystopia genre was dying and said let me serve real quick. and boy did she serve this to you on a sterile silver platter (deffo not drawing vibes from this book). this book was SO good that i don't know how to explain it? there was one thing that i drew off half a star but that's such a minor thing and literally me being a hater. ⚠︎
၊၊||၊ 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 - everybody wants to rule the world
plot
the twists. the turns. the upside downs. omg. this book had it all. coldwire had me losing sleep and finishing it in one night much thanks to my sleep schedule (or lack therof). i was guessing things and then i was second guessing things and then I was rereading things and then i was like OMG and then i was like omg. yes those are two different ones.
၊၊||၊ 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚'𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠
CHARACTERS
lia
shes literally such a slay and how her personality and everything that happened with her (she needs therapy. like all of chloe's characters need therapy bc of the hell they go through)
kieran
tell me please where i can find one of him. i'd like a special order asap. stat. please because boy kieran murphy the man you are. he's like academic rival x1000 (think Julius gong vibes tho no one could top my mans julius). he was SO in love with her it's so like mhm
eriale
shes such a strong fmc (loved her duel pov with lia) and seeing all of the way we had the plot laid out. i need to be her level of smart though because whenever im reading cool stuff im like oh wtf im so dumb???
nik
he's just a hottie who's a smartie. Please dont fire me for that line but like he just was so....cool. like i don't know how to explain it. AND AGAIN SO SMART LIKE HOW DUMB AM I ACTUALLY
၊၊||၊ 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙧
⫘⫘⫘ vibes, feels, and everything else
i don't have enough quotes to quote here but i just want to you know that i was giggling, and feelings all the feels with the negative 2% of romance that we got.
: read if u like
✴ cyberpunk dystopian setting / vibes
✴ academic rivals duo
✴ duel pov (different stories)
✴ virtual world + real world
✴ dynamic characters
✴ vibrant setting
✴ red rising (the book)
၊၊||၊ 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙
✴TYSM FOR TUNING INTO THIS REVIEW. I NEED THE SECOND BOOK PRONTOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. bye bestiessss, xx jo !
full review to come after i process what i just read
huge thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
somehow i got the arc ?? like okay coolness moment
![Profile Image for vxmpslibrary [hiatus].](https://www.goodreads.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1761243908i%2F123295506._UY200_CR1%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
June 6, 2025
.4.5 stars. - minor spoilers ahead!💌
.my thoughts.
Chloe Gong YOU MASTERMIND?!?!
I'm genuinely in love with this book? The way it was written was mass perfection, the characters? Funny, intriguing, and captivating. The plot was absolutely shocking, the twists I did not expect at all! I was way shocked, and smiling because I have never felt like that in a longer time.
From reading about the old Shanghai of 1920s where there's a strange epidemic, we are transported into this cyberpunk place, where the year is 2038, and everything has been mass developed, and divided into upcountry and downcountry.
The Medan orphans in Atahua, are supposed to join the Nile Military Academy and become a soldier in work, or be turned in as a spy. It's the same as Eirale did, and Lia is doing, but both are small pieces of a larger potrait, one they both won't able to believe, because I didn't either.
The plot was executed very perfectly, even when I was thinking about how everything is, the second half practically bombshelled it on me. Like it's eating everything inside me to not have the second book in my hands to read.
Starting off from the characters, all have their own potential that I loved, they delivered the exact thing and I enjoyed having them onscreen.
Lia Ward, genuinely I loved her so much, her teasing Kieran and Rayna was the best, and it takes everything in me not to go inside the book and hug her after the truth she finds out🫂
Kieran Murray, the nemesis, is the man, actually he is, the way he competes with her on everything!? Oh my, and when he knew where to find her has me like🤭🎀. I honestly don't know the fact what I'm gonna do when I get second book, because he's the mastermind here too!!
Eirale is a strong character, and the way she fights Nik at every steps has me intrigued, like how come she does it? she's very intelligent and I ought to be like her bahaha.
Nik Grant is the smartest one, first of all him planning everything smartly till the very end has me on a good hold, intrigued generally.
I actually don't have enough words to describe how much everything is done perfectly to an extent I want the second book NOW!!!! The romance is a subplot too, but it takes all my heart!💓.
Generally Netgalley took my ability to write quotes so I have none of them right now and I can't reopen it makes it even worse! :(, like I wanna go back to my bbs💓
Convincing y'all to read this if you love sci-fi, cyberpunk, angry love confession in the rain [you heard it right] and found family kinda with friendship vibes, and also mastermind plotting.
. currently reading.
when I'm planning to do my assignments and then this drops in....guess who just got the arc the day after their bday🤭IM SCREAMINGG AHH... here I go🫡🎀
.my thoughts.
Chloe Gong YOU MASTERMIND?!?!
I'm genuinely in love with this book? The way it was written was mass perfection, the characters? Funny, intriguing, and captivating. The plot was absolutely shocking, the twists I did not expect at all! I was way shocked, and smiling because I have never felt like that in a longer time.
From reading about the old Shanghai of 1920s where there's a strange epidemic, we are transported into this cyberpunk place, where the year is 2038, and everything has been mass developed, and divided into upcountry and downcountry.
The Medan orphans in Atahua, are supposed to join the Nile Military Academy and become a soldier in work, or be turned in as a spy. It's the same as Eirale did, and Lia is doing, but both are small pieces of a larger potrait, one they both won't able to believe, because I didn't either.
The plot was executed very perfectly, even when I was thinking about how everything is, the second half practically bombshelled it on me. Like it's eating everything inside me to not have the second book in my hands to read.
