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A review by onyourmarkgetreading
The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
5.0
Just loved this book. Adunni is a character that will stay with you for a long time. At first I thought the dialect would distract me from reading but it just drew me more into the book and felt genuine to Adunni’s character. I even noticed later as she learned English more that the author was able to change her language a bit to show her progress.
The whole book is about Adunni finding the strength to get her louding voice so she can do what she always wanted - get an education. The values her mother instilled in her before her death were priceless to Adunni. Nothing could stop her. She carried on no matter what stood in her way.
Unlike her mother, the men in her life were damaging to her. Her father betrayed her. Morofu abused her. Mr. Kola sold her into slavery. Big Daddy tried to rape her. Only Kofi and Abu at her housemaid job were able to offer some sign to Adunni that not all men are out to destroy her.
Does this speak to a woman’s role in Nigeria? It seems like woman can be so successful in Nigerian culture and that they own many businesses like Big Madam, but even still they succumb to abuse.
Her strength and perseverance are so remarkable. “Tomorrow will be better than today” is sort of her mantra that she passes on to Ms. Tia when she is is forced into a ritual bath that leads to her flogging or torture as a way to bear children.
Thankfully Ms. Tia comes to Adunnis rescue and helps earn a scholarship. Ms. Tia and Khadijah were mother figures to Adunni and helped her find her way.
One of my favorite parts of this book is a small scene with Adunni and her brother. When her brother is forced to search for her by their father when she runs for Morofu he finds her hiding in squalor. Their eyes meet and he doesn’t reveal her to their dad. The utmost act of sibling love. It moved me.
Loved loved loved this book. Tragedy and triumph. Everyone was rooting for Adunni. I can’t wait for this to be a movie.
The whole book is about Adunni finding the strength to get her louding voice so she can do what she always wanted - get an education. The values her mother instilled in her before her death were priceless to Adunni. Nothing could stop her. She carried on no matter what stood in her way.
Unlike her mother, the men in her life were damaging to her. Her father betrayed her. Morofu abused her. Mr. Kola sold her into slavery. Big Daddy tried to rape her. Only Kofi and Abu at her housemaid job were able to offer some sign to Adunni that not all men are out to destroy her.
Does this speak to a woman’s role in Nigeria? It seems like woman can be so successful in Nigerian culture and that they own many businesses like Big Madam, but even still they succumb to abuse.
Her strength and perseverance are so remarkable. “Tomorrow will be better than today” is sort of her mantra that she passes on to Ms. Tia when she is is forced into a ritual bath that leads to her flogging or torture as a way to bear children.
Thankfully Ms. Tia comes to Adunnis rescue and helps earn a scholarship. Ms. Tia and Khadijah were mother figures to Adunni and helped her find her way.
One of my favorite parts of this book is a small scene with Adunni and her brother. When her brother is forced to search for her by their father when she runs for Morofu he finds her hiding in squalor. Their eyes meet and he doesn’t reveal her to their dad. The utmost act of sibling love. It moved me.
Loved loved loved this book. Tragedy and triumph. Everyone was rooting for Adunni. I can’t wait for this to be a movie.