Sisters in the Wind
Angeline Boulley
Henry Holt & Co.
Published September 2, 2025

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About Sisters in the Wind

From the instant New York Times bestselling author of Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed comes a daring new mystery about a foster teen claiming her heritage on her own terms.

Ever since Lucy Smith’s father died five years ago, “home” has been more of an idea than a place. She knows being on the run is better than anything waiting for her as a “ward of the state.” But when the sharp-eyed and kind Mr. Jameson with an interest in her case comes looking for her, Lucy wonders if hiding from her past will ever truly keep her safe.

Five years in the foster system has taught her to be cautious and smart. But she wants to believe Mr. Jameson and his “friend-not-friend,” a tall and fierce-looking woman who say they want to look after her.

They also tell Lucy the truth her father hid from her: She is Ojibwe; she has – had – a sister, and more siblings; a grandmother who’d look after her and a home where she would be loved.

But Lucy is being followed. The past has destroyed any chance of normal she has had, and now the secrets she’s hiding will swallow her whole and take away the future she always dreamed of.

My Review

I read a story collection recently that included a short story by Angeline Boulley. I recognized her writing immediately. She’s an amazing storyteller.

Sisters in the Wind is a standalone novel, but it has characters in it from Firekeeper’s Daughter. I loved getting to see those characters again. The only downside was that it pulled my attention away from what was happening to Lucy sometimes. (I don’t want to say anything that spoils Firekeeper’s Daughter for anyone who hasn’t read it yet. But I was on the edge of my seat watching the characters reappear in this book.)

The timeline jumps back and forth between Lucy’s past, showing scenes moving toward the present, and the present, in which Lucy knows she’s in danger but we don’t know why. As the story unfolds, the mystery of who’s following Lucy and how much danger she’s in slowly becomes clear, and the tension ratchets upward.

I liked Lucy as a character. Her relationship with her dad shows how young she is when he dies. It’s clear to the reader that her dad has some issues, but Lucy idolizes him in a way that kids do with their parents. Later in the story, she begins revisiting some of the things her dad said to her and some parts of his story that, upon reflection, don’t add up. Her growth there was nicely done and felt pretty realistic.

In terms of Boulley’s other books, this one takes place between Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl, Unearthed. Each book explores a cultural issue and how it affects Native communities. Sisters in the Wind discusses ICWA and how foster care has been used in the past to disrupt tribal connections and culture. That’s not what the story is truly about, but because of Lucy’s experience in care, it comes up and she gets involved in an organization trying to help.

Conclusion

I keep asking myself whether I liked this book as much as or better than Angeline Boulley’s earlier books, and I think that’s the wrong question. There are some similarities between the books, and I was hooked as I read all of them. The question, for me, is whether this book expands the conversation that I think this writer has with her readers about what it’s like to be Native today in America, and how history continues to impact that experience (as it does for us all).

I like how this book builds on her earlier work. I like that it explores a foster care experience, and not totally in a negative way. (Her first placement was wonderful, but subsequent placements were awful. Her caseworker made some huge mistakes.) It also celebrates building one’s own community and learning to hold love for imperfect people.

All in all, loved it. Read this if you were a fan of her other books. If you want to read Firekeeper’s Daughter but haven’t yet, I recommend you start there, since the plot of this one will include spoilers.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Lucy developed curves at a young age and feels creeped out by the unwelcome attention boys (and men) pay to her body. One boy tries to assault her. (She fights him off.) References to a child being molested (not shown on scene). A couple of scenes show kissing. Vague reference to Lucy picking up on clues that another couple is having sex. One scene includes a sexual encounter. Descriptions of pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

Spiritual Content
Lucy was raised attending church with her dad and honoring the ten commandments. She begins learning about giving thanks and praying according to her Native spiritual beliefs.

Violent Content
An explosion injures several people. Mentions of fire destroying a home or building, sometimes causing death. A teen attempts to assault a girl. She fights him, landing him in the emergency room. References to child molestation (not shown on scene). A murderer confesses to killing someone. References to a drug overdose. A man threatens others with a gun, shooting someone.

Drug Content
In one scene, teens sit around a campfire with alcohol or marijuana. An adult smokes a cigarette.

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