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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
mysterymom40's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Gaslighting and Colonisation
Moderate: Kidnapping, Mental illness, Rape, and Violence
Minor: Car accident
Due to some of the content, audience could be older teens to adultskimveach'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
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Classism, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Gore, Racism, Misogyny, Abandonment, Blood, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Death, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Colonisation, Cursing, Gaslighting, Medical content, Car accident, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Racial slurs
spikehype'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? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Murder, Racism, Confinement, and Death
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, and Rape
lokes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Police brutality, Grief, Colonisation, Cursing, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Blood, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Car accident, Kidnapping, Cultural appropriation, and Sexism
Moderate: Death of parent, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Racial slurs, Sexism, Alcohol, Addiction, Medical content, Misogyny, and Murder
brokenbodybitch's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, Trafficking, Torture, Genocide, Racism, Confinement, Grief, Hate crime, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Body horror, Classism, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Rape
rorikae'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
4.75
Forced to join summer internships to pay back her aunt Daunis after wrecking her car, Perry Firekeeper-Birch's summer is not what she planned for. Pleasantly surprised by her internship at the museum and learning more about repatriation, Perry becomes fascinated by an ancestor named "Warrior Girl" whose remains are stored at a local college. She becomes determined to bring home all of the tribal items housed at the college, in the process learning more about how institutions find ways to deny tribal requests. At the same time, Indigenous girls are going missing around the community and an unexpected decision puts a wrench in Perry's repatriation goals. She'll have to bring together all of her new friends made through her internship to help return the ancestors to their rightful place on Sugar Island.
Boulley, once again, creates an incredible YA story with rich characters and a tense plot. 'Warrior Girl Unearthed' has aspects of a heist story, a murder mystery story, coming of age, and light romance. Boulley balances all of these different aspects with expert skill that hinges on how quickly and easily it is to care for her characters. Just as in 'Firekeeper's Daughter, there is a large cast in 'Warrior Girl Unearthed' that are each wholly unique people who feel like you could meet them in real life. On top of the great character work, Boulley also delves into tribal items held in museums and archives and the broken systems that make it extremely difficult for these pieces to be returned to their homes. She also discusses the epidemic of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women. Despite covering so much, each topic is given nuance and lots of consideration. Boulley is quick becoming a favorite author and I cannot wait to see what stories she tells next.
Graphic: Colonisation, Confinement, Grief, Racism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death, and Murder
Minor: Car accident, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
apagetoturn'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
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Death, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Hate crime, Kidnapping, and Violence
library_kb'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
4.0
Graphic: Cultural appropriation and Kidnapping
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Sexual violence, Racism, Gaslighting, and Rape
jessereadsthings's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Racism, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Gaslighting, Child death, Rape, and Death