Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - Firekeeper's Daughter

it's a good book!! for my tastes though the descriptions were a bit too extensive sometimes. also the last 100 pages or so... i just did not love the way the story got resolved. it was fine but although i have never seen riverdale this is what i imagine it must be like

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erebus53's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Set in 2004, this is the story of Daunis Fontaine, a hockey player, fresh out of high school and preparing to go to college. Living in a town where enrolled Indigenous people get "per-cap" payments from tribal financial investments (mainly the casino) she is stuck between having one family of rich White background, and one family that is Indigenous, though she is not enrolled as a tribal member.

She is plugging on with things despite her favourite uncle having died, her grandmother being in palliative care, injuries having taken her off the ice, and having to make some hard decisions. There is a new guy in her brother's team, from out of town, and she is roped in to be his Ambassador and show him around.. but no she is NOT interested in dating "hockey guys". One of her childhood friends seems to have started relying meth. He's acting erratic and this is just the start of some life threatening chaos.

This is only the second book I have ever read that focuses on the Anishinaabeg (Nish) people of North America, in the area of the Great Lakes where arbitrary laws of settlers divide the people by a geo-political border between Canada and USA.

The main character is curious and scientific and super geeky, hoping to get into medical training. I personally love all her scientific naming of things, as that hits me where I live, and the puzzle solving she does is laid out and methodical so that the reader isn't left behind if things start getting complex. Her work on traditional indigenous medicine and scientific exploration describes a fusion between traditional practice and modern life; that both are valuable and do not deny each other.

I notice that this is, thematically, a very crepuscular book. Most of it is set in morning and evening, with young people and elders, and during the months of spring and autumn/fall, when the mushrooms abound — times of change, for looking back and forward; reviewing and planning. It also considers setting and respecting personal boundaries, and our decisions and their repercussions.. all this with a main character who seeks to understand herself, her values, her peoples and their history... and to understand how love can work when you don't always agree with another person. It's pretty rich.

Honestly though.. this book is gripping. There are continual revelations and twists, but they aren't weird or arbitrary. I wanted to know more and did not want to put it down. Every time something big happened I had to remind myself to take a time out to savour it.

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robin_reads's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

This story is about Daunis who was born and raised in between two worlds and is set in 2004. She goes undercover to help the FBI investigate a lethal mix of meth. Turns out it's a lot more complicated and intense than she could have ever imagined.

Learning about the native Ojibwe tribal traditions, life and laws was pretty great and really interesting. I love it, when native languages are used and translated, which helps the reader learn.
What I didn't like and don't understand why it was necessary in an already tense book was the sexual assault.
Check TW and CW if you're interested in reading this.

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mushymargo's review

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adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

Loved this book, emotional roller coaster. Felt like I learned a lot about myself reading it. Felt her grief. Loved the magical elements.

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