anggia's review against another edition
5.0
i need a moment to process everything.
—
i read this super quick but then i stopped reading altogether because I WAS SCARED TO READ MORE. i could feel it in my guts that something bad was going to happen.
but yay me, i managed to finish this book.
i thought this was fantasy book, it was not.
this is a mystery YA book. but i also got to learn about the ojibwe, their culture and their languages, their tribe. it was fascinating but i am not gonna lie, it was pretty confusing tbh.
at the beginning, there are a lot oF info dumps, i was confused but it wasn't boring !!.
it's a bit slow paced but also not? i mean, one minute we're investigating something, the other minute we were talking about the dreamy boyfriend lol.
the romance WASSSSSS SKSKSKSKSKSK YALL. i was rooting for them HARD. damn it,
they were acquintance first (BROTHER'S FRIEND) then there is a bit of betrayal thingy(?) and then they were fake dating SKAKSKSKSKSKSKSKSK. it was awesome. buT, it didn't really focus on the romance although i NEED MORE SKKSSK.
the mystery was also pretty good because the main character basically do everything alone, and gosh she was so brave and badass. sometimes i yelled at main characters for being stupid, but for some reasons i agreed with everything daunis did lol. idk, i really love daunis !!
i really enjoyed reading this one !!! the cover is also gorgeous so it didn't hurt to have this book❤️
—
i read this super quick but then i stopped reading altogether because I WAS SCARED TO READ MORE. i could feel it in my guts that something bad was going to happen.
but yay me, i managed to finish this book.
i thought this was fantasy book, it was not.
this is a mystery YA book. but i also got to learn about the ojibwe, their culture and their languages, their tribe. it was fascinating but i am not gonna lie, it was pretty confusing tbh.
at the beginning, there are a lot oF info dumps, i was confused but it wasn't boring !!.
it's a bit slow paced but also not? i mean, one minute we're investigating something, the other minute we were talking about the dreamy boyfriend lol.
the romance WASSSSSS SKSKSKSKSKSK YALL. i was rooting for them HARD. damn it,
they were acquintance first (BROTHER'S FRIEND) then there is a bit of betrayal thingy(?) and then they were fake dating SKAKSKSKSKSKSKSKSK. it was awesome. buT, it didn't really focus on the romance although i NEED MORE SKKSSK.
the mystery was also pretty good because the main character basically do everything alone, and gosh she was so brave and badass. sometimes i yelled at main characters for being stupid, but for some reasons i agreed with everything daunis did lol. idk, i really love daunis !!
i really enjoyed reading this one !!! the cover is also gorgeous so it didn't hurt to have this book❤️
giuliafloris's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I picked this book because of the beautiful cover and was initially disappointed to find out that this wasn’t a fantasy novel as I believed, but I eventually decided to keep reading and… well, let me tell you why I’m glad I read this book!!
Plot:
This mystery ya novel isn’t really based on a true story, but it does feel like it.
Daunis, the protagonist, is the daughter of the late Levi Firekeeper Sr and his former white girlfriend, Daunis’s mom, making our protagonist half-native and half-white.
Daunis was only a few months old when Levi Firekeeper Sr had a son with a young woman named Dana.
When Daunis, her brother Levi, her best friend Lily and the new guy in town, Jamie, all go to a party together, everything falls apart…
Why I stayed:
This novel is beautifully written.
It took me a while to read the first few chapters, mostly because I was waiting for something magical to happen (yeah, I was so sure this would be a fantasy book) and was disappointed when it didn’t, but then, as the story progressed, I literally couldn’t put it down.
The pace was amazing and the information and details that Angeline Boulley inserted were just enough to let me know more about the Ojibwe culture without confusing me (I’m white, and English isn’t my first language).
Daunis has to face several challenges and she does it with deep compassion and thoughtfulness. I appreciate the author so much for bringing this story to life and I am grateful I got to read it.
Trigger warning: r*pe and se*ual as*ault
There was a moment in particular that triggered my ptsd and made me uncomfortable. I was expecting it because I checked the trigger warnings, even if this one was mostly listed in the “moderate” section and not the “graphic”, but I’m thankful I checked.
The author wanted to highlight the lack of justice whenever crimes are perpetuated against native women and how the native community is neglected. This is a perspective we rarely think about and isn’t talked about enough.
