I didn’t realise this was a children’s/young adult novel when I requested it from NetGalley, but having been sent it I felt duty bound to read and review it. And I’m so glad I did for in spite of my misgivings I found it a very well-written and interesting book. It’s narrated by 13-year-old Ricky Parker whose father relocates the family from Arkansas, where Ricky is very happy and settled, to Venezuela where his father has got a job on the oil fields. It’s 1941 and oil is vital for the US, not least because soon they will be entering the war. Ricky expects life to be pretty boring in this small oil town but he couldn’t be more wrong. What follows in an exciting adventure story which incorporates some weighty themes – racism, corporate greed, oppression of indigenous peoples – which in spite of their age-appropriate treatment are of interest to adult readers as well. The setting is vividly described and life for the workers and their families is conveyed with much empathy. Although the action is a little melodramatic at times, it is nevertheless an engaging and enjoyable novel for readers of any age.