Snakes! Why did it have to be snakes?

We’re back on another adventure! Not with Indiana Jones but the indomitable Samantha Knox as she scrambles over the white sands and restored frescos of Crete in order to stop the eiphany of yet another ancient goddess.

Six months since the gang’s chaotic trip to Dublin, Samantha has joined the other two in studying archeology at the University of Chicago, ranked at the top of the freshmen class. Unfortunately that accomplishment doesn’t mean she’ll be permitted to go on the annual trip with grad students to work on a real ecavation. Budget cuts apparently.

Not so much Samantha suspects as the professor barring her due to his misogny and intense dislike of her in particular as a crackpot treasure hunter who finangled her way into the school.

Sam had grown more confident since she rediscovered her love for adventure prove herself and archeology and believes that if she can make one great find, she can prove her intelligence and worth. If she can just get his stamp of approval, her way in the world would be that much easier since her age and gender already put obstacles in her path. Especially in the 1920s.

Luckily, she gets just that chance when the still indisposed Professor Wallstone recieves a letter asking for help to protect a newly discovered artifact that would change the face of what people think of Minoan society.

Of course, Bennet and Jo come along for the ride, keeping Sam grounded as she becomes more obssessive in her search for the ancient girdle.

There’s less mystery but plenty of red herrings as Sam and her friends deal with treasure hunters, and smugglers. Rather it brings up several importance topics like elitism in the academic field and how archeolgists/treasure hunters take many forms with those who want money, who want credit etc.

Also Sam’s goal to get the girdle so she can get recognition for the find brings her in conflict with Bennet who feels that she is losing sight of archeology is about. It is not about getting credit and making a name in the newspaper, but accumulating knowledge and learning about how those old societies lived, their history that comes from broken pottery and bits of spears are just as important as jewels and statues. They inform us where we come from.

In those discussions over Sam’s intentions to recovering the girdle, it leads to the ethical conundrums of archeology. Are museums good because they share history and knowledge to the world or are they just collections of stolen property like the Oriental Museum.

Should the objects be put back without investigating what they say about society?

Are smugglers just sharing the wealth when the sell stolen relics and have them hang in rich homes for decoration?

What about reconstruction, is that part of preservation or is skewed because each archeologist puts their own biases to prove their theories of how each society functions?

There are a lot of questions but no clear answers just as it is today but leaves plenty of thoughts to ponder for Sam and the readers.

There’s plenty of character development on the Sam front as she veers between the archeologist burning for more knowledge of the past and the girl who is hell-bent on proving herself by any means necessary. As before, she still struggles with the gap between her and the Sterlings who will always have their family background to protect them from such incidents as getting kicked out of school or finding a job. She only has her reputation which is why it’s so important for her to get credit for a find.

However, there’s a difference between vying for recognition and losing herself by trying to measure up to Professor Atchinson’s standards which is ultimately futile because he’s a misogynist. Jo even delivers a rousing speech about not letting other people’s opinions limit you because all that matters is knowing you’re own worth. Which nicely ties into Sam’s own desires of wanting to be the chosen one and being the best. That Jo, really cuts to the emotional core between her bouts of drinking and smoking.

As for Bennet, though there is conflict between them, Moke handles it well in allowing both to be wrong in how they communicate things to each other and in their actions. Nonetheless, Moke portrays them as a solid couple even if they disagree in an archeological debate at times.

I do wish there had been more from Bennet. Apparently he had an underlying fear of boring Sam with his cautious nature, but since the story is all in Sam’s POV, the readers are blinded by her reckless actions and don’t get much insight to Bennet’s fears of being boring. Rather that part feels told than shown.

Nonetheless, I loved this adventure. Maybe even a bit more than the last one as it combines Neolithic and Greek mythology into this tale and I love Greek mythology especially how Moke provided a new perspective to the tale of Theseus, Minos and Ariadne. Plus it has a bigger aspect of girl power with the whole Sam vs misgony plot that nicely dovetails to the blurred function of the snake goddess in Minoan society.

I can’t wait for the next adventure. Actually I haven’t seen any hints about book 3 but I’m assuming it’s’ coming. The series is too good just to end. I need to know where Sam will go next and what relic she will dig up. There’s so many possible locals like Egypt or somewhere in the East or even the ancient Mayans. I want to see her suceed in her dreams and grow even more.

I also want to see more of Bennet and Jo as Moke hints at their own underlying insecurities like Bennet hiding his wealth and difficulties of proving himself as someone who works on his own merits, not on his father’s money. Then there’s Jo who may have more complicated feelings of being the flighty failure and party girl and not being seen by her father who is probably engaged with his work, having more in common with Bennet and Sam.

Hopefully, Sam Knox and the Sterlings will ride again. Perhaps not raising another primordial goddess as Sam promised but I’m sure there’s another curse or natural disaster they can accidentally set off.

5 stars!