3.5 ⭐️ I enjoyed the later time of Betsy in Cuba and the 2nd half of the book but I struggled to stay interested in the former timeline in Greece. I just got bored quickly and had a hard time being invested or following easily.

Some of it was that Betsy felt like a frivolous person at that point and Charles a cad, and there was just so much Greek archaeology and mythology that I didn’t follow well. Also, when it would bounce back to 1896/7 there were gaps in the story that unfolded later but I had such a hard time following. I would figure it out later but only after spending pages trying to figure out what I missed, to find I didn’t miss anything, it just took forever to get there. Same for when it switched to Florida initially. It unfolded later but I didn’t feel like I had enough footing in the gaps to go forward without feeling confused.

However the 2nd half of the book I really enjoyed. It was easier to be invested in Betsy’s and Holt’s circumstances and watch the war and ship situation unfold. And the history was fascinating to learn.