A review by bethreadsandnaps
Fireweed by Lauren Haddad

4.0

 

I really enjoyed this debut and, while I was disappointed that the overall Goodreads community has rejected it (less than 3 star overall rating right now), I can see why - there are some themes that can put off some readers. 

In this debut novel, Jenny is a lower class white woman who has lived next to Rachelle, an Indigenous woman, for the past five years. Through her mother and society, Jenny has learned that she’s better than Indigenous people, so many of her thoughts are blatantly racist. In other words, she comes across as very ignorant to today’s reader (i.e., not likeable at all). Jenny hasn’t spoken to Rachelle, and most of her thoughts about Rachelle include judgment about the state of her yard (based on her being Indigenous, which I hadn’t even heard of that stereotype). When she finally meets Rachelle and her two daughters, Jenny’s eyes are opened.

At the beginning of the novel, a white woman named Beth disappears, and there’s a full investigation. When Rachelle disappears, a now-invested Jenny tries to get the local police force to investigate, and she runs into a different philosophy towards missing Indigenous women.

This is essentially a coming-of-age story, as Jenny’s real-life experiences force her to confront her stereotypes and thoughts. 

Jenny has a lot of time on her hands, as her main job is keeping up the house (her husband is gone a lot for work), she doesn’t have kids although wants them, and she has a very part-time job. I wonder how this novel would have changed had Jenny been busy with her life and didn’t have time to think all day. 

➕ The story was really engaging to me. I am fond of first-person narration. I do think many of us grew up with this type of racism (maybe towards other racial groups, depending on where you live), and I think it takes courage for an author to write a racist white main character in this day and age.  

➕ Jenny truly has a growth trajectory or coming of age throughout the novel.

➕ Once I adjusted to the writing style, I really liked it.

➖ As I mentioned before, Jenny is unlikeable at the beginning, and I think her reception would be better if she wasn’t SO racist initially. You really don’t see any nuance to Jenny until she takes care of her mother’s boyfriend’s children, and even then it might be too little, too late for some readers. Do you know how a middle grade book tends to hit you over the head with themes? This book is kind of like that but with adult themes.  

➖ The writing style tended toward stream of consciousness, and it felt uneven at the beginning of the book, which could also deter some readers. I’m not sure if the first 10-20 pages were recently rewritten because they felt far more lyrical (almost poetic) than the rest of the book. Or I could have needed some time to adjust.

Thank you to NetGalley and Astra House for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an unbiased review. 

It publishes April 29, 2025.