(4.5 ⭐) Warrior Girl Unearthed is riveting, infuriating, and has SO much heart and spirit and love. Angeline Boulley is a gifted writer, and she brings earnest teenage voices to life in a thoughtful way.

We follow teenage Perry Firekeeper-Birch, who is stuck in a summer internship that most definitely wasn’t in her plans. But after she banged up her car, she’s got to work to repay her debt. But although Perry is initially reluctant, she’s startled into action after discovering indigenous remains & ancestral items held by a local university. 

Perry is determined to learn more about NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) and bring “Warrior Girl” and others home, but the university takes advantage of every legal loophole. She starts to plan a heist with her friends – but then women start disappearing and the situation gets more complicated than ever. Perry and Team Misfit Toys must find a way to make things right.

Perry is young, fiery – and a little naive. So we get to learn alongside her, specifically about NAGPRA. She starts off with boundless energy and relentless hope. But she soon discovers that repatriation is not that simple, and that most folks don’t treat indigenous communities fairly or with respect. Perry learns the different ways you can stand up for yourself and really do the work. You can stay in line and work slowly, gritting your teeth and getting things done in heart-wrenching, agonizing, humiliating ways. But - as we see in Warrior Girl Unearthed - it’s hard not to be tempted to take matters into your own hands and get justice. 

The plot additionally has a focus on the MMIWG2S (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people) movement. Perry does not have the ability to be young or optimistic here – she knows this horrifying trend intimately. She’s lost friends and loved ones. She’s seen the cycles of missing posters. 

I really appreciated that Boulley left a list of resources & further nonfiction reading at the back of the book as well.

Perry has a lot of growing up to do, and I enjoyed witnessing her arc. She grapples with her personal hopes and dreams alongside a desire to serve and protect her community. She learns to manage her impulsivity and strengthens her bond with her “perfect” twin Pauline. She gets a splash of romance and a brand new focus.

It was a delight to be wrapped up again in the world of Sugar Island and the Ojibwe community. If you’ve read Firekeeper’s Daughter, you’ll note some references and recognize many characters (including Perry herself). 

I did sometimes feel like the actual plot/scenes were weaker than the ideas, and that Boulley didn’t grant Perry quite as much depth and unflinching exploration into complex issues compared to Daunis in her debut.  

But overall - it was a great mystery (with some heist action swirled in) with a super compelling cast. 

CW: death, grief, murder, kidnapping, confinement, racism, cultural appropriation, colonization, car accident, pedophilia, sexual harassment, sexual assault, injury, genocide, pregnancy

Follow me on TikTok for book recommendations!

(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)