Welcome to Litsy!

I got this in a banned books box. Very fun!

Take Treasure Island and set it in china, make the main character a strong teen who just wants to be her own person already, and add a famous Chinese pirate and you have a fun read! I love classic retellings. I don't love historical fiction, but this one mostly kept my attention (I zoned out quite a few times and had to rewind, but that's more of a me problem than the book's). #Retelling #Pirates #TreasureIsland #LGBTQIA

Xiang only has a golden pendant left from her father. When she discovers the pendant actually holds clues to the fabled lost treasure of Zheng Yi Sao, she discovers what she is truly capable of.

This had a rather slow start, but once the story got going, it really got going. I loved the historical Chinese setting, Xiang was a charming MC, and the romance was very sweet. It had found family, pirates, adventure, and surprise twists! 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

The exposition was bafflingly long - no treasure hunting plot until about halfway through the story. Once the rising action kicked in though it was a fun, lovely read. A pick overall because I love pirate stories and the last half was great.

I picked this up because I liked the 2nd in this series so much, the Little Women Remixed Classic written by Bethany Morrow. I wasn‘t disappointed. As befits a Treasure Island remix, this is a swashbuckling adventure story. It‘s set in the region of Canton in 1826 & was inspired by one of the most successful pirates ever, a woman named Zheng Yi Sao. It‘s also a lesbian romance and a story about found family. #LGBTQ #YA #ownvoices

As a storyteller, I want readers to question history, question why a classic is a classic, who gets to determine what stories are told and what stories are deemed important.
—from the author‘s note at the end of this book, which is the first in the series Remixed Classics from Macmillan.

“I want the world,” I say, my voice growing steadier as I say the words aloud. “I want to see everything. Taste everything. Experience everything.”

A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee is a stunningly original #ownvoices and queer historical adventure that will appeal to fans of Fable and Daughter of the Pirate King. The story revolves around Xiang, a 16 year-old girl who has never left her village in Canton. Xiang never knew her father and only has one memento of him: a pendant necklace.