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This book is perfect for readers who enjoy both classic fiction and YA fantasy. It's a niche reader that enjoys these two separate genres but I happen to be one of them. Since this is a gender-swapped rendering of [b:The Count of Monte Cristo|7126|The Count of Monte Cristo|Alexandre Dumas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1309203605l/7126._SY75_.jpg|391568], it helps to have read the original classic story. It's not necessary to do so, but it added to my appreciation of the story. It's fascinating to go through and see where [a:Tara Sim|14118411|Tara Sim|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1436027655p2/14118411.jpg] references the original work. Like the count, Amaya is determined to get justice for her forced servitude. Amaya is a complex character that not only wants revenge for herself, but for her family. She is just as complicated a character as the count from the original story, especially where their motivations are concerned.
This story reminded me strongly of two other young adult books, [b:Sea Witch|36502054|Sea Witch (Sea Witch, #1)|Sarah Henning|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1523871348l/36502054._SY75_.jpg|47793479] and [b:To Kill a Kingdom|34499221|To Kill a Kingdom|Alexandra Christo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1524322945l/34499221._SY75_.jpg|47852101]. Amaya's character is similar to Lira, someone who is also drawn to the sea. In both books, everything goes back to the sea. Even in "Scavenge the Stars," some characters are referred to as landless, similar to how characters in "To Kill a Kingdom" either reside on land or in the sea. However, there's one line of the text that made the similarities between Amaya and Lira apparent: "The feeling of Cayo Mercado's heart under her hand. If only she had reached in and squeezed it to pulp." Just as Lira wants to crush the heart of her prince, the one she can't help but love, so does Amaya want to crush her love's heart.
In "Sea Witch," there's also ill-timed romance and a marvelous cast of characters. Half the story takes place under the sea, which reminded me of the scene in "Scavenge the Stars" when Amaya goes underwater with Boon.
If a reader is searching for a fantasy adventure story with excellent pacing and astonishing, cerebral imagery, then this book should be next on their to be read list, Not only does it give off exciting Pirates of the Caribbean vibes, but there's just enough reality to it that it makes the reader question magic itself. What's equally impressive is the inclusion of lgbt characters in the book. It's just another way the story feels realistic and true to itself.
This story reminded me strongly of two other young adult books, [b:Sea Witch|36502054|Sea Witch (Sea Witch, #1)|Sarah Henning|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1523871348l/36502054._SY75_.jpg|47793479] and [b:To Kill a Kingdom|34499221|To Kill a Kingdom|Alexandra Christo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1524322945l/34499221._SY75_.jpg|47852101]. Amaya's character is similar to Lira, someone who is also drawn to the sea. In both books, everything goes back to the sea. Even in "Scavenge the Stars," some characters are referred to as landless, similar to how characters in "To Kill a Kingdom" either reside on land or in the sea. However, there's one line of the text that made the similarities between Amaya and Lira apparent: "The feeling of Cayo Mercado's heart under her hand. If only she had reached in and squeezed it to pulp." Just as Lira wants to crush the heart of her prince, the one she can't help but love, so does Amaya want to crush her love's heart.
In "Sea Witch," there's also ill-timed romance and a marvelous cast of characters. Half the story takes place under the sea, which reminded me of the scene in "Scavenge the Stars" when Amaya goes underwater with Boon.
If a reader is searching for a fantasy adventure story with excellent pacing and astonishing, cerebral imagery, then this book should be next on their to be read list, Not only does it give off exciting Pirates of the Caribbean vibes, but there's just enough reality to it that it makes the reader question magic itself. What's equally impressive is the inclusion of lgbt characters in the book. It's just another way the story feels realistic and true to itself.
I've been waiting for an eternity to read [b:Sky in the Deep|34726469|Sky in the Deep (Sky in the Deep, #1)|Adrienne Young|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508350209l/34726469._SY75_.jpg|55907957] and understand all the excitement for Adrienne Young's books. I read "The Girl the Sea Gave Back" first and now I understand the hype! Before I continue with my review, I do recommend reading the books in order to best understand them. I missed several references and subplots because I haven't read "Sky in the Deep" yet.
I will read anything about mythology. Mostly I've read Greek mythology, but I wanted to read more series about Norse culture. This series is perfect for that! There's a stream of consciousness style of mythology storytelling, so much so that you don't want the background detail to ever go away. It's clear that Young did her research because mythology is tied in with the overall plot. Whenever Tova specifically was ruminating on Viking lore, I couldn't stop reading. You can tell that Tova is enjoying the mythology just as much as you are!
