#Firekeeper's Daughter

[heyteenbookshey]

“Wisdom is not bestowed. In its raw state, it is the heartbreak of knowing things you wish you didn't.” ―Angeline Boulley, Firekeeper's Daughter

[jennamacaroni]

Wisdom is not bestowed. In its raw state, it is the heartbreak of knowing things you wish you didn't.

Angeline Boulley, "Firekeeper's Daughter"

[the-aila-test]

A friend of mine sent me this:

For those who are unaware, Angeline Boulley is the author of The Firekeeper's Daughter which did not pass The Ali Nahdee Test but was still an excellent read, especially as an Anishinaabekwe reader <3

Her next book, Warrior Girl Unearthed, comes out May 2nd!

[indigenous-character-tournament]

Ken Hotate is canonically Indigenous. He is of the fictitious Wamapoke tribe.

Daunis Fontaine is canonically Ojibwe.

[droids-in-disguise]

Favorite Books I've Read in 2023 (so far)

So fun fact I read a lot, here are my top 10 books that I’ve read so far this year, in the order I read them. Never really posted this sort of thing on tumblr before but I thought I’d give it a try.

Book details and some of my thoughts under the cut.

A Thousand Steps Into Night by Traci Chee (2022)

YA Fantasy

A Thousand Steps Into Night is a book I 100% picked up because of the cover and because it was super cheap. I hadn’t ever heard anything about the book or author. The best way I can describe this novel is that reading it conjured up the same feelings that I get from watching a Ghibli film. Our protagonist Miuko is an ordinary girl from a small village until one day she is cursed and slowly begins transforming into a demon. Hoping to find a way to break the curse, she begins to travel the land meeting lots of colorful characters, gods, and mythic figures along the way. It’s a very atmospheric and wonderfully written book that pulls a lot of inspiration from Japanese mythology and folklore

A Restless Truth by Freya Marske (2022)

Romance/Fantasy

This is the second book in the Last Binding trilogy. I feel like you could probably get away with skipping the first book if you wanted to since both books are somewhat self-contained, but why would you? The first book (A Marvellous Light) is awesome. Our story takes place in an alternate-Edwardian England where magic is real and certain people can practice it, unbeknownst to the rest of the non-magical population. Maud Blyth, a non-magical person who has the privilege of knowing about magic, is working with members of the magical community as well as her brother (the protagonist from the first book) to prevent a dangerous magical contract form falling into the wrong hands. She is travelling on an ocean liner when the old woman in her care ends up dead. Cue the murder mystery shenanigans and sapphic romance!

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun (2022)

Romance

I actually read this book twice this year, once by myself and once for my book club. It has what is quite possibly one of the most bonkers rom-com plots I’ve ever seen and I love how ridiculous it is. Basically, our main character Ellie meets a women in Powell’s books and they have a magical, Christmas one-night-stand. Fast forward almost one year later, Ellie is having a difficult time out here in good-old Portland, OR after getting fired from her dream job and having to instead rough it as a barista. In a last-ditch effort to not lose her apartment, she agrees to marry her job’s landlord so he can get his inheritance and Ellie gets a percentage in exchange. However, it turns out that her one-night-stand from last year is her new fake-fiancé’s sister. GASP! The only place this book loses points for me is that there’s too many goddamn Taylor Swift references.

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer (2021)

YA Sci-Fi

If I had to pick a favorite out of all these books it would be this one. Reading this book felt like getting hit by a bus. Our POV character is Ambrose Cusk, an astronaut aboard the Coordinated Endeavor who has been sent on a mission into deep space to rescue his sister. His only companion is another boy named Kodiak who comes from a rival nation (think Cold War-ear space race). As they slowly start to interact with one another it becomes clear that for some reason neither one of them have any memory of the ship’s launch. The only knowledge they have of what’s going on comes from the ship’s internal computer and infrequent communications from Earth. As they begin to investigate, they discover a lot more than they bargained for. The first half of this book is like your typical gay space adventures and then at like the 50% mark onwards the rug gets pulled out from under you and you just have to go WHAT THE FUCK and then when you finish the book you just have to pretend like you’re fine and can move on with your life (you can’t). My only complaint is that this book should not have been YA, like there’s absolutely 0 reason for it to be.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (2021)

