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Meet Silverfish. She, along with the other Water Bugs, was sold to the Brackish to pay off debts their parents owe. Silverfish was worked to the bone, deprived of basic human rights, and treated like garbage by her captain for seven years. When she turned seventeen, she was freed from the grasp of the Brackish and Captain Zharo, renewed with a sense of urgency to right the wrongs done to her. She not only earned her true name back, free to shed the Water Bug title that was forced upon her, but she also ignited a thirst for revenge.

I’m so happy that this book is the first in a duology. Most of the books sent to me by OwlCrate are not ones that I would pick out for myself. I never would’ve picked out Scavenge the Stars because it’s not my cup of tea. Don’t get me wrong; I do love a good retelling, but this was based off of a story I was not familiar with. I’ve never read or watched The Count of Monte Cristo before, but I might now that I’ve read this book.

That being said, I do love this story. Silverfish became Amaya after she fled the Brackish, but then transformed into Countess Yamaa to get revenge on her captain. This turned into a huge, book-length heist that fostered her growth as a character. Her comrades throughout her journey were well developed characters. I could see their faces clearly in my mind’s eye and could pick out who they were just by their dialogue. I especially loved Cayo’s character. He is a witty gambler whom is forced to make some pretty dire decisions.

The novel is written in third person and alternates between Amaya’s and Cayo’s point of views. The way they view the world is very different and it adds depth to the plot. The story line in this novel is deep, dark, and twisted. Amaya never knows who to trust and the world spins out of control, right under her nose. She’s confused and frustrated; Tara Sim does an amazing job conveying that through Amaya’s characterization and makes us feel it, as a result.

There were several settings in Scavenge the Stars and each one of them were perfectly described. I could picture the obscenity the Brackish embodied, as well as the gloom under the glitter that claimed Moray. I felt like I was walking through the town with Amaya and sitting at the tables with Cayo.

I believe that one of the many themes that Tara Sim was trying to convey with Scavenge the Stars is be careful who you trust. I don’t want to spoil anything but knowing who to trust during your revenge schemes is very important! Another theme I think Tara Sim was trying to hit was woman power; she switched the genders for the retelling and made Amaya a complete badass. The quote that introduced chapter eighteen says it all: “Women with knives are sharper than any mind.”

The only reason I gave Scavenge the Stars four out of five stars was because the story didn’t wow me. It was unexpected, unpredictable, and page-turning at times, but there was something missing. I’m a tough grader when it comes to star ratings. My five stars are my favorite books of all time.

Overall, I definitely think Scavenge the Stars is worth a read. It’s a powerful blend of “high-stakes adventure, romance, dueling identifies, and breathtaking betrayals” (dust jacket description), tied together by unpredictable plot twists that’ll keep you up at night. Scavenge the Stars is a book hangover type of read. Be prepared.

For Teachers

I haven’t read The Count of Monte Cristo, but there’s an opportunity to do a compare and contrast with the original work it’s based off of. I’d talk to your class to figure out if Scavenge the Stars would be a good fit for the overall population of your room, but I don’t see a problem with teaching this novel. There are some light cursing, moderate violence, and hints at prostitution, which may not be acceptable for all classrooms. Definitely screen the novel before bringing into your classroom.