Starting off from the characters, all have their own potential that I loved, they delivered the exact thing and I enjoyed having them onscreen.
Lia Ward, genuinely I loved her so much, her teasing Kieran and Rayna was the best, and it takes everything in me not to go inside the book and hug her after the truth she finds out🫂
Kieran Murray, the nemesis, is the man, actually he is, the way he competes with her on everything!? Oh my, and when he knew where to find her has me like🤭🎀. I honestly don't know the fact what I'm gonna do when I get second book, because he's the mastermind here too!!
Eirale is a strong character, and the way she fights Nik at every steps has me intrigued, like how come she does it? she's very intelligent and I ought to be like her bahaha.
Nik Grant is the smartest one, first of all him planning everything smartly till the very end has me on a good hold, intrigued generally.
I actually don't have enough words to describe how much everything is done perfectly to an extent I want the second book NOW!!!! The romance is a subplot too, but it takes all my heart!💓.
Generally Netgalley took my ability to write quotes so I have none of them right now and I can't reopen it makes it even worse! :(, like I wanna go back to my bbs💓
Convincing y'all to read this if you love sci-fi, cyberpunk, angry love confession in the rain [you heard it right] and found family kinda with friendship vibes, and also mastermind plotting.
. currently reading.
when I'm planning to do my assignments and then this drops in....guess who just got the arc the day after their bday🤭IM SCREAMINGG AHH... here I go🫡🎀
November 23, 2025
𝕊𝕡𝕠𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕣 𝔽𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝔸𝕣𝕔 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨
5 stars!
𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠:
{Illusion - Dua Lipa}
1:29 ─〇───── 3:07
⤷"In the end, those things just don't last, and it's time I take my rust-colored glasses off"
I’m in shock. I’m in absolute awe. I cannot believe what I just read. That ending…I’ll probably still be reeling from it two months later, it was that good.
"𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕦𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕝𝕠𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘..."
Publishing Date: 𝒩𝑜𝓋. 𝟦𝓉𝒽
ARC Title: 𝒞𝑜𝓁𝒹𝓌𝒾𝓇𝑒
「 ✧ 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 ✧ 」
The real, physical, world, or “downcountry” is ravaged by climate change and pandemics, and as a solution, the company StrangeLoom created a virtual reality called “upcountry”. Most people live in upcountry, but those who cannot pay the subscription have to live downcountry in the poor conditions.
Eirale is a contractor at a megacorporation that controls the virtual reality “upcountry”. Eirale is a part of a private-to-hire military service. When she is framed for treason, she is forced to go on the run with a band of criminals to escape her all powerful employer, NileCorp.
Lia Ward is a student at the Nile Military Academy, working to be valedictorian, but her biggest rival, Kieren Murray, tries to thwart her at every opportunity. During the final exams, Lia is unexpectedly assigned to a special posting and is tasked to find an enemy government official, and to make matters even more complicated, she is partnered with Kieren.
The novel revolves around the futuristic technology of upcountry and the missions carried out by the main characters, but also around the cold war between two major nations of Medaluo and Atahua.
ᢉ𐭩⸝⸝𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬.ᐟˎˊ˗
My first cyberpunk book, and I really like it. I don’t normally read sci fi military fiction, and haven’t picked up a dystopian novel in a while, so my brain was a little slow at picking up the read, but once I got in the flow of the book, it was unputdownable. This is my first time reading Chloe Gong, and I must say, I’m impressed. The world building was complex and immaculately created, and the writing was lush and immersive. There were a lot of intricate sci fi technology details I wasn’t smart enough to understand, but no fault to the author. I simply need to pick up some more sci fi books. Coldwire has a lot of technology terminology, and virtual reality and code was a big part of the story, but Chloe Gong explained it in a way that let readers (cough non sci fi readers like me cough) fully understand everything.
I'm really glad that the romance was a very minor plot line, and let the government missions and technology take center stage. That being said, I really appreciated the romance in the book. It was cozy and sweet, and rivals to lovers? You know I gobbled that up. Also, might I just take a moment to highlight the ace representation in this???? Lia is demisexual, and the moment I learned that I freaked out (in a good way ofc). I rarely ever encounter ace or ace spectrum characters in books, much less those characters having some romance (they’re often just that one side character, so I’m happy to see an ace fmc).
The characters were layered and interesting, and the motives of each character in the book all contributed to this wonderfully complex and delightful story. It was the kind of story that kept me up at night saying “just one more chapter”. I also loved the plot twists. They were mind blowing, jaw dropping, and every other synonym you could think of, because I did not see them coming. After that ending, I NEED the next book-asap. I kid you not, I spent an hour after finishing the novel just staring at the wall, processing what I just read. This book is, without a doubt, a five out of five stars.
∿𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭⸝⸝⸝
•◞ Cyberpunk dystopian
•◞ Government conspiracies
•◞ AI and technology elements
•◞ Plot twists that will blow your mind
•◞ Complex and intricate world
•◞ Layered and lovable characters
•◞ Academic rivals on the same mission
•◞ Two parallel plot lines
•◞ Virtual reality
"𝔸 𝕊𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖 𝕃𝕠𝕠𝕡...𝕆𝕟 𝕒 𝕊𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕃𝕠𝕠𝕞..."
「 ⊹` ࣪ ˖ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝜗ৎ° 」
Overall, I would definitely recommend Coldwire! Even those who don’t really like sci fi or dystopian should give this novel a try, because it was just so beautifully written and captivating. Coldwire by Chloe Gong is perfect for readers who love virtual reality, YA dystopian, sci fi, and cyberpunk!
𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: Woah woah WOAH there. Ms. Chloe Gong how could you leave me on an ending like that?????? Now I need the next book - ASAP.
╰┈➤Biggest thanks to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, and Margaret K. McElderry Books for the E-ARC of this book! All thoughts are my own <3
----------------------------------
꒰❤︎꒱ 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙‧₊ ᵎᵎ
𝟖/𝟏𝟎/𝟐𝟓
OMG OMG IM SO EXCITED!!!!! What do you mean I got this ARC???????? First Chloe Gong book, but I've heard really good things about her writing <3
I haven't read dystopian in a while, so I can't wait to jump in! Also, I've been hooked since "the future is loading..." I looove that
5 stars!
𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠:
{Illusion - Dua Lipa}
1:29 ─〇───── 3:07
⤷"In the end, those things just don't last, and it's time I take my rust-colored glasses off"
I’m in shock. I’m in absolute awe. I cannot believe what I just read. That ending…I’ll probably still be reeling from it two months later, it was that good.
"𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕦𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕝𝕠𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘..."
Publishing Date: 𝒩𝑜𝓋. 𝟦𝓉𝒽
ARC Title: 𝒞𝑜𝓁𝒹𝓌𝒾𝓇𝑒
「 ✧ 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 ✧ 」
The real, physical, world, or “downcountry” is ravaged by climate change and pandemics, and as a solution, the company StrangeLoom created a virtual reality called “upcountry”. Most people live in upcountry, but those who cannot pay the subscription have to live downcountry in the poor conditions.
Eirale is a contractor at a megacorporation that controls the virtual reality “upcountry”. Eirale is a part of a private-to-hire military service. When she is framed for treason, she is forced to go on the run with a band of criminals to escape her all powerful employer, NileCorp.
Lia Ward is a student at the Nile Military Academy, working to be valedictorian, but her biggest rival, Kieren Murray, tries to thwart her at every opportunity. During the final exams, Lia is unexpectedly assigned to a special posting and is tasked to find an enemy government official, and to make matters even more complicated, she is partnered with Kieren.
The novel revolves around the futuristic technology of upcountry and the missions carried out by the main characters, but also around the cold war between two major nations of Medaluo and Atahua.
ᢉ𐭩⸝⸝𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬.ᐟˎˊ˗
My first cyberpunk book, and I really like it. I don’t normally read sci fi military fiction, and haven’t picked up a dystopian novel in a while, so my brain was a little slow at picking up the read, but once I got in the flow of the book, it was unputdownable. This is my first time reading Chloe Gong, and I must say, I’m impressed. The world building was complex and immaculately created, and the writing was lush and immersive. There were a lot of intricate sci fi technology details I wasn’t smart enough to understand, but no fault to the author. I simply need to pick up some more sci fi books. Coldwire has a lot of technology terminology, and virtual reality and code was a big part of the story, but Chloe Gong explained it in a way that let readers (cough non sci fi readers like me cough) fully understand everything.
I'm really glad that the romance was a very minor plot line, and let the government missions and technology take center stage. That being said, I really appreciated the romance in the book. It was cozy and sweet, and rivals to lovers? You know I gobbled that up. Also, might I just take a moment to highlight the ace representation in this???? Lia is demisexual, and the moment I learned that I freaked out (in a good way ofc). I rarely ever encounter ace or ace spectrum characters in books, much less those characters having some romance (they’re often just that one side character, so I’m happy to see an ace fmc).
The characters were layered and interesting, and the motives of each character in the book all contributed to this wonderfully complex and delightful story. It was the kind of story that kept me up at night saying “just one more chapter”. I also loved the plot twists. They were mind blowing, jaw dropping, and every other synonym you could think of, because I did not see them coming. After that ending, I NEED the next book-asap. I kid you not, I spent an hour after finishing the novel just staring at the wall, processing what I just read. This book is, without a doubt, a five out of five stars.
∿𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭⸝⸝⸝
•◞ Cyberpunk dystopian
•◞ Government conspiracies
•◞ AI and technology elements
•◞ Plot twists that will blow your mind
•◞ Complex and intricate world
•◞ Layered and lovable characters
•◞ Academic rivals on the same mission
•◞ Two parallel plot lines
•◞ Virtual reality
"𝔸 𝕊𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖 𝕃𝕠𝕠𝕡...𝕆𝕟 𝕒 𝕊𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕃𝕠𝕠𝕞..."
「 ⊹` ࣪ ˖ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝜗ৎ° 」
Overall, I would definitely recommend Coldwire! Even those who don’t really like sci fi or dystopian should give this novel a try, because it was just so beautifully written and captivating. Coldwire by Chloe Gong is perfect for readers who love virtual reality, YA dystopian, sci fi, and cyberpunk!
𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: Woah woah WOAH there. Ms. Chloe Gong how could you leave me on an ending like that?????? Now I need the next book - ASAP.
╰┈➤Biggest thanks to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, and Margaret K. McElderry Books for the E-ARC of this book! All thoughts are my own <3
----------------------------------
𝟖/𝟏𝟎/𝟐𝟓
OMG OMG IM SO EXCITED!!!!! What do you mean I got this ARC???????? First Chloe Gong book, but I've heard really good things about her writing <3
I haven't read dystopian in a while, so I can't wait to jump in! Also, I've been hooked since "the future is loading..." I looove that
November 4, 2025
"Wait, wait," I beg. "I just want to be normal. Please, let me be-”
OHMYEVERLOVINGGOOOOOOD
A Strange Loop…
On a Strangeloom…
The Future Has Loaded.
