Book Review: Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I think everyone knows that I love thrillers, but what I really love are well-written thrillers. Angeline Boulley's first novel is a must-read. I liked everything about it from the eye-catching cover illustration to the tight plot to the well-crafted lead character, Daunis.

Set in Sault Ste. Marie in 2004, the novel is firmly grounded in a specific time and place and with Daunis's dual heritage, an upper crust white family on her maternal side and a large extended Ojibwe family on her paternal side, it is also firmly grounded in a specific culture. Boulley is also a member of the Ojibwe nation, and I loved how she brought their culture to life. I think people often think of Native American nations and people as something belonging to the past, but Boulley deftly provides a nuanced, knowledgeable reminder that Native nations and people exist in the here and now and are not historical artifacts. While not glossing over issues of violence against women and substance abuse (which are, in fact, key factors in the plot), Boulley shows us the "love, joy, connection, friendship, hope, laughter, and the beauty and strength in my Ojibwe community" (p. 490). I appreciated the use of the Ojibwe language, Anishinaabemowin, throughout, as that helped me get immersed in the story.

As a mystery/thriller, Firekeeper's Daughter holds up very well. There are no crazy plot twists, just a solid story that keeps you reading. I suspected some of the reveals (which I won't give away here), and I really appreciated how Boulley kept the plot clean and let us learn things along with Daunis.

I'll be recommending this to my YA readers - from my middle school students to my fellow adults who enjoy a good YA thriller. Check it out!

P.S. Check out this great interview with Angeline Boulley, too: https://diversebooks.org/qa-with-ange...

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