The Firekeeper's Daughter is a thrilling YA novel about finding a place to belong when you straddle two words. And becoming a secret informant while trying to uncover the drug ring that's caused multiple deaths on your reservations.
I loved this book and felt fully immersed in it. I don't read much YA because I find it to often be melodramatic, but this one hit all the right notes.
Daunis is a strong and self-aware main character. She honors her Native traditions and is proud of her heritage, but she also acknowledges the problems many on the reservation face. There are so many places where she needs to bridge two worlds: that of her white mother and Native father and also Hockey World and the rest of the world. She serves as a bridge for the FBI as well, who come into her community and only notice the problems.
There are lots of fully fleshed side characters, too. The Elders are the best. And the last 100 pages are unputdownable, with many scenes that showed what a bad-ass Daunis has become. Her wisdom comes with heartbreak, but she's earned it.
Thank you to Henry Holt and Bookish First fora a copy of this book!
I loved this book and felt fully immersed in it. I don't read much YA because I find it to often be melodramatic, but this one hit all the right notes.
Daunis is a strong and self-aware main character. She honors her Native traditions and is proud of her heritage, but she also acknowledges the problems many on the reservation face. There are so many places where she needs to bridge two worlds: that of her white mother and Native father and also Hockey World and the rest of the world. She serves as a bridge for the FBI as well, who come into her community and only notice the problems.
There are lots of fully fleshed side characters, too. The Elders are the best. And the last 100 pages are unputdownable, with many scenes that showed what a bad-ass Daunis has become. Her wisdom comes with heartbreak, but she's earned it.
Thank you to Henry Holt and Bookish First fora a copy of this book!