This book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. A gender-swapped retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo? Yes, please!

As many of you probably know, the Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is one of my all time favorite books. I was very curious what a retelling would look like in the hands of a writer as skilled as Tara.

And I have to say, the story definitely incorporates recognizable elements of the Count of Monte Cristo, but it is wholly it’s own story. Tara does an amazing job capturing the essence of the story, without falling prey to typecasting each and every character.

I loved that this story was told from two perspectives because I felt like it gave the story a lot of depth. Both Amya and Cayo are brilliantly flawed and interesting characters. They each grew into their own as they uncover separately different aspects of the dark underbelly of Moray.

I believe this is going to be a duology, and I honestly cannot wait for the second and final book. I’m dying to see where this story leads!