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The Firekeeper’s Daughter
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Debut Novel (2021), Winner for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fiction (2021)As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in—both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When her family is struck by tragedy, Daunis puts her dreams on hold to care for her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team.
After Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that thrusts her into a criminal investigation, she agrees to go undercover. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. How far will she go to protect her community if it means tearing apart the only world she’s ever known?
After Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that thrusts her into a criminal investigation, she agrees to go undercover. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. How far will she go to protect her community if it means tearing apart the only world she’s ever known?
488 pages, Hardcover
First published March 16, 2021
About the author
Angeline Boulley
5 books4,941 followersAngeline Boulley, an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, is a storyteller who writes about her Ojibwe community in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She gained attention from the We Need Diverse Books Mentorship Program. Angeline was the former Director of the Office of Indian Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Her agent is Faye Bender at The Book Group. Firekeeper's Daughter has been optioned for a Netflix series by the Obamas' Higher Ground production company.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 22,816 reviews
October 23, 2024
Let’s dive into one of the best and most anticipated debuts of the year!
I had a truly wonderful reading experience! I learned so much about Native American culture, including their traditions, language, history, how they use plants to create natural medicines, their deep understanding of chemistry, and their remarkable survival skills.
Beyond the fascinating introduction to Native culture, the book’s real strength lies in its powerful and layered character development. The intense backstories and the well-constructed tribal council, which feels like an independent character with its own dynamics, functions, and beliefs, will captivate you and pull you into this vibrant, eccentric, and enigmatic world.
At the heart of the story is the tribe’s heartbreaking struggle, as young adults are murdered in connection to drug trafficking, which slowly spreads and takes more innocent lives. This mystery forms the backbone of the plot.
Then there’s Daunis, an 18-year-old biracial heroine who is smart, sensitive, tough, and someone you truly want to hug and protect. She’s the scandalous child of a wealthy, underage white mother and a Native American father who lost his hockey career after a terrible accident and then cheated on her mother with another woman.
Though Daunis feels a deep connection to her Native American heritage, she isn’t a member of the tribe. She’s pale as a ghost and feels like she doesn’t belong anywhere, like an outsider. After recently losing her dream of pursuing a sports career, her world is further shaken by her uncle David’s sudden relapse and death from an overdose, as well as her grandmother’s stroke. These events force her to change her college plans, meaning she’ll stay in her hometown.
This might come as a relief to her star hockey player brother Levi and her best friend Lily, who recently broke up with her meth-addicted boyfriend, Travis.
And of course, there’s Jaime, the new hotshot hockey player who has joined the team and might just be another reason for Daunis to stick around. She becomes his ambassador, and even the scar on his face makes him more charismatic. As they grow closer, it becomes clear that Jaime is hiding many secrets.
These secrets unravel when someone close to Daunis is hurt, putting her in a difficult situation. Someone is trafficking drugs within her community, endangering lives, and with her connections and scientific knowledge, Daunis could be a key asset in solving the mystery. She has nothing to lose—she can’t let anything happen to her loved ones. She’s already lost too much.
The author expertly tackles sensitive and triggering topics such as abuse, addiction, sexual assault, and grief, and the emotional conclusion had me in tears. It was so deep, meaningful, and inspiring!
I had originally planned to give this book four stars, but that wouldn’t be fair. I was fully invested in this story, so I’m giving it a full, shining five Ojibwe stars!
This is one of the best books of the year and one of my all-time favorite reads. I highly recommend it!
I had a truly wonderful reading experience! I learned so much about Native American culture, including their traditions, language, history, how they use plants to create natural medicines, their deep understanding of chemistry, and their remarkable survival skills.
Beyond the fascinating introduction to Native culture, the book’s real strength lies in its powerful and layered character development. The intense backstories and the well-constructed tribal council, which feels like an independent character with its own dynamics, functions, and beliefs, will captivate you and pull you into this vibrant, eccentric, and enigmatic world.
At the heart of the story is the tribe’s heartbreaking struggle, as young adults are murdered in connection to drug trafficking, which slowly spreads and takes more innocent lives. This mystery forms the backbone of the plot.
Then there’s Daunis, an 18-year-old biracial heroine who is smart, sensitive, tough, and someone you truly want to hug and protect. She’s the scandalous child of a wealthy, underage white mother and a Native American father who lost his hockey career after a terrible accident and then cheated on her mother with another woman.
Though Daunis feels a deep connection to her Native American heritage, she isn’t a member of the tribe. She’s pale as a ghost and feels like she doesn’t belong anywhere, like an outsider. After recently losing her dream of pursuing a sports career, her world is further shaken by her uncle David’s sudden relapse and death from an overdose, as well as her grandmother’s stroke. These events force her to change her college plans, meaning she’ll stay in her hometown.
This might come as a relief to her star hockey player brother Levi and her best friend Lily, who recently broke up with her meth-addicted boyfriend, Travis.
And of course, there’s Jaime, the new hotshot hockey player who has joined the team and might just be another reason for Daunis to stick around. She becomes his ambassador, and even the scar on his face makes him more charismatic. As they grow closer, it becomes clear that Jaime is hiding many secrets.
These secrets unravel when someone close to Daunis is hurt, putting her in a difficult situation. Someone is trafficking drugs within her community, endangering lives, and with her connections and scientific knowledge, Daunis could be a key asset in solving the mystery. She has nothing to lose—she can’t let anything happen to her loved ones. She’s already lost too much.
The author expertly tackles sensitive and triggering topics such as abuse, addiction, sexual assault, and grief, and the emotional conclusion had me in tears. It was so deep, meaningful, and inspiring!
I had originally planned to give this book four stars, but that wouldn’t be fair. I was fully invested in this story, so I’m giving it a full, shining five Ojibwe stars!
This is one of the best books of the year and one of my all-time favorite reads. I highly recommend it!
January 26, 2022
do yall see this cover??
ARE YOU SEEING THIS COVER??
the flavor is
immaculate
actual review: wow
this book enraptured me in culture and family and tradition and this immense love and appreciation of culture which reminded me of how much I love my own people and culture and how thankful I am to have both in my life
I would just like to thank this book for allowing me a glimpse into a beautiful culture that I did not know and showing the vibrancy and resilience of the community portrayed in this book.
the prevailing themes of family and community touched me so deeply and I have so much consideration for the number of things the author was able to cram into this book while also doing them all extremely well.
I definitely don't think this will work for everyone just because of how many plot lines are happening at once and how tangled the story and the relationships get but I implore you to give it a try anyway (especially via audiobook the narrator did a great job!)
4.5 stars
ARE YOU SEEING THIS COVER??
the flavor is
immaculate
actual review: wow
this book enraptured me in culture and family and tradition and this immense love and appreciation of culture which reminded me of how much I love my own people and culture and how thankful I am to have both in my life
I would just like to thank this book for allowing me a glimpse into a beautiful culture that I did not know and showing the vibrancy and resilience of the community portrayed in this book.
the prevailing themes of family and community touched me so deeply and I have so much consideration for the number of things the author was able to cram into this book while also doing them all extremely well.
I definitely don't think this will work for everyone just because of how many plot lines are happening at once and how tangled the story and the relationships get but I implore you to give it a try anyway (especially via audiobook the narrator did a great job!)
4.5 stars
June 4, 2021
this reminded me of one of my favourite books, ‘beartown.’ not because of the hockey, but in the way that both are about small communities affected by the actions of their youth.
im not sure how realistic the entire plot is, but i was fascinated by it. i found the stakes to be high and the investigation to be compelling. i also loved learning about the ojibwe, their tribe, and their culture. that was probably my favourite aspect of the entire book.
this is such a strong debut and i cant wait to see what this author comes up with next.
↠ 4 stars
im not sure how realistic the entire plot is, but i was fascinated by it. i found the stakes to be high and the investigation to be compelling. i also loved learning about the ojibwe, their tribe, and their culture. that was probably my favourite aspect of the entire book.
this is such a strong debut and i cant wait to see what this author comes up with next.
↠ 4 stars
April 27, 2021
This book is set in my home town and is a fictionalized version of my home tribe. It's safe to say I am the target demographic here, as 'Nishnaabekwe.
I adore reading a story where I can vividly imagine the setting, where I know all the places the author mentions. I love reading stories with people like me from my own culture, and very seldom get to do so. Boulley gives all sorts of incidentals to 'Nish readers. Touches that are normalized for us. This book reads equal parts YA thriller and love letter to me. My language. My history. My people. All of these things are on the page.
That alone would have had me pick up the book, and honestly it is why I did. I'm reviewing it because it's good. It's smart. It's well-paced. It uses heavy topics to show the tenacity of a people, and also the way topics such as drug abuse and sexual assault eat at tribal communities. Daunis is a wonderfully fleshed character, and every bit the 'Ojibwe Nancy Drew' Boulley says she is.
I'd love to see this book find its way into classrooms, if for no other reason than getting a modern story about Natives out there. So that other people like me, who grew up with only Princess Tiger Lily and other racist depictions of Natives have something that is for them.
I adore reading a story where I can vividly imagine the setting, where I know all the places the author mentions. I love reading stories with people like me from my own culture, and very seldom get to do so. Boulley gives all sorts of incidentals to 'Nish readers. Touches that are normalized for us. This book reads equal parts YA thriller and love letter to me. My language. My history. My people. All of these things are on the page.
That alone would have had me pick up the book, and honestly it is why I did. I'm reviewing it because it's good. It's smart. It's well-paced. It uses heavy topics to show the tenacity of a people, and also the way topics such as drug abuse and sexual assault eat at tribal communities. Daunis is a wonderfully fleshed character, and every bit the 'Ojibwe Nancy Drew' Boulley says she is.
I'd love to see this book find its way into classrooms, if for no other reason than getting a modern story about Natives out there. So that other people like me, who grew up with only Princess Tiger Lily and other racist depictions of Natives have something that is for them.
Read
January 9, 2022This was a lot different than I was expecting, but not in a bad way. It was really interesting and provided a lot of information, some well fleshed out characters, and an intriguing but heartbreaking mystery. To be honest, this isn't something I would generally pick up or think I'd enjoy. I don't really love mysteries and crime stories don't usually appeal to me. But I was drawn in by the cover of this one and the cultural elements it tied into the story. The writing was really great. It was uncomplicated yet really beautiful. It built up this beautiful community that you could tell the main character cared for deeply. I felt like a part of all of it. I found some parts of the story were a bit predictable for me. I didn't particularly care for the romance subplot really, but it didn't bug me either. I just could have done without it. The thriller elements could be a bit overdone at times, but that might just be my own personal relationship with not caring for thrillers that much. Overall though, this was a really great debut. I'm glad I went out of my comfort zone and picked it up!
February 3, 2023
DISCLAIMER: If you are thinking of reading this novel I recommend you check out some more positive reviews, especially ones from #ownvoices reviewers (such as
Brandann Hill-Mann's review).
I didn't hate this book it but I would be lying if I said that it didn't really, really, really frustrate me (because it did).
2½ stars (rounded up as this is a debut)
I would have enjoyed this more if it hadn't been for Daunis being the definition of Not Like Other Girls.
Nancy Drew meets Winter Counts in this YA debut. The cover (look at that BEAUTY), the premise, the overwhelmingly positive reception, all lead me to believe that I too would love this. Fifteen-year-old me probably would have (loved it that is) but I am now at a point in my life where I am tired of reading books that elevate girls who are Not Like Other Girls and shame Other Girls.
Firekeeper's Daughter follows eighteen-year-old Daunis, the daughter to a white mother, who happens to belong to one of the most 'powerful' families in her town, and an Ojibwe father. Understandably Daunis has always felt like an outsider as she is not an enrolled tribal member. Daunis feels deeply invested in her Native heritage and throughout the novel, we see her observing many Ojibwe customs and beliefs. Time and again she has to reconcile herself with the knowledge that white people such as her maternal grandparents see her Ojibwe side as "a flaw or burden to overcome". There are also those within the Sugar Island Ojibwe Tribe who view her as white, not truly part of their community.
After witnessing a murder Daunis becomes entangled in an FBI investigation. Daunis agrees to help their investigation hoping to put an end to prevent drug-related deaths. A coming-of-age tale meets a slow-burn mystery-thriller that touches upon many serious and relevant issues while also including anot so unnecessary romance subplot and Riverdale-levels of drama.
Before I move on to what I didn't like in this novel I will mention a few of the things that did in my opinion work. Angeline Boulley does a stellar job in bringing to life both Sault Sainte Marie and Sugar Island to life. Throughout the course of the story, Boulley celebrates Native, specifically Ojibwe, practices, beliefs, and history. Daunis is clearly proud of her Ojibwe heritage and this is wonderfully reflected in her narration. There are a lot of terms and expressions in Ojibwemowin, and that made Daunis' world all the more vivid. I also appreciated that the story doesn't shy away from showing the ramifications of colonialism, the everyday injustices faced by indigenous individuals and communities, the consequences of substance abuse (without wholly demonising drug abusers), how harmful stereotypes about indigenous cultures and peoples are, and how disrespectful cultural appropriation is. Through the mystery-thriller storyline, the narrative also explores drug trafficking and violence against indigenous women. Additionally, the story had a nice body-positive message which is always a nice surprise. And Granny June. She was cool, probably the only character I liked.
I will take a leaf from Daunis (who is list-obsessed, because like all sciencey people she likes facts & logic) and list my various criticisms ( SPOILERS BELOW ):
1. Daunis being Not Like Other Girls. She excels at science, loves sports (BIG BOY sports like hockey, none of that girly bullshit), hates lipstick and makeup, doesn't wear skirts (puh-lease, she isn't one of Those Girls). Daunis is also FLAWLESS. You read that right. And please don't @ me saying that she makes some mistakes in her investigation. She is not a bloody detective. She's 18. No one expects her to be Hercule-bloody-Poirot. If she makes any injudicious choices these are nullified by the fact that she is ‘always' acting from a good place. She cares TOO much (about her community, her loved ones) and wants to protect those around her. How is that a flaw? So she doesn't trust the two undercover FBI agents and begins running her own investigation. I mean, how is not trusting the law enforcement a flaw? She's a bit quirky but that makes her all the more special (here we have the love interest saying to her: "I love how you see the world" *bleargh*). Curiously enough while the story tries to show how harmful misogynistic and sexist attitudes/mentalities are we have our female lead either slut-shaming Other Girls or making incredibly judgmental comments about them. She calls Other Girls, for example, the girlfriends of hockey players 'parasitic': "I won't be a wannabe anglerfish, trying to latch on to a guy who is already taken.". Other Girls are vain, they care about their looks, they go after guys who already have girlfriends, they have fake friendships with each other (not like Daunis and Lily), they are catty, superficial, stupid, girly, you name they are it. And at first, I genuinely thought that this would be Daunis' 'flaw'. The storyline would have her realise along the way that she is acting just like those men she dislikes so much...but no. Ah. As if. Daunis was right all along, time and again Other Girls are shown indeed to be horrible (we have the basic white girl with her inappropriate dreamcatcher tattoo or cruel Macy who has no female solidarity and does Daunis dirty). And why does Daunis always blame Other Girls instead of the guys who actually do the cheating? Because her dad cheated on her mum? Give me a break. The same happened to me but I am certainly not out there whining about 'anglerfishes'. Grow up Daunis. The only person who points this out is a Bad Guy so his comment is moot. How convenient. Worst of all, for all her specialness (Daunis is sciencey and sporty and look now she is involved in an undercover case and falling in love with a handsome and mysterious stranger) she was just such a dull character.
2. The jarring dissonance between the tone of Daunis’ narration (which makes her come across as being 14 rather than 18) and the story’s content (which include murder, drug abuse and trafficking, sexual assault, kidnapping, and many other clearly YA and up things). On the one hand, we have Daunis’ referring to anything related to her role in the FBI’s investigation as Secret Squirrel (the first Secret Squirrel lesson #1 was actually funny, “I am not paranoid, but the men listening to me are”). Secret Squirrel appears 36 times in the book. One too many if you ask me. Anyway, we have this silly squirrel nonsense that seems more suited to a Middle-Grade novel and then we have a rape scene. And don’t even get me started with the Guy Lies. Bah! Sometimes juxtaposing a cutesy protagonist with a story that has mature/serious content can work (I’m thinking of Harley Quinn) but here...it just did not work for me. Daunis’ childish language brought me out of the story.
3. The thriller storyline. It is Riverdale-levels of overblown. And yet also incredibly predictable. Who would have thunk it, the golden boy is not so golden! I am shook. This is the third book I can think of that does a similar not so shocking reveal. The baddies are so cartoonish it was just plain ridiculous. They had their villainous monologues in which they gloat as they explain their scheming to our heroes. Come on. Most of the ‘twists’ were either entirely predictable (Levi) or just OTT (the coach is also involved!).
4. The romance is low-key questionable. Yeah, she’s 18 but the guy, Jamie or whatever his name is, is 22. And an FBI agent. Working on this drug trafficking case. His main quality is that he is hot. He’s got abs, which our Daunis checks him out all of the time (a tad creepy if you ask me), he has a handsome face but no wait, he has a facial scar. Wow. Doesn’t that lend him an air of mystery?! He also pinches the bridge of his nose, all of the time. Their chemistry...wasn’t there. It seemed way too quick, insta-love sort of speed. Daunis acts like she doesn’t like him or trust him but she never shuts up about him or the feelings he makes her feel (butterflies and all that). To be fair, I liked the note the author ended their romance on (Daunis calling out Jamie for ‘needing’ her when the guy clearly needs some alone time). Jamie was boring, a generic YA male love interest (✓ mysterious past ✓ hot ✓ Not Like Other Boys).
5.Daunis’ parents are very...undefined. The mother is sad and sometimes talks to herself (revealing SECRETS). And yeah, the father is dead by the start of the story but it would have been nice to know his character, really know him.
6. The dynamics between secondary characters were vague. Don't Daunis and Levi share an auntie? Yet Levi and this auntie two never seem to mention each other or have scenes together (and if they do they certainly don't give us an impression of their relationship).
7. Chapters ending in cheesy cliffhangers.
8. The lists.
9. The only gay character is dead...
If you liked this novel, I'm honestly kind of jealous. I so wanted to like it. But much about it just did not work for me.
Brandann Hill-Mann's review).
I didn't hate this book it but I would be lying if I said that it didn't really, really, really frustrate me (because it did).
2½ stars (rounded up as this is a debut)
I would have enjoyed this more if it hadn't been for Daunis being the definition of Not Like Other Girls.
Nancy Drew meets Winter Counts in this YA debut. The cover (look at that BEAUTY), the premise, the overwhelmingly positive reception, all lead me to believe that I too would love this. Fifteen-year-old me probably would have (loved it that is) but I am now at a point in my life where I am tired of reading books that elevate girls who are Not Like Other Girls and shame Other Girls.
Firekeeper's Daughter follows eighteen-year-old Daunis, the daughter to a white mother, who happens to belong to one of the most 'powerful' families in her town, and an Ojibwe father. Understandably Daunis has always felt like an outsider as she is not an enrolled tribal member. Daunis feels deeply invested in her Native heritage and throughout the novel, we see her observing many Ojibwe customs and beliefs. Time and again she has to reconcile herself with the knowledge that white people such as her maternal grandparents see her Ojibwe side as "a flaw or burden to overcome". There are also those within the Sugar Island Ojibwe Tribe who view her as white, not truly part of their community.
After witnessing a murder Daunis becomes entangled in an FBI investigation. Daunis agrees to help their investigation hoping to put an end to prevent drug-related deaths. A coming-of-age tale meets a slow-burn mystery-thriller that touches upon many serious and relevant issues while also including a
Before I move on to what I didn't like in this novel I will mention a few of the things that did in my opinion work. Angeline Boulley does a stellar job in bringing to life both Sault Sainte Marie and Sugar Island to life. Throughout the course of the story, Boulley celebrates Native, specifically Ojibwe, practices, beliefs, and history. Daunis is clearly proud of her Ojibwe heritage and this is wonderfully reflected in her narration. There are a lot of terms and expressions in Ojibwemowin, and that made Daunis' world all the more vivid. I also appreciated that the story doesn't shy away from showing the ramifications of colonialism, the everyday injustices faced by indigenous individuals and communities, the consequences of substance abuse (without wholly demonising drug abusers), how harmful stereotypes about indigenous cultures and peoples are, and how disrespectful cultural appropriation is. Through the mystery-thriller storyline, the narrative also explores drug trafficking and violence against indigenous women. Additionally, the story had a nice body-positive message which is always a nice surprise. And Granny June. She was cool, probably the only character I liked.