What the hell was this?? What in the fresh hell, mind warp did I just read? Lmao I am shook. Did everyone else see that reveal coming, and it was just me who missed it? I wouldn’t be surprised at this point, I see nothing coming, I’m here for the vibes. My heart was full on racing when I got to the last 15% of the book (15%? I dunno, I was reading the physical ARC, percentages mean nothing for physical books lmao).
I hear it at the academy all the time too, the kids from prestigious families who don't understand why insurgents protest NileCorp for taking their jobs. Asking why people can't work hard and earn their keep no mane what unfortunate circumstances befall them. Never acknowledging that money and privilege their families have has kept them from needing to work hard their whole lives.
Okay, this was just so perfect. It was a throwback to our beloved dystopian era, with a corrupt government, overreaching private Corporation with a military force, and the poor relegated to the offshoots of society to die. The orphans of immigrants are forced to attend the corporation's military academy and pay their way and then, oh look, they are indebted to the corporation for the rest of their lives. HAHA #reality
"You're not being kidnapped," he grumbles. "Far from it."
"I'm being held at gunpoint to work for you."
"Is that what you want?" In a flash, Nik pulls a handgun from a holster hidden in his trousers. The metal is piercing cold when it touches my chin. He presses hard, lets the imprint of the muzzle dig its mark. "Will this help?”
We have upcountry, where the wealthy have gone to virtually live because the world has been destroyed by climate change (FUCKING RELEVANT, ANYBODY??) and downcountry, where those who can’t afford upcountry live - and die, because the world is just not that habitable anymore. I mean, at one point, there’s a fucking plague outbreak lmao #tooclosetohome
No one wants to admit it, but upcountry grew popular early on because the unhoused populations were getting unmanageable. City hubs were impossible to navigate past the slumped bodies and makeshift tents and the smells-and if the government refused to do anything about it, people chose the selfish option, the easy option, the pretty option. They built another world and fled.
Oh, and did I mention that the government and military are fighting to produce an AI that can be weaponized and used against civilians and other countries?? Hmm, AI is bad?? Who would have FUCKING THOUGHT.
Okay. I’m breathing normally, I promise.
We have two POVs that we are following, Eirale and Lia. Lia was kinda annoying in the beginning but she grew on me fast, and I loved Eirale from the start. Both work for NileCorp, Lia is about to graduate from their military academy that she was forced to attend, and Eirale is already working for the Corporation, paying off her debt.
“If someone seems to have outsmarted NileCorp, it's probably NileCorp.”
The plot was clear and moved fast, the characters were super interesting, and I was a big fan of the relationships formed and the rivalry that was going on.
“It could harm you to find out anything now.”
I think you should go into this pretty blind, so I’m gonna end this here even though I want to add ALL THE SPOILERS CUZ WHAT THE FUCK and to be clear, I am a massive fan of the reveal, I did not expect it, and it blew me away, but wow, that was done beautifully.
Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Canada and the author for sending me this PR box!!! The way I almost cried when I opened my mailbox, I love Chloe’s writing with all my heart.
__________
I have one word for this book:
AHHHHHHHHHWHATTHEFUCK
review to come once I can get over the absolute shocking reveals 🤯
book 2 please?
OHMYEVERLOVINGGOOOOOOD
A Strange Loop…
On a Strangeloom…
The Future Has Loaded.
What the hell was this?? What in the fresh hell, mind warp did I just read? Lmao I am shook. Did everyone else see that reveal coming, and it was just me who missed it? I wouldn’t be surprised at this point, I see nothing coming, I’m here for the vibes. My heart was full on racing when I got to the last 15% of the book (15%? I dunno, I was reading the physical ARC, percentages mean nothing for physical books lmao).
I hear it at the academy all the time too, the kids from prestigious families who don't understand why insurgents protest NileCorp for taking their jobs. Asking why people can't work hard and earn their keep no mane what unfortunate circumstances befall them. Never acknowledging that money and privilege their families have has kept them from needing to work hard their whole lives.
Okay, this was just so perfect. It was a throwback to our beloved dystopian era, with a corrupt government, overreaching private Corporation with a military force, and the poor relegated to the offshoots of society to die. The orphans of immigrants are forced to attend the corporation's military academy and pay their way and then, oh look, they are indebted to the corporation for the rest of their lives. HAHA #reality
"You're not being kidnapped," he grumbles. "Far from it."
"I'm being held at gunpoint to work for you."
"Is that what you want?" In a flash, Nik pulls a handgun from a holster hidden in his trousers. The metal is piercing cold when it touches my chin. He presses hard, lets the imprint of the muzzle dig its mark. "Will this help?”
We have upcountry, where the wealthy have gone to virtually live because the world has been destroyed by climate change (FUCKING RELEVANT, ANYBODY??) and downcountry, where those who can’t afford upcountry live - and die, because the world is just not that habitable anymore. I mean, at one point, there’s a fucking plague outbreak lmao #tooclosetohome
No one wants to admit it, but upcountry grew popular early on because the unhoused populations were getting unmanageable. City hubs were impossible to navigate past the slumped bodies and makeshift tents and the smells-and if the government refused to do anything about it, people chose the selfish option, the easy option, the pretty option. They built another world and fled.
Oh, and did I mention that the government and military are fighting to produce an AI that can be weaponized and used against civilians and other countries?? Hmm, AI is bad?? Who would have FUCKING THOUGHT.
Okay. I’m breathing normally, I promise.
We have two POVs that we are following, Eirale and Lia. Lia was kinda annoying in the beginning but she grew on me fast, and I loved Eirale from the start. Both work for NileCorp, Lia is about to graduate from their military academy that she was forced to attend, and Eirale is already working for the Corporation, paying off her debt.
