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shaipanda's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This was really well done!! I’ve never read Treasure Island so idk how much of the main plot elements stayed the same and how much was changed but I really enjoyed the story and the relationships between the charactersss
I did feel like it was a bit rushed at times and it was a lot of story to fit into one book but overall I really liked it :)
Edit: had to dock it a bit from 4.75 to 4.25 cause I remember very little lol but I did really enjoy it and I remember liking the characters a lot
I did feel like it was a bit rushed at times and it was a lot of story to fit into one book but overall I really liked it :)
Edit: had to dock it a bit from 4.75 to 4.25 cause I remember very little lol but I did really enjoy it and I remember liking the characters a lot
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Death, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Blood and Homophobia
bookishfaye's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I love this so much!!!!! A sapphic Chinese retelling of Treasure Island & it absolutely hits!!! I usually struggle with historical books, but this was everything & I adored it!!!
-The slow burn romance ❤️🤌
- Xiang realizing & accepting her sexuality & the acceptance of the found family of pirates around her 🥲
- the mommy issues were wildly relatable
- the historical context was so interesting & I loved the authors note, language notes, historical notes, & recommended reading all listed in the back!! The author put so much effort into this book & it shows!
-The slow burn romance ❤️🤌
- Xiang realizing & accepting her sexuality & the acceptance of the found family of pirates around her 🥲
- the mommy issues were wildly relatable
- the historical context was so interesting & I loved the authors note, language notes, historical notes, & recommended reading all listed in the back!! The author put so much effort into this book & it shows!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexism, Violence, Alcohol, Abandonment, Murder, Blood, Death, and Misogyny
mandkips's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Homophobia, and Blood
Minor: Sexism, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
ladythana's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia and Misogyny
sma_tsol06's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexism, Misogyny, and Homophobia
alouette's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
a lovingly crafted historical fiction filled with adventure, as advertised. and queer pirates! saw this one as a recommendation at a local book shop, and i'm glad i did. the author did a great job of transporting me back to the right time period with descriptions of the various settings. and though the ship's crew kind of melded together, the central characters were really well fleshed out and i liked them a lot! Xiang's development as a person, a sheltered girl entering adulthood and realizing the truths of a chosen family and a chosen lifestyle, becoming her own individual, was lovely to see. and the development of Anh, someone cynical being able to believe and hope again, was great as well. though i didn't think their was much development between the two to being a romantic pair, i was still happy for it nonetheless. i liked Master Feng a lot, too.
another big bonus is that this book actually does travel scenes well! a lot of books, especially historical fiction, can turn the periods during which characters are travelling for an extended time into a slog. but in this case, the pacing felt very smooth.
the twist was very obvious and some of the character motivations very questionable, thus some points off on my star rating, but this is still a novel that i adored. :)
another big bonus is that this book actually does travel scenes well! a lot of books, especially historical fiction, can turn the periods during which characters are travelling for an extended time into a slog. but in this case, the pacing felt very smooth.
the twist was very obvious and some of the character motivations very questionable, thus some points off on my star rating, but this is still a novel that i adored. :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse and Violence
Minor: Homophobia and Misogyny
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you to Bookish First and Fierce Reads for a copy of this book!
In this retelling of Treasure Island, Xiang just wants to be accepted by her mother and explore more of the world she's grown up only hearing about. But when she discovers a hint toward the location of the secret treasure hidden by the fabled Head of the Dragon Fleet, Xiang goes on an adventure with Anh and her crew to find the treasure.
This was thrilling! It took me a little bit to really get into it, but once it picked up pace I absolutely loved it! Xiang and Anh are absolutely adorable! I loved the lore and the adventure and the piracy. The character development was also really good and I loved the relationship between Xiang and her sort of father. I also loved Anh's mother and her crew, and the discussion of queerness within the world! They even talked about Matey logs (idk if I'm spelling that right) which is a really interesting pirate concept that I learned about recently, so I thought that was cool!
This was such a great retelling of a classic and another to add to your list if you're a retelling fan!
In this retelling of Treasure Island, Xiang just wants to be accepted by her mother and explore more of the world she's grown up only hearing about. But when she discovers a hint toward the location of the secret treasure hidden by the fabled Head of the Dragon Fleet, Xiang goes on an adventure with Anh and her crew to find the treasure.
This was thrilling! It took me a little bit to really get into it, but once it picked up pace I absolutely loved it! Xiang and Anh are absolutely adorable! I loved the lore and the adventure and the piracy. The character development was also really good and I loved the relationship between Xiang and her sort of father. I also loved Anh's mother and her crew, and the discussion of queerness within the world! They even talked about Matey logs (idk if I'm spelling that right) which is a really interesting pirate concept that I learned about recently, so I thought that was cool!
