Firekeeper's Daughter

Daunis, who is part Ojibwe, defers attending the University of Michigan to care for her mother and reluctantly becomes involved in the investigation of a series of drug-related deaths.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Michigan Native thriller, slow to start and then non-stop submitted by mowjac on April 30, 2021, 7:00am I loved this book! Daunis is a realistic teen, on the cusp of moving into adulthood. Her world isn’t simplistic: there is racism, drug addiction, untrustworthy adults, but also joy, love and family. We are immersed In Anishinaabeg culture while being pulled along in a thriller. Themes of identity, tribal status, trust and mortality offer much food for thought. Plus, it’s set in Michigan, giving it an anchor in reality. I would recommend for older teens, with the caveat that violence against Native women is part of the plot and may need support.

Fantastic for older YA readers submitted by sseaver on July 27, 2021, 3:38pm I thought this book was excellent. The main character Daunis, is of mixed racial background. The story highlights her navigating those two communities. The book is set in the UP so has fun references for any of us Michiganders! I also enjoyed learning more about the Anishinaabeg culture. The overall plot has a bit of a Nancy Drew vibe to it in the solving a mystery sense.
There are some more sensitive topics covered - drug usage & violence against women in particular. In my opinion they were addressed appropriately within the context, and definitely opens the door for discussion afterwards.

So good! submitted by jacatanz on August 2, 2021, 5:13pm I recently got this book prior to a UP trip and it was perfect! The main character is so likable and I learned alot about the Native culture in the UP through her. Easy read, I couldn't put it down! Highly recommended.

Amazing book submitted by manz on January 7, 2022, 11:46am I loved this book! Daunis is such a strong character. There is so much heart and depth to this story and her adventure. And a bonus that it is set in Michigan, written by a Michigan author, and has hockey!

YA but adult themes submitted by lballard on June 10, 2022, 4:51pm This is a page turner that contains mystery, hockey, and Michigan. The fact that the author is a member of a tribe here makes it even better. However some of the very adult themes might make it too much for younger readers. Or it might just serve as a warning. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

Excellent submitted by changflm on June 29, 2022, 11:24pm Phenomenal book. Not only great plot, but also introduced me to Michigan Native American (Ojibwe) language and customs.

Wonderful YA book submitted by Emily LB on July 8, 2022, 10:49am What a wonderful surprise! When I started this book, I was excited to read a sweeping narrative, taking place in UP and learning more about the Ojibwe tribe. What a delight when it turned out to be that AND SO MUCH MORE!! I had not planned on reading this book non-stop 4th of July weekend, but I am so glad I did.

Book pairing submitted by rose.lorenz on July 11, 2022, 4:14pm I also couldn’t put this book down! I recently finished reading Braiding Sweetgrass (Kimmerer) - and highly recommend the pairing.

Great for Michiganders submitted by hjzechar on July 15, 2022, 3:53pm I enjoyed this overall. There were a few plot points that didn't resolve fully for me, but that doesn't detract from the book as a whole. I enjoyed learning about the Ojibwe culture in the Sault Ste Marie area. It was interesting getting lulled into the traditional culture, then being pulled back to the familiar (pasties and euchre anyone?). Recommended reading, especially for Michiganders.

Michigan-based book submitted by pamhockey25 on July 17, 2022, 3:07pm Triggers: Drugs, shooting, rape
This is one of my favorite reads this summer. Angeline Boulley spent ten years writing this book and it shows with her attention to detail, character, and plot development. This is a book I could not put down. I loved the Michigan references (pasties, Michigan State, University of Michigan, euchre, obsession with hockey...to name just a few). I attended her lecture when she came to the AADL and she actually learned to make meth. This book describes the Ojiwbe community in Sault Ste Marie from someone who lives it. Highly recommended.

Great for all readers submitted by acurry673 on August 18, 2022, 11:42pm This book brought out so much emotion for me. My family lived in the Upper Peninsula so it was a mix of nostalgia and wonder. It was also a rare book that captured my tweens attention. We both enjoyed this very much.

Makes me want to go up north submitted by khrobinson on August 27, 2022, 3:15pm A fictional book set in a real community in the Upper Penninsula. A good read that weaves together stories of native culture and identity and it’s ongoing conflicts with law and policing in America

Disappointing submitted by A2AE on January 5, 2023, 4:22pm I wanted to like this book, and on paper it looked perfect -- YA, Michigan setting, female voice, Native author and narrator, the Obamas getting it onto Netflix. But in application it's just a very badly written and edited book.