“If someone seems to have outsmarted NileCorp, it's probably NileCorp.”
The plot was clear and moved fast, the characters were super interesting, and I was a big fan of the relationships formed and the rivalry that was going on.
“It could harm you to find out anything now.”
I think you should go into this pretty blind, so I’m gonna end this here even though I want to add ALL THE SPOILERS CUZ WHAT THE FUCK and to be clear, I am a massive fan of the reveal, I did not expect it, and it blew me away, but wow, that was done beautifully.
Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Canada and the author for sending me this PR box!!! The way I almost cried when I opened my mailbox, I love Chloe’s writing with all my heart.
__________
I have one word for this book:
AHHHHHHHHHWHATTHEFUCK
review to come once I can get over the absolute shocking reveals 🤯
book 2 please?
November 7, 2025
E-ARC generously provided by Margaret McElderry Books/S&S Children's Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4.5 stars. Melding a thrilling slow-burn of a cyberpunk dystopia with heart-pounding romance, Coldwire is signature Chloe Gong dressed in a new, slick cybernetic skin: compulsively readable to the point where you're left frothing at the mouth for the sequel by the end.
4.5 stars. Melding a thrilling slow-burn of a cyberpunk dystopia with heart-pounding romance, Coldwire is signature Chloe Gong dressed in a new, slick cybernetic skin: compulsively readable to the point where you're left frothing at the mouth for the sequel by the end.
Currently reading
November 19, 2025
pre-read
જ⁀➴
╰┈➤ ya cyberpunk? science fiction?? 😭😭 oh my god I got the arc!!! I'm so ready.
╰┈➤ ya cyberpunk? science fiction?? 😭😭 oh my god I got the arc!!! I'm so ready.
July 8, 2025
5✰
↳ eARC
Dive into a world where the powerful tear each other apart for control over the virtual world.
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish! Chloe Gong immerses us in a universe split into two realities: the upcountry, a virtual world, and the downcountry, the real world, ravaged by global warming and deadly epidemics. This setting perfectly blends futurism, a touch of apocalypse, dystopia, and cyberpunk, with neon-lit cities, omnipresent technology, and powerful forces locked in a relentless struggle for domination.
The beginning of the book takes its time establishing the world and its rules. But once that’s done, the pace picks up dramatically, and I was completely hooked! It was nearly impossible to put the book down. There’s so much action, so many twists, and some plot twists that literally made me scream!
The plot is everything I love: a mission to neutralize a cyber threat, a cold war, power struggles over control of the virtual world, espionage, and team dynamics. I was drawn in from the very first pages, and the tension only kept building until the explosive finale.
I really enjoyed the two fmc. We follow their perspectives through two different storylines that share a common goal. On one side, we have Lia, in the upcountry, tasked with a mission alongside her rival as part of her final test. On the other, there’s Eirale, in the downcountry, who becomes a fugitive after being falsely accused of murder, and ends up on the run with a highly wanted anarchist.
There are also two romances that develop perfectly but coming from Chloe Gong, that’s no surprise! She knows exactly how to write love stories that make you smile, laugh like an idiot, and squeal in anticipation.
Special mention to Lia and Kieren’s relationship, which strongly reminded me of Roman and Iris in Divine Rivals. They’re rivals, but their rivalry turns into a game, into playful banter, and ultimately evolves into a sincere bond. They know each other inside out, and they’ve become one of my new favorite duos!
But above all, Chloe Gong doesn’t just build a stunning world, she also weaves in strong social and political themes that deeply resonate with our own reality.
The ending was explosive, and I can’t wait for the sequel!
────── ୨♡୧ ──────
•Real world & virtual world
•Dystopian cyberpunk
•Fun academic rivalry
•Found family
•Double povs & 2 storylines
•Cold war
•Cyber threat
જ⁀➴ All my thanks to the author, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this eARC <33
˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ ♡ ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖
I JUST GOT THE ARC!!! Can’t wait to read it 🙂↕️
↳ eARC
Dive into a world where the powerful tear each other apart for control over the virtual world.
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish! Chloe Gong immerses us in a universe split into two realities: the upcountry, a virtual world, and the downcountry, the real world, ravaged by global warming and deadly epidemics. This setting perfectly blends futurism, a touch of apocalypse, dystopia, and cyberpunk, with neon-lit cities, omnipresent technology, and powerful forces locked in a relentless struggle for domination.
The beginning of the book takes its time establishing the world and its rules. But once that’s done, the pace picks up dramatically, and I was completely hooked! It was nearly impossible to put the book down. There’s so much action, so many twists, and some plot twists that literally made me scream!
The plot is everything I love: a mission to neutralize a cyber threat, a cold war, power struggles over control of the virtual world, espionage, and team dynamics. I was drawn in from the very first pages, and the tension only kept building until the explosive finale.
I really enjoyed the two fmc. We follow their perspectives through two different storylines that share a common goal. On one side, we have Lia, in the upcountry, tasked with a mission alongside her rival as part of her final test. On the other, there’s Eirale, in the downcountry, who becomes a fugitive after being falsely accused of murder, and ends up on the run with a highly wanted anarchist.
There are also two romances that develop perfectly but coming from Chloe Gong, that’s no surprise! She knows exactly how to write love stories that make you smile, laugh like an idiot, and squeal in anticipation.
Special mention to Lia and Kieren’s relationship, which strongly reminded me of Roman and Iris in Divine Rivals. They’re rivals, but their rivalry turns into a game, into playful banter, and ultimately evolves into a sincere bond. They know each other inside out, and they’ve become one of my new favorite duos!