Speaking of Tova, she was my favorite character hands down. First of all, her name is badass. Second, she tries her best to be a good person despite all the obstacles in her path. I admire that more than anything else in a main character. I'm relieved that she finally got closure in the end. Hopefully though we get to see more of Tova in the future! I can't wait to see Tova grow and gain confidence in future stories. She's so dynamic and powerful in such an empathetic way.
Overall I couldn't get enough of this story. Young takes an unknown and perilous atmosphere and fills it with lovable characters and meaningful dialogue. This is a must read for anyone who enjoyed the [b:Red Queen|22328546|Red Queen (Red Queen, #1)|Victoria Aveyard|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1449778912l/22328546._SY75_.jpg|25037051] series, [b:To Kill a Kingdom|34499221|To Kill a Kingdom|Alexandra Christo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1524322945l/34499221._SY75_.jpg|47852101], [b:Everless|32320661|Everless (Everless, #1)|Sara Holland|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497994448l/32320661._SY75_.jpg|52952286] and the [b:The Lightning Thief|28187|The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)|Rick Riordan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1400602609l/28187._SY75_.jpg|3346751].
I will read anything about mythology. Mostly I've read Greek mythology, but I wanted to read more series about Norse culture. This series is perfect for that! There's a stream of consciousness style of mythology storytelling, so much so that you don't want the background detail to ever go away. It's clear that Young did her research because mythology is tied in with the overall plot. Whenever Tova specifically was ruminating on Viking lore, I couldn't stop reading. You can tell that Tova is enjoying the mythology just as much as you are!
Speaking of Tova, she was my favorite character hands down. First of all, her name is badass. Second, she tries her best to be a good person despite all the obstacles in her path. I admire that more than anything else in a main character. I'm relieved that she finally got closure in the end. Hopefully though we get to see more of Tova in the future! I can't wait to see Tova grow and gain confidence in future stories. She's so dynamic and powerful in such an empathetic way.
Overall I couldn't get enough of this story. Young takes an unknown and perilous atmosphere and fills it with lovable characters and meaningful dialogue. This is a must read for anyone who enjoyed the [b:Red Queen|22328546|Red Queen (Red Queen, #1)|Victoria Aveyard|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1449778912l/22328546._SY75_.jpg|25037051] series, [b:To Kill a Kingdom|34499221|To Kill a Kingdom|Alexandra Christo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1524322945l/34499221._SY75_.jpg|47852101], [b:Everless|32320661|Everless (Everless, #1)|Sara Holland|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497994448l/32320661._SY75_.jpg|52952286] and the [b:The Lightning Thief|28187|The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)|Rick Riordan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1400602609l/28187._SY75_.jpg|3346751].
3.5 stars
A far-reaching and culturally impactful story. This was my first Alice Hoffman read and now I can't wait to read [b:Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic (Practical Magic #1)|Alice Hoffman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490354120l/22896._SY75_.jpg|4030671]! What impressed me was the way Hoffman gave each main character a multi-layered identity that spanned years and miles. For example, in the instance of Madeleine, my favorite character, the reader got to see her childhood, youth and eventual role as a mother of a safe home for Jewish girls. It was remarkable to see such a strong person grow into a powerful and complex woman.
It's a profound reflection on the cost of living while others die; especially for Julien, who feels guilty that he survived the Holocaust while others didn't. But he realizes that his life is worth just as much as anyone's and that he deserves to be happy. The reader realizes this along with him. What's interesting about reading this book over the course of several days is that the reader feels they are journeying alongside the characters. Each day, with each new chapter, you move through life with them. The progression of time is done so beautifully.
I had to read the ending several times to make sure I didn't miss anything. Since this is a story with so many main characters it helps to reread some chapters. At the end, I was unsure of what happened to Ava until I read it a second time. I was overall satisfied with how her story ended/began. Ava was the first character in this book that I grew to love because I'm a sucker for a good "Frankenstein" retelling. That's what this book essentially was, but this time I felt the Frankenstein monster character got a fair ending.
The reason I didn't rate this lovely story with 4 stars is because Jewish mythology isn't something I usually read and the ending was too bittersweet. Individually, I liked the characters' endings but not the ending overall. It didn't fit with the rest of the story and the death that did come made so many characters unhappy. There was too much sadness to make the ending feel worthwhile.
A far-reaching and culturally impactful story. This was my first Alice Hoffman read and now I can't wait to read [b:Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic (Practical Magic #1)|Alice Hoffman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490354120l/22896._SY75_.jpg|4030671]! What impressed me was the way Hoffman gave each main character a multi-layered identity that spanned years and miles. For example, in the instance of Madeleine, my favorite character, the reader got to see her childhood, youth and eventual role as a mother of a safe home for Jewish girls. It was remarkable to see such a strong person grow into a powerful and complex woman.
