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!