Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

18 reviews

chaosbumblebee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

1 star deducted because the writing style wasn't 100% my jam and I think the first 100 or so pages could have been severely edited down, but damn, after that point this book GRIPPED ME. Also, the tenderness and respect that Anishinaabe culture is held with through every part of the story is incredible and palpable. Highly recommend; give it a chance past the first bit!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

The Run-Down: Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley is a masterclass in storytelling, worldbuilding, and character development—with important thematic exploration and messages to boot.

 

Review: 

I actually read Boulley’s second book, Warrior Girl Unearthed, before Firekeeper’s Daughter. Consequently, I went into Firekeeper’s Daughter with high expectations, but I wasn’t prepared for those expectations to be so thoroughly surpassed. The book may start off deceptively tame, but very quickly it proves itself to be one-of-a-kind in terms of its plot, subject matter, and depth. Boulley completely and totally immerses her reader’s into the world and dynamics of her characters, and she’s not afraid to tackle some seriously difficult topics with an admirable level of realism and grit. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to anyone who is an older teenager or older.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Gun violence, and Colonisation

Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Car accident, and Alcohol

Minor: Alcoholism, Police brutality, and Death of parent

shlymiller's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infidelity, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

dmccormick9's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Police brutality, Murder, and Gaslighting

megob's review against another edition

I really loved the book, up until the part where I stopped.

I totally understand that books can't all have a happy ending, and that this ending--had I read it--probably wouldn't be *un*happy, but I'm disappointed that that's how it went. Yeah, I was surprised, but I wouldn't have read the book knowing the ending. And that kinda ruins it for me.

 

First half of the book gets 5 stars. Third quarter gets 4 stars. Last 6% gets a DNF 🤷

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Police brutality

If you're looking for spoilers based on content warnings.

the main character experiences or sees all the things listed above happen in her community. Multiple deaths throughout the book, many of which the reader is present for. Descriptions of her grief after these deaths. Neurodivergency affecting her experience of grief and understanding of the situations. A gun is directed at the main character. Descriptions of those in the throes of addiction. Graphic description of sexual assault with "fade to black" followed by internal and external gaslighting and the suggestion that this was not his first assault. Drugging and kidnapping resulting in confinement and forced compliance with illegal activity. Car accident follows which results in medical trauma and death.

At that point I stopped reading, so I'm not certain if anyone was brought to justice but it seems like they would be. Putting it all out there it seems like a horrible story, but it's really really not! The pacing and atmosphere of the first half of the book are very different from the last half.

parkergarlough's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Police brutality and Cultural appropriation

catisbookish's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is one of the most impactful books I've ever read. I have no words that would accurately describe how I feel right now. I am a mess, in a good way. 100/10

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder

laurenkimoto's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

firekeepers daughter  🤝the indigenous Canada MOOC 

How seamlessly Boulley was able to weave together the book with Indigenous teachings is amazing. I don’t even know if that’s right as the  cultural teachings are so vital to the story and the characters and make this book so amazing. 

Every once and a while I read a book that I think should be read in high school because of the story, the writing, the themes, and characters and this is one of them. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

rwmccormic's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicide, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Chronic illness, Racism, Police brutality, Medical content, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Torture, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Medical trauma, and Car accident

maria_luciani's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder

Moderate: Genocide, Hate crime, Kidnapping, and Colonisation

Minor: Body shaming, Misogyny, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Car accident, and Cultural appropriation