Review: Firekeeper’s Daughter

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

This is another entry in my summer (now fall) of Indigenous fiction and one that appears as a book club choice for the the Indigenous Voices course I'm teaching at my school this year. Firekeeper's Daughter really is a mystery novel, set in the American side, Sault Ste. Marie (I'm more familiar with the Canadian side because it is a stop on your biennial westward trip to Winnipeg). Without doing spoilers, it follows Daunis, an eighteen year old, born of a white mother and an Ojibwe father, who struggles with defining her identity, while also trying to solve a series of murders. The result is a suspenseful, but empathic coming of age story.

What I loved about this book is, first, Daunis herself, who is genuinely kind, but resilient enough to navigate the very complicated worlds she moves in. Her commitment to family and her Ojibwe roots is inspiring, but also that she comes through it all with a stronger sense of herself and who she is. She doesn't do the stereotypical, falling into the arms of the handsome undercover agent (almost, but not really), nor does she rely solely on herself. She is likable, even when she's making mistakes.

The other part I loved was just the community feel of this book. Daunis isn't the heroine standing alone in a hostile universe, but, even when she seems to be going it alone, is supported by a plethora of aunties and elders, who come to her aid, often at the exactly right moment.

A general warning, though, there's violence her including sexual violence, so be warned before you open up.

Yet, this is a genuinely hopeful book and one that is worth reading.

View all my reviews