Firekeeper's Daughter
| Modern Age |
|---|
 Firekeeper's Daughter
|
| Content Warning |
|---|
| drug abuse and addiction, violence, murder, sexual assault |
American History > Modern Age > Indigenous American History
A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB YA PICK
An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller
Soon to be adapted at Netflix for TV with President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's production company, Higher Ground.
“One of this year's most buzzed about young adult novels.” ―Good Morning America
A TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time Selection Amazon's Best YA Book of 2021 So Far (June 2021) A 2021 Kids' Indie Next List Selection An Entertainment Weekly Most Anticipated Books of 2021 Selection A PopSugar Best March 2021 YA Book Selection
With four starred reviews, Angeline Boulley's debut novel, Firekeeper's Daughter, is a groundbreaking YA thriller about a Native teen who must root out the corruption in her community, perfect for readers of Angie Thomas and Tommy Orange.
Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team.
Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug.
Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, drawing on her knowledge of chemistry and Ojibwe traditional medicine to track down the source. But the search for truth is more complicated than Daunis imagined, exposing secrets and old scars. At the same time, she grows concerned with an investigation that seems more focused on punishing the offenders than protecting the victims.
Now, as the deceptions―and deaths―keep growing, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she’ll go for her community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known.
Emily's Review
This was a much-anticipated 2021 read and I'm so glad I finally got to it! I really enjoyed this story. Daunis is such a great character - she's strong and capable, but also has flaws and depth.
I really enjoyed learning more about Ojibwe culture, in fact, that was probably my favorite thing about this story. I just wish there could have been more show than tell, as at times, it felt a little info-dumpy. But that's just a quibble - I really enjoyed reading about their traditions, language, and natural medicine.
The plot was riveting - I don't normally read mystery/thrillers, so if there were any common tropes in here, I completely missed them. I loved the growing relationship between Daunis and Jamie and, of course, trying to guess who was behind the drugs and murders. I guessed part of it correctly but was still riveted as the investigation unfolded.
There are some trigger warnings to be aware of: drug abuse and addiction, sexual assault, and murder, so be aware of that going into the story. I feel that the author did a great job of writing about these topics in a sensitive and meaningful way that added to the story.
Overall, I thought this story was fascinating and compelling, and I highly recommend checking it out! Also, I listened to the audiobook alongside the e-book, and I thought the narration was fantastic!
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Other suggestions on the subject of the Ojibwe Nation
- Makoons (by: Erdrich, Louise, United States, Ojibwe Nation, Indigenous Americans, MG, UMG)
- The Birchbark House (by: Erdrich, Louise, United States, Ojibwe Nation, Indigenous Americans, Plagues, MG, UMG)
- The Game of Silence (by: Erdrich, Louise, United States, Ojibwe Nation, Indigenous Americans, MG, UMG)
- The Porcupine Year (by: Erdrich, Louise, United States, Ojibwe Nation, Indigenous Americans, MG, UMG)
- Chickadee (by: Erdrich, Louise, United States, Ojibwe Nation, Indigenous Americans, MG, UMG)
- The Star that Always Stays (by: Johnson, Anna Rose, United States, Ojibwe Nation, Indigenous Americans, UMG)
- Firekeeper's Daughter (by: Boulley, Angeline, United States, Indigenous Americans, Ojibwe Nation, drug abuse, YA, A)