YA Thriller

This book was unexpected for me. I have a habit of just reading books I know absolutely nothing about because someone, somewhere said it was good and because I think the cover is pretty. For some reason I assumed this would be a fantasy book but it’s actually a thriller/mystery novel, which is not at all a genre I typically go for. Our main character, Daunis Fontaine, is a biracial Ojibwe girl who loves hockey and her community. Her status as an unenrolled member of her tribe has her stuck with a foot in each world. After a family tragedy, circumstances push her to agree to work undercover with the FBI in order to find the source of a dangerous substance that has infiltrated her community and threatens the lives of those she cares about. I found Daunis to be an extremely compelling character with a strong narrative voice. Watching all the layers of the mystery getting peeled away through her investigation was extremely satisfying. She uses mainstream scientific knowledge in tandem with more tribal specific knowledge of botany and medicine in order to figure things out, which I thought was super cool. This is another book where I feel like it could’ve gotten away with not being YA, but I don’t feel as strongly about it as I do in regards to The Darkness Outside Us.

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune (2023)

Sci-fi

Where to even begin this one… Have you ever wanted a book that was partly a story about a robot found family on post-apocalyptic Earth and partly a Pinocchio retelling? Yeah me either, but I’m so glad I got it. Victor Lawson is a human raised by robots. He has a peaceful existence with his android father and other mechanical friends until his curiosity unknowingly alerts robots from his father’s former life to their existence. Vic’s father is captured and it’s up to the rest of the family to rescue him. Victor is also asexual and how he describes and navigates his asexuality was so similar to my own it was like looking in a mirror.

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H. (2023)

Memoir

This was a wonderful memoir about a queer Muslim as she reconciles those two pieces of her identity, and the struggles she faces finding community. Growing up religious, there were a lot of experiences in this memoir that I personally related to. Something I really enjoyed is how the author retold stories from the Quran and used them to frame her own queer experiences. There was a lot about this book that was very comforting to me, and I feel like it was written in a way that was accessible and easy to understand.

Black Sun (and by extension it’s sequel, Fevered Star) by Rebecca Roanhorse (2020/2022)

Fantasy

Black Sun is the first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, an epic fantasy series with a world inspired by pre-colonial American civilizations. This series has such a large and complex cast of characters, with chapters from multiple POVs, so it’s impossible to say if there is really any one protagonist. Essentially, the upcoming solar eclipse foretells the return of the crow god and the unbalancing of the status quo that has previously been maintained by an order of priests. Some characters are working to make sure this comes to pass, some hope to prevent it, and some aren’t quite sure where their loyalties lie. By the end of the first chapter I already knew I was in for a wild ride (the book opens on a mother sewing her 12-year old son’s eyes shut, ew). This series also features a queernormative world, where non-binary characters and same-gender relationships are commonplace.

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron (2021)

YA Fantasy

This book was so cool and really had a lot going for it. Briseis Greene has the uncanny ability to grow and control plants. She and her two moms live in Brooklyn where they run a flower shop. One day, a visitor arrives to tell Bri that she has inherited an old country estate in upstate NY from her birth family. Bri wonders if this house could be the answer to her family’s financial woes and so they travel upstate where Bri begins to learn more about her abilities and her family’s history. Every answered question leads to dozens more unanswered and between strange individuals wandering the estate, townspeople who seem to know secrets, and increasing instances of violence and vandalism, Bri begins ask herself if staying here is worth it if it means her family might be in danger. This book is a queer, mythology inspired, part urban fantasy, part thriller/haunted house story, of a modern fairytale. Truly something in it for everyone.

[haveyoureadthismgyabook]

[quoteablebooks]

When you love someone, but don’t like parts of them, it complicates your memories of them when they’re gone.

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

[somestorythoughts]

Read a really good book once where at one point the guy's like "what he lied to you so every guy is a liar?" And it's just like.

Dude.

Buddy.

Idiot.

YOU MET HER WHILE UNDERCOVER FOR THE FBI AND DELIBERATLY GOT CLOSE TO HER FOR INFO.

Out of context the line has a point but in context I want to shake the idiot till some sense shakes lose from his brain. He spends a significant chunk of the book lying about something please dude recognize this!

[readingrobin]

June was the beginning of summer reading and man did I come out swinging. If you've been following me for a while, you know that summer reading is a BFD at my work and we have a competition between departments to see who can read the most. The winning department is awarded a 3D printed trophy of a pineapple to store in their office for the rest of the year. My department hasn't won since I switched roles in the library, but really that does not do anything to hurt my competitive nature. I'm a little bit behind where I want to be in my goal towards a specific point total, but it won't be hard to catch up. Gotta give Youth Services a run for their money.

Total Books Reads: 14

Total Pages Read: 5,608

Books Read:

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz (4/5) - An undeniably sweet, charming, hilarious love story that really puts you in the mood for a toasty grilled cheese. Seriously, I must have had three separate cravings while reading this comic. Each character has such a lovable personality, from Camembert's at times clueless, yet endearing nature, to Brie's sweetness and passion for her causes. They work well as a duo, their personalities a true compliment to each other. 

The artwork is absolutely stunning, especially when to comes to the outfits. It gave me flashbacks to The Prince and the Dressmaker in how articulate and gorgeous they could be. Brie's commitment to pink really makes each one of her wardrobes leap off the page, and, again, brings a great balance when seen with Cam's deeper palettes. 

I somewhat like the anachronistic aspect of the story, that you have traditional depictions of the monarchy with lavish balls and opulence that you would expect out of a fairy tale, and then someone would literally be playing with a Nintendo Switch in the next scene. It plays with the theme of steering away from tradition, depicting more contemporary, progressive-minded characters in a world that still holds onto the aesthetics of the past. 

The Bloody Chamber: And Other Stories by Angela Carter (4.5/5) - Review

The Coyote Road: Trickster Tales edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling (3.5/5) - Trickster tales are my bread and butter: Coyote, Hermes, Loki, Crow, Anansi, each one so varied in their mischief but share a great chaotic force. This archetype has always fascinated me, particularly in how involved they are in humanity, whether that means taking an active role in a creation myth or imparting some wisdom that helps humankind develop in a world that is always in flux. This anthology sports many of these figures, as well as some original ones, and mostly gets its job done of portraying various tricksy individuals.

Like any anthology, it had its hits and its misses. My favorite was "The Fiddler of Bayou Teche" by Delia Sherman. The atmosphere of this particular story really stood out amongst the rest, as well as the voice of the narrator, who has a Cajun vernacular that sucks you even more into the setting. The inclusion of the loup garou also is a massive plus for me. Always a sucker for werewolves am I.

Other stories I enjoyed were "One Odd Shoe," "The Listeners," "Crow Roads," "A Reversal of Fortune," and "Black Rock Blues." Probably a bit of a sign that, out of 26 stories, I only resonated with a small fraction of them, but that's just how it goes. I was definitely thinking by the end that the anthology felt a bit too weighty, or perhaps I was trying to read too much in one go. A lot of the more middling stories were unfortunately stuck in the second half, so by the end it felt a little bit more of a chore to get through.

Burning Down the Haus: Punk Rock, Revolution and the Fall of the Berlin Wall by Tim Mohr (3/5) - An interesting snapshot in history of the punk movement during the time of the Berlin Wall. The author makes the bold claim that the punk presence was a cause for the fall of the wall when he doesn't really say anything to back that information up. The book mainly talks about specific people within the punk community and the challenge of trying to live a subversive lifestyle when going against the status quo could get you arrested. The journeys of some of the people were very engaging, though some did seem more fleshed out than others and many didn't get much of a resolution. I would have loved to have read some retrospectives from some of the people in the community, as it seemed that the author was in contact with them, just to get a wider scope of their stories.