It's a profound reflection on the cost of living while others die; especially for Julien, who feels guilty that he survived the Holocaust while others didn't. But he realizes that his life is worth just as much as anyone's and that he deserves to be happy. The reader realizes this along with him. What's interesting about reading this book over the course of several days is that the reader feels they are journeying alongside the characters. Each day, with each new chapter, you move through life with them. The progression of time is done so beautifully.
I had to read the ending several times to make sure I didn't miss anything. Since this is a story with so many main characters it helps to reread some chapters. At the end, I was unsure of what happened to Ava until I read it a second time. I was overall satisfied with how her story ended/began. Ava was the first character in this book that I grew to love because I'm a sucker for a good "Frankenstein" retelling. That's what this book essentially was, but this time I felt the Frankenstein monster character got a fair ending.
The reason I didn't rate this lovely story with 4 stars is because Jewish mythology isn't something I usually read and the ending was too bittersweet. Individually, I liked the characters' endings but not the ending overall. It didn't fit with the rest of the story and the death that did come made so many characters unhappy. There was too much sadness to make the ending feel worthwhile.
I'm shocked with the beauty of this story. The cover is eye-catching, that's for sure, but the story is even more lovely. The characters are wonderfully flawed and realistic. The setting feels real and pure and wholesome which makes sense why Disney is the publisher then. I was originally drawn to the history aspect of the characters' exploration, but I ended up loving everything else in the book too. You start off interested in the mystery like the teens are, but then the reader ends up falling in love with the characters instead. The plot becomes second-hand because the characters are so memorable. The Liv love story was such an important and amazing plot line. Although I felt bad for Orion, I was happy for Liv. I'm low key hoping for a sequel with more adventures!
Since reading this, [a:Erin Morgenstern|4370565|Erin Morgenstern|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1552589582p2/4370565.jpg] has become a new favorite author. Yep this book was that good. I spent an entire weekend reading it and I couldn't stop! The adventure takes a hold of you in such a beautiful way. The characters become your family, just like they become a family to each other. Morgenstern manages to make a perfect ending that leaves all the characters with what they do and don't deserve. This story is well-plotted, unique and unlike any other book out there.
The concept of an underground library world that has existed for centuries is AMAZING. Morgenstern comes up with many original ideas and plot lines in this book. I can't even compare it to another story! The pure uniqueness of it is what makes it stunning. I could never have guessed how the book ended. No spoilers, but what happens to the heart Dorian obtains is such an ingenious ending!
Just a warning for hesitant readers: the beginning is off to a slow start. It took me fifty or so pages to get into the story. There's so much plot and mythology to build up to so it takes awhile for the puzzle pieces to connect. However, the slow build up is worth it! No one will regret befriending Zachary, Dorian, Simon, Eleanor, Mirabel, Katrina, the Keeper and even the random cats that appear in the book. All of these lovable characters now have a special place in my heart. I love the gorgeous relationships, both romantic and platonic. The only critiques I have is that I wanted more scenes with Zachary's amazing mother and I wished the cats played a more important role in the story. This is a definite must-read for all fantasy fans and classic book lovers.
The concept of an underground library world that has existed for centuries is AMAZING. Morgenstern comes up with many original ideas and plot lines in this book. I can't even compare it to another story! The pure uniqueness of it is what makes it stunning. I could never have guessed how the book ended. No spoilers, but what happens to the heart Dorian obtains is such an ingenious ending!
Just a warning for hesitant readers: the beginning is off to a slow start. It took me fifty or so pages to get into the story. There's so much plot and mythology to build up to so it takes awhile for the puzzle pieces to connect. However, the slow build up is worth it! No one will regret befriending Zachary, Dorian, Simon, Eleanor, Mirabel, Katrina, the Keeper and even the random cats that appear in the book. All of these lovable characters now have a special place in my heart. I love the gorgeous relationships, both romantic and platonic. The only critiques I have is that I wanted more scenes with Zachary's amazing mother and I wished the cats played a more important role in the story. This is a definite must-read for all fantasy fans and classic book lovers.
What's lovely about this book is that you don't need to be a Jane Austen fanatic to understand the literary references. But fair warning - there's a lot of them! Every other page mentions Elizabeth and Darcy and the book [b:Sense and Sensibility|14935|Sense and Sensibility|Jane Austen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1397245675l/14935._SY75_.jpg|2809709] is mentioned quite often. If you're a classic book lover, this book reads like you're having a conversation with your best friend. This is also a perfect book club pick. It's the perfect length, the chapters are easy to sum up, the characters are fun to talk about and the plot isn't difficult to follow.
