I enjoyed talking to Angeline Boulley about her newest book, Warrior Girl Unearthed — and about the setting for her story set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
She is the bestselling author of 2021’s Firekeeper’s Daughter and this book carries on the story about the Chippewa Indians—Ojibwe—who live on Michigan’s Sugar Island.
In this thriller, Perry Firekeeper-Birch is involved in a thriller that has her fighting for the return of her tribes ancient bones as she is caught up in the mytery of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Firekeeper’s Daughter was a tremendous success that garnered much praise, including becoming an NY Times instant bestseller, a TIME magazine Best YA Book of all Time, Amazon Best YA Book, Reese Witherspoon’s YA BOOK CLUB pick. It was picked by President Obama and Michelle Obama to be featured in the streaming video on Netflix.
This further adventure of Perry Firekeeper-Birch is a compelling read. Angeline’s beautiful writing brings page-turning tension as the brave young girl proves that she has the courage to stand up for her people–even when her life if in danger.
About the book:
Perry Firekeeper-Birch has always known who she is – the laidback twin, the troublemaker, the best fisher on Sugar Island. Her aspirations won’t ever take her far from home, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. But as the rising number of missing Indigenous women starts circling closer to home, as her family becomes embroiled in a high-profile murder investigation, and as greedy grave robbers seek to profit off of what belongs to her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry begins to question everything.
In order to reclaim this inheritance for her people, Perry has no choice but to take matters into her own hands. She can only count on her friends and allies, including her overachieving twin and a charming new boy in town with unwavering morals. Old rivalries, sister secrets, and botched heists cannot – will not – stop her from uncovering the mystery before the ancestors and missing women are lost forever.
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Praise for Angeline Boulley's writing...
“This is one bold, uncompromising and elegantly crafted debut.” ―Courtney Summers, New York Times-bestselling author of Sadie
“Intricate and moving. Boulley takes the reader on an incredible journey with the assurance of a veteran novelist.” ―Tochi Onyebuchi, award-winning author of Beasts Made of Night and Riot Baby
“[An] absolute powerhouse of a debut.” ―NPR
“Another YA novel that’s absolutely page-turning required reading for adults…Our heroine is so smart, so thoughtful, and so good.” ―Glamour
“A gorgeous insight into Anishinaabe culture and a page-turning YA thriller with a healthy dose of romance thrown in, Firekeeper’s Daughter hits all of the right notes.” ―Hypable
“Hitting hard when it comes to issues such as citizenship, language revitalization, and the corrosive presence of drugs on Native communities, this novel will long stand in the hearts of both Native and non-Native audiences.” ―Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
… Though it both shocks and thrills, in the end, what leaves you breathless is Firekeeper’s Daughter’s blazing heart.” ―BookPage, Starred Review
