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A review by podanotherjessi
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
challenging
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Wow, I can't believe I was tricked into reading a hockey romance. This is ahead of it's time!
This book is very good! Which makes the complaints I have stand out more. So I'll start with the criticisms, and then swiftly move on to everything great about this book.
First, I wasn't super attached to the characters, in particular Daunis. She wasn't super relatable to me personally. That said, she was incredibly well written, so I'm sure she would connect for a different reader.
The other thing was the writing at times was clunky. I love that Boulley educates through these books, but there were times the action was put on hold for a teaching moment. The story would pause just so Daunis could have a long internal monologue about her culture. There was a similar lack of grace around the time of the novel, where there were references shoehorned in just so the reader would know in exactly which year the story takes place.
But literally everything else was great. I think there's a really nuanced exploration of grief and the many facets of it. Again, it's super educational. The mystery was really fun; I figured it out almost entirely, but it felt like the book was leading me gently there rather than it just being obvious.
As a note, I did read Warrior Girl Unearthed before this, and I do like the sequel more. That said, this book doesn't suffer from anything I know already. There was one thing I knew was coming, but if anything it just created a sense of dread. And this book made me immediately launch into a reread of Warrior Girl Unearthed so I can see those characters again with added context.
This book is very good! Which makes the complaints I have stand out more. So I'll start with the criticisms, and then swiftly move on to everything great about this book.
First, I wasn't super attached to the characters, in particular Daunis. She wasn't super relatable to me personally. That said, she was incredibly well written, so I'm sure she would connect for a different reader.
The other thing was the writing at times was clunky. I love that Boulley educates through these books, but there were times the action was put on hold for a teaching moment. The story would pause just so Daunis could have a long internal monologue about her culture. There was a similar lack of grace around the time of the novel, where there were references shoehorned in just so the reader would know in exactly which year the story takes place.
But literally everything else was great. I think there's a really nuanced exploration of grief and the many facets of it. Again, it's super educational. The mystery was really fun; I figured it out almost entirely, but it felt like the book was leading me gently there rather than it just being obvious.
As a note, I did read Warrior Girl Unearthed before this, and I do like the sequel more. That said, this book doesn't suffer from anything I know already. There was one thing I knew was coming, but if anything it just created a sense of dread. And this book made me immediately launch into a reread of Warrior Girl Unearthed so I can see those characters again with added context.