Spoilers below.

I found the plot unforgivably irritating. The drugs were being distributed in empty pucks during high school hockey tourneys (really?!?), and the climax was badly edited (in the middle of a dramatic chase, there was a loooong paragraph detailing the importance of elders like Minnie in the community before jumping back to being literally chased by the villain). The most unforgivable part was when the main character woke up in the hospital and summarized the plot of the climax in a single sentence that was at least a half-page in length (and full of the sensationalist details that drove me crazy the first time I had to read them). Gah. I just can't with this writing that seems like it came out of a Comp 101 class.

The Firekeepers Daughter submitted by jglove on June 11, 2023, 12:04pm Couldn't put it down! The storyline is riveting and hooks you in, but I also really loved learning so much about indigenous people and culture (from Michigan/the midwest!) at the same time.

Amazing submitted by tcramer318 on June 20, 2023, 7:53pm This book wasnt for me at first, but O was hooked by the end. The author subverts so many of the tropes you can see in a YA novel, and there are tons of little details that all pay off. I love how Daunis is able to draw strength from her community in a way that I'm scared to describe in a review for fear of revealing too much. Overall this was a powerful book.

Immersive submitted by FordAlpha on June 30, 2023, 9:23pm This was a great summer read. I very much enjoyed being immersed in the Ojibwe community where the book is set, and much of the book is well composed. A great deal of care went into the characters' personalities, life stories, and relationships. Some plot elements didn't quite hang together, annoying me at times. The "science" aspect was particularly weak. The denouement was also incredibly rushed and unsatisfying. Still, I heartily recommend "Firekeeper's Daughter" for older teen and adult readers.

Outstanding for high school to all adults submitted by Susan4Pax -prev. sueij- on July 1, 2023, 12:50pm What an outstanding book. The author says that the first spark of this story was the idea of an Ojibwe Nancy Drew, and it is, in all the best senses of that idea (although definitely for a high school audience or up). It has a fantastically developed mystery, excellent characters, a well-developed bit of a romance that adds to the story without overwhelming the book, and deeply interwoven cultural threads that make _Fire Keeper’s Daughter_ unlike any other book I’ve read. This is first class, and I recommend it for all teen and adult readers who like an excellent fiction story.

Highly recommend submitted by lagypin on July 2, 2023, 12:03pm This was an excellent book.

Do yourself a favor and read this submitted by rshah on July 12, 2023, 2:39am Firekeeper’s Daughter is an absolutely beautiful, brilliant story that also takes you on one heck of a ride. While this book is usually described as a mystery or thriller, I’d argue it’s a finding yourself story embedded within a crime thriller. But make no mistake, this book is absolutely a crime thriller: and one that kept me on the edge of my seat with each twist and turn. While that can be said of many crime thrillers, what makes this such a standout book is Boulley’s use of Ojibwe culture and life as the setting for the mystery. I particularly loved the way indigenous plant knowledge was used as a key plot point. There is so much ancient wisdom lost thanks to colonization and genocide and this book does not shy away from pointing that out. Honestly, I’m not sure this review does this book justice. It’s engaging. It’s beautifully written. The characters are everything. The plot is OMG exciting. Really, the best thing I can say about this book is to just go read it. Read it now.

One of the Best Books I've Ever Read submitted by emroon on July 13, 2023, 3:15pm This book immediately moved to the top of my favorite books of all time. It is about some really serious and hard topics (trigger warning for: gun violence, drug use, sexual assault) but it was written in a way that dealth with them respectfully but I didn't feel like I was drowning in misery. The way the author incorporated the native language and culture was so beautiful. I appreciated that the Anishinaabe words were not translated, and you had to use context clues to figure things out. The story had me gripped from the beginning and I learned a lot. I have told SO MANY people to read this book.

Earned Popularity submitted by Edigaet1 on July 22, 2023, 12:11pm This book is so popular, and after reading it I can see why! I genuinely wasn't sure how it would end until I got there. 10/10 will recommend to everyone.

Made me fall in love with reading again submitted by lucygoeb on August 14, 2023, 1:28pm I love this book with everything in me. Whether you’re an avid reader, or I need it to fall back in love with reading it like me this summer this book is great although it can seem complicated when you first pick it up, it takes not a chapter or two to dive truly into the story. The main character is engaging and dynamic, and there is not many similar books in this market. It speaks to the native American identity and gives much-needed perspective for those of us who lack an education on that.