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mari1532's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Brief Summary: Perry Firekeeper-Birch is a laid-back teen with no summer plans. That is until she crashes her car and is required to work off her debt to her aunt. Luckily she can join a group of misfits for the summer program gaining experience and money. However, when her work experiences expose her to how the university system treats the remains of an ancestor, Perry's life is changed forever.
Thoughts: I read this book fairly early in the year, but I have absolutely no doubt that it is going to be in my top two books of the year. Boulley's writing is enthralling. I was hooked on every word in this story and did not want it to end.
Perry is also an excellent depiction of a teenager. At the beginning of the book, she thinks she knows what is important in life and no one can tell her any different. However, as she is exposed to other members of her community she begins to realize that there is room for the things she holds dear and expanding her horizons. I particularly enjoyed her relationship with Cooper Turtle. The development of their relationship and the lasting impact that he has on her as a mentor was a beautiful description of how important teachers can be to shaping the next generation.
The "Misfit Toys" were also a great group of characters and I enjoyed that even though the larger summer program saw them as outcasts our perspective showed them as the normal teenagers that they were because we are seeing things from Perry's perspective. Shense was my second favourite character in the book, not only because of her friendship with Perry but because of how loyal and honest she is throughout the story.
Although it was not my favourite part of the book, I did enjoy that Boulley also included the drama of teenage relationships against the far more complicated picture of the narrative. I truly enjoyed Perry's reaction to Lucas and Pauline and how that played out throughout the study. It was also interesting to see how Erik and Perry's story ended. I was captivated by the push and pull of them and I felt entirely satisfied by this portion of the subplot.
It was interesting how Boulley could weave so much information about the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The way that it was woven into the story not only informed the reader of the law itself but also about how the bureaucracy of the university and federal system continue to disadvantage Indigenous groups.
I would highly recommend this book!!
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Kidnapping, Racism, Toxic relationship, Genocide, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Car accident and Sexual assault
livelaughlesbian99's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Genocide, Kidnapping, Blood, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Racism, Rape, and Pregnancy
sariereads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Cultural appropriation, Kidnapping, and Colonisation
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Genocide
erikagibson126's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, Confinement, Cursing, Kidnapping, Racism, Violence, Genocide, and Colonisation
Moderate: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, and Xenophobia
editoryalizing's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Grief, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Murder, Stalking, Genocide, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Child death
Minor: Rape
tlaynejones's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Colonisation, Genocide, Kidnapping, Blood, Racism, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Rape
rover_under's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
If I had to critique anything, I'd say the character of Eric felt a bit underdeveloped. I think his background of being a self-identified 'white hat' ethical hacker could have been a jumping off point to include his journey more into the morality vs legality themes of the novel
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Misogyny, Genocide, Death, Rape, Xenophobia, and Child death
siobhanward's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I also have to admit that issues and conversations surrounding the repatriation of Indigenous cultural artifacts and remains from museum to collections to the communities where they belong has been something that's interested me for a while. With a background in museum studies and anthropology, it's been at the forefront of a lot of my education and to see a whole book about it was fascinating. I once again absolutely loved the characters and loved the return of some favourites from Firekeeper's Daughter . Perry and her gang of misfit toys were wonderful and I just wish this book had gone on forever.
Graphic: Racism and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Rape, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Genocide
emmehooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Kidnapping, and Colonisation
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Pedophilia, Genocide, and Racism
Minor: Racial slurs, Pregnancy, and Medical content
rmperash's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Genocide, Hate crime, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Death, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Self harm, Stalking, Racism, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Trafficking
Moderate: Abandonment