Squire and Knight Vol. 1 by Scott Chantler (4/5) - A charming, funny graphic novel that champions the thought of books over brawn, shown through a young squire saving the day by using his intelligence and reason to get to the bottom of a cursed town. The art of the comic is wonderfully fall-like, the author sticking to a palette of muted oranges, yellows, blacks, and greys that also give it a distinct medieval vibe. Definitely a worthwhile quick read if you like a bit of mystery and humor with your quest narratives.

Also there's a cool looking dragon in it, which should be enough for anyone to read anything really.

Spindle's End by Robin McKinley (4/5) - Robin McKinley has such a fine way of transforming ages old stories and making them more vibrant and engaging for a modern audience. Given how passive Sleeping Beauty is in her own fairy tale at times, McKinley does a phenomenal job of making Rosie a very active agent in her own story in this retelling. Her stubborn, determined, and no nonsense attitude had an odd way of making her endlessly endearing and her rise to action in the climax, as well as her sacrifices, solidified her as a strong, layered character.

The world is so mischievously magical, to the point where fish are a myth and, if you let your kettles unattended, the magic dust settling over them may lead to a surprise of snakes in the pot. McKinley's descriptive style only adds to the mysterious wonder of this land, not making it too difficult to feel yourself instantly transported within its pages.

Since I am a big fan of female friendships that are polar opposites, like the rough and tumble Rosie and the beautiful, princess-like Peony, it's always a shame when those relationships fall second place behind the romantic interests that have all the appeal of drying plaster.  Also, how old exactly is Narl? He's already a smith by the time Rosie is a baby and she develops feelings for him by the time she's 16 having known him her whole life. I have no idea why large age gap romances with emotionally distant men are such a trend in fantasy but I really I think we've had enough of them. 

Other than that, this was a stand out read for me, which is a welcome surprise since I found her other work, like Beauty and The Outlaws of Sherwood to be a bit middling. 

Violet and Jobie in the Wild by Lynne Rae Perkins (3/5) - Read this book as it is my library's book of the summer for this year. It's a simple, sweet story that deals with adapting to new situations shown through two house mice suddenly finding themselves living in the wild. Since the story stuck mostly to lighthearted adventure, I was surprised by its somewhat bittersweet ending. It was a little more mature that what I usually expect out of stories like this, saying that sometimes people drift away from who they love to get where they need to be, and that's all right. The memory of them is what keeps that love alive and I thought that was a sweet sentiment to end on.

The Secrets of Chocolate: A Gourmand's Trip through a Top Chef's Atelier by Franckie Alarcon (2.5/5) - Has some great insight into the process of chocolate making, as well as some scrumptious illustrations that really had me craving some chocolate afterwards. It was a so so reading experience and I mainly read it to fill a category for summer reading, so I can't really give it too high a rating.

The Sandman: Act III by Neil Gaiman (5/5) - Another gorgeous installment in the Sandman Audible series. Seeing as this one collections the Orpheus story, it has some wonderful, beautiful, and melancholic music to it. The full cast brings each character to life and I continue to be impressed at how truly immersive this series is as an audiobook.

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston (4/5) - Romances aren't usually my kind of thing, but when you mix in the qualms of a struggling author with ghostly shenanigans, then that makes a title a little more enticing. It also helps that the story focuses on the vulnerabilities surrounding grief as well as love. Florence's emotional journey was such a compelling element, especially when she holds so many fears, aspirations, and insecurities that seeing her come to terms with them feels like more of a triumph.

Though there was plenty of raw emotions in this book, it never turned morose. There is something comforting about seeing Florence rekindle her love for her hometown and finding refuge in her family. Tensions run high at times, but ultimately they're there for each other and somehow make a funeral home feel like a lively place. It's an oddly cozy book at times, full of reflection and soft moments.

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley (4/5) - Firekeeper's Daughter is such a powerful, heartbreaking, but necessary book. Boulley takes the complicated life of Daunis, full of grief and pain. but also an unwavering love and devotion to her family and community. I love how the author speaks of Daunis in relation to her community, that she finds solidarity, wisdom, and support in the Elders that hold the traditions and knowledge of her heritage. Daunis comes from a mixed background, but being Ojibwe is a fundamental part of her character and how she views herself. I loved that she always felt confident in who she was, even when so many refused to recognize her place in the tribe.

