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3.5 stars
It has been well over a decade since I last read The Count of Monte Cristo, and I remember only the faintest outline of the plot - definitely time for a reread. But like it, Scavenge the Stars too, is a tale of revenge and how far our main character Amaya is willing to go for it. Retellings this year are turning out to be pretty good!
Scavenge the Stars has an excellent cast of characters from the formerly drunken wastrel heir Cayo Mercado, attempting to redeem himself as his family is struck by hardship, the mysterious Boon who is out for revenge against those who made him Landless, to Amaya herself, made bitter by years of enduring cruelty aboard the debtor ship, now only seeking revenge against the one responsible, Captain Zharo. With an intricately woven plot, it was a delight to see this story unravel piece by piece, and the author does a wonderful job and keeping the air of mystery throughout, never revealing all the details at once.
There are points in the story where there is so much going on it's hard to keep things straight, and all the twists in the tale, though delightful, don't help much in this aspect. The world building could definitely use some work. There are mentions of so many places, countries and cultures, but nothing is ever defined in more detail and everything ends up feeling extremely generic when, in fact, there are some very important political implications of some events that occur in this story. The book doesn't bother to expand even Moray, where the story takes place, beyond the specific areas that the plot touches. However, what annoyed me the most was the multiple timelines and it was extremely confusing when something happens in one chapter and in the next people are planning it out. Add to that the dual narrative, and it just took a large chunk of enjoyment out of the tale for me since I always prefer a more linear storytelling technique.
Overall, a pretty good read, and one I would recommend. I loved how complex and well written this book was, and I'm really looking forward to the sequel to see where this story goes next.
3.5 stars
It has been well over a decade since I last read The Count of Monte Cristo, and I remember only the faintest outline of the plot - definitely time for a reread. But like it, Scavenge the Stars too, is a tale of revenge and how far our main character Amaya is willing to go for it. Retellings this year are turning out to be pretty good!
Scavenge the Stars has an excellent cast of characters from the formerly drunken wastrel heir Cayo Mercado, attempting to redeem himself as his family is struck by hardship, the mysterious Boon who is out for revenge against those who made him Landless, to Amaya herself, made bitter by years of enduring cruelty aboard the debtor ship, now only seeking revenge against the one responsible, Captain Zharo. With an intricately woven plot, it was a delight to see this story unravel piece by piece, and the author does a wonderful job and keeping the air of mystery throughout, never revealing all the details at once.
There are points in the story where there is so much going on it's hard to keep things straight, and all the twists in the tale, though delightful, don't help much in this aspect. The world building could definitely use some work. There are mentions of so many places, countries and cultures, but nothing is ever defined in more detail and everything ends up feeling extremely generic when, in fact, there are some very important political implications of some events that occur in this story. The book doesn't bother to expand even Moray, where the story takes place, beyond the specific areas that the plot touches. However, what annoyed me the most was the multiple timelines and it was extremely confusing when something happens in one chapter and in the next people are planning it out. Add to that the dual narrative, and it just took a large chunk of enjoyment out of the tale for me since I always prefer a more linear storytelling technique.
Overall, a pretty good read, and one I would recommend. I loved how complex and well written this book was, and I'm really looking forward to the sequel to see where this story goes next.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absolutely perfect in every way
4 STARS
This was okay. i would read it again and read the next book. I wish there was a map.
This was okay. i would read it again and read the next book. I wish there was a map.
Private user's review
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was fun! Makes me actually interested in reading (or let's be real, watching) the original Count of Monte Cristo. Probably won't be finishing the duology though.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes