Abi Dare has set the world on fire with an incredible first novel about Adunni, a fourteen-year-old Nigerian girl whose dream is to get an education so she can make her own choices and have a voice about her future.

She wants a “louding voice.”

Sadly, right after her mother’s death, Adunni is sold into marriage by her father.

The family struggles to make ends meet so her father determines the bride price Adunni will fetch is a good deal.

Adunni is smart, resourceful, and eager to learn but she is unable to convince her father to change his mind. She ends up marrying a much older man and moving in with him and his two other wives and their collective children.

Due to tragic circumstances, Adunnni goes from the bad situation of a forced marriage to a more desperate one.

But she never loses her spirit of curiosity and love of learning.

And a strong desire for a better life.

What I loved about this book:

• Each chapter begins with a fact about Nigeria, so I learned a great deal about the country.
• The characters are extremely well-written and the plot is well-paced.
• The voice of Adunni comes off the page in such a real way, it’s like hearing her tell the story!
• This book would be an excellent choice for book clubs because there are many issues to discuss regarding class, culture, and sexism. (For example, Adunni’s husband marries her because his first two wives have failed to produce a son.)

I highly recommend The Girl With the Louding Voice.

Happy Reading!