Plot:
This mystery ya novel isn’t really based on a true story, but it does feel like it.
Daunis, the protagonist, is the daughter of the late Levi Firekeeper Sr and his former white girlfriend, Daunis’s mom, making our protagonist half-native and half-white.
Daunis was only a few months old when Levi Firekeeper Sr had a son with a young woman named Dana.
When Daunis, her brother Levi, her best friend Lily and the new guy in town, Jamie, all go to a party together, everything falls apart…
Why I stayed:
This novel is beautifully written.
It took me a while to read the first few chapters, mostly because I was waiting for something magical to happen (yeah, I was so sure this would be a fantasy book) and was disappointed when it didn’t, but then, as the story progressed, I literally couldn’t put it down.
The pace was amazing and the information and details that Angeline Boulley inserted were just enough to let me know more about the Ojibwe culture without confusing me (I’m white, and English isn’t my first language).
Daunis has to face several challenges and she does it with deep compassion and thoughtfulness. I appreciate the author so much for bringing this story to life and I am grateful I got to read it.
Trigger warning: r*pe and se*ual as*ault
There was a moment in particular that triggered my ptsd and made me uncomfortable. I was expecting it because I checked the trigger warnings, even if this one was mostly listed in the “moderate” section and not the “graphic”, but I’m thankful I checked.
The author wanted to highlight the lack of justice whenever crimes are perpetuated against native women and how the native community is neglected. This is a perspective we rarely think about and isn’t talked about enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Rape, Death, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Violence, and Addiction
cl4recors0n's review against another edition
5.0
i found this book to be beautiful, raw, and detailed. great read.
aimiichie's review against another edition
4.0
It took me a while to get into this story, but I rather enjoyed this book. It was nothing like I imagined, but satisfied a lot of my curiosity. I loved the main female lead. It’s always a joy to read a female lead with depth, intelligence and passion. The romance in the book was a little meh, and Jamie wasn’t a strong character in general. But I loved the side characters and the twists this book took for the mystery behind meth. I don’t know much about the accuracy of the cultural side, but it’s also cool to just read a story centered around native culture.
lyslynn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
kamagates4's review against another edition
5.0
Summary:
In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, 18yr old Daunis Fontaine, has never really belonged in her hometown or on the Ojibwe reservation. She is a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal from her white mother and Ojibwe father. When she meets Jamie, the newest member of the local hockey league, they click but certain things about Jamie don't seem to add up. Everything changes when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that puts her in the middle of the investigation. Reluctantly, she goes undercover as a confidential informant for the FBI. But the deeper she goes, the more the more lies and deaths she uncovers. Daunis is tested just how far she will go to protect her community and her family.
Thoughts:
I added this book to my TBR after it came on on Anne Bogel's Summer Reading Guide. I really didn't look too much into the plot so going in was almost blind. It did not disappoint. The book was a great introduction into native culture. While the book doesn't aim to "shove" culture at the readers, it does add depth and context to the story. The title is listed as YA but don't let it fool you! As a content warning, this book deals with racism, sexual assault, murder (multiples), drug use, addiction, gun violence, abduction, and more. At some points there was so much going on, it was hard to follow but It was still an excellent read. Also, I think the audiobook really sold the writing as well. The Native words and chanting that I would most assuredly mispronounce were done seamlessly in the audio version. 5 stars, audio.
In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, 18yr old Daunis Fontaine, has never really belonged in her hometown or on the Ojibwe reservation. She is a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal from her white mother and Ojibwe father. When she meets Jamie, the newest member of the local hockey league, they click but certain things about Jamie don't seem to add up. Everything changes when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that puts her in the middle of the investigation. Reluctantly, she goes undercover as a confidential informant for the FBI. But the deeper she goes, the more the more lies and deaths she uncovers. Daunis is tested just how far she will go to protect her community and her family.