What makes this book different from other Austen explorations is that, instead of taking place during modern day like "Lost in Austen" or "The Lizzie Bennet Diaries," this book is set during the 1940s. This gives the story a unique historical setting. It was interesting to have Austen referenced during this time period, especially since Austen movie adaptations were new back then. It was so exciting when Jack was talking about producing a new "Sense and Sensibility" movie!
I love how consistent the plot was too. For example, the story began with one of our main characters, Adam, and it ended with him too. This circular plot was easy to follow and enjoy. This is a fun vacation read or beach read because it's a standalone novel. It's a truly beautiful story and perfect for fans of [b:The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|39832183|The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|Mary Ann Shaffer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529026760l/39832183._SY75_.jpg|2754161]!
What makes this book different from other Austen explorations is that, instead of taking place during modern day like "Lost in Austen" or "The Lizzie Bennet Diaries," this book is set during the 1940s. This gives the story a unique historical setting. It was interesting to have Austen referenced during this time period, especially since Austen movie adaptations were new back then. It was so exciting when Jack was talking about producing a new "Sense and Sensibility" movie!
I love how consistent the plot was too. For example, the story began with one of our main characters, Adam, and it ended with him too. This circular plot was easy to follow and enjoy. This is a fun vacation read or beach read because it's a standalone novel. It's a truly beautiful story and perfect for fans of [b:The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|39832183|The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|Mary Ann Shaffer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529026760l/39832183._SY75_.jpg|2754161]!
Wow this beautiful book! I devoured it in a day. It's empowering, original and unique. You can interpret it almost any way, as a feminist text, as a new poetry style, as a political agenda. It's reminiscent of Rupi Kaur's writing so that's lovely. Some of my favorite poems in the book were: "For My People," "Mermaids," "Mic Check," "The Crown," "Anansi," "Women Like Us" and "Sonnet for Ida." The format looks scary at first, but the poems are worth it! It's a strange combination of Kaur and E.E. Cummings which somehow works. "For My People" was easily my favorite. It speaks to me as a reader straight into my heart. The lines that wooed me were: "if you take tea with hobbits/or call Hermione kin..." So amazing!
These poems hold a special place in my heart. I will definitely keep an eye out for [a:Zetta Elliott|1847256|Zetta Elliott|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1486478696p2/1847256.jpg]'s writing in the future! Not only can anyone read this book, but many people can relate to it. While her audience is as stated young black girls, I still found myself relating to her feminist writings. Elliott writes candidly and hopefully on mental health, gender rights, women supporting women and self-confidence.
These poems hold a special place in my heart. I will definitely keep an eye out for [a:Zetta Elliott|1847256|Zetta Elliott|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1486478696p2/1847256.jpg]'s writing in the future! Not only can anyone read this book, but many people can relate to it. While her audience is as stated young black girls, I still found myself relating to her feminist writings. Elliott writes candidly and hopefully on mental health, gender rights, women supporting women and self-confidence.
I originally selected this book due to its lavishly beautiful cover and its fun premise. The summary makes it sound like a cross between "The Wild Swans" by Hans Christian Anderson, "Bluecrest" by Madame d'Aulnoy, "The White Deer" also by Madame d'Aulnoy and the works of Erin Morgenstern. It's basically advertisted as a fairytale retelling. However, "The Glass Magician" adopts its own mythology and story. That's one of the strongest reasons to enjoy this book. I give major props to Stevermer for creating such a rich magical world.
Something I don't like is when fantasy books expose the reader to the world and don't explain all the rules at first. This is what reading "The Glass Magician" felt like. Too quickly I was thrown into the magical world with no time to adapt. Between all the characters with complicated names and quick pacing, it was difficult for me to keep up. I couldn't relate to any of the characters, and even the beauitful theater setting felt rushed. I want to dive back into this gorgeous magical world, but hopefully with more detail and a simpler plot. The concept is really creative and shows great promise, but the execution leaves much to be desired.
Something I don't like is when fantasy books expose the reader to the world and don't explain all the rules at first. This is what reading "The Glass Magician" felt like. Too quickly I was thrown into the magical world with no time to adapt. Between all the characters with complicated names and quick pacing, it was difficult for me to keep up. I couldn't relate to any of the characters, and even the beauitful theater setting felt rushed. I want to dive back into this gorgeous magical world, but hopefully with more detail and a simpler plot. The concept is really creative and shows great promise, but the execution leaves much to be desired.