The best book I read this month is a compelling Young Adult novel by Angeline Boulley. Firekeeper’s Daughter follows 18-year-old Daunis Fontaine as she tries to make sense of family and community tragedies.
I don’t usually read Young Adult books—I am the opposite of their target audience—but the dramatic cover grabbed me and I’d heard from others what an incredible read it was. They were right.
Daunis is mixed-race—white and Anishinaabe—and her life straddles both cultures. When meth infiltrates her community, she finds herself drawn into an FBI investigation, one that makes her question the people in her life.
Daunis is fierce and determined; her loyalty to her friends is both her strength and her weakness. Ultimately, she needs to draw on both of her cultures to find the answers she needs.
I really liked Daunis as a main character, but I LOVED being immersed in Anishinaabe culture. I want to read more stories with Anishinaabe characters, more that involve Anishinaabe culture, more by Anishinaabe authors like Angeline Boulley.