I was worried that this wouldn't live up to The Firekeeper's Daughter, which was one of my favourite reads in 2022, but it certainly did. It was great to re-visit Sugar Island and to see some familiar characters from that book, although this also works fine as a standalone.
The characters were likeable and believable, although as an adult reading a YA book, I winced sometimes at their - unwise - decisions. I loved the family at the centre of the novel, and their wider circle within their community. The storyline about the repatriation of ancestors and indigenous artefacts was enlightening without ever being preachy or self-righteous. Recommended.