This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. A combination of coming of age, mystery thriller and romance made this over 500 page book fly by. I am an Angeline Boulley fan for life and cannot wait to read more from her. Daunis' story--heartbreaking, necessary and galvanizing--needs to be shared and read in the context of Indigenous people in America, especially in terms of how the Feds treat these communities, especially women. I'm so glad I read this book and I can't wait for it to be adapted into TV soon.

An impressive debut novel that combines the struggles of balancing two cultural identities and an investigation that uncovers corruption close to home. A little slow going at first, the book becomes unputdownable and is one that will stick with you for days. As a non-indigenous reader, I truly appreciated the explanations of Ojibwe philosophy and traditions and recognize how important it is that the author does not depict a romanticized and inaccurate past, but instead places Indigenous people as firmly living in the present, and includes all the struggles their communities face.

YA mystery is one of my favorite subgeners, and I thought Boulley's debut novel hit the mark of a good thriller while also having consistent character development and a strong sense of place. You can tell that the author spent years writing and refining this story and I felt fully immersed in Daunis' world, half in and half out of Ojibwe culture. The twists and turns had me reading this book late into the night.

Deception and death, an original storyline, brilliant world building....


Do take the time to give Firekeeper's Daughter a chance!

I didn't quiteeeeee love this as much as everyone else seems to have loved it, but it's definitely a really strong debut. Daunis just seemed simultaneously both too YA and older than her stated age. The "secret squirrel" references were too much, & got pretty annoying. The ending was also veryyyy rushed, especially after such a long 75% of the book before that, and got pretty convoluted (this is also where the dialogue got corny).

That said, the cultural parts of this were incredibly interesting and strong, and it was really great to learn about the Ojibwe reservation and the life/culture there. Daunis is a really strong character, but I loved the elders the most- I really liked learning about their lives and the moments of levity they provided, but also their history and stories.

Wow, where even do I begin this review? It was such a lovely, heartbreaking-yet-invigorating read. It was great to read a book set in my home state (yes, I knew how Sault was pronounced before Daunis clarified it in the book lol), and from a perspective I haven’t heard yet.

Over the course of reading and reviewing, I’ve found that character driven novels are my bread and butter. This one is no exception — Daunis is such a wonderful character. I loved reading her thoughts and perspective as things went on. Something I could relate to about her was the in-between-ness that she felt as a half-Ojibwe and half-white woman. I personally am not mixed race, but as a transracial, transnational adoptee I fully understand the in-between-ness of feeling like you live in two separate cultural worlds. Daunis speaks with such clarity and raw emotion that I couldn’t help but never want to put the book down. It was like I found a friend in an unexpected place, and I never wanted to say goodbye.

Those who love plot in their books — never fear! Firekeeper’s Daughter is full of an interesting, twisty plot. Right off the bat, there’s an air of mystery. Daunis’s uncle recently died and her grandmother (GrandMary) has some health issues. What are the circumstances leading up to these events? Those questions lead you deeper into the heart of the novel and I felt like Daunis was the perfect narrator to bring us along on this journey.

Overall, this book was gorgeous. I highly recommend it to people who love a strong plot and character driven book (I’d say this is about 50-50). If you love Tomi Adeyemi’s writing, you’ll definitely love Firekeeper’s Daughter. Check it out on shelves March 16 (this Tuesday!!) or pre-order it from your local indie!

Happy reading,

Sophie 🙂

This was an absolutely beautiful, mesmerizing book that I just couldn't get enough of. I know this book has been really hyped up, and it totally deserves it. I loved every minute of reading this book and I can not recommend it enough.

I had heard nothing about this book when I accepted the ARC on NetGalley. I had no idea what it was about, but knowing the title and seeing the cover art, I thought it was a fantasy novel of some sort. Boy was I surprised when I discovered it’s a contemporary fiction novel! Something I would never have picked up, as it is among my last reading choice - just ahead of romance novels, which I strongly dislike and avoid at all costs. That being said, the story drew me in immediately, and I couldn’t help but keep reading. And I am so glad I did! This book is fantastic! Think 21 Jump Street meets Breaking Bad, but set on a Native American reservation on Sugar Island. The book covers struggles with identity, racism, politics, and more.

Woven through this crime drama is lots of Native American history & mythology, and the smart & strong female main character draws courage, comfort & strength from this cultural inheritance even as she struggles to find her place within the tribe due to being biracial. In many ways this can be a difficult book to read, but the difficulty is rooted in truth and so is important to struggle with - particularly for the non-Native American reader. In order to avoid spoilers I am not going to go into detail, but the reader will know what I’m referring to when they get there.

This is not a light, breezy book. But it is a gripping story, with complex characters wrestling with important issues. I definitely recommend picking it up.

Angeline Boulley's debut novel Firekeeper's Daughter mixes culture and crime to tell the tale of an 18 year old sleuth attempting to uncover the nefarious forces behind the drug ring that is wreaking havoc in her Native community. Already optioned for a series on Netflix, Firekeeper's Daughter educates as much as it entertains, entangling readers in a FBI meth lab takedown, while also teaching them about the Ojibwe culture on Sugar Island, Michigan, near the Canadian border.

Daunis Fontaine is not like other girls. A self-proclaimed geek with a penchant for hockey, Daunis plays by her own rules. Born to a white mother and a Native father, Daunis always feels like she is straddling the line between the two cultures, never quite fitting into one or the other. When she is witness to a shocking murder, Daunis can't help but become embroiled in the investigation alongside the new (and hot!) guy in town. But things aren't quite as they seem on Sugar Island, as Daunis is soon to find out. Will she put her life and reputation on the line to save her community or will she watch the people and places she loves go up in smoke?

