Ravage the Dark, part of the Scavenge the Stars duology, by Tara Sim was a nice completion to the gender-switched version of “The Count of Monte Cristo.” The novel continues following the protagonist, Amaya, after her time on a debtor ship after her seven year sentence. Her hope was to meet her mother in her hometown of Moray. However, her plans change when she meets Boon. Boon offers Amaya a life of opulence and comfort in exchange for her help. The first book in the series left readers on a cliffhanger as Amaya is betrayed and forced to flee Moray to go to the Rain Empire—an enemy nation. She travels to the Rain Empire with her friends, but also a foe. Additionally, Amaya’s friends have their own dark pasts that creates conflict and distrust throughout the novel. 

One positive aspect of this story was the immense POC and LGBTQ+ representation. As an individual coming from Amaya’s hinted culture, which was never officially stated but could be inferred, I believe Tara Sim represented the culture well; she wasn’t overbearing about it and did not force it to make it seem like she was ticking a box. It was integrated in the story beautifully. As for the LGBTQ+ representation, a couple of the main characters and a few main characters were part of the LGBTQ+ community. Sim did a great job of weaving the representation into the story without it seeming forced. 

Another positive aspect to the story is the relatability during times like right now with the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout both books in the duology, there’s an epidemic that affects all territories in their world called the Ash Fever. In the first novel, Ash Fever plays a huge role in determining one of the main character’s motives and in the second book, this character is forced to make difficult decisions because of the hardships this disease caused. The first book in the duology was published in early 2020, before COVID-19 became as prominent as it is now, which is also intriguing. I think Sim was smart to continue with this idea and show how an illness can bring unity and division even in a fantasy world. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this duology and I think it is a quick read that everyone should pick up! I look forward to reading Sim’s other works.