Mama say: “Your schooling is your voice, child.
It will be speaking for you even if you didn’t open your mouth to talk.
It will be speaking till the day God is calling you come.”
That day, I tell myself that even if I am not getting anything in this life,
I will go to school and become Teacher.
Because I don’t just want to be having any kind voice . . .
I want a louding voice.
14-year-old Adunni has a dream: to be educated. But her father needs her bride-price, so sells his daughter to an older man, who demands she give him the fine boy-children his first two wives have failed to produce.
When things go tragically wrong, Adunni flees to Lagos. It’s what she has always wanted, to leave Ikati and see the world, and though her heart is full of sorrow for her lost family and the shame she has left behind, still Adunni will not be quiet and do as she’s told.
Sold again as a housemaid to a successful businesswoman, she continues to question all she sees: why Big Madam, in her big house, has a cage of sadness round her soul; what happened to Rebecca, the girl who worked in her place before; and whether it is possible, when you are born into a life of no money and plenty suffering, to become a somebody of value.
(P) 2020 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
It will be speaking for you even if you didn’t open your mouth to talk.
It will be speaking till the day God is calling you come.”
That day, I tell myself that even if I am not getting anything in this life,
I will go to school and become Teacher.
Because I don’t just want to be having any kind voice . . .
I want a louding voice.
14-year-old Adunni has a dream: to be educated. But her father needs her bride-price, so sells his daughter to an older man, who demands she give him the fine boy-children his first two wives have failed to produce.
When things go tragically wrong, Adunni flees to Lagos. It’s what she has always wanted, to leave Ikati and see the world, and though her heart is full of sorrow for her lost family and the shame she has left behind, still Adunni will not be quiet and do as she’s told.
Sold again as a housemaid to a successful businesswoman, she continues to question all she sees: why Big Madam, in her big house, has a cage of sadness round her soul; what happened to Rebecca, the girl who worked in her place before; and whether it is possible, when you are born into a life of no money and plenty suffering, to become a somebody of value.
(P) 2020 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
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Reviews
A stunning novel - original, beautiful and powerful. I was utterly captivated by Adunni and her mesmerising louding voice
A bold new storyteller . . . Abi Daré's fearless debut is a celebration of girls who dare to dream and those who help them unfurl their wings so that they might soar
Adunni's voice weaves and dances its way across the pages with a rhythm that captivated me, astonished me and, more than once, broke my heart
Heartbreaking and inspiring. Daré provides a valuable reminder of all the young women around the world who are struggling to be heard and how important it is that we listen to them. A moving story of what it means to fight for the right to live the life you choose
A character for the ages. Adunni is a girl who narrates her own suffering with levity, who paints depth and texture and beauty into her Nigerian homeland, who tenderly cultivates her own humanity even while everything around her seeks to thwart it. She is an ambassador for girls everywhere. She is important, funny, brave, and enduring. Abi Daré has written an unforgettable novel, by the strength of her own louding voice
A dazzling year for debut novelists . . . This 2018 Bath Novel Award winner takes a long, hard look at modern slavery through the eyes of 14-year-old Adunni
A true original, this will open your eyes
Abi Daré's book is compulsive reading
A story of courage that will win over your heart
A powerful debut novel . . . Compelling . . . Readers will fall in love with Adunni . . . The writing is addictive and deeply evocative. A beautiful debut from a talented author
Winning comedy sparkles through the grimness . . . it's the vividly alive characters that keep you hooked, all the way to Daré's rousing, heart-swelling conclusion
A bravely determined heroine
Gives an eloquent voice to the victims of modern slavery
Pick the novel up now
Resilience and beauty of language are at the heart of this story of domestic slavery
Adunni's humour and fierce determination to change her destiny shine through this remarkable book
A brave, fresh voice . . . Daré draws the reader in with a vivid character whose dire circumstances are contrasted with her natural creativity . . . Unforgettable
The story told in this novel is an important one . . . The Girl with the Louding Voice joins a long and fine tradition of issue-led novels that have sparked conversations resulting in social change
Narrated by Adunni herself in a brilliantly sustained broken English, this ultimately uplifting debut novel shines a penetrating light on the barbaric practices of child labour and child marriage
Abi Daré makes a sparkling literary debut . . . and marks the appearance of a strong and stylish new talent
Compelling and captivating . . . an unforgettable novel and, in Adunni, the author has created a truly unforgettable voice
Despite the heartbreaking subject matter, this is a story of hope . . . a compelling read
Incredible . . . packs an emotional punch
It's an amazing book . . . I heartily recommend
This is a compelling, captivating and unforgettable debut
An impressive debut novel
A virtuosic study of female loss, determination, and of the subversive potential of words . . . It magnificently reveals how language constructs us as humans. With immense skill, Daré creates an irresistible energy and powerfully sustains it on every page
Adunni's humour and fierce determination to change her destiny shine through this remarkable debut novel
Daré's characters leap off the page, powering this funny, luminous and heart-swelling tale
Abi Daré is a writer who not only knows how to create a powerful sensory impression, but also one who can really work the rhythm, texture and music of language. The words jump off the page . . . The Girl with the Louding Voice never feels like standard fare. It's lifted not only by the verve of its prose, but also its touching explorations of friendship and solidarity. It has an emotional connection that remains strong even in the final pages
A vibrant, tender, beautiful novel
Inspiring . . . explores a spirit and hope that cannot be contained even in the grimmest of circumstances
In Nigeria, and around the world, girls are fighting for their right to learn. I'm grateful to Abi for showing the challenges Nigerian girls face and showcasing the power of their voices
A courageous story
I'm a big fan of hyper-realistic dialogue and using the sounds of a world to shape the energy of a novel, and so I was immediately drawn to The Girl with the Louding Voice . . . Adunni is a youthful, dynamic guide with serious bite and poetic language
Gorgeous, devastating and unforgettable. I am enraptured by this book
The book character I love the most is . . . Abi Daré's brilliant Adunni