Firekeeper's Daughter: Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for YA

Description

A ground-breaking YA thriller about a Native American teen who must root out the corruption in her community. For fans of Angie Thomas and Tommy Orange Eighteen-year-old Daunis's mixed heritage has always made her feel like an outsider, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When she witnesses a shocking murder, she reluctantly agrees to be part of a covert FBI operation into a series of drug-related deaths. But the deceptions - and deaths - keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. Now Daunis must decide what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she'll go to protect her community, even if it tears apart the only world she's ever known.

Angeline Boulley is an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians based in Michigan. She is the former director of the Office of Indian Education at the U.S. Department of Education and gained attention for this debut novel thanks to the non-profit organisation We Need Diverse Books. Angeline lives in southwest Michigan but considers 'home' to be Sugar Island.

'Both an interrogation of racist misogyny and a swift-paced, compelling thriller.' -- Guardian 'A story that grips like a bulldog clip on your heart.' -- Katherine Rundell, author of The Good Thieves 'Raw and moving, the intricacies of family loyalty and who comes first are deftly and sensitively explored. Firekeeper's Daughter sensitively touches on crimes and lack of accountability against indigenous women in the Native American community and identity. Boulley has crafted a nuanced and refreshing protagonist.' -- Cosmopolitan 'Both thrilling and heartwrenching, with twists and turns I didn't see coming.' -- Aisha Bushby, author of A Pocketful of Stars 'Immersive and enthralling, Firekeeper's Daughter plunges the reader into a community and a landscape enriched by a profound spiritual tradition. Full of huge characters and spellbinding scenes, it gives a fascinating insight into life on and off the reservation, with Daunis as a tough and resourceful heroine through every vicissitude.' -- Financial Times 'In this momentous YA debut, Angeline Boulley pulls from her Ojibwe background to craft her incredible protagonist.' -- Elle, Best of 2021 'Firekeeper's Daughter is a gripping and unforgettable story of family, community and identity told through the eyes of a protagonist so powerfully realised on the page, you'll swear you can hear her heart beat. Daunis Fontaine is a force to be reckoned with - and so is Angeline Boulley. This is one bold, uncompromising and elegantly crafted debut.' -- Courtney Summers, New York Times bestselling author of Sadie 'Intricate and moving. Boulley takes the reader on an incredible journey with the assurance of a veteran novelist.' -- Tochi Onyebuchi, author of Beasts Made of Night 'What do you get when you combine Tommy Orange, Angie Thomas, and Tomi Adeyemi? This genre-bending new YA thriller.' * Entertainment Weekly * 'One of this year's most buzzed about young adult novels.' -- Good Morning America 'A rare and mesmerising work that blends the power of a vibrant tradition with the aches and energy of today's America. This book will leave you breathless!' -- Francisco X. Stork, author of Marcelo in the Real World 'Beautifully crafted and filled with super sleuthing, Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley is one of our most anticipated reads of 2021.' -- Fierce Reads 'Sharp turns and charming characters... Hitting hard when it comes to issues such as citizenship, language revitalization, and the corrosive presence of drugs on Native communities, this novel will long stand in the hearts of both Native and non-Native audiences.' -- Publishers Weekly, starred review 'Angeline Boulley's remarkable debut young adult novel is an edge-of-the-seat crime thriller that will leave young and not-so young readers in awe of the power of modern storytelling... A big, satisfying read... Although Firekeeper's Daughter twists and turns with riveting plot developments and revelations, it is Daunis' journey that drives the story along to its dramatic conclusion.' -- South China Morning Post 'Boulley doesn't overwhelm the reader with detail but leads the way through the intricacies and connections - immersing, not superimposing... The plot weaves, ducks and dives, but always convincingly and always a mixture of the beliefs and customs of the Ojibwe and of white American culture... The reader is detective and observer, placed at the heart of Daunis' moral dilemmas and the dangers she finds herself in.' -- Books for Keeps 'If you want to encourage your Karen M. McManus devotees to try something more substantial, then Firekeeper's Daughter is your book of choice... As well as being a fascinating whodunnit style amateur investigation, it's also a refreshing portrayal of a lesser-written about aspect of American culture and an in-depth look at teenage identity and sense of belonging, with a little bit of romance on the side. A great read for those open for a longer, but very satisfying read.' * School Librarian * 'Soon to be a series on Netflix, this story will grip you from the start.' -- Manx Independent