FireKeepers Daughter by Angeline Boulley definitely got me out of my reading slump. This amazing debut was full of twists and turns! I love reading stories about other cultures I believe it gives an individual a broader perspective and can help them to understand even in the smallest way what someone goes though. This story centers around Daunis Fontaine who considers herself to be very much an outsider in her hometown, in her family and especially on the nearby Ojbwe reservation.
She has her best friend Lilly though a constant in her life since childhood. Her brother Levi is an odd duck and they seemed to be distant from the beginning. Everything in Daunis world changes though she describes it as her “New Normal” when her GrandMary has a life altering stroke. She is left to pick up the pieces and help her mother more as her brother is more interested in himself and hockey then he is with helping out the family. Everything begins to change in Daunis world and it doesn’t stop with her grandmother’s stroke.
Things are changing on the reservation too and some of those changes hit very close to home. Her best friend Lilly has been in an on again/off again relationship with their friend Travis who at one point was a kooky brilliant and funny guy but quickly became a different person as he became heavily involved in drugs. He went from taking the occasional drug to cooking meth and others on the reservation started partaking in the drug scene that was becoming an issue. Although Lily’s murder by Travis didn’t come as a complete surprise.
The story of a once great guy turning to drugs and becoming abusive isn’t a new phenomenon. Lilly’s response was a little surprising. She was obviously over her meth head ex-boyfriend so by her agreeing to talk with him for a while at a festival they were both at was especially given the fact that Daunis was always there to act as a buffer between the former couple. The murder-suicide was a turning point in the story that would thrust her into an unwanted police investigation. Still reeling from watching her best friend murdered before her eyes.
The new guy in town with whom she has formed a close bond with ‘Jamie Johnson’ is somehow always there and quickly finds a gravely wounded Lilly at the scene before deciding she is beyond help. He then removes a distraught Daunis from the scene. From that moment on nothing in her world is ever the same. ‘Jamie Johnson’ is not a handsome new hockey recruit but is an undercover cop. Who has been investigating the reservation and the people that lived there for a while now.
An investigation that she herself was now a part of. The twists and turns were very unexpected and shocking. Daunis is thrust into a murder investigation that in actuality has turned into a rampant meth selling and buying operation throughout the reservation. That her own brother Levi turns out to be a part of. There were so many crazy moments in this story. The fact that so many familiar faces that Daunis knew including Coach Bobby the hockey coach, Mike, Stormy, and Dana Firekeeper who was involved in the famous scandal with Daunis own father were all a part of the meth operation.
Not to mention her shocking rape at the hands of her brothers friend. I loved this story of a strong-willed independent young woman who loves her culture and community. I really enjoyed learning about all the special traditions that Daunis does like praying at her favorite tree before every run and although she believes she doesn’t fit in. She becomes over the course of the story what her family has always wanted for her to become a fierce Anishinaabe woman. I cannot wait to read more from this author!
She has her best friend Lilly though a constant in her life since childhood. Her brother Levi is an odd duck and they seemed to be distant from the beginning. Everything in Daunis world changes though she describes it as her “New Normal” when her GrandMary has a life altering stroke. She is left to pick up the pieces and help her mother more as her brother is more interested in himself and hockey then he is with helping out the family. Everything begins to change in Daunis world and it doesn’t stop with her grandmother’s stroke.
Things are changing on the reservation too and some of those changes hit very close to home. Her best friend Lilly has been in an on again/off again relationship with their friend Travis who at one point was a kooky brilliant and funny guy but quickly became a different person as he became heavily involved in drugs. He went from taking the occasional drug to cooking meth and others on the reservation started partaking in the drug scene that was becoming an issue. Although Lily’s murder by Travis didn’t come as a complete surprise.
The story of a once great guy turning to drugs and becoming abusive isn’t a new phenomenon. Lilly’s response was a little surprising. She was obviously over her meth head ex-boyfriend so by her agreeing to talk with him for a while at a festival they were both at was especially given the fact that Daunis was always there to act as a buffer between the former couple. The murder-suicide was a turning point in the story that would thrust her into an unwanted police investigation. Still reeling from watching her best friend murdered before her eyes.
The new guy in town with whom she has formed a close bond with ‘Jamie Johnson’ is somehow always there and quickly finds a gravely wounded Lilly at the scene before deciding she is beyond help. He then removes a distraught Daunis from the scene. From that moment on nothing in her world is ever the same. ‘Jamie Johnson’ is not a handsome new hockey recruit but is an undercover cop. Who has been investigating the reservation and the people that lived there for a while now.
An investigation that she herself was now a part of. The twists and turns were very unexpected and shocking. Daunis is thrust into a murder investigation that in actuality has turned into a rampant meth selling and buying operation throughout the reservation. That her own brother Levi turns out to be a part of. There were so many crazy moments in this story. The fact that so many familiar faces that Daunis knew including Coach Bobby the hockey coach, Mike, Stormy, and Dana Firekeeper who was involved in the famous scandal with Daunis own father were all a part of the meth operation.
Not to mention her shocking rape at the hands of her brothers friend. I loved this story of a strong-willed independent young woman who loves her culture and community. I really enjoyed learning about all the special traditions that Daunis does like praying at her favorite tree before every run and although she believes she doesn’t fit in. She becomes over the course of the story what her family has always wanted for her to become a fierce Anishinaabe woman. I cannot wait to read more from this author!