I will take a leaf from Daunis (who is list-obsessed, because like all sciencey people she likes facts & logic) and list my various criticisms ( SPOILERS BELOW ):
1. Daunis being Not Like Other Girls. She excels at science, loves sports (BIG BOY sports like hockey, none of that girly bullshit), hates lipstick and makeup, doesn't wear skirts (puh-lease, she isn't one of Those Girls). Daunis is also FLAWLESS. You read that right. And please don't @ me saying that she makes some mistakes in her investigation. She is not a bloody detective. She's 18. No one expects her to be Hercule-bloody-Poirot. If she makes any injudicious choices these are nullified by the fact that she is ‘always' acting from a good place. She cares TOO much (about her community, her loved ones) and wants to protect those around her. How is that a flaw? So she doesn't trust the two undercover FBI agents and begins running her own investigation. I mean, how is not trusting the law enforcement a flaw? She's a bit quirky but that makes her all the more special (here we have the love interest saying to her: "I love how you see the world" *bleargh*). Curiously enough while the story tries to show how harmful misogynistic and sexist attitudes/mentalities are we have our female lead either slut-shaming Other Girls or making incredibly judgmental comments about them. She calls Other Girls, for example, the girlfriends of hockey players 'parasitic': "I won't be a wannabe anglerfish, trying to latch on to a guy who is already taken.". Other Girls are vain, they care about their looks, they go after guys who already have girlfriends, they have fake friendships with each other (not like Daunis and Lily), they are catty, superficial, stupid, girly, you name they are it. And at first, I genuinely thought that this would be Daunis' 'flaw'. The storyline would have her realise along the way that she is acting just like those men she dislikes so much...but no. Ah. As if. Daunis was right all along, time and again Other Girls are shown indeed to be horrible (we have the basic white girl with her inappropriate dreamcatcher tattoo or cruel Macy who has no female solidarity and does Daunis dirty). And why does Daunis always blame Other Girls instead of the guys who actually do the cheating? Because her dad cheated on her mum? Give me a break. The same happened to me but I am certainly not out there whining about 'anglerfishes'. Grow up Daunis. The only person who points this out is a Bad Guy so his comment is moot. How convenient. Worst of all, for all her specialness (Daunis is sciencey and sporty and look now she is involved in an undercover case and falling in love with a handsome and mysterious stranger) she was just such a dull character.
2. The jarring dissonance between the tone of Daunis’ narration (which makes her come across as being 14 rather than 18) and the story’s content (which include murder, drug abuse and trafficking, sexual assault, kidnapping, and many other clearly YA and up things). On the one hand, we have Daunis’ referring to anything related to her role in the FBI’s investigation as Secret Squirrel (the first Secret Squirrel lesson #1 was actually funny, “I am not paranoid, but the men listening to me are”). Secret Squirrel appears 36 times in the book. One too many if you ask me. Anyway, we have this silly squirrel nonsense that seems more suited to a Middle-Grade novel and then we have a rape scene. And don’t even get me started with the Guy Lies. Bah! Sometimes juxtaposing a cutesy protagonist with a story that has mature/serious content can work (I’m thinking of Harley Quinn) but here...it just did not work for me. Daunis’ childish language brought me out of the story.
3. The thriller storyline. It is Riverdale-levels of overblown. And yet also incredibly predictable. Who would have thunk it, the golden boy is not so golden! I am shook. This is the third book I can think of that does a similar not so shocking reveal. The baddies are so cartoonish it was just plain ridiculous. They had their villainous monologues in which they gloat as they explain their scheming to our heroes. Come on. Most of the ‘twists’ were either entirely predictable (Levi) or just OTT (the coach is also involved!).
4. The romance is low-key questionable. Yeah, she’s 18 but the guy, Jamie or whatever his name is, is 22. And an FBI agent. Working on this drug trafficking case. His main quality is that he is hot. He’s got abs, which our Daunis checks him out all of the time (a tad creepy if you ask me), he has a handsome face but no wait, he has a facial scar. Wow. Doesn’t that lend him an air of mystery?! He also pinches the bridge of his nose, all of the time. Their chemistry...wasn’t there. It seemed way too quick, insta-love sort of speed. Daunis acts like she doesn’t like him or trust him but she never shuts up about him or the feelings he makes her feel (butterflies and all that). To be fair, I liked the note the author ended their romance on (Daunis calling out Jamie for ‘needing’ her when the guy clearly needs some alone time). Jamie was boring, a generic YA male love interest (✓ mysterious past ✓ hot ✓ Not Like Other Boys).
5.Daunis’ parents are very...undefined. The mother is sad and sometimes talks to herself (revealing SECRETS). And yeah, the father is dead by the start of the story but it would have been nice to know his character, really know him.
6. The dynamics between secondary characters were vague. Don't Daunis and Levi share an auntie? Yet Levi and this auntie two never seem to mention each other or have scenes together (and if they do they certainly don't give us an impression of their relationship).
7. Chapters ending in cheesy cliffhangers.
8. The lists.
9. The only gay character is dead...
If you liked this novel, I'm honestly kind of jealous. I so wanted to like it. But much about it just did not work for me.
October 9, 2021
Not my usual cup of tea but I ended up overall enjoying this!
February 28, 2021
This is a stunning debut from Angeline Boulley, set in Sault Ste. Marie, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, amongst the Native American Ojibwe community. 18 year old Daunis Fontaine is biracial, an unenrolled tribal member, the child of a scandal, who whilst never quite fitting in with her fragile and vulnerable white mother's family, nor the other half of her Indigenous family, and community, nevertheless lives her daily life immersed in both. She is weighed by down by the disappointing loss of her Uncle David, a teacher, a meth death, and the stroke suffered by GrandMary, they say bad luck comes in threes, Daunis is sincerely hoping not. A gifted scientist, Daunis has put off going to the University of Michigan, and is instead intending to attend college locally with her lifelong best friend, Lily Chippeway, so that she can be there for her mother. Hockey mad, Daunis agrees to act as ambassador and introduce new player, Jamie, to the area and community as he joins her on her early morning runs.
The first part of the book embeds the reader into Daunis's life and history, her close relationship with her protective hockey playing half brother, Levi, and the rest of her indigenous family, including her badass Aunt Teddie. We are immersed in the historical atrocities and racism that have marked the painful history of the tribes, along with a picture of the culture, structures, contemporary politics, traditional medicine, rituals, ceremonies, tribal elders, with everyday community and family interactions. There is a focus on the growing blight of lives lost to meths, with the rising numbers of 'lost' boys and girls, as can be seen with Travis, Lily's ex-boyfriend. There is prodigious use of and explanation of indigenous words and concepts, the teachings of the good way of life by the 7 grandfathers through love, humility, respect, honesty, bravery, wisdom, and truth, pillars that are to inform Daunis's harrowing investigation. As tragedy strikes, shattering Daunis, she finds herself agreeing to go undercover as a confidential agent, looking into meths production and distribution that is destroying the future of the community.
Boulley writes a utterly riveting, complex and multilayered novel, rooted in, insightful and informative of, the Ojiwbe community that the central protagonist, Daunis, belongs to and is committed to, as she tries to protect their interests and future, outside agencies like the FBI may not necessarily do that or even see this as important. This is a fascinating and thrilling read, tense and suspenseful, with a strong central protagonist facing the complications of hockey, community and family ties, corruption and murder, not to mention a personal relationship that is hard to trust and believe in. Given the sexism, misogyny and sexual assaults, I took comfort in the depiction of the strong independent women and the ritual of the 'blanket party'. Part of the joy of reading this is the educational elements of learning about indigenous communities, such as the traditions and rituals that lie behind the critical role of the Firekeeper. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Oneworld Publications for an ARC.
The first part of the book embeds the reader into Daunis's life and history, her close relationship with her protective hockey playing half brother, Levi, and the rest of her indigenous family, including her badass Aunt Teddie. We are immersed in the historical atrocities and racism that have marked the painful history of the tribes, along with a picture of the culture, structures, contemporary politics, traditional medicine, rituals, ceremonies, tribal elders, with everyday community and family interactions. There is a focus on the growing blight of lives lost to meths, with the rising numbers of 'lost' boys and girls, as can be seen with Travis, Lily's ex-boyfriend. There is prodigious use of and explanation of indigenous words and concepts, the teachings of the good way of life by the 7 grandfathers through love, humility, respect, honesty, bravery, wisdom, and truth, pillars that are to inform Daunis's harrowing investigation. As tragedy strikes, shattering Daunis, she finds herself agreeing to go undercover as a confidential agent, looking into meths production and distribution that is destroying the future of the community.
Boulley writes a utterly riveting, complex and multilayered novel, rooted in, insightful and informative of, the Ojiwbe community that the central protagonist, Daunis, belongs to and is committed to, as she tries to protect their interests and future, outside agencies like the FBI may not necessarily do that or even see this as important. This is a fascinating and thrilling read, tense and suspenseful, with a strong central protagonist facing the complications of hockey, community and family ties, corruption and murder, not to mention a personal relationship that is hard to trust and believe in. Given the sexism, misogyny and sexual assaults, I took comfort in the depiction of the strong independent women and the ritual of the 'blanket party'. Part of the joy of reading this is the educational elements of learning about indigenous communities, such as the traditions and rituals that lie behind the critical role of the Firekeeper. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Oneworld Publications for an ARC.
March 7, 2021
I am so torn about this one. There is a good book in here, but there's a lot of other stuff piled on that, for me, detracted from what made it good. I think it needed a stronger edit to remove a plot thread or two, and take down the page count, to get it to really shine and be what it could be. I'll be following Boulley after this, hoping that's what comes next. It has been optioned for a series and I think that is where all these extra plots could work really well! It's just a bit much for a standalone novel.
This book wants very much to present you a full picture of Indigenous life in Michigan's Upper Peninusla, specifically around the Ojibwe tribe and Sugar Island. It does a great job of capturing culture and setting, of showing the tensions within the tribal community and the tensions coming from outside of it. Daunis has a deep respect for her tribe's religion, and I particularly liked how her belief is given so much weight, it's unusual for any religious character in any novel, but particularly around Native religions, which are often treated more like myths and fantasy.
On the crime novel side, I have some notes. (And things will get mildly spoiler-y here, although they're the same spoilers as the jacket copy.) Having a CI as a protagonist is a great approach. Lets you have the point of view of an amateur, where it also makes sense that they're investigating and poking around and potentially putting themselves in dangerous situations. Having the CI fake-date her handler is okay I guess, but because it's obvious from the beginning that Daunis and Jamie really like each other, this puts us in a constant back and forth that never moves the plot forward and often pulls away from what's actually interesting.
Lately I am also approaching crime novels paying attention at how they manage violence and trauma. This is an even bigger question when we consider the violence and trauma towards marginalized communities. There are a lot of Native women who die in this book. And yes, this is the reality of the world, but also it's something I think readers should know going in. For better or worse, Daunis is deeply traumatized, so we get to see how trauma can play out, but also Daunis's trauma isn't the center of the book really, it's a subplot, and that feels weird a lot of the time. There is also a sexual assault that occurs in the book, which I was not expecting, and which happens right as the plot picks up. It is, obviously, a tightrope walk to want to bring attention to the ongoing violence against Native women, and the way the justice system overlooks and devalues them. But it's tricky to do those things in a crime novel, where they can seem like plot devices. Boulley doesn't get it totally wrong here, but there were some parts that felt like missteps to me. For all Daunis's worries about her community, we don't actually get a good look at how the broader community problems play out.
