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lastblossom's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
Knife girl and disaster boy find themselves at odds in a beautifully described oceanic setting with some thoughtful LGBT+ rep. Plot loses its way a bit with a lack of distinct villains.
About
Amaya has been living on a debtor's ship for the last seven years, paying off a debt that she's certain her family never owed. When she pulls a stranger aboard, he offers her the chance to enact revenge on the people who put her there. The job seems easy - pose as a fabulously wealthy countess, and lie and cheat her way through town until she finally brings down the family that destroyed hers. But revenge is never so simple.
Thoughts
This is a loose retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, a book I read so long ago that I remember nothing, so I came into this book largely without any expectations. And honestly, the plot did its work. Tasty plot twists, well-timed reveals, and vivid world-building. The two leads were fully fleshed out characters. Amaya is determined, hard-working, but somewhat conflicted. Cayo is a former spoiled child coming to terms with the fallout of his bad decisions, and aiming to be a better person. Their personalities don't exactly blend, but they do complement each other very well. The moment when they go swimming together and manage to be honest and vulnerable is especially well-written, and made me feel for them. The rest, however, didn't land as well for me. There are multiple villains in this book, and none of them get enough page time to be distinct from each other. Boon, in particular, feels somewhat underdeveloped, which dampens his actions in the back end of the book, and makes the climax fall a little flat. In general, it feels more like reading the first half of a book, instead of the first book in a duology. A good read for anyone who likes girls with daggers or starcrossed lovers.
Knife girl and disaster boy find themselves at odds in a beautifully described oceanic setting with some thoughtful LGBT+ rep. Plot loses its way a bit with a lack of distinct villains.
About
Amaya has been living on a debtor's ship for the last seven years, paying off a debt that she's certain her family never owed. When she pulls a stranger aboard, he offers her the chance to enact revenge on the people who put her there. The job seems easy - pose as a fabulously wealthy countess, and lie and cheat her way through town until she finally brings down the family that destroyed hers. But revenge is never so simple.
Thoughts
This is a loose retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, a book I read so long ago that I remember nothing, so I came into this book largely without any expectations. And honestly, the plot did its work. Tasty plot twists, well-timed reveals, and vivid world-building. The two leads were fully fleshed out characters. Amaya is determined, hard-working, but somewhat conflicted. Cayo is a former spoiled child coming to terms with the fallout of his bad decisions, and aiming to be a better person. Their personalities don't exactly blend, but they do complement each other very well. The moment when they go swimming together and manage to be honest and vulnerable is especially well-written, and made me feel for them. The rest, however, didn't land as well for me. There are multiple villains in this book, and none of them get enough page time to be distinct from each other. Boon, in particular, feels somewhat underdeveloped, which dampens his actions in the back end of the book, and makes the climax fall a little flat. In general, it feels more like reading the first half of a book, instead of the first book in a duology. A good read for anyone who likes girls with daggers or starcrossed lovers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gore, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Slavery, Child death, and Grief
nmcannon's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I’m squeaking this in right under the wire for Pride Month! Scavenge the Stars was delivered to our home in an Owlcrate box…last year, but better late than never. And I’m glad I can immediately dive into the sequel because WOW what a book.
In a fantasy world that I’m 75% sure is the Mediterranean Sea, Moray stands alone as a neutral island between the two massive Rain Empire and Sun Empire. Distinguished for its premiere access to waterways and important trade routes, Moray is also known for its Vice Sector, which is full of delights, and its massive economic inequality and rampant ash fever plague, which are decidedly less delightful. As a young girl, Amaya was sold to a debtor ship. These ships function as floating debtor prisons, with children forced to work off their parents’ debt in time/labor or any treasures they find while pearl diving. After seven years, Amaya can almost taste freedom, but her plans go quite sideways when she fishes a noble covered in marigolds out of the sea. Meanwhile, back in Moray, Cayo Mercado is out of money: recovering from gambling addiction, he finds out his family’s coffers will be further strained when his sister contracts ash fever. The required medicine is deathly expensive.
Strangely, the weakest part of the novel is the world-building. I say “strange” because I read the Timekeeper Trilogy earlier this year, and that world-building is top-notch. Throughout the novel, Sim describes the world beautifully, but often couches these descriptions in reference to fantastical places I couldn’t match to reality. For example, so-and-so has Sun Empire and Khari features, or this building has a Rehanese architecture style. Fantasy novel locations don’t need to have to be a 1:1 match to someplace in reality, but buildings, fashion, and people kept being described as “Khari,” “Rehanese,” or “from the Sun Empire” or “hailing from the Rain Empire” and I didn’t know what that meant. It’s a descriptive tic in the story, and I itch for a world map. My best guess is Khari is India, Rehanese means Chinese, the Sun Empire is on the African continent, and the Rain Empire is…all of Europe? Cause Europe is wet? Maybe it would have gone better if I’d read the Count of Monte Cristo instead of just watched the movie. In addition, there were some logical holes: if trade contracts with the Empires are forbidden, who does Moray trade with; when the big scheme is revealed, I failed to see how that’s easier than a military takeover; this character has been with the Navy for a few weeks and somehow he’s fully trained and trusted, etc.
Leaving all that aside, however, I enjoyed this book. The plot is immense and interlocking, but Sim is in control. I could feel my head spin at some points, but a quick breath and I grasped the tail again. The characters, if not the brightest bulbs in the bunch (looking at you, Cayo) are painfully doing their best and lovable for it. As I’ve said in other reviews, sometimes I become exasperated with overwrought teenage antics, possibly because my overwrought teenage antics went less traditional directions. Remarkably for me, the Scavenge the Stars teenagers act like teenagers, but I never wanted to put the book down. Amaya is an especial delight, with many layers. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. AND, making this a perfect Pride Month read, we get some excellent asexual and bisexual rep.
In conclusion, if you’re looking for adventure, if you like your justice bloody, if you want schemes upon plots upon intrigue, pick up Scavenge the Stars. I’ve already requested Ravage the Dark at the library.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Blood, Child abuse, and Mental illness
Minor: Terminal illness
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