Reviews

A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee

Only show reviews with written explanations

bibliobrandie's review against another edition

3.0

I don't know Treasure Island well enough to know if this stays true to the original story but I felt this book struggled with the pacing. The first half was just build up and backstory and I found it quite a slog fest. The last half went much faster and for that, I am giving it 3 stars. There were just some plot points that felt off for me. I enjoyed the author's note almost as much as I did the book. She mentions the history and languages that influenced her writing this story. In it she says her editor told her to "Make it as gay as you want" and so I feel like she could have made it way gayer. The relationship felt forced at times.

rebeccabadger's review against another edition

Go to review page

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? No

5.0

umak4's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The reasons I was ambivalent about this book would absolutely be reasons other people would love this book - namely, it is unapologetically YA. It was a fun read, but personally I felt that it veered into being a little predictable and a little emotionally unstable/immature — both aspects of the YA genre that may not be problems to other readers.

lydaalexander's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

thatonebookdragon's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

I rate this about 3.5/5. If it wasn’t labeled as a Treasure Island remix, I would definitely rank it higher. It’s very loosely a retelling. It was a fun read though could be super slow at times. I love the main characters and the plot, but it’s definitely not what to expected for a Treasure Island retelling. But it’s also sapphic and honestly it is super cute watching them fall for each other and struggle.