I think if Boulley had slowed down her plot it could have made these elements gel better. The thing is, this is a LOT of plot. So much! I can't remember a crime novel I've read recently that had this much going on. Daunis is being pulled in like 50 different directions. Boulley is trying to do so much with this one person, and in the end it's spread rather thin. There is Daunis's biracial identity, her sick grandmother, her recently overdosed uncle, her troubled mother, her dead father, her charismatic brother, her efforts to find info at the senior center, her college transfer, her suddenly ended hockey career, her best friend, her best friend's addict boyfriend, her aunt's part in a "blanket party", her struggle with her fake boyfriend's lies about his identity, her interest in science and botany, her infiltrating of the hockey club, a teammate's creepy dad, her conflicted feelings about not being an enrolled member of the tribe, and the list goes on. It's a lot! To her credit, Boulley keeps you feeling up to speed, I was mostly able to keep track of the many characters. But not only do we have all these issues, but Daunis can get rather stuck on them, repeating the same things over and over again.
There is a lot of explaining that happens here, early chapters are almost eye-rolling as Daunis explains everything about how the local community runs to new-guy Jamie, and things are better when Daunis doesn't explain things. But when she does explain, we often get the same thing explained to us again a few chapters later when it circles back in the plot. Less explaining could have made this more efficient, and now that I look over everything I think inefficiency is the chief issue.
As always, when I nitpick this heavily it is because there's a lot to like here and that makes the things that held it back more obvious.
This book wants very much to present you a full picture of Indigenous life in Michigan's Upper Peninusla, specifically around the Ojibwe tribe and Sugar Island. It does a great job of capturing culture and setting, of showing the tensions within the tribal community and the tensions coming from outside of it. Daunis has a deep respect for her tribe's religion, and I particularly liked how her belief is given so much weight, it's unusual for any religious character in any novel, but particularly around Native religions, which are often treated more like myths and fantasy.
On the crime novel side, I have some notes. (And things will get mildly spoiler-y here, although they're the same spoilers as the jacket copy.) Having a CI as a protagonist is a great approach. Lets you have the point of view of an amateur, where it also makes sense that they're investigating and poking around and potentially putting themselves in dangerous situations. Having the CI fake-date her handler is okay I guess, but because it's obvious from the beginning that Daunis and Jamie really like each other, this puts us in a constant back and forth that never moves the plot forward and often pulls away from what's actually interesting.
Lately I am also approaching crime novels paying attention at how they manage violence and trauma. This is an even bigger question when we consider the violence and trauma towards marginalized communities. There are a lot of Native women who die in this book. And yes, this is the reality of the world, but also it's something I think readers should know going in. For better or worse, Daunis is deeply traumatized, so we get to see how trauma can play out, but also Daunis's trauma isn't the center of the book really, it's a subplot, and that feels weird a lot of the time. There is also a sexual assault that occurs in the book, which I was not expecting, and which happens right as the plot picks up. It is, obviously, a tightrope walk to want to bring attention to the ongoing violence against Native women, and the way the justice system overlooks and devalues them. But it's tricky to do those things in a crime novel, where they can seem like plot devices. Boulley doesn't get it totally wrong here, but there were some parts that felt like missteps to me. For all Daunis's worries about her community, we don't actually get a good look at how the broader community problems play out.
I think if Boulley had slowed down her plot it could have made these elements gel better. The thing is, this is a LOT of plot. So much! I can't remember a crime novel I've read recently that had this much going on. Daunis is being pulled in like 50 different directions. Boulley is trying to do so much with this one person, and in the end it's spread rather thin. There is Daunis's biracial identity, her sick grandmother, her recently overdosed uncle, her troubled mother, her dead father, her charismatic brother, her efforts to find info at the senior center, her college transfer, her suddenly ended hockey career, her best friend, her best friend's addict boyfriend, her aunt's part in a "blanket party", her struggle with her fake boyfriend's lies about his identity, her interest in science and botany, her infiltrating of the hockey club, a teammate's creepy dad, her conflicted feelings about not being an enrolled member of the tribe, and the list goes on. It's a lot! To her credit, Boulley keeps you feeling up to speed, I was mostly able to keep track of the many characters. But not only do we have all these issues, but Daunis can get rather stuck on them, repeating the same things over and over again.
There is a lot of explaining that happens here, early chapters are almost eye-rolling as Daunis explains everything about how the local community runs to new-guy Jamie, and things are better when Daunis doesn't explain things. But when she does explain, we often get the same thing explained to us again a few chapters later when it circles back in the plot. Less explaining could have made this more efficient, and now that I look over everything I think inefficiency is the chief issue.
As always, when I nitpick this heavily it is because there's a lot to like here and that makes the things that held it back more obvious.
May 5, 2021
Honestly, who could resist this cover? I find it so compelling that I simply had to read the story that inspired such beauty. Plus, Firekeeper’s Daughter is an #OwnVoices tale, written by an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians about her Ojibwe community, solidifying its place as one of my most anticipated books of 2021.
With the gorgeous cover and #OwnVoices lineage in the Pro column, the glaring Con for me was that it’s also a Young Adult novel. I find the YA genre less enjoyable with each passing year, but my hope was that the storyline - an 18-year-old girl works as a Confidential Informant for the FBI to expose her community’s meth dealers - would transcend the classification. Unfortunately, it didn’t.
There was much to love about Firekeeper’s Daughter, particularly the immersion in the Ojibwe’s community, culture, customs and language. But the writing often felt juvenile, as did many of the scenes. The plot was bursting at the seams with far too many characters and events, and no trigger warning was left behind: drug addiction, suicide, murder, assault, rape. (Well, I guess no animals were harmed, so that’s something.)
Any review less than 5 stars for this book is a minority opinion, so I’d encourage interested readers to look at all the raves before deciding to pick it up or cast it aside. (At almost 500 pages, you’ll want to know how you’ll be spending your time!) You can count Netflix and the Obamas as surefire fans, because a series is already in the works. I’m looking forward to that, as Firekeeper’s Daughter’s many storylines will likely make a stellar transition from page to screen.
3.5 stars
Blog: www.confettibookshelf.com
IG: @confettibookshelf
With the gorgeous cover and #OwnVoices lineage in the Pro column, the glaring Con for me was that it’s also a Young Adult novel. I find the YA genre less enjoyable with each passing year, but my hope was that the storyline - an 18-year-old girl works as a Confidential Informant for the FBI to expose her community’s meth dealers - would transcend the classification. Unfortunately, it didn’t.
There was much to love about Firekeeper’s Daughter, particularly the immersion in the Ojibwe’s community, culture, customs and language. But the writing often felt juvenile, as did many of the scenes. The plot was bursting at the seams with far too many characters and events, and no trigger warning was left behind: drug addiction, suicide, murder, assault, rape. (Well, I guess no animals were harmed, so that’s something.)
Any review less than 5 stars for this book is a minority opinion, so I’d encourage interested readers to look at all the raves before deciding to pick it up or cast it aside. (At almost 500 pages, you’ll want to know how you’ll be spending your time!) You can count Netflix and the Obamas as surefire fans, because a series is already in the works. I’m looking forward to that, as Firekeeper’s Daughter’s many storylines will likely make a stellar transition from page to screen.
3.5 stars
Blog: www.confettibookshelf.com
IG: @confettibookshelf
October 29, 2023
What a stunning debut novel by Angeline Boulley!
"Some boats are for the river and some are for the ocean."
Of course, I would have a soft spot for this book:
Set in Michigan? Check.
Native American? Check.
Strong female characters? Check.
The Firekeeper's Daughter is steeped in family drama and unexpected twists. Will Daunis, the product of two star-crossed lovers, discover what is going on in her community before someone else gets hurt?
Although I enjoyed reading this, the book felt a bit too long, and the person responsible was predictable.
2 Tips:
1) Get the audiobook. Unless you can pronounce Miskwamakwe indizhinikaaz.
2) Book #2 in the series just dropped, Warrior Girl Unearthed. It was published May 2, 2023, and it earned a coveted star by Kirkus Reviews.
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"Some boats are for the river and some are for the ocean."
Of course, I would have a soft spot for this book:
Set in Michigan? Check.
Native American? Check.
Strong female characters? Check.
The Firekeeper's Daughter is steeped in family drama and unexpected twists. Will Daunis, the product of two star-crossed lovers, discover what is going on in her community before someone else gets hurt?
Although I enjoyed reading this, the book felt a bit too long, and the person responsible was predictable.
2 Tips:
1) Get the audiobook. Unless you can pronounce Miskwamakwe indizhinikaaz.
2) Book #2 in the series just dropped, Warrior Girl Unearthed. It was published May 2, 2023, and it earned a coveted star by Kirkus Reviews.
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
April 15, 2021
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DNF @ p.51
I have too many books and too little time, so I no longer finish books I'm not interested in. That doesn't necessarily mean a book is objectively bad but please keep in mind that when I review, I am writing a review for ME, so "good" and "bad" for me might not be "good" and "bad" for you. I say this because even though this book has wildly positive ratings on Goodreads, I kind of feel like I read a totally different book from everyone else who liked it and sometimes I think people think I am speaking for all and sundry when I write my reviews. There were things about it I loved: the cover (obviously), the premise (it kind of sounded like an #ownvoices YA version of Longmire, which would be AMAZING), and the emphasis on Ojibwe culture (including language).
What ended up making this book a miss for me is that it was really boring. Not a lot was happening. There were a ton of info-dumps and it felt like there were way too many characters introduced too quickly which made it hard to figure out who was who and what their relationships to one another were. The heroine also came across as sounding slightly bland just because she came across as a vehicle for all of this weighty info-dumping, so by the time the murder finally came around (I skimmed to about p.200 to try to see if it was worth reading), I was just feeling completely exhausted by the thought of continuing.
You might very well enjoy this book if you enjoy really dense, really long books that are more about the scenery than they are about the plot. I have trouble focusing on books that don't have a lot happening, but I know some people are really into setting. If you're into setting, this will be great for you. Likewise, the heroine's voice felt kind of "generic teen girl" to me but I know some people like a more unobtrusive narrator because it enables them to project into the head of the main character more easily. So the two things that made this a "bad" book for me might make it "good" for someone else.
I'm sorry I didn't enjoy this more, but oh well.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
2 stars
February 12, 2022
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley is one of the most powerful and important books I’ve ever read. It made my heart feel so full and broken at the same time. As a Lingít reader, I appreciated how unapologetically Anishinaabe this novel was in it’s use of language, traditions, and culture that created such a rich world. The community was so real and visceral, I felt like I knew the characters, and I absolutely loved all of it. This book shines a valuable light on Anishinaabe people and issues, which many other Indigenous communities across Turtle Island will see themselves reflected in. Boulley has delivered a masterpiece of Indigenous literature. It’s one I’ll be revisiting many times, and pushing on everyone I know.
