Authors' Notes: Camille Chong on duality, deception and six books that explore secret identities and double lives
The author of New Adult sapphic urban fantasy, Love, Gods and Sinners on the fun of duals and duels.
I absolutely love stories about duality. This can come through a double life, a secret identity, or a good enemies to lovers relationship. All these narratives allow us to explore our protagonist from vastly different viewpoints, and to present their opposing character traits through each of their opposing lives. It also usually involves deception: a character in self-denial erecting arbitrary boundaries to split their lives in two, a character masking an entire part of themself in a secret identity, two characters pretending they aren’t as wildly attracted to each other as they are. This deception means no conversation between the character and anyone else is simple. Everything has a secret connotation that only the reader knows, only half of everything that must be said is spoken.
My debut novel, Love, Gods and Sinners, marries secret identities and enemies to lovers tropes to make a twisty, push-and-pull love-square romance, against a soundtrack of anticipatory dread for when the secret identities are inevitably ripped open. I absolutely loved the complexity this created for my two leads, Harper and Tia. Which version of themselves will get together first – the one behind their battle masks, or the ones outside of? How much deceit can exist at the beginning of a relationship before it begins to corrode it? Against a fantastical version of Singapore, Harper and Tia’s romance is a fun whiplash of ups and downs through their double lives and begrudging attraction to each other.
Here are some other books about duality that are similarly dynamic and deliciously chock full of tension!
The Secret World of Briar Rose
by Cindy Pham
In this sapphic Sleeping Beauty retelling, a jaded thief (Corin) follows her sister into a magical dream world created by the sleeping princess Amelia. Here, Amelia hides behind her alter ego Briar Rose: a manic pixie dream girl of shifting appearance and an identity in clear opposition with her waking self. I was drawn to the use of Sleeping Beauty’s classic slumber as a metaphor for self-denial and escapism. Additionally, the stark duality in setting between the perfect, dream world of princess Amelia and harsh reality of the waking world works as a tool for hope vs nihilism. With atmospheric writing to accompany a poignant exploration of grief and self-identity, The Secret World of Briar Rose is a duality of heavy and hopeful for your summer!
Of Venom and Vengeance
by Mikayla Bridge
Of Venom and Vengeance centres a criminal underworld, dazzling magic, and a sharp enemies to lovers at heart. Duality haunts the story and its protagonists: Inna charms and smiles to hide her darker quest for vengeance, and Rylan intimidates and alienates to keep himself from being hurt by more people (and to keep his own darker secrets). Their brutal vow to kill each other is at war with their subconscious desire for softness and love from each other.
The Sleepless
by Jen Williams
Elver is a girl cursed with a poison touch, and Artair is the only human impervious to her power. Except he isn’t a human: he has a curse of his own, and is forced to share his body with the evil spirit Lucian. With Artair and Lucian in the same body, the duality conundrum becomes a physical metaphor, as both form separate alliances with Elver. But Elver has her own secrets, and her alliance with these two souls may not be as strong as she implies. When she begins falling for them, the story turns into a wicked love triangle and a story layered with complex secrets. To turn the duality of human and spirit into a twisting romance is incredibly compelling – a great read for anyone looking for a complex, multi-faceted romance.
Ice Massacre
by Tiana Warner
This was one of the first sapphic books I’d ever read, and it had everything I loved. This is sapphic enemies to lovers fantasy between a mermaid (Lysi) and a mermaid hunter (Meela). It is a conflict-ridden story of actual war between mermaids and humans, as well as the quieter but no less heavy emotional turmoil for Meela, the mermaid hunter who befriended and loved a mermaid when she was younger. With such conflicting loyalties, the story remains wrought with tension through battles and wavering convictions. I absolutely adore this book.
Hawk and Sparrow
by Ayana Gray
A passionate reporter teams up with a wealthy industrialist (who is also an undercover sorcerer) to infiltrate high society by pretending to be in courtship. Between clashing personalities and loyalties, they must solve a murder mystery while fake-dating and fighting unexpected attraction to each other. I’m in love with the potential of this – a sharp hatred softened into reluctant attraction, and the double 'secret identity' of pretending to be in love in public, and pretending they aren’t wildly attracted to each other in private. What a fun premise!
Camille Chong is the author of Love, Gods and Sinners
Love, Gods and Sinners
by Camille Chong
Why read this: For readers craving sharp-tongued romance with a supernatural twist, Love, Gods and Sinners is a glittering New Adult urban fantasy that crackles with tension. By day, Harper and Tia are bickering interns; by night, they’re sworn enemies, bound to rival magical clans and tasked with each other’s destruction. What follows is a breathless game of secrets, shifting loyalties and undeniable attraction, set against a vibrant, neon-lit cityscape. Chong balances wit and heart, crafting a sapphic enemies-to-lovers story where love is as dangerous as the magic that binds them.
If you’re looking for: Sapphic romance, enemies-to-lovers, secret identities, urban fantasy, magical clans, witty banter.
Great for fans of: Mr and Mrs Smith, Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao.
What the experts say: ‘A cinematic thrill ride . . . I devoured this outrageously fun debut in one night’ – Mikayla Bridge, author of Of Flame and Fury. ‘Flirtatious, cinematic, and sheer fun . . . a debut to watch’ – Wen-yi Lee, author of The Dark We Know.
