REVIEW: The Girl with the Louding Voice (Abi Daré)

Book: The Girl with the Louding Voice

Author: Abi Daré

My rating: 4.5/5.

Premise: As a third wife in a small Nigerian village, fourteen-year-old Adunni is expected to fade into silence. But Adunni will not keep quiet. Despite adversity at every turn, she's set on getting an education. Determined not to settle for her fate, Adunni embarks on a journey from her village to the wealthy enclaves of Lagos. A journey that will change her life.

[⚠️CW: rape, domestic abuse]

This book is powerful and was an eye-opener for me into the hardships facing many women in Nigeria. Throughout the story, Adunni chases her dream to get an education, despite the mistreatment she receives everywhere she goes. And my god, her story is harrowing at times. The book is written in a broken English dialect, which made me hear Adunni's voice telling the story, rather than my own. Through her eyes, we see how women are treated and we feel her anger at the inequality and injustice. But there is also hope as Adunni and other female characters dream of how they will change things, for example setting up a school for girls. For me, this book made me see my white privilege and made me realise how lucky I am, especially as a woman, to be able to get an education and live a sheltered life. An eye-opener. I highly recommend.