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adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
The only thing that makes me rate this lower than a four is that the time shifts are all over the place and with no warning. You don't know when things are in the past or the present, so it gets confusing.
Aside from that, I enjoyed the book. The plot was great, a wonderful retelling with interesting characters!
Aside from that, I enjoyed the book. The plot was great, a wonderful retelling with interesting characters!
Right from the beginning, I was reeled in. Just when I thought this story could not be more compelling, the last one-third had me staying up until 2 AM to finish this.
Full review to follow.
Full review to follow.
POCs GALORE, QUEER REP & THESE AMAZING INSPO BOARDS FROM TARA HERSELF?!
Where do I sign over my soul for this book?
Where do I sign over my soul for this book?
I loved it! Everyone has complex motivations and there are plots upon plots that are complicated without being so complicated as to be incomprehensible. There were also callouts to the original Count of Monte Cristo (the movie version at least) without being copycattish. Also Tara Sim is great at having casual queer representation everywhere.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was one of my most anticipated reads coming into 2020 and it did not disappoint. I was only 30-some pages into the book and had already decided it was one of my all time favorites and was scheduling a re-read. The Count of Monte Cristo is my favorite “classic.” I adore the intricate revenge that Edmond Dantes developes and along with his singlemindedness in seeing it through to the end, no matter the cost. Sim does the classic Dumas story justice and manages to make it even better because now its gender-bent and queer.
Both Amaya and Cayo are complex characters that will win you to their side despite the less than perfect decisions they continue to make. I adored Amaya. She takes no prisoners and is willing to see her revenge carried out no matter what, but she’s always worried about those around her and she wants there to be happy ending. Cayo has all the hallmarks of your typical millionaire playboy, but he’s so much more complex beneath the surface. And when they’re on the page together, these two make a fantastic duo—even if they are totally scamming each other throughout.
The supporting cast is just as fabulous and diverse and the main side characters are just as fully realized as Amaya and Cayo. My personal favorites are Deadshot (I am such a sucker for a sharpshooter and she is positively DIVINE) and Romara (the deliciously dark daughter of the Slum King who will shank you as soon as smile at you). Sim puts a lot of detail into her supporting cast and her world and it shows in how inclusive it is to people of all skin-tones, genders, and sexualities. And perhaps the best part of this is how it’s simply the norm for the world. None of these topics are causes for animosity or hatred in the world or between characters, making it a safe space for marginalized identities to come and enjoy a swashbuckling story of revenge with just a hint of romance.
On the technical side of things, I can’t write this review without praising Sim’s writing. It’s magnificent. The Count of Monte Cristo is a BEAST of a book and if you’ve read it, give yourself a huge pat on the back. Scavenge the Stars is the pocket edition—its taken all the best parts and honed in them. The pages flew by. I would sit down to read a chapter or two and suddenly I was a hundred pages further than when I started and my dog was wondering why I wasn’t getting his dinner ready. Sim’s trusts her readers to make the connections and unravel the mystery right along with Amaya and Cayo. Her word choice excellent and from the first line of “The first thing Silverfish had learned on board the Brackish was how to hold a knife,” (What a fabulous first line!), to final line of the story, be prepared to be swept away. Both Amaya and Cayo have agency, constantly making difficult choices that in the moment seem like the right thing to do but end up cause way more problems than they fix. I love when characters create their own problems and Amaya and Cayo excel on that front.
Scavenge the Stars is book on in a planned duology and if you’re anything like me, you are going to be demanding book two when you get to the last page. I can’t wait to read the next book—I have theories and questions and I need answers!
Both Amaya and Cayo are complex characters that will win you to their side despite the less than perfect decisions they continue to make. I adored Amaya. She takes no prisoners and is willing to see her revenge carried out no matter what, but she’s always worried about those around her and she wants there to be happy ending. Cayo has all the hallmarks of your typical millionaire playboy, but he’s so much more complex beneath the surface. And when they’re on the page together, these two make a fantastic duo—even if they are totally scamming each other throughout.