This was such a great retelling of a classic and another to add to your list if you're a retelling fan!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Kidnapping and Homophobia
clovelatte's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Blood
Moderate: Death, War, Violence, Murder, and Child abuse
perpetualpages's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
CWs: some underage drinking and intoxication; brief references to past sexual harassment; descriptions of death, blood, injury, and violence
I don't have any kind of personal connection to the original Treasure Island, but this remix is sensational! Not only is A Clash of Steel a fun reclamation of a classic adventure story, but it also does such a great job of showing that pirates have existed across cultures and across the world for as long as there have been pirates. This story also definitely stands on its own, so it's broadly accessible whether the reader is familiar with the original text or not.
This story has such an infectious sense of discovery, joy, and adventure, and it’s really satisfying to see how Xiang grows from being such an uncertain person into a swash-buckling adventurer who unwaveringly knows her worth and value. There's also a constant hunger that underscores her as a character. She's hungry to prove herself to her mother and earn her independence. But when she realizes that she'll never be able to do that within the confines of "proper society," especially as someone who's queer, she knows that she has to break away and dare to write her own script. Historically, pirates have been understood as those who are "other"—those who dare to rail against the rules, laws, and social norms—and I love the way the story embraces that "otherness" as essential to Xiang's freedom.
I also have to say that C.B. Lee excels in creating dynamic relationships between characters. There is depth and complexity to every relationship in this story—whether it’s familial, romantic, found family, platonic, or between friends. The slow-burn romance between Xiang and Anh is one of my favorite parts of the story, and it's also satisfying to see how closely the dynamic between them is paralleled by this epic treasure hunt. To that end, I also love how the story doesn't waste a single moment and uses every inch of narrative space. There is something exciting or enticing constantly happening with every page you turn, and the adventure aspect is fast-paced and gripping.
I think it's also important to acknowledge how the story beautifully addresses cultural overlap, especially in 1826 China. The story does such a great job of balancing and addressing both Chinese culture and Vietnamese culture, and understanding how and why the two would overlap during this specific time period—whether it's in terms of adapting language or exchanging foods and customs. I can't speak to the representation present, but I can say that I appreciate how the story portrays historical China with such depth and shows the complex interplay of multiple Asian cultures in one place.
The one thing I will say is that I wish there was even more mystery and more obstacles when it came to deciphering the treasure map and then actually navigating the island itself. In some respects, the story is supposed to revolve around this legendary plunder that’s extremely well hidden, and it just felt like even more could’ve been done in that respect to amp up the adventure even further. But I still loved this so much! Drama, loss, tension, romance, and adventure all come together in this epic story, and I think it's well worth the read!
I don't have any kind of personal connection to the original Treasure Island, but this remix is sensational! Not only is A Clash of Steel a fun reclamation of a classic adventure story, but it also does such a great job of showing that pirates have existed across cultures and across the world for as long as there have been pirates. This story also definitely stands on its own, so it's broadly accessible whether the reader is familiar with the original text or not.
This story has such an infectious sense of discovery, joy, and adventure, and it’s really satisfying to see how Xiang grows from being such an uncertain person into a swash-buckling adventurer who unwaveringly knows her worth and value. There's also a constant hunger that underscores her as a character. She's hungry to prove herself to her mother and earn her independence. But when she realizes that she'll never be able to do that within the confines of "proper society," especially as someone who's queer, she knows that she has to break away and dare to write her own script. Historically, pirates have been understood as those who are "other"—those who dare to rail against the rules, laws, and social norms—and I love the way the story embraces that "otherness" as essential to Xiang's freedom.
I also have to say that C.B. Lee excels in creating dynamic relationships between characters. There is depth and complexity to every relationship in this story—whether it’s familial, romantic, found family, platonic, or between friends. The slow-burn romance between Xiang and Anh is one of my favorite parts of the story, and it's also satisfying to see how closely the dynamic between them is paralleled by this epic treasure hunt. To that end, I also love how the story doesn't waste a single moment and uses every inch of narrative space. There is something exciting or enticing constantly happening with every page you turn, and the adventure aspect is fast-paced and gripping.
I think it's also important to acknowledge how the story beautifully addresses cultural overlap, especially in 1826 China. The story does such a great job of balancing and addressing both Chinese culture and Vietnamese culture, and understanding how and why the two would overlap during this specific time period—whether it's in terms of adapting language or exchanging foods and customs. I can't speak to the representation present, but I can say that I appreciate how the story portrays historical China with such depth and shows the complex interplay of multiple Asian cultures in one place.
The one thing I will say is that I wish there was even more mystery and more obstacles when it came to deciphering the treasure map and then actually navigating the island itself. In some respects, the story is supposed to revolve around this legendary plunder that’s extremely well hidden, and it just felt like even more could’ve been done in that respect to amp up the adventure even further. But I still loved this so much! Drama, loss, tension, romance, and adventure all come together in this epic story, and I think it's well worth the read!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Death of parent, and Violence
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