I would classify this as a young adult crime fiction, so I highly recommend going in as blind as you can. It added to my reading experience and had me gushing, screaming, and wishing I could talk to someone while I read it. And if you are usually turned off by a book being young adult, please don’t let that turn you away from this book. I highly recommend this to teen and adult readers.
CW: Meth addiction, murder, grief, mourning, kidnapping, mention of drug overdose, rape, suicide
I would classify this as a young adult crime fiction, so I highly recommend going in as blind as you can. It added to my reading experience and had me gushing, screaming, and wishing I could talk to someone while I read it. And if you are usually turned off by a book being young adult, please don’t let that turn you away from this book. I highly recommend this to teen and adult readers.
CW: Meth addiction, murder, grief, mourning, kidnapping, mention of drug overdose, rape, suicide
January 14, 2023
1/5
Anybody knows a good synonym for "painful"? Cause I feel like I will need to use this word too many times in this review.
How disappointing was that?
For anyone that loved this book, I am sorry for my next words, but it is my honest opinion.
If you want to read "a typical day in a teenager's life" written again and again and again and again, without variation or creativity, for wayyyy too many pages, this book is for you!
It was 300 pages of slow and painful uninteresting scenes repeated over and over again followed by 75 pages of a little action. How did I make it to the end!? Seriously, I have never struggled so much to finish a book. It was... painful. My "No DNF 2021" goal was hard to respect this time I tell you.
I wanted to read and learn about Daunis's native culture. I wanted to read about the duality of having a native family and also a typical white & french Canadian family (Is it not what the beautiful cover is trying to represent?). That's what was sold to me when I read the synopsis. I jumped in this book with an eager and open mind, happy to discover and learn something new, but also wanting to read a good story. Yes, I did learn quite a few things, but ...
Sure, the author shows her knowledge of the culture and beliefs. The way she uses them in her story is interesting, but why did it had to be the same scenes over and over again for 300 pages? This book could have been written with 200 less pages without cutting any important part. So after reading 300 boring pages of the same repeated scenes, when the story finally "unfolded" before my eyes, I was not into it at all. I sadly wanted to be done with this book so I found myself skipping pages after pages, even in the action packed chapters...
Here are 4 quotes to explain how bad I think this book is, and yes they are all from the same chapter.
1. At page 263 you can read: « My day includes the usual: my run, check on grandMary in her new room, shower, class, Granny June, ferry, sugar island, lunch, and listen to Granny’s tirade du jour » Yep Daunis, I know what your everyday life is like, I have been reading the same thing over and over again for 2-6-3 pages, but thanks for the reminder !😴
2. « I wake up next morning no closer to resolving any of yesterday’s questions » juste like tomorrow, and just like the day after tomorrow, etc. Cause every day is looong and boooring and ...yes painful to read. This book is just a succession uneventful scenes filled with typical thoughts from a lovesick teenage girl. 😴
3. « Auntie’s word still sting. How can she thinks I’m acting foolish over a guy »
well ‘cause you ARE acting foolish Daunis. (Can't say more, don't want to spoil)🤐
4." « Dad would be proud of me, defending your honor » Levi (the brother) said
«If you’re so provoked when the comments are about me... maybe you should think about the comments you and your friends make about any girl » Daunis replied
« I never thought about it like that » Levi said.
Then, for some reason, we both laugh like little kids " END SCENE
And THAT is how you properly and easily manage problematic and toxic misogyny in a YA book. With a short conversation and in 4 sentences. #SIKE 🤮
Talking about that topic, let's discuss how Daunis is written with a base of internalized misogyny. How she hates make up but looooves hockey.
How she is not like other girls that paint flowers on their hockey skate, or
How she is not like other girls that chose to practice this lame sport called figure skating over an awesome and more manly sport like hockey. Come on Daunis, be better. (Okay okay I confess, I am a figure skater so I felt a little attacked every time Daunis made a comment 🙄😓)
So for the pros of this book... Well, it is set in 2004 so I got some nostalgic feeling seeing Daunis text with a blackberry phone. And there was one plot twist that I did not see coming, but I couldnt care less. I was tired of reading Daunis go on a run e-v-e-r-y m-o-r-n-i-n-g for days and days. Ughhhh
Well, in the end, I am happy I read it all. My no DNF 2021 game is still going strong. On to the next one!
Anybody knows a good synonym for "painful"? Cause I feel like I will need to use this word too many times in this review.
How disappointing was that?
For anyone that loved this book, I am sorry for my next words, but it is my honest opinion.
If you want to read "a typical day in a teenager's life" written again and again and again and again, without variation or creativity, for wayyyy too many pages, this book is for you!
It was 300 pages of slow and painful uninteresting scenes repeated over and over again followed by 75 pages of a little action. How did I make it to the end!? Seriously, I have never struggled so much to finish a book. It was... painful. My "No DNF 2021" goal was hard to respect this time I tell you.
I wanted to read and learn about Daunis's native culture. I wanted to read about the duality of having a native family and also a typical white & french Canadian family (Is it not what the beautiful cover is trying to represent?). That's what was sold to me when I read the synopsis. I jumped in this book with an eager and open mind, happy to discover and learn something new, but also wanting to read a good story. Yes, I did learn quite a few things, but ...
Sure, the author shows her knowledge of the culture and beliefs. The way she uses them in her story is interesting, but why did it had to be the same scenes over and over again for 300 pages? This book could have been written with 200 less pages without cutting any important part. So after reading 300 boring pages of the same repeated scenes, when the story finally "unfolded" before my eyes, I was not into it at all. I sadly wanted to be done with this book so I found myself skipping pages after pages, even in the action packed chapters...
Here are 4 quotes to explain how bad I think this book is, and yes they are all from the same chapter.
1. At page 263 you can read: « My day includes the usual: my run, check on grandMary in her new room, shower, class, Granny June, ferry, sugar island, lunch, and listen to Granny’s tirade du jour » Yep Daunis, I know what your everyday life is like, I have been reading the same thing over and over again for 2-6-3 pages, but thanks for the reminder !😴
2. « I wake up next morning no closer to resolving any of yesterday’s questions » juste like tomorrow, and just like the day after tomorrow, etc. Cause every day is looong and boooring and ...yes painful to read. This book is just a succession uneventful scenes filled with typical thoughts from a lovesick teenage girl. 😴
3. « Auntie’s word still sting. How can she thinks I’m acting foolish over a guy »
well ‘cause you ARE acting foolish Daunis. (Can't say more, don't want to spoil)🤐
4." « Dad would be proud of me, defending your honor » Levi (the brother) said
«If you’re so provoked when the comments are about me... maybe you should think about the comments you and your friends make about any girl » Daunis replied
« I never thought about it like that » Levi said.
Then, for some reason, we both laugh like little kids " END SCENE
And THAT is how you properly and easily manage problematic and toxic misogyny in a YA book. With a short conversation and in 4 sentences. #SIKE 🤮
Talking about that topic, let's discuss how Daunis is written with a base of internalized misogyny. How she hates make up but looooves hockey.
How she is not like other girls that paint flowers on their hockey skate, or
How she is not like other girls that chose to practice this lame sport called figure skating over an awesome and more manly sport like hockey. Come on Daunis, be better. (Okay okay I confess, I am a figure skater so I felt a little attacked every time Daunis made a comment 🙄😓)
So for the pros of this book... Well, it is set in 2004 so I got some nostalgic feeling seeing Daunis text with a blackberry phone. And there was one plot twist that I did not see coming, but I couldnt care less. I was tired of reading Daunis go on a run e-v-e-r-y m-o-r-n-i-n-g for days and days. Ughhhh
Well, in the end, I am happy I read it all. My no DNF 2021 game is still going strong. On to the next one!
May 10, 2021
CW: sexual assault, suicide, death of a loved one, addiction, drug use, fatphobia
January 4, 2022
This was a great thriller. 🤗 There was a lot of steps in the “investigation”, which kept me guessing (incorrectly) as to what was really going on. 🤔 It feels a bit unfinished to me, but I think that’s a matter of personal preference. 😉
April 24, 2021
4.5 stars -- I'm not sure if it was just my mood or the book itself, but this one really destroyed me emotionally (that's a compliment, BTW). This was much harder hitting than I expect from YA, but it felt totally earned. Often in YA thrillers, I feel like there's the attempt to make the teen characters "relatable" by making them overly cynical and angsty in a way that rings a bit hollow. This is a great example of a YA thriller that has our characters going THROUGH IT in a way that completely makes sense for the situation and keeps a level of emotional realism that I appreciated. I was so moved by the way this incorporated the real situations that Native women and girls are put in all too often into a page turning thriller. Totally recommend, particularly as a transition book for YA readers starting to grow into adult books or adult readers looking for a gateway into YA literature
Strong CWs for drug use/abuse, sexual assault, racism
Strong CWs for drug use/abuse, sexual assault, racism
December 23, 2021
4.5 stars
Why you may not like this book: I think it's accurate to call this a YA Mystery, but the mystery is certainly slow burn. This is layered storytelling that is as much about Daunis' grief and identity and family and community as it is about figuring out what's going on in their town. Because Daunis is also dealing with all of these things, her voice might seem a bit younger than expected, but I think it fit for exactly who she was as a person. She also has a flat arc, so there isn't much change for her as a person, so fans of a more defined character arc may struggle.
There was a certain element of suspension of disbelief for me in terms of Daunis working with the FBI, both that she would, how the investigation goes and how it escalates. I personally didn't think it was too much for the sake of the story, but just a heads up that if you are going to be bothered by teen girl investigates alongside FBI, this isn't the story for you.
I'm going to preface this by saying that I hate this complaint, particularly when it comes to stories by BIPOC authors, but yes, this is "a lot." Even before the start of the story, Daunis has experienced a string of tragedies and we jump straight into more. The reason that complaint rings so hollow to me is that Boulley has brought to page a lot of the difficulties facing Native communities. To dismiss it as too much for a single story without acknowledging that it IS real people's story is privileged at best.
That said, please do be mindful of content warnings, which include death of a loved one, grief, suicide, murder, violence, dead bodies, drug use, drug addiction, drug sale and manufacture, on page sexual assault, kidnapping, and racism.
Why I loved this book: You can just tell the ways the novel is imbued with Ojibwe and Anishinaabe culture, tradition, language and storytelling conventions. It makes for a rich and layered experience that had me by the heart.
I loved Daunis as a character. As I mentioned, she has a flat arc, but I thought that was inspired considering all of the other elements of the story. Daunis is a fundamentally good person and while this story isn't about showcasing her flaws, we are seeing her at a difficult moment in her life. The progression for her is about doing the right thing, making tough choices, and working through grief.
