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adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was really lucky to read an early copy of this beautiful book! I have always been a fan of the Monte Cristo narrative, the idea that someone who was unjustly wronged, coming back after training and becoming a new person and getting revenge! I love how Tara takes that concept and kind of explores the ideas of revenge, re-inventing yourself, identity, and family. There are two wonderful main characters who have been battered by life and their circumstances. Amaya is a tough girl who's had to endure a lot to survive up to this point. And she doesn't take anyone's BS which makes her the perfect re-imagining of Edmond Dantes. She's cunning and deadly, but also cares a lot about people who are close to her. Cayo is probably the perfect foil to Amaya, not just because he comes from a completely different background but because the way he copes with pain is so markedly different. But where they converge is how loyal and passionate they are about the people they love. It's a beautiful thing to see when they finally meet (and clash). This book will take you on an adventure of emotions. The world building is lush and beautiful and the characters are so distinct and interesting that even someone who is on the page for a moment will leave an impression! Definitely pick this up if you get a chance!
I really enjoyed this! I wish it had been a bit obvious that some of the chapters at the beginning were taking place at a different time than the other character's story, but I guess that might have given away the big reveal if we had known? Either way, I liked the storyline and the characters and I'm excited for the next book to see if Amaya and Cayo will get their revenge!
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’ve been eager to read more from Sim since the Timekeeper trilogy ended a few years ago. While Scavenge the Stars was good, it didn’t hook me the way Timekeeper did. I liked Amaya and Cayo and was interested in their stories, but not truly invested. The world was interesting, but could’ve been developed more. As for the story, though it was intriguing, it was also slow, and didn’t truly pick up until the final third of the book. The characters are the main, maybe only, reason this is getting more than three or three and a half stars from me. However, I think the sequel could be good given where this one left off, so I’ll read it at some point.
Edit, the next day: I lowered my rating from 4 stars to 3.5 stars because it felt more fitting.
Representation
Edit, the next day: I lowered my rating from 4 stars to 3.5 stars because it felt more fitting.
Representation
- biracial demisexual protagonist
- bisexual protagonist
- side characters of color
- queer side characters (includes asexual, trans, and sapphic rep)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Murder
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It takes a while for the story to start moving a long. Once it does, it almost feels like it moves too quickly and the plot/content becomes confusing.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In general, this was pretty good. I was interested in the plot and it kept me hooked. There were a ton of plot twists that I wasn’t expecting throughout. I really liked the world created and all the representation.
However, this is definitely not a retelling. It’s influenced by The Count of Monte Christo (which is my absolute favorite classic of all time) but I wouldn’t call it a retelling. It took influence from the classic, but it didn’t really have a lot of the same elements as the first. I think that let me down a bit because I love the original so much. The stand in character, Boon, for Abbé Faria bothered me the most because we see the main character Amaya acting mostly on his revenge instead of hers and he’s not the mentor that he was in the original.
Once I let go of my expectations, I did enjoy the book. I really like the romance between the characters that developed slowly. Amaya’s character was very complex and it was interesting to see her develop. Cayo lacked a little development but I hope to see it in the next book.
However, this is definitely not a retelling. It’s influenced by The Count of Monte Christo (which is my absolute favorite classic of all time) but I wouldn’t call it a retelling. It took influence from the classic, but it didn’t really have a lot of the same elements as the first. I think that let me down a bit because I love the original so much. The stand in character, Boon, for Abbé Faria bothered me the most because we see the main character Amaya acting mostly on his revenge instead of hers and he’s not the mentor that he was in the original.
Once I let go of my expectations, I did enjoy the book. I really like the romance between the characters that developed slowly. Amaya’s character was very complex and it was interesting to see her develop. Cayo lacked a little development but I hope to see it in the next book.
Well... that... happened.
Tara Sim has a knack for dramatic revelations. Unfortunately, that's it. The pieces had a habit of coming together immediately after being introduced, conflicts resolved with 1-2 chapters. It made for very little payoff. Another major sign of the lack of setup: the last 10% or so of the book is pure monologuing. It just didn't... work.
From a technical standpoint, too much repetition and use of "the boy"/"the girl" to refer to people.
Points for representation, this was basically the queerest fantasy book I've ever read. The rest of the worldbuilding was kind of weak. The dynamic between Cayo and Bas definitely could've made for a much richer story--and that brings me to my next major issue with this one.
It's about the wrong characters.
It would have been fine to pull a last-minute switcheroo on us if we actually believed the story was about Amaya avenging her father's death or Cayo... honestly Cayo didn't really have much consistent. But those things were always secondary. It was always the big cons driving the plot--Cayo's dad, Amaya's mentor. They drove the plot. Cayo and Amaya were just kinda there.
Tara Sim has a knack for dramatic revelations. Unfortunately, that's it. The pieces had a habit of coming together immediately after being introduced, conflicts resolved with 1-2 chapters. It made for very little payoff. Another major sign of the lack of setup: the last 10% or so of the book is pure monologuing. It just didn't... work.
From a technical standpoint, too much repetition and use of "the boy"/"the girl" to refer to people.
Points for representation, this was basically the queerest fantasy book I've ever read. The rest of the worldbuilding was kind of weak. The dynamic between Cayo and Bas definitely could've made for a much richer story--and that brings me to my next major issue with this one.
It's about the wrong characters.
It would have been fine to pull a last-minute switcheroo on us if we actually believed the story was about Amaya avenging her father's death or Cayo... honestly Cayo didn't really have much consistent. But those things were always secondary. It was always the big cons driving the plot--Cayo's dad, Amaya's mentor. They drove the plot. Cayo and Amaya were just kinda there.