But above all, Chloe Gong doesn’t just build a stunning world, she also weaves in strong social and political themes that deeply resonate with our own reality.
The ending was explosive, and I can’t wait for the sequel!
────── ୨♡୧ ──────
•Real world & virtual world
•Dystopian cyberpunk
•Fun academic rivalry
•Found family
•Double povs & 2 storylines
•Cold war
•Cyber threat
જ⁀➴ All my thanks to the author, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this eARC <33
˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ ♡ ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖
I JUST GOT THE ARC!!! Can’t wait to read it 🙂↕️
November 6, 2025
3.5*
This is my very first book by Chloe Gong and I will say that I feel in love with her writing style best believe I’m going to read all her books now!
I will not lie the plot from the beginning to the middle was really boring. I could not find myself wanting to pick it back up or I just keep getting distracted after each chapter. But once reached past the middle point I devoured the book. At certain points the dual pov pissed me off since I was getting interested in Eirale story and then we skip straight into Lia story which annoyed me a lot. But I do understand why is its dual pov, like it makes a lot of sense of it by the end of the book.
I did see a lot of people saying that they guessed they ending and that they seen it coming I’m going to come on here and say that I only seen one thing coming the ending overall had me shocked. But now thinking back onto it, it was quite obvious so I just accepted that I can’t seem to guess the plot twists fully even if it’s been fed to me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
—————————————
𐙚⋆°. preread
This is my first book by this author and i’m so intrigued to see if Chloe will become a favourite author
This is my very first book by Chloe Gong and I will say that I feel in love with her writing style best believe I’m going to read all her books now!
I will not lie the plot from the beginning to the middle was really boring. I could not find myself wanting to pick it back up or I just keep getting distracted after each chapter. But once reached past the middle point I devoured the book. At certain points the dual pov pissed me off since I was getting interested in Eirale story and then we skip straight into Lia story which annoyed me a lot. But I do understand why is its dual pov, like it makes a lot of sense of it by the end of the book.
I did see a lot of people saying that they guessed they ending and that they seen it coming I’m going to come on here and say that I only seen one thing coming the ending overall had me shocked. But now thinking back onto it, it was quite obvious so I just accepted that I can’t seem to guess the plot twists fully even if it’s been fed to me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
—————————————
𐙚⋆°. preread
This is my first book by this author and i’m so intrigued to see if Chloe will become a favourite author
March 19, 2025
Backlit by the glistening neon lights of cyberpunk dystopia, Chloe Gong blazes through her return to YA in Coldwire, a devastatingly electric sci-fi thriller conflicted between digitalized life and decaying reality. Miss Chloe yanks us from 1920s Shanghai to the year 2058, where Eirale, a corporate soldier, is framed by the country’s most wanted anarchist, Nik Grant, for a murder she did not commit, and must gain her innocence by working along side him. On the other hand, Lia Ward, a student at the prestigious Nile Military Academy, is assigned on the seemingly-impossible task set for her final exam with her sworn rival Kieren.
I’ve always enjoyed watching an author’s writing grow from their debut to most recent works, and I’m sitting here thinking, Chloe Gong got published at my age, the same year I was 17 and the age of these characters, which was certainly a lifetime ago. Sometimes I feel that I’ll argue the latest Chloe novel is my favourite, but Coldwire truly is the favourite child out of over half a dozen she’s fed us since debut.
For multiple reasons; reason one, its characters, whom I adore very much. They’re the youngest protagonists to take stage in a Chloe Gong book (so far), and while they are mostly only seventeen, the amount of sheer chaos they cause rivals Juliette Cai herself. She’d be so proud of Kieren, for many reasons that I am not allowed to divulge. I adore them, I truly do, and though we’ve been through 500 pages together already, I cannot wait to explore more of their arcs and their growth. It’s also the first time I’ve read a Chloe book being older than the protagonists, and though that feels strange, I have officially adopted all of them. It’s all too easy to see my own self reflected in their teenage antics, from the way they speak to their stubborn mistakes. Their banter is so well-written and the way they text is so often like how Chloe and I do, it’s like reading through our own messages.
Coldwire is so beautifully developed, while still focusing on a YA audience. The scope of Chloe’s sci-fi universe runs deep, from its history to its layout, the painstaking details she weaves between politics, anarchy, and her own storytelling. The world is expansive in both its forms. Upcountry, or the digitalized cities only accessible to those who can afford StrangeLoom, is free from the global warming and other physical terrors of downcountry, the dystopian future where plagues, acid rain, and other natural disasters eat away the remaining cities.
A lot of things terrify me about this book. Its eery closeness to current events and depiction of a society leeched of its freedom by capitalism, is the worst of them all. All Atahuan orphans are required to join military academies as a way to pay off their “debt”, while citizens of Medulao and its people are heavily criticized, both in Atahua and elsewhere. Atahua reigns supreme over other nations with NileCorp, holding essentially all markets in its grasp by providing the newest technology, the latest medical advances, its corporate soldiers, and StrangeLoom.
StrangeLoom transports its user to a virtual reality (“upcountry”) where an exact replica, down to “the hexcode of graffiti” is accurately replicated, of all the main cities. Most use it for their jobs, as many of the actual cities are crumbling apart, its buildings abandoned to rot as natural disasters take out most of the population or drive them to larger metropolitan areas. The book dates the technology as being introduced about three decades prior, several years from when I write my review. And of course, StrangeLoom is a subscription based service, available through Pods, for wealthier consumers or military cadets needing extensive use, and Claws, simple glasses you use to temporarily log in for the day. The tech is activated with specific wiring, like electricity or internet, that connects to a chip inserted into the user (spooky).