My favorite parts of this were definitely Daunis' relationship with her family and community. I cried a couple of times while reading and it was typically connected with an elder or family member lending Daunis support or coming to her rescue. While this book doesn't shy away from the challenges facing Daunis, it also is so careful to layer in hope and optimism and love.
I finished this almost a week before writing this review and everything about the book is fresh. I keep thinking back to it. My only quibble is some of the slower portions of the mystery that I felt could've been tightened up, but otherwise an excellent debut and a YA that should immediately go on everyone's TBR.
Why you may not like this book: I think it's accurate to call this a YA Mystery, but the mystery is certainly slow burn. This is layered storytelling that is as much about Daunis' grief and identity and family and community as it is about figuring out what's going on in their town. Because Daunis is also dealing with all of these things, her voice might seem a bit younger than expected, but I think it fit for exactly who she was as a person. She also has a flat arc, so there isn't much change for her as a person, so fans of a more defined character arc may struggle.
There was a certain element of suspension of disbelief for me in terms of Daunis working with the FBI, both that she would, how the investigation goes and how it escalates. I personally didn't think it was too much for the sake of the story, but just a heads up that if you are going to be bothered by teen girl investigates alongside FBI, this isn't the story for you.
I'm going to preface this by saying that I hate this complaint, particularly when it comes to stories by BIPOC authors, but yes, this is "a lot." Even before the start of the story, Daunis has experienced a string of tragedies and we jump straight into more. The reason that complaint rings so hollow to me is that Boulley has brought to page a lot of the difficulties facing Native communities. To dismiss it as too much for a single story without acknowledging that it IS real people's story is privileged at best.
That said, please do be mindful of content warnings, which include death of a loved one, grief, suicide, murder, violence, dead bodies, drug use, drug addiction, drug sale and manufacture, on page sexual assault, kidnapping, and racism.
Why I loved this book: You can just tell the ways the novel is imbued with Ojibwe and Anishinaabe culture, tradition, language and storytelling conventions. It makes for a rich and layered experience that had me by the heart.
I loved Daunis as a character. As I mentioned, she has a flat arc, but I thought that was inspired considering all of the other elements of the story. Daunis is a fundamentally good person and while this story isn't about showcasing her flaws, we are seeing her at a difficult moment in her life. The progression for her is about doing the right thing, making tough choices, and working through grief.
My favorite parts of this were definitely Daunis' relationship with her family and community. I cried a couple of times while reading and it was typically connected with an elder or family member lending Daunis support or coming to her rescue. While this book doesn't shy away from the challenges facing Daunis, it also is so careful to layer in hope and optimism and love.
I finished this almost a week before writing this review and everything about the book is fresh. I keep thinking back to it. My only quibble is some of the slower portions of the mystery that I felt could've been tightened up, but otherwise an excellent debut and a YA that should immediately go on everyone's TBR.
December 12, 2021
Congrats to the 2021 Goodreads Choice ✨WINNER✨ in Young Adult Fiction!
“When someone dies, everything about them becomes past tense. Except for the grief. Grief stays in the present.”
Daunis Fontaine wants to heal people. That’s the plan, at least, now that she’s graduated high school. She’s spent her life up until now close to home, as an unenrolled member of the Ojibwe tribe, and has decided to study nearby as well. But when a shocking act of violence occurs in her community, everything seems to change over night. Now Daunis is shaken, but determined to get to the bottom of a mystery that has a dark hold on the people around her, and willing to take huge risks to protect her friends and family.
I enjoyed parts of this book. It’s a slow-burn mystery full of twists that makes some huge moves by the end. The initial exposition was kind of clunky, but the author eventually found her groove. On the positive side, I was really impressed with Daunis as a character and how much love and care the author put into crafting a strong Ojibwe community around her main character. Angeline Boulley’s ability to create flawed, realistic and well-rounded characters extends to both protagonists *and* antagonists, which made the story that much more engaging.
One of the issues I had was that it was pretty easy to figure out who the ‘bad guy’ was early on. Basically anyone who gave off a negative vibe was at least a partial villain, without exception. And because of that predictability, the book ended up kind of dragging in the middle for me. In my opinion, especially for a YA novel, it was just way too long. At least a hundred or so of the 500 pages needed to be chopped off, possibly more.
I’m not sure if this will count as a spoiler or not so I’ll put it under the tags:
The ending really saved the book for me—I couldn’t put it down. Sure, basically none of the plot was realistic, but once you set that aside it’s easier to enjoy the ride. I probably ended up liking the idea of Firekeeper’s Daughter more than the execution, but I’m still really glad it’s getting a lot of attention and hope that other people will pick it up too!
*Thanks to Jordy & Kristen for my giveaway copy and for selecting it as their Big Whatever Book Club pick. I’m sure they have not finished yet because they are not as good of readers as me, but maybe soon!!
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
“When someone dies, everything about them becomes past tense. Except for the grief. Grief stays in the present.”
Daunis Fontaine wants to heal people. That’s the plan, at least, now that she’s graduated high school. She’s spent her life up until now close to home, as an unenrolled member of the Ojibwe tribe, and has decided to study nearby as well. But when a shocking act of violence occurs in her community, everything seems to change over night. Now Daunis is shaken, but determined to get to the bottom of a mystery that has a dark hold on the people around her, and willing to take huge risks to protect her friends and family.
I enjoyed parts of this book. It’s a slow-burn mystery full of twists that makes some huge moves by the end. The initial exposition was kind of clunky, but the author eventually found her groove. On the positive side, I was really impressed with Daunis as a character and how much love and care the author put into crafting a strong Ojibwe community around her main character. Angeline Boulley’s ability to create flawed, realistic and well-rounded characters extends to both protagonists *and* antagonists, which made the story that much more engaging.
One of the issues I had was that it was pretty easy to figure out who the ‘bad guy’ was early on. Basically anyone who gave off a negative vibe was at least a partial villain, without exception. And because of that predictability, the book ended up kind of dragging in the middle for me. In my opinion, especially for a YA novel, it was just way too long. At least a hundred or so of the 500 pages needed to be chopped off, possibly more.
I’m not sure if this will count as a spoiler or not so I’ll put it under the tags:
The ending really saved the book for me—I couldn’t put it down. Sure, basically none of the plot was realistic, but once you set that aside it’s easier to enjoy the ride. I probably ended up liking the idea of Firekeeper’s Daughter more than the execution, but I’m still really glad it’s getting a lot of attention and hope that other people will pick it up too!
*Thanks to Jordy & Kristen for my giveaway copy and for selecting it as their Big Whatever Book Club pick. I’m sure they have not finished yet because they are not as good of readers as me, but maybe soon!!
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
April 19, 2022
This was surprisingly good.
June 30, 2022
I understand why this novel was Reese's book club pick, but I don't understand why it won Printz.
There is a lot of interesting information here about Indigenous culture and traditions, tribal law and politics, economics of the reservations. But this book needed a lot of editorial direction and tightening up. It's too long and often repetitive, the first half of it is a giant info-dump. Too many story threads that end up nowhere (training to make meth, anyone?)
It also suffers from succumbing to the worst of YA tropes. The romance is dominant, and it's of the cringiest variety. It's stale and cliche, even if you forget that there is a huge age difference and power imbalance in the relationship. Nobody even mentions this in the reviews. Why? How is this "romance," if not entirely illegal, at least not unethical and a fireable offense?
As far as the mystery element, it had a potential and it's moderately engaging, although once again, the book falls back onto the YA mystery custom of hinging on incompetent adults doing nothing.
I enjoyed some parts of Firekeeper's Daughter, however happened near the end, that felt out of place, unwarranted, badly written. The only reason for it I found in this novel was to showcase an (arguably) important ritual, but that's a terrible reason to have a character suffer through something like that. So 2 stars for that, although I wanted to go as low as 1.
There is a lot of interesting information here about Indigenous culture and traditions, tribal law and politics, economics of the reservations. But this book needed a lot of editorial direction and tightening up. It's too long and often repetitive, the first half of it is a giant info-dump. Too many story threads that end up nowhere (training to make meth, anyone?)
It also suffers from succumbing to the worst of YA tropes. The romance is dominant, and it's of the cringiest variety. It's stale and cliche, even if you forget that there is a huge age difference and power imbalance in the relationship. Nobody even mentions this in the reviews. Why? How is this "romance," if not entirely illegal, at least not unethical and a fireable offense?
As far as the mystery element, it had a potential and it's moderately engaging, although once again, the book falls back onto the YA mystery custom of hinging on incompetent adults doing nothing.
I enjoyed some parts of Firekeeper's Daughter, however happened near the end, that felt out of place, unwarranted, badly written. The only reason for it I found in this novel was to showcase an (arguably) important ritual, but that's a terrible reason to have a character suffer through something like that. So 2 stars for that, although I wanted to go as low as 1.
May 5, 2022
4.5/5
amazing ! incredible ! fantastic !
i mean… wow.
let’s begin with a TW for sexual assault and drug addiction.
i adored everything about this :)) Daunis is SO cool and smart and cool and smart and cool! the storyline itself was so strong with a lot of unexpected turns. plus, i really enjoyed learning about native american culture through the eyes of a girl who’s dad is a member of the tribe but her mum is not.
the romance was just enough to add to the drama but not enough to steal the spotlight aka the perfect amount.
the way everyone spoke about the sexual assault so casually really pissed me off but tbh it was quite realistic because men suck and tend to blame the victim.
anyways, it was great all the way through with a satisfying ending :)
amazing ! incredible ! fantastic !
i mean… wow.
let’s begin with a TW for sexual assault and drug addiction.
i adored everything about this :)) Daunis is SO cool and smart and cool and smart and cool! the storyline itself was so strong with a lot of unexpected turns. plus, i really enjoyed learning about native american culture through the eyes of a girl who’s dad is a member of the tribe but her mum is not.
the romance was just enough to add to the drama but not enough to steal the spotlight aka the perfect amount.
the way everyone spoke about the sexual assault so casually really pissed me off but tbh it was quite realistic because men suck and tend to blame the victim.
anyways, it was great all the way through with a satisfying ending :)
May 23, 2021
*4 Stars*
A well-written, engaging debut with ample mystery, murder, and intrigue! I always enjoy learning the intimate details of different cultures in my reads, and Firekeeper's Daughter shines amazingly in that regard.
At certain points, this story feels as though it materializes--the characters come alive, each of them. I could feel their love, their loss, their struggles, and I briefly felt a part of the familial bond within their community.
A bit deeper into this read, however, the story began to slow dramatically for me, and that lull held steady for pretty much the remainder of the book. I found myself resisting the urge to skim, which was strange because I truly did enjoy the content.
Another downside for me was the "reveal", which didn't feel surprising, and for some reason just didn't seem entirely convincing.
I can understand the appeal for this read, however, and the positive buzz surrounding this debut is certainly warranted. Thanks to my book-bud, Amy(Foxy), for throwing this on my radar, and I'm looking forward to more from this author!
