received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I found myself getting swept up in the action and excitement of the story.  The writing itself was descriptive and allowed me to picture almost all elements of the story, from the characters, their environments, right down to objects.  I really enjoyed the plot and the thrilling nature of solving the riddles.  The characterisation was great and we got to see really diverse qualities in Tess and Lila and the sisterly dynamic between the two was written really well.

I think addressing the issues surrounding early archeology is really important, I’ve read other historical fiction books about archaeological discoveries that have made me very uncomfortable because the author hasn’t in some way attempted to address how these discoveries (while fabulous for our knowledge of the past) profited on colonialism and imperialism and were at the expense of the people who actually lived in those countries.  In particular, I found the quote “I find them wretchedly distasteful.  Not the objects themselves but our possession of them.  These are pilfered things, spoils of bald theft, snatched from peoples in no position to argue because they’re dead or too poor or downtrodden or ensnared in political nets not of their own making to fight for what’s rightfully theirs” poignant in expressing this sentiment.  

I look forward to reading about the Fearless Fords again.