The Firekeeper's Daughter
By: Angeline Boulley
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Pages: 488
Summary (Provided by Goodreads): As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in—both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When her family is struck by tragedy, Daunis puts her dreams on hold to care for her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team.
After Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that thrusts her into a criminal investigation, she agrees to go undercover. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. How far will she go to protect her community if it means tearing apart the only world she’s ever known?
First Impression
I heard about this book in TikTok. Someone was talking about their favorite audiobooks of 2023 so far and this was on their list. I read a book by a Native author earlier this year and enjoyed it, so was curious to read another one. I also hadn’t realized it was a part of Reese’s Book Club and I always enjoy her picks, so I decided to pick this one up.
What I thought
This book was unlike anything that I have read and I found it to be interesting and thought provoking.
Daunis is a biracial 18 year old who is living near the Ojibwe reservation. She has just graduated from high school, but decided to put off going to college away from home so she can help her mom, her grandmother, and her half brother. She is dealing with a lot of identity conflict since she is not a true tribal member due to the fact that her mom is white. When there is a murder and death in in the reservation, Daunis becomes a part of the investigation along with Jamie, the new hockey player in town.
This book deals with a lot. It takes place in the early 2000s, right around when I graduated from high school, and the aftereffects of reservations having payments from the casinos. A lot of the reservations exploded with alcohol and drug problems, and this one addresses a lot of there. There are a lot of unfortunate deaths, and Daunis is trying to help save her tribe by figuring out what is happening.
I enjoyed learning about the reservations and the problems they dealt with. I didn’t expect this book to be as dark as it was, so it did take me a little time to get through. I enjoyed listening to it because it allowed me to hear the pronunciation of the native names and terms.
There is also a lot of family elements to this story. Daunis is dealing with being the product of a scandalous relationship and has grown up with the half brother, whose mom her dad chose to be with over Daunis’ mom. It’s complex and unique and interesting to see how despite your circumstances, you can still find family and someone to depend on.
I was a little surprised by the level of violence in this story, so I would warn that if you can’t handle darker storylines with death, you’ll want to avoid this one. I wasn’t too bothered by it because there was a purpose to it and it wasn’t graphic, but it’s pretty central to the story. I also was a little surprised how much of a mystery story this was. The beginning starts like a normal novel, but it slowly becomes a true investigation.
This book was unique and educational. One of the reasons I love reading is because I get to learn about different cultures that I never would’ve experienced, and this book absolutely does this. It surprises me a little bit that it’s a YA novel because of the content, but I think it would be beneficial for young readers to educate themselves on Native culture.