Firekeeper's Daughter
Author: Angeline Boulley. Date: 2021.
ISBN: 9781432890575.
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company.
Genre: Suspense/Thriller.
Awards: Printz Award 2022, Edgar Award 2022.
Reading Level: Grades 10-12
Trailer: Everyone knows the year after graduating high school is crazy. Parties, family drama, meth, murder, magic mushrooms, ice hockey, federal investigations. Not sounding too familiar? Well, that's because you aren't Daunis Fontaine. To be fair, Daunis wasn't planning on her summer going like this either. Since her best friend Lily was shot and killed in front of her there is no such thing as planning. The only things that Daunis can think of are this: justice and peace.
Daunis Fontaine never said her life was easy. She's always been just a little out of breath from running--sometimes literally--between the different parts of her life. In one part, Daunis is the athletic and ambitious daughter of one of the most established (read: white and privileged) families in the northern Midwest, who was supposed to be on her way to a big, fancy college until her grandma's illness made her reconsider. In another part, Daunis is the daughter of the Firekeeper of the Ojibwe people who is months away from losing the chance to officially become a member of the tribe she only feels half a part of. In both, she is an 18-year-old woman, stuck somewhere between childhood and adulthood trying to figure out what to do with the help of her BFFL, Lily, her brother, Levi, and the elders in and out of the reservation. And she thinks she has a pretty good handle on everything until that night. The night everything changes.
When Lily is shot dead right in from of Daunis' eyes she knows she can stop at nothing to find justice for her best friend and peace for her community. Lucky (or unlucky???) for Daunis, the mysterious hottie who just rolled into town to play hockey with her brother might be able to help with more than an assist on the ice. Like, he might not actually be just a hockey player at all. If you thought juggling the roles she already had plus grief from the death of her best friend was hard imaging joining and FBI investigation on a moments--or a gunshots--notice. The only way Daunis can help herself and her community is by finding her strength in all the roles she plays. This intricately plotted thriller about the place where western and Ojibwe culture meet grabs onto readers and doesn't let go.
Stop! Music break. It's what Lily would want us to do (WWLD). Check out this electronic beat by the Native group Tribe Called Red.
Okay, how did we feel about Tribe Called Red?
Brb adding to my playlist now.
Not for me.
What. Just. Happened. I'm still processing.
No matter how you felt about the song I'm glad you tried something new, friend! We love to see it!
About the Author: Angeline Boulley is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians who writes stories about Indigenous people from her home in the northern Midwest of the United States. A former Director of the Office of Indian Education at the U.S. Department of Education Boulley had dedicated her life to telling the stories of Indigenous people and empowering indigenous people to tell their own stories . Like Daunis in Firekeeper's Daughter, Angeline herself is the daughter of a tribal Firekeeper whose important job it is to create and nurture ceremonial fires. Angeline is currently in talks to turn her award winning novel into a streaming series. (Angeline Boulley, n.d)
Analysis: Firekeeper's Daughter works so well as a twisty-turny suspense/thriller and an in-depth exploration into Indigenous culture AND as an incredibly unique bildungsroman. First, as a suspense/thriller Boulley does a great job of setting out just the right amount of breadcrumbs. The reader can try to figure out the mystery and be assured that some random new character won't be thrown in at the end to tie everything up. No, this was well thought out. Next, Boulley's perspective on the Chippewa experience in this specific part of the northern Midwest brings so much rich world building. This is the place that our author calls home, both the physical location and the Ojibwe identity, so her evocations are poetically honest. Finally, the story is laced with both spiritual and personal awakenings and developments. I think one of the things that makes this story so special is that everyone, people outside of Indigenous communities included, can relate to the changes Daunis is going through on some level. That age is so wrought with personal discoveries and developments it's impossible not to see a little of one's teenage self in Daunis--even if her life is far more dramatic!
Boulley is very respectful and responsible of the way she discusses drug and alcohol abuse throughout this story. When drugs are a part of plot they are often dealt with in one of two ways 1) "drugs are the devil and doing them will result in you getting pregnant and dying" or 2) "drugs are, like so totally awesome, man" and all teens do them it's no big deal. Both have their flaws, obviously. I like that Boulley acknowledged the danger of drug and alcohol abuse while also acknowledging their role in socializing, spirituality, and medicine. I think this tone will make the story more approachable for both tight-laced and funky laced teens.
In the Library: Firekeeper's Daughter has so much potential for inspiring creative programming and classes for all ages. One thing that stuck out to me in this novel was the main characters relationship with and respect for her communities' elders. I would love to present a challenge to library patrons to read the story and find time to connect with an elder in their community to talk about their own teenage years. I know that many convalescent hospitals allow for volunteers and encourage events, so maybe there could be a partnership there.
Potential Challenges: Boulley doesn't come right out and say "drugs are bad, m'kay". Basically, she tells readers that there are good drugs and bad drugs, and shows readers that some people can enjoy drugs and alcohol and some people cannot. It's a very realistic approach, but it's not necessarily one parents everywhere adore. Additionally, there is a sexual assault in this book that happens quickly and without much detail. I think I actually read through it once and then had to read it again to process what happened. It is handled respectfully, and there are both narrative and realistic reasons it would happen, but some people might not want to read about SA or have their teen read about it.
Reasons for Inclusion: First of all, who doesn't love a mystery? I know a good old fashioned who-dun-it captures the eyes of readers around the world but what about a book that starts off telling you who was murdered and who did it? That's a bold move, and I respect it. This book is captivating. The story, the cover art , I've heard good things about the audio book, it's all very now. Now being the time when we ( culture ran under the structure of white supremacy) have recognized how important it is to read stories about people from all types of backgrounds. This novel offers a killer plot (you decide if that pun is intended), and a fierce and unique perspective into the Ojibwe identity.
Sources:
Angeline Boulley. (n.d.). https://angelineboulley.com/aboutangeline
elpichesimon. (2016, January 11). Tribe called red - burn your village to the ground - video. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqVqPyTOdnw
Firekeeper's daughter. (n.d.). Goodreads. Retrieved January 31, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52346471-firekeeper-s-daughter
WXYZ-TV Detroit. (2021, March 2). Netflix series in works for Michigan Author's debut novel 'Firekeeper's daughter'. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGJWUt8B3gU&t=20s
#suspense #thriller #drama #griefandloss #girlpower #strongfemaleleads #IndigenousStories #awardwinner
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