Thank you to Macmillan Children's for the complimentary arc of this title.
One sentence review: Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley is a must read book that perfectly combines mystery and teen drama while at the same time encompasses us in the culture of the Ojibwe tribe.
I absolutely loved everything about this book.
The book centers around eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine. She has never felt like she really fit in as the daughter whose mother is from a wealthy white family while her father is part of the Ojibwe tribe. She does her best to fit into both worlds. Her world is shook when there are a series of deaths in her local area of youths her age, all attributed in some fashion to drugs. The FBI recruits Daunis to work with them to find out who has been helping produce and distribute meth in the local area.
Here are things that really clicked with me:
- The story is character and culture driven
- I loved how the author outlines the history of the Ojibwe tribe and descriptions of the area where they live - especially as ancestral territory crosses the US/Canadian border
-The book provides thoughtful explanations of tribal customs and how elders are respected
-How the author captures the emotions expressed by Daunis about being of mixed heritage and not really feeling as though she was completely accepted in either world
- I love that Daunis is one of the smartest kids around as well as being a hockey player who played side by side with the boys in high school.
Really this book just touches on so many things that I can imagine, if I had read this as a teen, would have made me feel empowered.
I highly recommend this book to people who love a good mystery or are looking for a book with Native American characters where cultural traditions are respectfully and thoughtfully outlined. While this book is YA I think it has a broad appeal that will appeal to adults as well. If I had to characterize the book I'd call it an amalgamation of Winter Counts, Long Bright River, and an 18 year old Nancy Drew.
One sentence review: Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley is a must read book that perfectly combines mystery and teen drama while at the same time encompasses us in the culture of the Ojibwe tribe.
I absolutely loved everything about this book.
The book centers around eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine. She has never felt like she really fit in as the daughter whose mother is from a wealthy white family while her father is part of the Ojibwe tribe. She does her best to fit into both worlds. Her world is shook when there are a series of deaths in her local area of youths her age, all attributed in some fashion to drugs. The FBI recruits Daunis to work with them to find out who has been helping produce and distribute meth in the local area.
Here are things that really clicked with me:
- The story is character and culture driven
- I loved how the author outlines the history of the Ojibwe tribe and descriptions of the area where they live - especially as ancestral territory crosses the US/Canadian border
-The book provides thoughtful explanations of tribal customs and how elders are respected
-How the author captures the emotions expressed by Daunis about being of mixed heritage and not really feeling as though she was completely accepted in either world
- I love that Daunis is one of the smartest kids around as well as being a hockey player who played side by side with the boys in high school.
Really this book just touches on so many things that I can imagine, if I had read this as a teen, would have made me feel empowered.
I highly recommend this book to people who love a good mystery or are looking for a book with Native American characters where cultural traditions are respectfully and thoughtfully outlined. While this book is YA I think it has a broad appeal that will appeal to adults as well. If I had to characterize the book I'd call it an amalgamation of Winter Counts, Long Bright River, and an 18 year old Nancy Drew.