I have to say, this book was hard to read at times. Daunis faces so many betrayals and moments where people try and succeed to take advantage of her. It's difficult to see a community in danger because of people who only want to use it for their own selfish desires. The stakes are what make Daunis' every move so important and, even when some decisions don't seem so smart in the moment, you know she's doing everything she can to make sure the people that she loves stay safe. 

Her relationship with Jaimie I felt was handled very maturely. It feels like a natural parallel to Travis' and Lily's, one that knows and respects the aspects of love and what comes with it and one that doesn't. Boulley makes it abundantly clear through so many plotlines that self serving actions are what truly destroy a community and harmony with its members. 

Definitely worthy of its many accolades and a great conversation starter for many of the issues it discusses. 

Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall (3/5) - Review

Spider-verse by Dan Slott (4/5) - An epic Spidey tale for the ages. Though there were SEVERAL Spider people that I was not familiar with, I felt like the story handled/balanced them well enough with the more recognizable ones so it never felt too confusing. I'm sure many of them were introduced in this event series (I definitely tracked this story down solely for reading anything that involved Spiderpunk) so I didn't feel outrageously out of the loop.

While I felt that the story dragged on and off, I never got too bored with it. I wish that the omnibus I read had organized the comics so that certain character-specific issues were included at the time they happened within the overall story. Scarlet Spider, Spiderwoman, and Spiderman 2099 have separate issues that tie directly to the overall plot and are collected after its end, which make them feel like a pointless bit of catch up. They are exciting and important issues, but they could have been integrated a little more coherently.

Definitely going to see if I can track down some more Spiderverse event comics.

Edge of Spider-Geddon by Gerardo Sandoval, Jason Latour, Zac Thompson, et al. (3.5/5) - Sort of a setup for a larger event comic, but gave great introductions/reintroductions to more Spideys across the multiverse. Also, I am a simple creature, and when I see Spiderpunk on the cover, you can bet that I am going to read it in a heartbeat.

Average Rating: 3.71

[books-to-add-to-your-tbr]

Title: Firekeeper's Daughter

Author: Angeline Boulley

Series or standalone: standalone

Publication year: 2021

Genres: fiction, mystery, thriller, contemporary, romance

Blurb: 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?

[cfiesler]

This is my TENTH year of sharing my favorite novels I’ve read each year on social media. (I was doing it before it was cool I guess. :-p ) Anyway, here’s my list for 2022! And at the link you can find every other year’s recs. (Also yes I know that the John Green book is cheating because it’s not fiction but it was a really important book for me so wanted to include it. <3 )

FIREKEEPER’S DAUGHTER by Angeline Boulley. A gripping mystery/thriller starring a college student and set in a Native American community. I hear this is being made into a Netflix series, and I can’t wait!

AKATA WITCH by Nnedi Okorafor. This falls into the category of “slightly embarrassed I hadn’t read it sooner” after hearing such good things about this book for years, but I’m glad I finally did! YA fantasy featuring the magical community in Nigeria.

TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW by Gabrielle Zevin. Favorite novel I read this year, hands down. It’s hard to describe, but in addition to being a nostalgia blanket for gamers my age, it’s also a story about friendship and life and the tech industry.

BOOK OF NIGHT by Holly Black. I got to read an ARC of this a bit early, and really wasn’t disappointed by her first adult book. The system of magic was *fascinating* and I really liked the mystery plot.

BLOOD LIKE MAGIC by Liselle Sambury. Fantasy AND science fiction! It’s about witches in 2040s Toronto, and so manages to have a cool magic system while also featuring an evil tech CEO.

THE DEAD ROMANTICS by Ashley Poston. I actually don’t read much romance, so two books making it on this list is pretty unusual for me! This was Ashley’s adult debut, and it was *charming* and has this sort of flavor to it that I often get from writers that I know “grew up” in fanfiction communities. Also such a cool premise: a ghost writer who can see ghosts!

