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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
Pirates! Adventure! Lost treasure! This was such a fun read. You get Xiang fighting her mother's (and society's) traditional expectations for her as a young woman, you get multiple female leaders, you get a hunt for hidden treasure, AND you get a legendary female pirate? Amazing.
I also loved getting introduced to a part of world history that is less familiar to me. Pretty sure I'm going to go down a rabbit hole reading about Zheng Yi Sao now.
I also loved getting introduced to a part of world history that is less familiar to me. Pretty sure I'm going to go down a rabbit hole reading about Zheng Yi Sao now.
adventurous
adventurous
emotional
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:
No
this was the perfect ya historical fiction! i loved the sapphic romance included and i’m leaving this book feeling extremely satisfied
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I received an e-arc in a publisher giveaway.
An incredible adaptation of a classic adventure novel.
As a reader who missed Treasure Island in my high school English courses but loved the movie Treasure Planet, I went into A CLASH OF STEEL with a great deal of excitement and only a loose awareness of the plot beats. For me, it was enough that the story advertised pirates, a sapphic romance, and a South China Sea setting. And it delivered on all it promised - while also diving deep into the character of a young girl who wants to prove herself to her mother - but who must realize the only person she needs approval from is herself.
Though the novel is written in first-person POV - Xiang's - I never felt like the world-building suffered for limiting the perspective. C.B. Lee packed a lot of history into the story without ever leaving the main action behind. Each detail, historic or dramatized, helped build the mystique of the treasure hunting narrative.
And the interpersonal relationships between Xiang and the crew she joins, as well as between the crew themselves, were delightful. They were an excellent backdrop to Xiang's relationship with Anh, the girl who betrayed her - and then invited her onto the waves. I only wish I could read about more of their adventures at the end of this one!
An incredible adaptation of a classic adventure novel.
As a reader who missed Treasure Island in my high school English courses but loved the movie Treasure Planet, I went into A CLASH OF STEEL with a great deal of excitement and only a loose awareness of the plot beats. For me, it was enough that the story advertised pirates, a sapphic romance, and a South China Sea setting. And it delivered on all it promised - while also diving deep into the character of a young girl who wants to prove herself to her mother - but who must realize the only person she needs approval from is herself.
Though the novel is written in first-person POV - Xiang's - I never felt like the world-building suffered for limiting the perspective. C.B. Lee packed a lot of history into the story without ever leaving the main action behind. Each detail, historic or dramatized, helped build the mystique of the treasure hunting narrative.
And the interpersonal relationships between Xiang and the crew she joins, as well as between the crew themselves, were delightful. They were an excellent backdrop to Xiang's relationship with Anh, the girl who betrayed her - and then invited her onto the waves. I only wish I could read about more of their adventures at the end of this one!
cute! A YA retelling of treasure island that takes place in South China and centers around the history of Zheng Yi Sao, which was really cool. This was fun and I enjoyed reading it. The romance happens pretty quick but it was cute and although predictable, it was a vivid and descriptive book with a good premise.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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:
Yes
This book was such a fantastic retelling of the classic Treasure Island story! The East Asia setting was atmospheric and immersive, pulling readers into 1800s China and Vietnam with its alluring sights and smells, not to mention all the fantastic descriptions of food. The plot was strong and exciting, with a few predictable plot twists but still being enjoyable overall. I felt the character work could've been a bit more fleshed out to develop a stronger relationship between Ahn and Xiang but all in all, I think this is my favorite in this classics remixes series.
5/27/2022
AHH yes I loved this one!!! Loved C.B. Lee's historical notes and her writing style, which is so immersive and intriguingly descriptive.
AHH yes I loved this one!!! Loved C.B. Lee's historical notes and her writing style, which is so immersive and intriguingly descriptive.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Xiang feels ignored by her mother, treated as a thing to be kept safe rather than a person who can want things and pursue them competently. She's been surrounded by people paid to teach her and keep her safe, part of a village where she's free to roam to hills and read, but is kept away from anything more adventurous. Her prized possession is a pendant from her presumed-dead father. When her mother agrees to let her try to learn one aspect of the business, it appears as though her mother might finally take her seriously. Instead her mother keeps trying to arrange a marriage for Xiang, a prospect which feels stifling. She meets Anh, a sailor, and feels close to her almost immediately, but takes longer to realize just how different their perspectives are, due to their vastly different life experiences. When she runs away and joins Anh's crew she finds a place where she is valued for what she does and for how she fits into a larger whole.
The worldbuilding leans into a heady mix of clothing, food, and legends of the Dragon Queen's exploits from decades ago. Once she's on the ship, Xiang works to learn as much as she can and revels in the feeling of getting stronger from daily work. There's an emphasis on found family, and in untangling the difference between where you come from and where you feel at home.
I enjoyed this both on its own and as a retelling of Treasure Island. You don't need to be familiar with the original, as this takes the bones of that other story and clads them in something wonderful and new. The ending is tense and dramatic, I like how it wraps things up.
The worldbuilding leans into a heady mix of clothing, food, and legends of the Dragon Queen's exploits from decades ago. Once she's on the ship, Xiang works to learn as much as she can and revels in the feeling of getting stronger from daily work. There's an emphasis on found family, and in untangling the difference between where you come from and where you feel at home.
I enjoyed this both on its own and as a retelling of Treasure Island. You don't need to be familiar with the original, as this takes the bones of that other story and clads them in something wonderful and new. The ending is tense and dramatic, I like how it wraps things up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Lesbophobia