Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
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?
For the Reading Challenge(s):
TBD
The Reason
This book keeps turning up and catching my attention, so I decided to finally read it!
The Quotes
“We love imperfect people. We can love them and not condone their actions and beliefs.”
“When someone dies, everything about them becomes past tense. Except for the grief. Grief stays in the present. It’s even worse when you’re angry at the person. Not just for dying. But for how.”
“People say to think seven generations ahead when making big decisions, because our future ancestors—those yet to arrive, who will one day become the Elders—live with the choices we make today.”
“Some boats are made for the river and some for the ocean. And there are some who can go anywhere because they always know the way home.”
The Narrator(s)
Isabella Star LaBlanc. She did an amazing job! I was completely immersed in the story.
My Thoughts
I went into the story blind and was very surprised to find it was a contemporary young adult story. I had initially assumed it was historical fiction, but I also really loved reading about Indigenous people in our contemporary times and how that looks like for them. It was very eye-opening. I thought it started a little slow, but at the same time, I love how that set the stage for us. It got really interesting once the whole criminal investigation thing was revealed to the MC, Daunis, and the stakes got a lot higher after that. I’m not sure how to describe how I feel, but the story felt very real and emotional to me. The author did mention in an afterword that she was inspired by real events. I love that there was so much to takeaway from the book; about self-love, romantic love, the respect for tradition and culture, the strength and resilience of people who have not been treated very well. I am so glad I finally read this.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Leave a Reply