ONE LAST STOP by Casey McQuiston. I actually think it’s a bit of a spoiler to give away the main premise, so I’ll just say that it’s about two women who meet and fall in love on the subway. Except now you know there’s a twist, and I’ll note that (similar Dead Romantics) I almost never read romance that doesn’t have some kind of speculative fiction element.

THE ANTHROPOCENE REVIEWED by John Green. I know this is cheating, because this is a list of fiction reads. But I needed to put this book on my list because it was so deeply important for me this year. I read it during a really difficult time for me, and it sort of kept me going in a way that’s kind of hard to describe. And I think I got out of it something quite similar to what I get out of the best fiction that makes me reflect on my own life. Anyway. Read it.

[ojforbreakfast]

I participated in a year long Buzzword Readathon for the first time, courtesy of the YouTube channel, BooksandLala (Instagram: @booksandlala). Readers can participate in the challenge however they want, and I decided to read at least one book each month that matched the theme. 

I just finished the reading challenge today and felt so accomplished with myself that I had to post about it. (Lala didn’t have a 2022 book cover template, so I took the one she made for 2023 and edited it a bit.) I also used the star emoji to indicate the books that I gave 4 or 5 stars, but I fairly enjoyed all 12 books.  Out of all 12 books, though, my top 3 favorites are Burn Our Bodies Down, My Dark Vanessa, and Marriage of a Thousand Lies.

I’m very much an erratic mood reader, so it was a new experience to pick my books based on a specific theme, but I enjoyed it. It got me to explore authors and titles that I wouldn’t have picked up otherwise and gave me the opportunity to finally read some books that have been on my TBR for awhile. I’m definitely planning on participating in 2023′s Buzzword challenge. 

[jessread-s]

Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

✩ 🎣🌱Review:

“Warrior Girl Unearthed” is a powerful novel about reclamation. 

Boulley does a fantastic job familiarizing her readers with Ojibwe customs and traditions through the perspective of the main character Perry Firekeeper-Birch as she spends the summer looking for ways to return the ancestral remains of the Warrior Girl to her tribe. The context provided about NAGPRA, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, is very informative and shows that like many other laws in the system, it is flawed when inadequately enforced, as is the case Boulley’s novel. Perry’s frustration and despair radiates off the page and cannot help but weigh heavy on the reader’s heart every time she is denied access to her people’s sacred items and ancestral remains when she goes by-the-book. Left with no choice, Perry organizes a heist to reclaim what rightfully belongs to the Ojibwe tribe. 

While Perry begins to set her plans in motion, Indigenous women begin to disappear. This element of mystery further immersed me in the story and spreads awareness about the MMIW movement. Boulley’s shocking revelations about the killer’s connection to the stolen artifacts and remains had me on the edge of my seat! 

At its core, “Warrior Girl Unearthed” honors the history of Indigenous people and sheds light on their experiences with past and present injustices. I could not recommend it more.

➤ 4.75 stars

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

@fiercereadsya

[indigenous-character-tournament]

Revali is Indigenous-coded. He is part of the Rito, who shares a similar culture to many Andean tribes. One of the submitters provided [this analysis], which included research into pottery, textiles, and architecture.

Daunis Fontaine is canonically Ojibwe.

[semper-legens]

78. Firekeeper's Daughter, by Angeline Boulley

Owned?: No, library Page count: 488 My summary: Daunis Fontaine has a lot of secrets. In between her mother's white world and her father's Ojibwe heritage, born to a teenage mother whose family disapproved of her relationship, Daunis doesn't seem to fit anywhere. But when a meth scandal rocks her community and tragedy strikes her heart, Daunis steps up to help people whatever way she can. But as fate would have it, she's not the only one with secrets… My rating: 4.5/5 My commentary:

After reading Warrior Girl Unearthed recently, I decided that I very much wanted to check out Boulley's earlier work, and this is it. Firekeeper's Daughter is set about a decade before Warrior Girl and features the protagonist's aunt, Daunis, as a young woman on Sugar Island. (Or, if time is linear, Warrior Girl is a sort of sequel to Firekeeper's Daughter. You get my drift.) I had very high expectations going into this book, and I'm pleased to report that it met and in some cases surpassed them easily. Boulley is a skilled writer and highlights the Sugar Island Ojibwe community excellently, bringing to the table complicated issues and a complex portrait of a marginalised community. I really enjoyed it, and I'm glad I tracked it down!