It’s all kept in check by NileCorp and its army, composed of soldiers from both upper society and lower. Orphans are given the last name “Ward”, and are able to be adopted by Atahuan parents, though not fully. They must attend the academy to join the military, and the thought of a privatized military (for a large corporation, nonetheless) walking the streets of every country is scarier than any monster Chloe Gong can write into a novel.
Another topic addressed is the use of artificial intelligence, and the intentions that tech companies have to use it, not a tool to aid society, but to replace parts of it as another way to control the masses. If one is plugged into a digitalized world, where everything yet nothing is physically real, how can one know if a person actually exists or not? What would stop a corporation, with access to anyone’s personal searches, history, and lives, from manipulating a chip to change a person for their own gain? To use it as a weapon, all for the benefit of company profits? Even now, our devices track us to provide the perfect consumer process, urging people to spend money. If all you could see was the glow of a billboard, or watch the world crumble apart, most would choose the endless advertisements.
The sheer depth and complexity of Coldwire is more intricate than what I find in most YA. This isn’t to discredit other authors - that could be more appealing to younger readers that may not fully understand the scope of what the author means here, or are simply looking for entertainment - and wouldn’t take away from other aspects of a well-written story. Great world-building doesn’t necessarily mean that the world is so expansive that its hard to remember all the details. But what I personally adore about it is that the book is a work of affection to both a younger audience and to older readers. I might not have appreciated the large-scale picture that Chloe sketched out when I was 17 the way I do now, but it still entertains and captivates the mind of a vast age range. It’s the sort of book you grow up thinking back on because hey, that book *was* right. Perhaps we shouldn’t bring ourselves to rely so heavily on the same few companies that ultimately see humans as nothing more than numbers, a way to keep the economy flowing so they can slowly pull lives away. Perhaps we should make more conscious choices with the power we have as consumers.
A line in Coldwire reads (not final), “There is nothing in our current landscape that is no longer political. Even the color of someone’s shoes is political.” In the age where consumers are able to access their wants globally, express themselves so easily without the limitations of physicality, and source goods from every corner of the world, it is impossible to make a decision that will not affect the lives of others. In particular, for a consumer like myself in a first world country, when I can afford to pick and choose between a product that was likely made at the cost of someone’s wages and the planet or a product made locally and sourced ethically. Those corporations rely on you to make the easier, cheaper (typically for the short-term), and faster choice instead of searching for a solution outside of their tight grasp, because keeping someone looped into their company means they get to take away more of your life. Coldwire is the type of book needed so desperately at this time in our world, when my choice can mean someone else in another part of the world is able to afford food today or not. The book is more than a revolution. It is a challenge. It challenges us not to face “downcountry” reality and not look for a way out in “upcountry” digital. It challenges us to think about the growing class divide, and how often countries in the global south or with marginalized populations are forced behind in the race of technology.
As a student in marketing, I’ve come to always view the entirety of a product, of an advertisement. It worries me as a consumer just how far corporations will reach to squeeze out a dollar for their margin, to take up space in your mind to incite loyalty to them and not actual people you should empathize and feel for. While I know nothing about tech and cannot speak on the sci-fi, I can attest to the hold that companies are gaining in today’s society, and how Coldwire reflects an extreme version of a dystopian world torn apart by corporate greed. The reliance on NileCorp comes from the desperate need for people to escape their failing planet, caused by the same corporations that provide the very solution they need, a digital alternate reality where every pixel can be manipulated to perfection. In turn, that reliance allows NileCorp to take control over every single aspect of the lives they hold in their hands. Chloe urges her readers to just sit and think about the message she’s so thoughtfully encoded into this novel. How will you, the consumer, take control of your power? How important is your comfort over the lives of others?
A huge huge thank you to SimonTeen for letting me review Coldwire so early. I was hooked the moment it was mentioned years ago, and to finally be able to devour every word was entirely worth the wait. All the stars in the sky for my beloveds, and for Chloe, who amazes me every time with her craft. Truly an honour to be one of the first to experience the brilliance that is only the first (!!) of three instalments in the 2058 trilogy. I highly recommend Coldwire to any reader looking for a good story, or to start a revolution.
The future is loading… Coldwire hits shelves November 4th, 2025.
I’ve always enjoyed watching an author’s writing grow from their debut to most recent works, and I’m sitting here thinking, Chloe Gong got published at my age, the same year I was 17 and the age of these characters, which was certainly a lifetime ago. Sometimes I feel that I’ll argue the latest Chloe novel is my favourite, but Coldwire truly is the favourite child out of over half a dozen she’s fed us since debut.
For multiple reasons; reason one, its characters, whom I adore very much. They’re the youngest protagonists to take stage in a Chloe Gong book (so far), and while they are mostly only seventeen, the amount of sheer chaos they cause rivals Juliette Cai herself. She’d be so proud of Kieren, for many reasons that I am not allowed to divulge. I adore them, I truly do, and though we’ve been through 500 pages together already, I cannot wait to explore more of their arcs and their growth. It’s also the first time I’ve read a Chloe book being older than the protagonists, and though that feels strange, I have officially adopted all of them. It’s all too easy to see my own self reflected in their teenage antics, from the way they speak to their stubborn mistakes. Their banter is so well-written and the way they text is so often like how Chloe and I do, it’s like reading through our own messages.
