bayleaff's review
4.0
I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and I am excited to report that Angeline Boulley has written another stunner. This book has it all--mystery, adventure, heartbreak, and so much information about Indigenous life, customs, and struggles. There was a ton of background info about how the legal system continues to fail to support Indigenous communities, and about the ongoing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People movement, but it managed to avoid feeling too expository or preachy. It was extremely eye-opening (and heartbreaking) in this regard. It gets pretty dark, but the characters keep their heads up through even the most harrowing challenges. Romance was present but it was not a super time-consuming theme. It was fun to see characters from "Firekeeper's Daughter," but while it wasn't a direct sequel, I did find myself wishing that I had read it more recently so the characters were fresher in my mind. Finally, I think this will be great on audio--that is how I read Boulley's first book, and it was a great way to absorb the language.
whatsellorareading's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
leahhwright's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
valluutran's review
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
wow i loved this!!!! angeline boulley blew me away with firekeeper’s daughter, so i was absolutely thrilled to get my hands on an arc of warrior girl unearthed.
while i think reading firekeeper would add depth to warrior girl (lots of easter eggs & callbacks!!), i also don’t think it’s truly necessary to enjoy this sequel. like firekeeper, i learned so so much about Ojibwe traditions but i really appreciated how grounded this felt in the present-day. warrior girl is set a decade after firekeeper in the same community, now tackling the issues of repatriation of tribal artifacts & missing & murdered indigenous women, girls, & two-spirit. it’s got the same fast pace, hairpin turns, & fiery characters you love (but often question their decisions!!)
you can really tell how much boulley has grown as an author in this sequel. her characters feel way more age-appropriate (our protagonist is 16) & there weren’t as many totally out of left-field moments. there’s definitely still a LOT of action packed into this book & it probably wrapped up a bit too neatly again, but it felt way more balanced & i was hooked every step of the way.
you can absolutely feel the urgency & emotion from the characters as they fight for their belongings (& ancestors — literal skeletons!!!!) to be returned & for their missing sisters, mothers, & daughters to be found. i definitely teared up multiple times!!! the story really highlights the injustice of our systems, especially against indigenous communities, in a way that is accessible & riveting.
this really blew me away as an engaging, educational, & emotional look into indigenous traditions & culture. i love learning from books that also are so riveting i can’t put down & warrior girl unearthed definitely fit the bill!! i seriously can’t sing its praises enough!!
while i think reading firekeeper would add depth to warrior girl (lots of easter eggs & callbacks!!), i also don’t think it’s truly necessary to enjoy this sequel. like firekeeper, i learned so so much about Ojibwe traditions but i really appreciated how grounded this felt in the present-day. warrior girl is set a decade after firekeeper in the same community, now tackling the issues of repatriation of tribal artifacts & missing & murdered indigenous women, girls, & two-spirit. it’s got the same fast pace, hairpin turns, & fiery characters you love (but often question their decisions!!)
you can really tell how much boulley has grown as an author in this sequel. her characters feel way more age-appropriate (our protagonist is 16) & there weren’t as many totally out of left-field moments. there’s definitely still a LOT of action packed into this book & it probably wrapped up a bit too neatly again, but it felt way more balanced & i was hooked every step of the way.
you can absolutely feel the urgency & emotion from the characters as they fight for their belongings (& ancestors — literal skeletons!!!!) to be returned & for their missing sisters, mothers, & daughters to be found. i definitely teared up multiple times!!! the story really highlights the injustice of our systems, especially against indigenous communities, in a way that is accessible & riveting.
this really blew me away as an engaging, educational, & emotional look into indigenous traditions & culture. i love learning from books that also are so riveting i can’t put down & warrior girl unearthed definitely fit the bill!! i seriously can’t sing its praises enough!!
qace90's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
- 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
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.
This book is excellent. Not exactly a sequel, but having read Fire Keeper’s Daughter, I feel, definitely added to reading experience because there are several references and call-backs to it. Full review closer to release, but please keep this on your radar!!
This book is excellent. Not exactly a sequel, but having read Fire Keeper’s Daughter, I feel, definitely added to reading experience because there are several references and call-backs to it. Full review closer to release, but please keep this on your radar!!
marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
An Afro-Indigenous girl takes the repatriation of stolen ancestors and artifacts into her own hands in Angeline Boulley’s thrilling follow-up to Firekeeper’s Daughter. Underestimated by those in power and infuriated by institutional red tape, Perry and her friends must decide if it’s better to take shortcuts or to play by the book—which will bring their relatives home safely? Set in 2014, this story is tightly woven with the ongoing crises of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People and violence against Black Americans. Read this, then take action!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Mental illness, Car accident, Grief, Pregnancy, and Confinement
Moderate: Violence, Rape, Murder, Blood, Kidnapping, Racism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Injury/injury detail, Drug use, and Child death
Minor: Vomit, Dementia, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Addiction, Police brutality, and Death of parent
afitz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
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
courtneycanread's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
Angeline has done it again. Perry reads much younger than Daunis but is twice as fiery as her auntie. I loved returning to Sugar Island to be with these characters and also the new ones we met along the way. This was also one of the few historical fiction books that I have read and wanted even more history from. I love the use of the indigenous language and the excerpts from actual anthropological studies at the opening of each chapter. I’m sad that I read this book because now who knows how long it will be before we get another one!
sarahreadsbooks_'s review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Boulley has done it again! She has written another thrilling book that simultaneously engages the reader from the start and makes the reader think about and confront the violence and Indigenous people; from the past to the present, both the living and the dead. Just as in Firekeeper’s Daughter, any predictions I made while reading were usually way off, so I was still shocked at all of the twists and reveals! I loved that we got to revisit the world/characters we first met in Firekeeper’s Daughter! I think this book is meant to be reread, which I look forward to doing once it officially comes out. I would definitely recommend this book!
Boulley has done it again! She has written another thrilling book that simultaneously engages the reader from the start and makes the reader think about and confront the violence and Indigenous people; from the past to the present, both the living and the dead. Just as in Firekeeper’s Daughter, any predictions I made while reading were usually way off, so I was still shocked at all of the twists and reveals! I loved that we got to revisit the world/characters we first met in Firekeeper’s Daughter! I think this book is meant to be reread, which I look forward to doing once it officially comes out. I would definitely recommend this book!