I never read "Treasure Island" and don't really care to, so I won't be reviewing "A Clash of Steel" as a retelling or comparing similarities.
So, I loved this book. C. B. Lee is a wonderful storyteller and writer. It takes a bit of time for the plot to get to rolling, but it moves from setting to setting with a good pace; first the village, then Canton, then the ship. I enjoyed the writing so much, the way Lee's vibrant descriptiveness brought each setting to life, that I didn't really care that it was a little slow to start.
There are two central relationships in this book; Xiang and her mother Madame Shi, and Xiang and Ahn. Xiang's relationship with Madame Shi is complicated and painful; she's over-burdened by parental expectation and while she wants to live her life the way she wants to, Xiang dearly wants her mother to be proud of her. The way things conclude between them shocked but satisfied me.
Xiang and Ahn are kindred spirits. This is my favorite kind of romance. I loved them.
There's something concerning a development near the end that I wish was a bit more fleshed out, and I wish the "Treasure Island remix" subtitle didn't exist (it cheapens the title imo, and plenty of other retellings don't do this so I don't get it). Other than that, this was the perfect book for me.
So, I loved this book. C. B. Lee is a wonderful storyteller and writer. It takes a bit of time for the plot to get to rolling, but it moves from setting to setting with a good pace; first the village, then Canton, then the ship. I enjoyed the writing so much, the way Lee's vibrant descriptiveness brought each setting to life, that I didn't really care that it was a little slow to start.
There are two central relationships in this book; Xiang and her mother Madame Shi, and Xiang and Ahn. Xiang's relationship with Madame Shi is complicated and painful; she's over-burdened by parental expectation and while she wants to live her life the way she wants to, Xiang dearly wants her mother to be proud of her. The way things conclude between them shocked but satisfied me.
Xiang and Ahn are kindred spirits. This is my favorite kind of romance. I loved them.
There's something concerning a development near the end that I wish was a bit more fleshed out, and I wish the "Treasure Island remix" subtitle didn't exist (it cheapens the title imo, and plenty of other retellings don't do this so I don't get it). Other than that, this was the perfect book for me.