The supporting cast is just as fabulous and diverse and the main side characters are just as fully realized as Amaya and Cayo. My personal favorites are Deadshot (I am such a sucker for a sharpshooter and she is positively DIVINE) and Romara (the deliciously dark daughter of the Slum King who will shank you as soon as smile at you). Sim puts a lot of detail into her supporting cast and her world and it shows in how inclusive it is to people of all skin-tones, genders, and sexualities. And perhaps the best part of this is how it’s simply the norm for the world. None of these topics are causes for animosity or hatred in the world or between characters, making it a safe space for marginalized identities to come and enjoy a swashbuckling story of revenge with just a hint of romance.
On the technical side of things, I can’t write this review without praising Sim’s writing. It’s magnificent. The Count of Monte Cristo is a BEAST of a book and if you’ve read it, give yourself a huge pat on the back. Scavenge the Stars is the pocket edition—its taken all the best parts and honed in them. The pages flew by. I would sit down to read a chapter or two and suddenly I was a hundred pages further than when I started and my dog was wondering why I wasn’t getting his dinner ready. Sim’s trusts her readers to make the connections and unravel the mystery right along with Amaya and Cayo. Her word choice excellent and from the first line of “The first thing Silverfish had learned on board the Brackish was how to hold a knife,” (What a fabulous first line!), to final line of the story, be prepared to be swept away. Both Amaya and Cayo have agency, constantly making difficult choices that in the moment seem like the right thing to do but end up cause way more problems than they fix. I love when characters create their own problems and Amaya and Cayo excel on that front.
Scavenge the Stars is book on in a planned duology and if you’re anything like me, you are going to be demanding book two when you get to the last page. I can’t wait to read the next book—I have theories and questions and I need answers!
This sounded pretty interesting and I definitely appreciated that the MC was very morally grey. However, it just didn't hold together for me. I think I wanted more from, the world building and more from the secondary characters and there just wasn't that much.
Full review here.
Full review here.
Trigger Warnings for: child slavery, mutilation, eye horror, drugging, alcohol abuse, death of a child
March 4th, 2021
With the sequel coming out soon, I figured a reread was in order. Especially considering I read this before Covid, so you know, a million years ago.
I still really enjoyed this. Love Amaya and Cayo. Also really appreciate Romara more. I do wish some of the Landless and Bugs had been a bit more developed. They sort of felt like names without much personality, which is a shame because the Landless did seem interesting. Maybe we'll learn more about them in the next book.
I love how casually queer this book is. Cayo is bi or pan and nobody bats an eyelash. Roach is aroace, though he's not in it a lot. There's a casino dealer who uses they/them pronouns and it's completely normal. One character mentions something about wearing a binder (it was a bit awkward and clunky but I'll let it pass).
It's also interesting how, I've read this book before and knowing vaguely how it ended, I forgot the intricate web Sim weaves with the plot, so it got to surprise me all over again. I'm really looking forward to where this goes in the sequel and seeing more of this world.
January 16th, 2020
4.5 stars
It’s like Tara Sim knows I’m a sucker for angry women with knives and queer disaster boys. Which is to say I love Amaya and Cayo and I need the next book now. I can’t wait to learn more about the Empires and the politics of this world.
March 4th, 2021
With the sequel coming out soon, I figured a reread was in order. Especially considering I read this before Covid, so you know, a million years ago.
I still really enjoyed this. Love Amaya and Cayo. Also really appreciate Romara more. I do wish some of the Landless and Bugs had been a bit more developed. They sort of felt like names without much personality, which is a shame because the Landless did seem interesting. Maybe we'll learn more about them in the next book.
I love how casually queer this book is. Cayo is bi or pan and nobody bats an eyelash. Roach is aroace, though he's not in it a lot. There's a casino dealer who uses they/them pronouns and it's completely normal. One character mentions something about wearing a binder (it was a bit awkward and clunky but I'll let it pass).
It's also interesting how, I've read this book before and knowing vaguely how it ended, I forgot the intricate web Sim weaves with the plot, so it got to surprise me all over again. I'm really looking forward to where this goes in the sequel and seeing more of this world.
Spoiler
I also think Boon is Amaya's dad, I'm calling it now.January 16th, 2020
4.5 stars
It’s like Tara Sim knows I’m a sucker for angry women with knives and queer disaster boys. Which is to say I love Amaya and Cayo and I need the next book now. I can’t wait to learn more about the Empires and the politics of this world.
DNF at 54%. Audiobook narrator wasn’t good, writing wasn’t good, I didn’t care what happened.