Scavenge the Stars

Written by Tara Sim

Narrated by Maria Liatis

When Amaya rescues a mysterious stranger from drowning, she fears her rash actions have earned her a longer sentence on the debtor ship where she's been held captive for years. Instead, the man she saved offers her unimaginable riches and a new identity, setting Amaya on a perilous course through the coastal city-state of Moray, where old-world opulence and desperate gamblers collide. Amaya wants one thing: revenge against the man who ruined her family and stole the life she once had. But the more entangled she becomes in this game of deception-and as her path intertwines with the son of the man she's plotting to bring down-the more she uncovers about the truth of her past. And the more she realizes she must trust no one?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9781980019527

Tara Sim

Tara Sim can typically be found wandering the wilds of the Bay Area in California. When she’s not chasing cats or lurking in bookstores, she writes books about magic, clocks, and explosives. She is the author of Timekeeper and Chainbreaker. Follow her on Twitter at @EachStarAWorld, and check out her website for fun Timekeeper extras.

Reviews for Scavenge the Stars

[pascale1812 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A vengeful orphan. A desperate brother. One devious mastermind plotting to bring the city to its knees.

After seven years of servitude, Amaya’s debt is nearly paid, and she hopes to return home just in time for her mother’s birthday. Back in Moray, reformed gambler Cayo Mercado is one bad decision away from a devastating backslide. Just when the future seems within their grasp, Amaya and Cayo are struck by devastating news, which sets them on a collision course fueled by vengeance and desperation. But Moray is a city of danger and secrets, and they’ll never find peace if they can’t face the darkness of the past.

I was so ready to love this book, but it was advertised as a retelling, and it’s hard to compare anything to Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo (CoMC). I ended the final page with a sense of wry affection. I can remember it fondly, but a few things kept it from hitting the mark.

As I said, setting up as a retelling of CoMC is a tall order, so before jumping into comparisons, I’ll focus on just the book and how it stands as its own work.

Part 1 - The Novel

By far, my favorite part was the first third of the book. Ships and sailing, glimpses of Amaya’s character fighting with her persona as Silverfish, and all the little moments with the other children. It was great how the children were woven into the story later on. Cayo’s journey was also the most compelling during these chapters, with real tension and emotion surrounding his desire to put his past behind him and work for the good of his family yet still feeling compassion for his friends who hadn’t escaped that lifestyle.

These opening chapters were complemented by the writing. Plain and unpretentious, the descriptions said much with little, and it felt like a nod to an older style.

And then came the tipping point, for Amaya and Cayo, and the narrative’s integrity. Amaya starts on the path to vengeance, but her decision is weakened by how she receives her information and the clear manipulation of those around her. More than that, and we’re getting into spoilers.

What really undercut the power of her decision to destroy the Mercado family was that, thanks to Cayo’s POVs, I knew the Mercados were already on the verge of economic collapse. Given the time difference between Amaya’s first chapters and Cayo’s, the details are a little hazy, but it is at least clear that the Mercados began their decline well before Amaya started taking action.

This same dramatic undercut applies to Cayo effectively selling himself to the Slum Lord, thereby becoming engaged to the criminal’s daughter. The Slum Lord wants to join his name to that of the Mercados in order to gain social standing. However, again the reader knows the Mercados are nearly ruined, so the logic of this decision is lost.

. In summary: her mission lacked stakes and agency.

Another let down was how big reveals seemed to pop up randomly, without being the result of effort from the characters. Cayo and Amaya’s arcs both culminate in gleaning crucial information from anecdotes dropped by Soria, Cayo’s sister. (Oh this trinket? I found it this one time, let me tell you all about it so you can relay all of this to the relevant people.) Yeah, underwhelming.

The setting is serviceable, but unremarkable. Moray is a city plagued with generic corruption that happens offpage or when it is convenient to endear us to Cayo/Amaya for despising it. The terrifying lord of crime goes by “The Slum Lord”, and the law enforcement out of the port is called “Port Authority”. Both fine names, but generic, and I can’t see Port Authority without thinking of the t-shirt company, then the Pittsburgh bus system.

A clarification: this story is fantasy in that it takes place in another world, but there is no evidence of magic, unusual creatures, or other fantastical elements.

As a novel, I enjoyed Scavenge the Stars, but felt let down by a lack of fulfillment during important points in the story. I’d be inclined to read the sequel, since it will be a departure from CoMC’s plot line, which will allow more space for world-building and character agency.

Part 2 - The Retelling

It’s been a while since I read CoMC, but fair warning, there may be general spoilers for what I do remember.

So, the big question: Is Scavenge the Stars actually a retelling?

I’d say yes. They share the same premise and overall themes, enough that it passes from an inspired work to a retelling. Amaya clearly fulfills the role of Edmond Dantes. They were imprisoned for unknown, nefarious motives and emerged from a long captivity driven by vengeance and funded by a mysterious trove of hidden wealth. Cayo plays the role of Albert de Morcerf, son of the man who had a hand in the protagonist’s misery.

Cayo is more complicated than that, and his arc uncovers larger conspiracies and geopolitical implications which are not present in the original work. I liked these additions, they added depth to the world and set up the sequel.