Daunis is a really strong protagonist. She reminded me a lot of Perry from Warrior Girl, which I would be inclined to put down as a negative, but here it's justified as Daunis is Perry's aunt - it makes sense that they're very similar to each other. Daunis is a confident and assertive young woman, in love with her Ojibwe community, and with a strong sense of justice and fairness. It's that strong moral centre that leads her to get involved with the undercover anti-meth operation going on in her community; the FBI have sent in two agents, Ron and Jamie, to help uncover where a new strain of meth with hallucinogenic properties is coming from. A large subplot is Daunis' relationship with Jamie, their obvious romantic tension tempered with the fact that he is an agent of the government and she does not trust him all that easily, particularly after finding out the extent that he's been lying to her. She's strong, she's tenacious, and she's smart, but that doesn't stop her making mistakes or letting her biases get in the way of the investigation. And she goes through a lot over the narrative. I like the tonal balance being struck here - it's never too grim that the audience loses interest in an endless cavalcade of misery, but it's got a realism and an edge to it that grounds it in the real world, where bad things can and do happen.

Addiction is a problem in Native communities, and that's not the fault of the individuals - large systemic failings lead to people becoming addicted and needing help. The FBI suspect that there is someone in Daunis' community manufacturing a more hallucinogenic meth product, possibly with Native plant knowledge, and we see some of the lives that meth has impacted. Daunis' friend Lily is killed by her abusive ex Travis who has become dependent on meth, Daunis finds the body of another young woman who had gotten mixed up in the trade, and her uncovering of who exactly is behind this trade in her community leads to some harsh and uncomfortable truths. What I liked about this book's portrayal of the problem is that it never demonised the people involved. Even Travis, who shot his girlfriend then himself, was portrayed sympathetically - it's a horrible tragedy, it's not that he as a person is evil. The characters who are behind the meth trade are also not demonised, they're given nuance and reasons behind their actions, and the thing that is portrayed as bad is getting people, particularly young people, involved in drugs rather than being addicts. It's a sensitive portrayal of the issue that also takes into account the various reasons a person might become dependent on drugs. One character's life fell apart and was self-medicating, another became dependent after an injury was treated with opiods. Nobody is blamed individually for what's happened to them, but the reality of meth abuse is not sugarcoated either.

And of course, as in Warrior Girl, there's a lot of focus on the Ojibwe community, traditions, and beliefs. One thing I liked about it was that there was a difference between Perry and Daunis - while both are respectful of Elders and offer semaa when they cross a river and other cultural traditions like that, Daunis is interested in herblore and traditional medicine while Perry was more concerned with cultural history and repatriating artifacts. Both stay true to their Ojibwe culture, but we get different aspects of it, so neither feels like a rehash of the other, which was good. They're also both biracial, but have different experiences. While Perry was both Black and Ojibwe, she was a tribal member and her membership was taken for granted; Daunis is white and Ojibwe, and not a tribal member as her father was not on her birth certificate. Her relationship to tribal enrollment is explored within the text, as is her complicated relationship with her racist, affluent white grandmother. This theme is also explored with Jamie, who is Cherokee but doesn't know a lot about his heritage; at twenty two, he would be too old to apply for tribal membership, at least under the rules that Daunis' community uses, effectively cutting him off from a large part of his culture and background. The reasons why are explored and given a lot of nuance. It's an interesting idea to bring up and, again with Warrior Girl, shows an aspect of Native identity and culture that feels more complex, doesn't feel very 'baby's-first-introduction' - it's more mature than that, which I very much admire.

Next, the Pines twins are in trouble again.

[caribeandthebooks]

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult Fiction

Setting: USA (Michigan)

Description: Firekeeper's Daughter is an electrifying thriller layered with a rich exploration of the modern Native experience, a reckoning of current and historical injustices, and a powerful celebration of community... Read more on Goodreads/Storygraph

Content Warning information can be found via the above Storygraph link.