Thoughts:
I added this book to my TBR after it came on on Anne Bogel's Summer Reading Guide. I really didn't look too much into the plot so going in was almost blind. It did not disappoint. The book was a great introduction into native culture. While the book doesn't aim to "shove" culture at the readers, it does add depth and context to the story. The title is listed as YA but don't let it fool you! As a content warning, this book deals with racism, sexual assault, murder (multiples), drug use, addiction, gun violence, abduction, and more. At some points there was so much going on, it was hard to follow but It was still an excellent read. Also, I think the audiobook really sold the writing as well. The Native words and chanting that I would most assuredly mispronounce were done seamlessly in the audio version. 5 stars, audio.
vangoghaway_'s review against another edition
5.0
This is one of those books that I will probably be thinking about for a very long time. It follows Daunis Fontaine, a half-white, half-Ojibwe teenager who is recruited by the FBI as a CI in their investigation of the meth epidemic in her community. Daunis is a science geek and former hockey player who cares deeply about her Ojibwe community and will do anything to help get justice for those who have been mysteriously dying, including her best friend. . Ojibwe culture plays a huge role in this book, and I absolutely loved learning about their beliefs and traditions. It is such a beautiful culture and I'd love to read more about it in the future. I also loved the relationships Daunis has with her community and family. Despite the fact that neither side of her family really likes each other, Daunis tries to maintain connections with both her Fontaine and her Firekeeper relatives. There are a lot of fantastic side characters like Aunt Teddie, Granny June, and the other elders. Honestly, there's just so much that happens in this book and I couldn't cover it all in one review without it being wayyy longer than I'd like it to. There was only one issue I had, and I briefly considered rating this 4 stars because of it. That issue is, as you probably guessed, the romance. I do not like YA romance. It's incredibly frustrating to see characters doing a complete 180 on their feelings every 5 pages. Yes, I know, teenage emotions, it's YA, but I still don't want to read about it. By no means is this book the worst offender of "formerly interesting book gets taken over by annoying romance" syndrome, but there was a time towards the middle where I was getting very frustrated with Daunis and Jamie and their inability to decide if they loved or hated each other. I will give it this: the romance was actually necessary to the plot for once, but I would've liked it to be toned down a little. That all being said, I think the conclusion of this part was done very well. The ending as a whole was a little more incomplete than I would have liked, but I think it fits well in a book like this. You don't always get the right amount of closure when a tragedy like this shakes up an entire community. Overall, I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone honestly.
Spoiler
Who killed Uncle David? Why didn't Stormy talk? Were Heather and Robin's deaths accidental overdoses or murder? How much involvement did Grant Edwards really have?heatherjchin's review against another edition
5.0
If I could rate this 5 stars multiple times, I would. The story and characters, pacing and plot, cultural respect and elder respect and insightfulness while never forgetting its audience is not only foreigners outside its community.
The sense of place—both geographically on the Canadian border and in the unique nuances of small-town/reservation life, as well as in the early 2000s and specific cultural touchstones—bring so much to the establishment of identity for characters and inter-nation + interracial + tribal communities.
I also appreciate that author Angeline Boulley makes sure that even with the true crime element, there is balance throughout in the justice to show the reality that there is much injustice as well.
And that the criminal justice system is flawed, brutal, and distrust warranted and earned (especially the passing down of this knowledge through the generations, since too often nowadays, too many parents and educators and politicians insist on erasure of racism, denial of intergenerational trauma, and insist that cultural genocide and boarding schools and immunity for non-indigenous for committing rape/murder/crimes against the indigenous are ancient history and should not be taught anymore).
Much like the message that we can love flawed people who do horrible things. There is so much nuance here. Everything is firing on all cylinders. Highly recommend. Also recommend listening to the audiobook for the body language of the language, like an oral history.
The sense of place—both geographically on the Canadian border and in the unique nuances of small-town/reservation life, as well as in the early 2000s and specific cultural touchstones—bring so much to the establishment of identity for characters and inter-nation + interracial + tribal communities.
I also appreciate that author Angeline Boulley makes sure that even with the true crime element, there is balance throughout in the justice to show the reality that there is much injustice as well.
And that the criminal justice system is flawed, brutal, and distrust warranted and earned (especially the passing down of this knowledge through the generations, since too often nowadays, too many parents and educators and politicians insist on erasure of racism, denial of intergenerational trauma, and insist that cultural genocide and boarding schools and immunity for non-indigenous for committing rape/murder/crimes against the indigenous are ancient history and should not be taught anymore).
Much like the message that we can love flawed people who do horrible things. There is so much nuance here. Everything is firing on all cylinders. Highly recommend. Also recommend listening to the audiobook for the body language of the language, like an oral history.