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kellygillespiewv 's review for:
Scavenge the Stars
by Tara Sim
Full review at Wild and Wonderful Reads
The only thing I needed to hear for this book to catch my attention was gender-bent retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Quite frankly, I tend to avoid retellings because I rarely enjoy them — it’s hard to not be critical in comparing the spin to the original. That being said, I found the idea of putting a twist on the French classic to be intriguing and decided to approach Scavenge the Stars as a book inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo rather than a retelling. That might sound weird, but it ultimately allowed me to enjoy this book in its own right!
Scavenge the Stars is the first book in a YA Fantasy duology. Told in the alternating POVs of Amaya and Cayo, this is a story of revenge and political intrigue.
As I was reading, I could certainly see the parallels to The Count of Monte Cristo. Most of the story is fast paced and, for those unfamiliar with the original, full of twists. I did find the world-building to be a bit generic and the ending fell a little flat for me, regardless of it being a lead into book 2.
As for the characters, I loved Cayo and felt indifferent towards Amaya. They both had a lot of growth throughout the story while battling their inner turmoil. I thought the “bugs” made a great addition to the narrative, and the villains were perfectly nefarious!
Overall, I really enjoyed Scavenge the Stars. I fully recommend trying to read it without being hypercritical of how much of a likeliness it bears to the classic tome.
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
The only thing I needed to hear for this book to catch my attention was gender-bent retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Quite frankly, I tend to avoid retellings because I rarely enjoy them — it’s hard to not be critical in comparing the spin to the original. That being said, I found the idea of putting a twist on the French classic to be intriguing and decided to approach Scavenge the Stars as a book inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo rather than a retelling. That might sound weird, but it ultimately allowed me to enjoy this book in its own right!
Scavenge the Stars is the first book in a YA Fantasy duology. Told in the alternating POVs of Amaya and Cayo, this is a story of revenge and political intrigue.
As I was reading, I could certainly see the parallels to The Count of Monte Cristo. Most of the story is fast paced and, for those unfamiliar with the original, full of twists. I did find the world-building to be a bit generic and the ending fell a little flat for me, regardless of it being a lead into book 2.
As for the characters, I loved Cayo and felt indifferent towards Amaya. They both had a lot of growth throughout the story while battling their inner turmoil. I thought the “bugs” made a great addition to the narrative, and the villains were perfectly nefarious!
Overall, I really enjoyed Scavenge the Stars. I fully recommend trying to read it without being hypercritical of how much of a likeliness it bears to the classic tome.
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.