On March 16, “Firekeeper’s Daughter,” by Angeline Boulley was released. Boulley is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She is a storyteller who writes about her Ojibwe community and was chosen as an emerging young adult (YA) writer back in 2019 for the We Need Diverse Books Mentorship Program. This is Boulley’s debut and groundbreaking YA thriller that many are now anxiously trying to get their hands on.
This new thriller novel not only aims to blend genres through being both a crime fiction and coming of age story, but it also tries to merge cultures with just the perfect author to tell the story. The new release follows the story of 18-year-old Daunis Fontaine, a high school student figuring out where she fits in, both in her hometown and on the Ojibwe reservation, as a biracial and unenrolled tribal member. She meets Jamie, a charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team, and eventually falls for him even as she senses that he is hiding something. When Daunis witnesses a shocking tragedy, she is thrusted into an FBI investigation, where she agrees to go undercover and puts her life on the line to find the truth and save her community.
Along the way, she learns what it means to be a strong Ojibwe woman. This book is perfect for fans of “The Hate U Give” and “Concrete Rose” by Angie Thomas. For being on shelves for just over a week, the new release already has an astonishing 4.8/5 star rating on the Barnes & Noble average ratings and a 4.6/5 star rating on Goodreads.
The talk show Good Morning America first publicized the “Firekeeper’s Daughter” as “one of this year’s most buzzed about YA novels.” It was also chosen as The Spring Reese’s Book Club YA pick, talk about popularity, and that’s not all. It is also rumored that the Obamas’ movie production company, Higher Ground, made a deal where it had been given rights to create a Netflix original series adaptation based on the novel. This is absolutely major for not only a book that just released, but also for a debut novel. For the writing community, this is considered to be a huge accomplishment. Things like movie deals attract people outside of the fan base to pick up the book before the adaptation is released.
If anyone wishes to watch the television adaptation upon its release, it is highly suggested for the novel to be read beforehand.
For those clamoring to do so, The River’s End Bookstore sells copies in town. Even if one has no desire to watch the show, the novel is still a fantastic read. For any avid reader looking for a gripping new novel to dive into, “Firekeeper’s Daughter” is highly recommended.
Caitlin Alicea | The Oswegonian
