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This book feels like a modern, darker Nancy Drew, with a focus on Native American culture. If you enjoy YA thrillers with young women in the lead, Firekeeper’s Daughter may be for you.
What’s Firekeeper’s Daughter about?
After Daunis witnesses a murder, she becomes a confidential informant to the FBI. As more people in her community die, she becomes increasingly conflicted between protecting her tribe and trusting the feds to solve the crime.
This should be required reading.
I love books that educate me on cultures I didn’t previously know much about, and this book delivered on that front. The Sault Ste. Marie tribal community is a major part of Firekeeper’s Daughter and the main character’s life. I learned a lot, not just about their experiences and customs, but also about things like tribal versus federal laws and per cap payments. It even addresses generational traumas, the boarding schools, and tribal enrollment.
Another strength was Daunis herself. As a main character, she was fully fleshed out and believable. She felt like a real person. We not only got to understand her beliefs, hobbies, and philosophies but also her flaws and weaknesses. I enjoyed reading from her POV.
My main critique is the length. It took a long time for the story to take off, and there were a few pockets throughout of what felt like filler. I could argue that this book tries to do too much with its main character and adds too many plot threads. It’s almost 500 pages – that’s unusually long for a young adult thriller.
Trigger warning (minor spoiler): There is a sexual assault near the end of the book. While it did feel a little like it was just thrown in, one of the main themes of this book is violence against native women, which is a real and rampant issue.
Should you read Firekeeper’s Daughter?
I recommend this if you’re a fan of mystery, enjoy learning more about other cultures, or if you’re looking for an OwnVoices read. It’s also headed to production for a limited Netflix series.
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2 responses to “Firekeeper’s Daughter: Entertaining and enlightening”
Love to read & learn about other cultures!!!!!
Me too!