Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Sceptre Books
Purchase: Amazon
Rating: 4/5
Book Summary
Abi Dare’s new debut novel, “The Girl with the Louding Voice,” is compendious, Engaging, and very powerful. A powerful, emotional book in the unforgettable voice of a young Nigerian girl trapped in a life of slavery and bondage, which is exceptionally determined to fight for her dreams and goals. The story is based in Nigeria, and we all know that Nigeria and various other countries underdeveloped and developing countries have so many women suffering from poverty, illiteracy, and ignorance. Nigeria is a country located in West Africa. You can experience several verses of the tribal lives in this book.
“Adunni” was the center of this book, which is 14 years old Nigerian girl who narrates her own story. Adunni’s mother has told her to stand for herself and her dreams, and to do it; she has to raise her voice if needed. The only thing she wants in life is Education, and she never stopped dreaming about it despite several ups and downs and the challenges she faced in her life the entire book.
About the Author
Abi Daré grew up in Lagos, Nigeria and has lived in the UK for eighteen years. She studied law at the University of Wolverhampton and has an M.Sc. in International Project Management from Glasgow Caledonian University as well as an MA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck University of London. The Girl with the Louding Voice won The Bath Novel Award for unpublished manuscripts in 2018 and was also selected as a finalist in 2018 The Literary Consultancy Pen Factor competition. Abi lives in Essex with her husband and two daughters, who inspired her to write her debut novel.
Review
Adunni’s mother, always advice her to speak her mind and be vocal for her future and needs. But despite, her father sold her as a third wife of a local older man in return for the community money. Addunni left with no option but to marry a man of her father’s age who is already married to 2 more women and had four daughters. She has to marry the older man because he wants an heir to his family.
The title of the book “The girl with the louding Voice” is very apt and suits well the center character Adunni. She faced harsh situations in her forced married life. Adunni always speaks her mind whatever she feels is right. She never left her hope to see the school and get an education. She was raped by her “husband,” who has a daughter her age, harassed by her husband’s 1st wife. After so many twists and turns in life and she ends up in Lagos as the servant of Big Madam. She moved to Lagos again in the hope of getting an education in return. Although called a “house-girl,” she is a slave because her wages are withheld from her and given to her procurer.
Her struggles never ends there; when she entered the Big Madam’s house, she was ignorant of the fact that cruel people don’t have a tag with there name; they are everywhere. She was in so much love with the books and her dream to get an education she bears everything. Even she fought for the other girl as well. Adunni never disappoints you by the narration of the story with her not-so-good English, as she was still able to communicate well with her louding voice.
The sweet part of the book was the interaction and the exchange of knowledge between Tia, a wealthy environmental consultant, a doctor’s wife who lives nearby and 14 years old Adunni. Tia took risks to educate Adunni because she was determined towards Education and School.
The story mentioned in this book is essential to understand the lives lived by the women of Nigeria. Girls forced into the marriage and lead to a traumatic experience, no education, domestic Violence, Slavery, and abuse. Education and knowledge can be the weapons to improve the lives of these women.