Book Review: Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley.
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Author: Angeline Boulley
Published by: Henry, Holt and Co. (BYR) March 16th 2021
Rating: ★★★★★
Genre: Young Adult // Thriller
*The publisher of this book and NetGalley sent me this E-Arc in exchange for an honest review. .But not to worry, my review is based entirely on my opinion and reading experience and is not impacted by how I obtained the book.
SYNOPSIS
As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. Daunis dreams of studying medicine, but when her family is struck by tragedy, she puts her future on hold to care for 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, certain details don’t add up and she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into the heart of a criminal investigation.
Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, but secretly pursues her own investigation, tracking down the criminals with her knowledge of chemistry and traditional medicine. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home.
Now, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she'll go to protect her community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known.
This is a story about a girl fighting for the souls of her loved ones... for seven generations to come.
Daunis is at a crossroads. She‘s running out of time to make a decision about how she will exist in both her maternal and paternal communities. Her dreams are on hold, her friendships are in transition- she’s sitting at the precipice of changes, that she may or may not be ready to make. Then suddenly, her world explodes, and she’s slammed with grief.
This book is many things, but one of the things it does uniquely well, is blending a coming of age tale with a suspenseful crime drama... and I was here for it! I loved that Daunis has dreams, but they are not just dreams for herself (although she definitely has those!) they’re dreams for her community, and the role she can play in integrating the aspects of her cultures and identity. Her knowledge of traditional medicine, and her awareness of the world around her are such powerful strengths, but the author doesn’t write her as a “chosen one” trope, who is conveniently good at everything- instead, she is nuanced and flawed, which only further emphasizes her bravery and care for others.
As another plus, this is an own voices novel!
Have you had the chance to read Firekeeper’s Daughter?
Let me know in the comments!
Happy reading!
