Introduction

I’ve seen Travis in bad shape before, but this felt different. He looked desperate, like he wants to do the right thing but for the wrong reasons. I resolve to keep an eye on Travis to make sure he stays far away from Lily until he’s doing better. I’m worried that Lily may be in danger of more than a broken heart.

p. 43

Firekeeper’s Daughter is Angeline Boulley’s debut YA novel. We follow Daunis, an Ojibwe teenager, as she navigates college decisions and tribal politics. When a tragedy hits her community, it’s up to her to keep secrets – not only to keep her family and friends safe, but also to find the source of the tragedy once and for all.

I’m not going to lie – I waited to read this book. I knew it would be amazing (I was right) and I knew it would be extremely emotional for me (I was right again). I definitely didn’t know exactly how good it would be until I picked it up and put it down only 3.5 hours later with tears streaming down my face. No matter how long the line is for a copy at your local library, it is 100% worth it. (It’s even more worth it to purchase the book for yourself!)

The Good Stuff

Ohhhhh boy y’all. There is so much to say about this book and so little time. This review is a bit later than I’d normally post because I really wasn’t sure how to begin talking about it, but in short this book is a wonder. It is wild to me that this is a debut novel, but it’s also such a gift! I truly am so excited for Boulley’s works to come (and some exciting news about that at the bottom of this review, too). Important note: there are some triggering events in the story, so please take care and research it carefully before picking it up if you need content warnings for certain subjects.

For starters, let’s talk about Daunis. She is an Ojibwe teenager with a foot in two worlds: that of her powerfully connected white mother’s family and that of her father’s Ojibwe family, made tenuous by his omission from Daunis’ birth certificate. It nearly follows a heartbreakingly real trope of disconnection from one’s community due to factors beyond your control, but Boulley highlights the strength of Anishinaabe familial ties in a real and beautiful way. Daunis’ relationship with her Aunt Teddie’s family, her friendship with Lily (another Ojibwe teenager with a similar background), and Lily’s Granny June and other elders in the community give us a story and setting that is uniquely Ojibwe. (Many thanks to American Indians in Children’s Literature for the phrasing there – it’s perfect!)

All of this on top of the fact that Daunis’ inner world is rich and so well-written that it sent me rocketing back to my teenage years. Her decisions, thoughts, and feelings are keenly felt – Boulley makes you feel as though you’re sitting beside Daunis as she tells you her story. Dr. Reese says it well – this book, this story? It’s tribally specific. There were so many things I recognized, both good and bad. I’m doing my level best to avoid spoilers while trying to convince you to read it for yourself, but it’s hard not to when gushing about what makes this book so special. For non-Ojibwe readers, you’re getting a rare kind of glimpse into culture. For Anishinaabeg, this book is like coming home.

In Summary

When it comes to Firekeeper’s Daughter, that’s all I can say without devolving into keysmashes and joyful screeching. Please make the time to read this, and once you do, be sure to recommend it to as many people as possible. As if I needed to say it: this book is highly recommended.

You can find Angeline Boulley’s website here: AngelineBoulley.com. In an extremely exciting bit of news, she’s having an event to announce her next thriller too! You can find the CrowdCast link here: CrowdCast. She’s also appearing at School Library Journal’s SLJTeen Live! event, linked here: SLJTeen Live!. As always, gichi miigwetch for reading!