Firekeeper's Daughter is a novel that has me strongly divided, liking many things about the book, but also disliking others. The own voices depiction of Ojibwe culture is excellent, and I loved learning about the customs and traditions of Daunis' community. Aside from this aspect, however, I had a hard time getting into this book, as it is just too much at times. The plot, the characters, the details ... too much! The plot is over the top, and the author introduces us to too many characters - it became work to keep track of all of the details, which is not enjoyable for me as a reader. I don't want to have to work so hard to keep my mind in a book.

I think that Firekeeper's Daughter will really appeal to most readers, while giving off lukewarm vibes to those of us who prefer our stories to be a bit more on the intimate side.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Daunis is such a strong character and I learned a lot about Ojibwe culture. Add in the hockey and murder mystery and it was an engaging read–I highly recommend this debut from Angeline Boulley! (Goodreads review 9/27/21)

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley has the perfect premise, a nostalgic setting and time period (of 2004), a beautiful writing style, and an in-depth focus on an Indigenous community, but in the end, a lack of strong characterization and sometimes, believability, ultimately caused a major disconnect for me. While I loved the small town, almost rural, setting, because it reminded me of similar communities in my home state, as well as the importance of family, culture, and tradition, Daunis Fontaine, the 18-year-old protagonist was a bit of a letdown, as her own characteristics could be unlikeable and she also had an impulsive immature streak, which yes, is understandable for an 18-year-old, but all in all, it felt like it was in constant conflict with the entire plot of the story. The undercover officer(s) and the romance felt completely unnecessary, too. Firekeeper’s Daughter is a great example of a coming-of-age story; it was really close to being the perfect mystery/thriller, but changing the plot/theme to focus on a love interest ended up negatively impacting the criminal investigation, as well as Daunis’s relationships with her friends, family, and community, in my opinion. Not every high school/college story needs a romance in order to be engaging and beautiful…

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing me for providing me with an ARC of FireKeeper's Daughter.
I loved this book. It is full of family, mystery, friendship, thriller, and a little bit of romance. This book kept me guessing from the beginning. Several times I gasped out loud, wanted to scream and shout, and even cried! The story is well developed and interesting. I enjoyed learning about the Native American culture and about a different part of our country. I felt like I was immersed in the community and could clearly picture all of the characters. I loved Daunis's support group, especially Granny June. This is a fantastic story! I highly recommend it. to YA readers and adult readers.

I loved reading about Ojibwe culture and their beliefs. It was interesting to read about life on a reservation and the family ties. The way the author handled the drug problem especially in minority groups was very good. The mystery was interesting but not the best part of the story where it felt a little like other thrillers i've read. I really enjoyed everything else. The characters and all the relationships, prejudices and beliefs . The writing was ver well done as well.

This was very well written. The research was done. I enjoyed the story and the writing. YA but written as if for adults.

I'm really upset it took me this long to get to this book. It was stunning. Filled with so much! From the narrative to the situations to the history/Native community. I really loved every minute of this book. The characters were true and real. Stunning.

This was a fantastic read! I really loved learning about the Ojibwe culture and the mystery was very engaging. Lots going on in this book!

Actual rating 3.5

I wanted to love this one so much more than I did. There were some things that really worked for me, and others that did not.

I loved the Native American aspect of this. Especially since we get to see Daunis steeped in her Ojibwe culture and heritage. And especially because she is half Ojibwe and half white. I loved that there were discussions on what it means to be Native and how Daunis grew up in the tribe.

However, I don't think the actual plot was for me. I'm very hit or miss with mysteries. I went in expecting a thriller, and definitely think I got a mystery. I also felt that this book was a bit too long and took too long to get going.

I will say that I was very invested by the last 20%; however, if I wasn't forcing myself to finish this book at the end of the month, I know I would have put it down and never picked it back up. I was just struggling with the pacing of the story.

That being said, I am very curious about any more books this author is going to write.

Also TW/CW for death, rape, drug use.

Firekeeper's Daughter is one of those books every high school kid should read. Such an interesting concept for YA. Loved the cultural depiction of the Ojibwe world.

Staff Pick, 2020 favorite, can't wait to read Angeline Boulley's next book. Can't say enough about how much I love this title.

<i>The Firekeeper's Daughter</i> is the golden child of Indigenous North American writing right now. I think Angeline Boulley set out to write the book that she wrote and was successful. She said that the book idea came to her when she was 18 and that it took her a decade to write it after raising her family, having a career, and living her life. Because the land that many of my people currently live on rests right within traditional Ojibwe/Nish territory, we share a lot of stories and words have crossed over from one nation to the other. I felt very welcome within the story in that way. I loved the references to traditional Anishinaabe rituals, especially the way that the characters incorporated them into their modern lives. However, I felt that the writing was somewhat juvenile for my tastes. This book was a little heavy on the YA for me, while also attempting to tackle some very intense themes. I felt like every bad thing that could happen to a person happened to the main character Daunis, even if it didn't advance the plot. There were times where it started crossing into trauma porn territory for me, even though I don't believe that was the author's intention at all. I know that many if not most Indigenous women have intense and traumatic lives, but I was hoping that the main character could have at least one good thing happen to her.
I did like the way the author tackled being of mixed race heritage in this story, and the way that Daunis frequently felt like an outsider in both of her families. That felt very relevant to me.
Overall I liked the book.