SCAVENGE THE STARS by Tara Sim

I was delighted to interview Tara Sim here, here, and here. When I heard about her newest book, SCAVANGE THE STARS, a gender-swapped re-imagining of The Count of Monte Cristo, I couldn’t wait to feature it:

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…

In our last interview, you said, “SCAVENGE THE STARS is a YA fantasy reimagining of The Count of Monte Cristo, full of POC and queer characters. There’s revenge, betrayal, forbidden romance…oh, and lots of gambling.” In what ways, if any, did this story surprise you as you wrote it?

A lot of the book was outlined before I wrote it, so I wasn’t too surprised by plot points and twists. I did end up surprised a few times with sudden decisions made by the characters in the moment, which were not outlined but ended up working with their character arcs anyway (and made sense for what they were going through at the time).

I love when that happens! What kinds of YA books would you like to see more off, and which tropes, if any, would you like to see less of?

I would love to see more eerie, horror-ish books like WILDER GIRLS, and more epic fantasy with rich worldbuilding and unique magic systems in the vein of THE MERCIFUL CROW. Tropes I’d like to see less of are “commoner girl ends up going to the castle” (which features in some of my fave books, but I’m getting a little fatigued by it) and “bury your gays.”

WILDER GIRLS was a great book, and I agree that “bury your gays” needs to disappear. If you could write a new ending for Avatar the Last Airbender, what would it be and why?

The ending is already so perfect! But if I had to change any one thing, it would be Zuko and Katara getting together instead of Katara and Aang (sorry, Aang).

(I’m sure Aang understands.) Outside of writing novels, what do you enjoy doing most?

I love playing video games. It’s my number one way to relax while also refilling the creative well.

SCAVENGE THE STARS

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