Dramatically, the biggest difference between CoMC and Scavenge the Stars is that Dantes is the mastermind of his vengeance, while Amaya is just a pawn. Dantes crafted a meticulous scheme and hung over his enemies like a specter of ruin. Amaya never committed to a single plan, and she had to rely on others for information and resources, so she didn’t achieve the same status as seemingly omnipotent arbiter of justice as Dantes.

The effect of this is two-fold:
1) Amaya loses part of her agency, as discussed in Part 1.
2) The narrative loses the satisfaction of a carefully planned trap falling into place, and the despair of the helpless victims.

The second point is not necessarily a weakness in the story, but it is a departure. And those who love that aspect of CoMC shouldn’t look to find that replicated here.

Overall, the two main themes exemplify how Scavenge the Stars blends modern YA with CoMC. The first is that of identity, a staple in nearly all young adult fiction. Amaya and Cayo wrestle with who they are, the marks left by their childhood, and how they can shape themselves into something new. From what I recall, these were not questions for Dantes, but they do play into the second theme: should the son atone for/be complicit in the sins of the father? While they come at it from different perspectives, the fact that Amaya and Dantes both wrestle with this question is what binds their stories together.

[alysinbookland · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Scavenge the Stars is the first book that I finished reading this year, and I am still thinking of what I felt for the story. Revengeful characters are not uncommon to me, as most of what I’ve been reading mostly revolves around it. But, for this one, I didn’t expect that the story has more to tell the readers. I’m glad that it makes my head hurts, knowing how twisted the fate of each character is.It was said that this is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, a classic book that I’ve wanted to read but just can’t get to because it always makes me turn back upon seeing the pages it has. But, I know what the story is all about, and Scavenge the Stars is similar to it in terms of the theme it has – vengeance and power.In the story, we see how money, power, and social status can control a person’s life. It can either create or destroy you depends on how well you play it. I was able to see the treatment powerless people receive and also how the power you have can be taken from you in one false move or unfortunate event.We have two points of view – from Amaya and Cayo. I love both of them, but sadly, they both didn’t hold my heart to love them. Though, I love how they handle their situations and how Amaya cares for the Water Bugs and how Cayo loves his sister. I love to know the other side characters like Roach, but unfortunately, they only showed or talked about rarely.The pacing is slow, and that is fine with me as long as I can see that the plot is moving and that the characters and world-building are growing. Though, for me, the story still lacks something – something to make me love the story. The world-building is also lacking. I don’t know what differs each empire from one another even though there are some references in it like how a person looks like someone from this empire with also a look from another empire, but I don’t even what it means. I hope this would be talked about in the second book. Another thing is how I think the story moves so fast, one time we are on the Brackish, then the next the countess we are talking about is already Amaya. It got me confused.Overall, Scavenge the Stars is not bad at all. I still enjoyed reading how the revenge will be done and what lies behind all the problems and mysteries our characters would want to be solved. I’m looking forward to reading the second book, and I hope it’ll be better than the first book. I’m recommending this book still to anyone.Disclaimer: I received an advance reader’s copy via The Fantastic Flying Book Club.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the “Scavenge the Stars” series. I borrowed this book from the library.Story (4/5): I didn't realize at first that this is a retelling of "The Count of Monte Cristo" but that quickly becomes apparent. This was really well done and I enjoyed it a ton. There is a gender swap here compared with the original story; Amaya has been forced onto a debtor ship and is keen to seek revenge on those who put her there. What Amaya doesn’t realize is that her revenge is not a straight-forward thing.Characters (4/5): I loved Amaya and Cayo, they were very well done characters with complicated pasts and a lot of depth to them. The story alternates between Amaya and Cayo’s POV. There are a number of very well done side characters as well. Setting (4/5): The majority of the book takes place in the port city of Moray, a somewhat typical fantasy type setting. There is some world-building beyond Moray but not much. The setting really wasn’t the feature of the story. Writing Style (5/5): I always really enjoy Sim's writing style; it's beautifully done and effortless to read. I was quickly engaged in the story. I loved the characters and the twists and turns throughout the story. There is just something about Sim’s writing style that really clicks with me; I just feel completely compelled and engaged any time I read any of her books.Summary (4/5): Overall I really enjoyed these characters, this story, and all the intrigue. I read this book very quickly and could not put it down. I definitely plan on continuing the series. I really loved Sim's “Timekeeper” series as well and she is quickly becoming a "must read" author for me.

[sennebec · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amaya's counting down the days until her debt is paid off. Sold to cover the obligations her father couldn't repay, or so she believes, she's down to four more weeks on the rancid fishing vessel where she's elbow deep in fish guts all day long. When she sees a drowning man beside the ship and notices the fancy gold buttons on his coat, she instinctively tosses a net overboard to save him, thinking he must be rich enough to free her early and help her return to Moray where she imagines an emotional reunion with her mother. Instead, she angers the cruel captain who delights in torturing the kids who are called beetles that do all the scut work. Next thing she knows, she's jumped overboard to avoid getting shot. What follows is plot within plot, involving her, a secret fortune, multiple iterations of revenge, murder and an attraction she never expected. All of these are blended together to create an intriguing and highly readable tale with elements of romance, mystery, and treachery. It's a dandy first book with at least one more to follow. I highly recommend it for all school and public libraries.