A well-written, engaging debut with ample mystery, murder, and intrigue! I always enjoy learning the intimate details of different cultures in my reads, and Firekeeper's Daughter shines amazingly in that regard.
At certain points, this story feels as though it materializes--the characters come alive, each of them. I could feel their love, their loss, their struggles, and I briefly felt a part of the familial bond within their community.
A bit deeper into this read, however, the story began to slow dramatically for me, and that lull held steady for pretty much the remainder of the book. I found myself resisting the urge to skim, which was strange because I truly did enjoy the content.
Another downside for me was the "reveal", which didn't feel surprising, and for some reason just didn't seem entirely convincing.
I can understand the appeal for this read, however, and the positive buzz surrounding this debut is certainly warranted. Thanks to my book-bud, Amy(Foxy), for throwing this on my radar, and I'm looking forward to more from this author!
November 6, 2024
First read July 2021, Reread November 2024
5 stars!
Firekeeper’s Daughter is about eighteen-year-old Daunis, a biracial and unenrolled tribal member who feels like an outcast in both her white family and her Native American one. After the unexpected tragic death of her uncle, Daunis has put off returning to college in favor of spending time with her mother who needs her. Things begin to change when Daunis meets Jamie, a new member of her brother’s hockey team. But when tragedy strikes again, Daunis is sucked into an unknown world and she finds she doesn’t know who to trust in her own community.
I am pretty blown away by this book, I can’t believe it was written by a debut author. One of the most original books I’ve read in a long time and I very much enjoyed it. Oddly, I went into this book thinking it was a fantasy novel? Not sure why other than the cover. To be very truthful I didn’t read the synopsis very well before starting the book so most things about it were a nice surprise. It was definitely more, um, intense and graphic than I was expecting from a young adult novel. But I think the author handled the tough subjects really well.
One thing I really appreciated about this book was how much I learned from it. I feel like a lot of what we know about Native Americans in the media is more about the history of and not the present day. I was most interested in and appreciated the tribal enrollment/registered aspects because you read how some authors or actors are registered or enrolled in certain tribes but there’s no context to what that entails. I also see native stories being told by white creators and I was glad to read one from an own voices perspective.
From a librarian perspective, I think this book is great for older teens and adults. At times the pacing and the plot were a little off it seemed. There’s a lot of triggering aspects (sexual assault, drug use, murder, etc) that can make this a difficult book to stomach. But at its heart it’s a beautiful book about community, family, and what you would do for the people you love. Plus I love a badass female heroine and Daunis is awesome. I really hope a lot of people read this book because I think it’s something special.
5 stars!
Firekeeper’s Daughter is about eighteen-year-old Daunis, a biracial and unenrolled tribal member who feels like an outcast in both her white family and her Native American one. After the unexpected tragic death of her uncle, Daunis has put off returning to college in favor of spending time with her mother who needs her. Things begin to change when Daunis meets Jamie, a new member of her brother’s hockey team. But when tragedy strikes again, Daunis is sucked into an unknown world and she finds she doesn’t know who to trust in her own community.
I am pretty blown away by this book, I can’t believe it was written by a debut author. One of the most original books I’ve read in a long time and I very much enjoyed it. Oddly, I went into this book thinking it was a fantasy novel? Not sure why other than the cover. To be very truthful I didn’t read the synopsis very well before starting the book so most things about it were a nice surprise. It was definitely more, um, intense and graphic than I was expecting from a young adult novel. But I think the author handled the tough subjects really well.
One thing I really appreciated about this book was how much I learned from it. I feel like a lot of what we know about Native Americans in the media is more about the history of and not the present day. I was most interested in and appreciated the tribal enrollment/registered aspects because you read how some authors or actors are registered or enrolled in certain tribes but there’s no context to what that entails. I also see native stories being told by white creators and I was glad to read one from an own voices perspective.
From a librarian perspective, I think this book is great for older teens and adults. At times the pacing and the plot were a little off it seemed. There’s a lot of triggering aspects (sexual assault, drug use, murder, etc) that can make this a difficult book to stomach. But at its heart it’s a beautiful book about community, family, and what you would do for the people you love. Plus I love a badass female heroine and Daunis is awesome. I really hope a lot of people read this book because I think it’s something special.
April 9, 2021
While this has not become a new favourite like I thought it might, I highly encourage all readers to consider picking up this book. I know we all feel differently about what a three star rating means but please know that I did really enjoy reading this. But what's more I just think this book deals with so many important things.
The best way I can pitch this story is something along the lines of an Indigenous Veronica Mars. But unlike Neptune, this world balances more than just the haves and the have-nots, but also the dynamics of the Ojibwe community and those outside; of which Daunis, our biracial protagonist, knows well. The complexities of the Native community are explored beautifully (at least from this reader's perspective!) and while I never felt like I was being lectured to, I nonetheless wanted to know more. However, much like Neptune, there are some dark depths both in this setting and this community, so bear that in mind and seek out content warnings if you require them.
I don't want to get too into the details of the plot itself as this unraveled in ways I wasn't expecting but I will say that what brought this down, and kept it from a higher rating, was I felt some weakness in the romance and maybe some of the layers of the whole mystery felt a little.. overblown? Too much? There is a lot going on in this debut. I think had a few off-shoot plotlines not been included it would've felt a little stronger, a little more contained, but I still enjoyed what this was at its core. That said, if you can suspend a little extra disbelief, which most of us do anyway when it comes to fiction, you might be okay. Additionally, there were also plenty of lovely passages and turns of phrases that absolutely have me keen to read whatever comes next for this author.
If you've made it to the end of this review, and if you haven't already done so, I would highly recommend you also search out some #ownvoices reviews.
3.5 stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
----
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
The best way I can pitch this story is something along the lines of an Indigenous Veronica Mars. But unlike Neptune, this world balances more than just the haves and the have-nots, but also the dynamics of the Ojibwe community and those outside; of which Daunis, our biracial protagonist, knows well. The complexities of the Native community are explored beautifully (at least from this reader's perspective!) and while I never felt like I was being lectured to, I nonetheless wanted to know more. However, much like Neptune, there are some dark depths both in this setting and this community, so bear that in mind and seek out content warnings if you require them.
I don't want to get too into the details of the plot itself as this unraveled in ways I wasn't expecting but I will say that what brought this down, and kept it from a higher rating, was I felt some weakness in the romance and maybe some of the layers of the whole mystery felt a little.. overblown? Too much? There is a lot going on in this debut. I think had a few off-shoot plotlines not been included it would've felt a little stronger, a little more contained, but I still enjoyed what this was at its core. That said, if you can suspend a little extra disbelief, which most of us do anyway when it comes to fiction, you might be okay. Additionally, there were also plenty of lovely passages and turns of phrases that absolutely have me keen to read whatever comes next for this author.
If you've made it to the end of this review, and if you haven't already done so, I would highly recommend you also search out some #ownvoices reviews.
3.5 stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
----
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
December 5, 2021
“Good stuff happens when worlds collide”
I’m a 52-year-old white dude from Tennessee, so I’ll concede I am likely not the target market for this book. But I’ll readily admit that I liked this much more than I thought I would.
First of all, right out of the gate, this is the DEBUT novel from author Angeline Boulley??? Really? This was an exceptionally well written book, I’m quite frankly shocked that this is her first time published. The great news is she should have lots left in the tank for more books coming up.
The word on the book cover is that young Daunis is a biracial girl who does not feel like she fits in either in her mother’s white world or her father’s tribal world. And it’s labeled YA, so I’m thinking there will be some awkward moments, some identity and community issues and some softball problems and a happy ending.
No!
There’s A LOT more going on in this Upper Peninsula Michigan setting. Boulley has melded a story about family dynamics, community, Native American culture, crime, substance abuse, morality and legal considerations into a page turning thriller.
(BTW – in case anyone is wondering – I like to wrap up in a cozy blanket of 60s pulp fiction or build a couch cushion fortress with some classic SF, but I'm going to TRY and read more current, popular books from diverse writers and from multi-ethnic genres and settings. And TRY not be as surly and reclusive. Maybe, less reclusive anyway.)
Let’s start with our first-person narrator, Daunis Fontaine. Great, strong female lead. She’s 18, turning 19, the daughter of a white mother and an Ojibwe father. Dad was also a local hockey hero. Her origin is something of a local scandal. It’s easy to like Daunis – she’s tough, resilient, and has a good head on her shoulders. And she can play hockey too!
I really like the way Boulley writes the first-person narration. I know its sexist and oversimplistic, but I had a college English professor (pretty sure he was an alcoholic failed writer) who said that men think like Hemingway writes – terse and minimalistic; and women think like Socrates, asking lots of questions. Daunis’ interior monologue is a cacophony of what ifs and whys and its endearing and likeable.
Boulley’s description of the local community is also noteworthy. The Ojibwe tribe is a big part of local life, but the tribal members live alongside non-native folks and there is some friction, both historical and current. Daunis connects more with the tribe but still has important connections with her mother’s family. I LOVE the way she describes the community with members and elders and the traditions - I'd like to experience that kind of community.
“We love imperfect people”
Boulley’s handling of the racial elements of this book are what made me really like it – bumping it from a 3 to 4 star rating. Too frequently, especially in the last few years, writers have taken a one-dimensional approach to race: all white rich people are bad, people of color are good and the victims of the white rich. While she goes down this road a little, Boulley correctly portrays a reality that is complicated and multi-faceted. Good guys mess up and bad guys can redeem their earlier mistakes.
I’ve never been a black and white guy, I see the world as grey: 1% thin sliver of white, 1% thin sliver of black and a 98% sea of grey. Writers who deal too much in absolutes annoy me.
Only the Sith deal in absolutes.
So great job Ms. Boulley, very good book, very entertaining and thought provoking.
I’m a 52-year-old white dude from Tennessee, so I’ll concede I am likely not the target market for this book. But I’ll readily admit that I liked this much more than I thought I would.
First of all, right out of the gate, this is the DEBUT novel from author Angeline Boulley??? Really? This was an exceptionally well written book, I’m quite frankly shocked that this is her first time published. The great news is she should have lots left in the tank for more books coming up.
The word on the book cover is that young Daunis is a biracial girl who does not feel like she fits in either in her mother’s white world or her father’s tribal world. And it’s labeled YA, so I’m thinking there will be some awkward moments, some identity and community issues and some softball problems and a happy ending.
No!
There’s A LOT more going on in this Upper Peninsula Michigan setting. Boulley has melded a story about family dynamics, community, Native American culture, crime, substance abuse, morality and legal considerations into a page turning thriller.