Coldwire is so beautifully developed, while still focusing on a YA audience. The scope of Chloe’s sci-fi universe runs deep, from its history to its layout, the painstaking details she weaves between politics, anarchy, and her own storytelling. The world is expansive in both its forms. Upcountry, or the digitalized cities only accessible to those who can afford StrangeLoom, is free from the global warming and other physical terrors of downcountry, the dystopian future where plagues, acid rain, and other natural disasters eat away the remaining cities.
A lot of things terrify me about this book. Its eery closeness to current events and depiction of a society leeched of its freedom by capitalism, is the worst of them all. All Atahuan orphans are required to join military academies as a way to pay off their “debt”, while citizens of Medulao and its people are heavily criticized, both in Atahua and elsewhere. Atahua reigns supreme over other nations with NileCorp, holding essentially all markets in its grasp by providing the newest technology, the latest medical advances, its corporate soldiers, and StrangeLoom.
StrangeLoom transports its user to a virtual reality (“upcountry”) where an exact replica, down to “the hexcode of graffiti” is accurately replicated, of all the main cities. Most use it for their jobs, as many of the actual cities are crumbling apart, its buildings abandoned to rot as natural disasters take out most of the population or drive them to larger metropolitan areas. The book dates the technology as being introduced about three decades prior, several years from when I write my review. And of course, StrangeLoom is a subscription based service, available through Pods, for wealthier consumers or military cadets needing extensive use, and Claws, simple glasses you use to temporarily log in for the day. The tech is activated with specific wiring, like electricity or internet, that connects to a chip inserted into the user (spooky).
It’s all kept in check by NileCorp and its army, composed of soldiers from both upper society and lower. Orphans are given the last name “Ward”, and are able to be adopted by Atahuan parents, though not fully. They must attend the academy to join the military, and the thought of a privatized military (for a large corporation, nonetheless) walking the streets of every country is scarier than any monster Chloe Gong can write into a novel.
Another topic addressed is the use of artificial intelligence, and the intentions that tech companies have to use it, not a tool to aid society, but to replace parts of it as another way to control the masses. If one is plugged into a digitalized world, where everything yet nothing is physically real, how can one know if a person actually exists or not? What would stop a corporation, with access to anyone’s personal searches, history, and lives, from manipulating a chip to change a person for their own gain? To use it as a weapon, all for the benefit of company profits? Even now, our devices track us to provide the perfect consumer process, urging people to spend money. If all you could see was the glow of a billboard, or watch the world crumble apart, most would choose the endless advertisements.
The sheer depth and complexity of Coldwire is more intricate than what I find in most YA. This isn’t to discredit other authors - that could be more appealing to younger readers that may not fully understand the scope of what the author means here, or are simply looking for entertainment - and wouldn’t take away from other aspects of a well-written story. Great world-building doesn’t necessarily mean that the world is so expansive that its hard to remember all the details. But what I personally adore about it is that the book is a work of affection to both a younger audience and to older readers. I might not have appreciated the large-scale picture that Chloe sketched out when I was 17 the way I do now, but it still entertains and captivates the mind of a vast age range. It’s the sort of book you grow up thinking back on because hey, that book *was* right. Perhaps we shouldn’t bring ourselves to rely so heavily on the same few companies that ultimately see humans as nothing more than numbers, a way to keep the economy flowing so they can slowly pull lives away. Perhaps we should make more conscious choices with the power we have as consumers.
A line in Coldwire reads (not final), “There is nothing in our current landscape that is no longer political. Even the color of someone’s shoes is political.” In the age where consumers are able to access their wants globally, express themselves so easily without the limitations of physicality, and source goods from every corner of the world, it is impossible to make a decision that will not affect the lives of others. In particular, for a consumer like myself in a first world country, when I can afford to pick and choose between a product that was likely made at the cost of someone’s wages and the planet or a product made locally and sourced ethically. Those corporations rely on you to make the easier, cheaper (typically for the short-term), and faster choice instead of searching for a solution outside of their tight grasp, because keeping someone looped into their company means they get to take away more of your life. Coldwire is the type of book needed so desperately at this time in our world, when my choice can mean someone else in another part of the world is able to afford food today or not. The book is more than a revolution. It is a challenge. It challenges us not to face “downcountry” reality and not look for a way out in “upcountry” digital. It challenges us to think about the growing class divide, and how often countries in the global south or with marginalized populations are forced behind in the race of technology.
As a student in marketing, I’ve come to always view the entirety of a product, of an advertisement. It worries me as a consumer just how far corporations will reach to squeeze out a dollar for their margin, to take up space in your mind to incite loyalty to them and not actual people you should empathize and feel for. While I know nothing about tech and cannot speak on the sci-fi, I can attest to the hold that companies are gaining in today’s society, and how Coldwire reflects an extreme version of a dystopian world torn apart by corporate greed. The reliance on NileCorp comes from the desperate need for people to escape their failing planet, caused by the same corporations that provide the very solution they need, a digital alternate reality where every pixel can be manipulated to perfection. In turn, that reliance allows NileCorp to take control over every single aspect of the lives they hold in their hands. Chloe urges her readers to just sit and think about the message she’s so thoughtfully encoded into this novel. How will you, the consumer, take control of your power? How important is your comfort over the lives of others?
A huge huge thank you to SimonTeen for letting me review Coldwire so early. I was hooked the moment it was mentioned years ago, and to finally be able to devour every word was entirely worth the wait. All the stars in the sky for my beloveds, and for Chloe, who amazes me every time with her craft. Truly an honour to be one of the first to experience the brilliance that is only the first (!!) of three instalments in the 2058 trilogy. I highly recommend Coldwire to any reader looking for a good story, or to start a revolution.
The future is loading… Coldwire hits shelves November 4th, 2025.
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