Genre: Contemporary / Mystery
Book Type: Audio
Author: Angeline Boulley
Narrator: Isabella Star LaBlanc
Pages / Length: 496 pages / 14 hours and 13 minutes
Publisher: Henry Hold and Co. (BYR) (March 16, 2021) / Macmillan Audio
Book Description:
Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team.
Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug.
Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, drawing on her knowledge of chemistry and Ojibwe traditional medicine to track down the source. But the search for truth is more complicated than Daunis imagined, exposing secrets and old scars. At the same time, she grows concerned with an investigation that seems more focused on punishing the offenders than protecting the victims.
Now, as the deceptions―and deaths―keep growing, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she’ll go for her community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known.
Thoughts: Between the beautiful book art in the cover of the book to the use of "yous", I was instantly hooked on this one. This book is so complex and powerful - from the discussions around what it means to be Native American today, while holding on to the past, to drugs, youth, and young love, this book covers a variety of topics. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating mystery, while bringing awareness to present day issues around culture.
Favorite Quotes:
🦋 "Its hard when being Native means different things depending on who's asking and why," he says.
"And to some people, you'll never be Native enough," I add.
"Yeah. It's your identity, but it gets defined or controlled by other people." (page 55)
🦋 The stilettos aren't fuck-me shoes.
They are fuck-you shoes. (page 119)
🦋 When it's time to sign the agreement, the pen is fancy [...] It weighs more than an ordinary pen. Maybe the U.S. Attorney's Office does this on purpose: The heavy burdens begin with your signature. (page 130)
🦋 [...] "I gotta focus on school. You focus on yourself. We gotta stand on our own feet separately. Don't you see? I can't stand on my own if I'm always holding you up." (page 259)
🦋 What he thought was a love medicine was actually the opposite of love. Real love honors your spirit. If you need a medicine to create or keep it, that's possession and control. Not love. (page 334)
🦋 Wisdom is not bestowed. In its raw state, it is the heartbreak of knowing things you wish you didn't. (page 393)
🦋 "Children are never to blame for their parents' lives. Parents are the adults; we are the ones responsible for our choices and how we handle things." She sits taller at the revelation. "If I'm in limbo, it's because I chose to remain there. Even inaction is a powerful choice." (page 394)
🦋 I'm reminded that our Elders are our greatest resource, embodying our culture and community. Their stories connect us to our language, medicines, land, clans, songs, and traditions. They are a bridge between the Before and the Now, guiding those of us who will carry on in the Future. (page 453)
🦋 "It's your journey. You gotta do your work and I gotta do mine." I taste salt from my tears. "Your need scares me. I'm afraid I'll focus on your needs over mine. [...] I love you... and I love myself. I want us to be healthy and strong. [...] Love means wanting you to have a good life, even if I'm not in it. And your love for me? It should be that strong, so you want that for me, too." (page 477)
🦋 "It's good to know our tribal history and what our ancestors went through. It's important to know the truth, even when it makes us feel sad." (page 485)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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