(BTW – in case anyone is wondering – I like to wrap up in a cozy blanket of 60s pulp fiction or build a couch cushion fortress with some classic SF, but I'm going to TRY and read more current, popular books from diverse writers and from multi-ethnic genres and settings. And TRY not be as surly and reclusive. Maybe, less reclusive anyway.)
Let’s start with our first-person narrator, Daunis Fontaine. Great, strong female lead. She’s 18, turning 19, the daughter of a white mother and an Ojibwe father. Dad was also a local hockey hero. Her origin is something of a local scandal. It’s easy to like Daunis – she’s tough, resilient, and has a good head on her shoulders. And she can play hockey too!
I really like the way Boulley writes the first-person narration. I know its sexist and oversimplistic, but I had a college English professor (pretty sure he was an alcoholic failed writer) who said that men think like Hemingway writes – terse and minimalistic; and women think like Socrates, asking lots of questions. Daunis’ interior monologue is a cacophony of what ifs and whys and its endearing and likeable.
Boulley’s description of the local community is also noteworthy. The Ojibwe tribe is a big part of local life, but the tribal members live alongside non-native folks and there is some friction, both historical and current. Daunis connects more with the tribe but still has important connections with her mother’s family. I LOVE the way she describes the community with members and elders and the traditions - I'd like to experience that kind of community.
“We love imperfect people”
Boulley’s handling of the racial elements of this book are what made me really like it – bumping it from a 3 to 4 star rating. Too frequently, especially in the last few years, writers have taken a one-dimensional approach to race: all white rich people are bad, people of color are good and the victims of the white rich. While she goes down this road a little, Boulley correctly portrays a reality that is complicated and multi-faceted. Good guys mess up and bad guys can redeem their earlier mistakes.
I’ve never been a black and white guy, I see the world as grey: 1% thin sliver of white, 1% thin sliver of black and a 98% sea of grey. Writers who deal too much in absolutes annoy me.
Only the Sith deal in absolutes.
So great job Ms. Boulley, very good book, very entertaining and thought provoking.
November 18, 2021
Firekeepers strike the fire for ceremonies where prayers are carried by the smoke to Creator. And in turn, the Firekeeper's Daughter steps forward and starts each day by lifting the sun into the sky and singing.
Young eighteen year old Daunis Fontaine has a profound awareness of the sacredness that flows through her veins. But she is caught up, as well, in the turmoil of pleasing both sides of her lineage. Born to her then sixteen year old mother in Montreal, Daunis hardly knew her Ojibwe father who died when she was only eight. His name never appeared on her birth certificate per her mother's family's request. Hence, she could not be legitimized by the Ojibwe Council. A lost spirit constantly seeking a true identity.
We find Daunis living with her mother now near Sugar Island in Sault Ste. Marie in northern Michigan. She's made connections with her father's sister, Aunt Teddie, and mourns the recent passing of her Uncle David. Angeline Boulley paints Daunis with the colors of curiosity, intelligence, commitment, and a jagged sense of family. Daunis has a rigid respect for her elders, in particular, her GrandMary and Granny June. She and her best friend, Lily, are inseparable and are making plans to attend college after graduation.
We'll come to know that Northern Michigan is perfection for ice hockey. Even Daunis excelled in the sport alongside her half-brother, Levi. When a new hockey talent, Jamie Johnson, moves into town, Daunis is smitten with his handsome looks and pleasing manner. Jamie admits to already having a girlfriend so Daunis takes on an ambassadorship role for the area and the local customs. They soon form a bond.
Angeline Boulley allows lightning to strike heavily within this community. A brutal murder occurs and hits too close to Daunis. She agrees to help the FBI with its undercover investigation. But Daunis keeps her role hidden from everyone. She has no idea of the immense danger she is putting herself in now. And the reveal will be jaw-dropping.
Firekeeper's Daughter is imbued with a sense of family, of belonging, and of a ground-shaking desire to be part of something far greater than our individual selves. Boulley has a remarkable gift for bringing Daunis full front and center in her spot-on characterization. As readers, we become part of her journey into the awareness of the Ojibwe culture that filters into her every action and every fiber of her being. Boulley brings us a long overdue main character who reflects indigenous people within the Ojibwe culture in particular. Daunis will leave her mark as we experience the budding texture of her being. A splendid read and one that shouldn't be missed.
Young eighteen year old Daunis Fontaine has a profound awareness of the sacredness that flows through her veins. But she is caught up, as well, in the turmoil of pleasing both sides of her lineage. Born to her then sixteen year old mother in Montreal, Daunis hardly knew her Ojibwe father who died when she was only eight. His name never appeared on her birth certificate per her mother's family's request. Hence, she could not be legitimized by the Ojibwe Council. A lost spirit constantly seeking a true identity.
We find Daunis living with her mother now near Sugar Island in Sault Ste. Marie in northern Michigan. She's made connections with her father's sister, Aunt Teddie, and mourns the recent passing of her Uncle David. Angeline Boulley paints Daunis with the colors of curiosity, intelligence, commitment, and a jagged sense of family. Daunis has a rigid respect for her elders, in particular, her GrandMary and Granny June. She and her best friend, Lily, are inseparable and are making plans to attend college after graduation.
We'll come to know that Northern Michigan is perfection for ice hockey. Even Daunis excelled in the sport alongside her half-brother, Levi. When a new hockey talent, Jamie Johnson, moves into town, Daunis is smitten with his handsome looks and pleasing manner. Jamie admits to already having a girlfriend so Daunis takes on an ambassadorship role for the area and the local customs. They soon form a bond.
Angeline Boulley allows lightning to strike heavily within this community. A brutal murder occurs and hits too close to Daunis. She agrees to help the FBI with its undercover investigation. But Daunis keeps her role hidden from everyone. She has no idea of the immense danger she is putting herself in now. And the reveal will be jaw-dropping.
Firekeeper's Daughter is imbued with a sense of family, of belonging, and of a ground-shaking desire to be part of something far greater than our individual selves. Boulley has a remarkable gift for bringing Daunis full front and center in her spot-on characterization. As readers, we become part of her journey into the awareness of the Ojibwe culture that filters into her every action and every fiber of her being. Boulley brings us a long overdue main character who reflects indigenous people within the Ojibwe culture in particular. Daunis will leave her mark as we experience the budding texture of her being. A splendid read and one that shouldn't be missed.
December 19, 2020
I literally could not put this book down. Read over a few hours from early evening to the early hours of the morning, I was glued to
Firekeeper's Daughter,
a stunning YA debut by Angeline Boulley that is harrowing, disturbing, triggering, informative, beautiful, transcendent. It's a thriller but also a cultural story, a coming of age tale, and a tale of love between individuals and within an Ojibwe community, and Boulley does a really tremendous job weaving all of these elements together and really letting her protagonist, our heroine Daunis, come to the fore as a teen making sense of her past, finding her place in the present, and charting her future.
I went in knowing almost nothing about this book - got reeled in by the colors and illustration of the cover! - and was caught off guard by the combination of the easily accessible writing and the depth and richness of Daunis describing her Anishinaabe community that she is both of and apart from as a half-white, unenrolled member of the tribe. I was then completely caught off guard for the level of horrifying violence that ensued in the narrative, especially State violence and racism, domestic violence, sexual violence, and violence against women. The story infuses more of these violent incidents towards the climax of the novel, and Boulley forces the reader to confront the past and present injustices done towards Indigenous peoples across the United States and especially Indigenous women while still keeping us wrapped in the larger story and demonstrating clearly that Daunis and the other Anishinaabe kwe are also imbued with power and agency and will be greeted and treated holistically on their own terms. It takes a skilled storyteller to deliver both an important because of the issues book and a narratively brilliant book, and Boulley is an expert.
I don't think I'll say much more to allow readers to experience Firekeeper's Daughter for themselves without too many spoilers. But this was a really phenomenal, surprising, heartrending read and I could definitely see this breaking out of YA like The Hate U Give did. 5 stars!
I went in knowing almost nothing about this book - got reeled in by the colors and illustration of the cover! - and was caught off guard by the combination of the easily accessible writing and the depth and richness of Daunis describing her Anishinaabe community that she is both of and apart from as a half-white, unenrolled member of the tribe. I was then completely caught off guard for the level of horrifying violence that ensued in the narrative, especially State violence and racism, domestic violence, sexual violence, and violence against women. The story infuses more of these violent incidents towards the climax of the novel, and Boulley forces the reader to confront the past and present injustices done towards Indigenous peoples across the United States and especially Indigenous women while still keeping us wrapped in the larger story and demonstrating clearly that Daunis and the other Anishinaabe kwe are also imbued with power and agency and will be greeted and treated holistically on their own terms. It takes a skilled storyteller to deliver both an important because of the issues book and a narratively brilliant book, and Boulley is an expert.
I don't think I'll say much more to allow readers to experience Firekeeper's Daughter for themselves without too many spoilers. But this was a really phenomenal, surprising, heartrending read and I could definitely see this breaking out of YA like The Hate U Give did. 5 stars!
June 3, 2024
reading vlog: https://youtu.be/WtBQWp107Vc
a really accomplished debut with a layered MC, difficult topics tackled in an impactful but sensitive way and a very mature writing style!
a really accomplished debut with a layered MC, difficult topics tackled in an impactful but sensitive way and a very mature writing style!
August 29, 2021
This is a powerfully affecting YA novel steeped in indigenous culture. The language and the ceremonies and traditions are featured throughout and helped me to learn about and to respect the culture even more.
It is partially a suspenseful mystery, coupled with action and drama, but it's also a story about family, love, and friendship. This is all told within the full perspective of the Ojibwe community by an OwnVoices author who lovingly relates even the most difficult traumatic situations.
I don't want to give away too much about the plot because the novel is filled with surprises at every turn. I admire the author for tackling some tough subjects involving racism and just how much authority the federal government has on tribal lands vs. the limits of the Tribal government.
I highly recommend this book for both teens and adults looking for an intriguing and gripping novel. Even though Daunis is 18, the things that have happened to her make her seem older and wiser than her years. There's something to be learned and appreciated for any age, I hope that adults don't shy away from reading this just because it's labeled as YA. This is one that's going to stay with me for a long time.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
It is partially a suspenseful mystery, coupled with action and drama, but it's also a story about family, love, and friendship. This is all told within the full perspective of the Ojibwe community by an OwnVoices author who lovingly relates even the most difficult traumatic situations.
I don't want to give away too much about the plot because the novel is filled with surprises at every turn. I admire the author for tackling some tough subjects involving racism and just how much authority the federal government has on tribal lands vs. the limits of the Tribal government.
I highly recommend this book for both teens and adults looking for an intriguing and gripping novel. Even though Daunis is 18, the things that have happened to her make her seem older and wiser than her years. There's something to be learned and appreciated for any age, I hope that adults don't shy away from reading this just because it's labeled as YA. This is one that's going to stay with me for a long time.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
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