Review: “Warrior Girl Unearthed” is a powerful novel about reclamation. 

Boulley does a fantastic job familiarizing her readers with Ojibwe customs and traditions through the perspective of the main character Perry Firekeeper-Birch as she spends the summer looking for ways to return the ancestral remains of the Warrior Girl to her tribe. The context provided about NAGPRA, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, is very informative and shows that like many other laws in the system, it is flawed when inadequately enforced, as is the case Boulley’s novel. Perry’s frustration and despair radiates off the page and cannot help but weigh heavy on the reader’s heart every time she is denied access to her people’s sacred items and ancestral remains when she goes by-the-book. Left with no choice, Perry organizes a heist to reclaim what rightfully belongs to the Ojibwe tribe. 

While Perry begins to set her plans in motion, Indigenous women begin to disappear. This element of mystery further immersed me in the story and spreads awareness about the MMIW movement. Boulley’s shocking revelations about the killer’s connection to the stolen artifacts and remains had me on the edge of my seat! 

At its core, “Warrior Girl Unearthed” honors the history of Indigenous people and sheds light on their experiences with past and present injustices. I could not recommend it more.