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korinnagarcia's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a heavy story to read, but the hope and perseverance Adunni has is beautiful and against all odds, she finds her way in the world. I learned a lot about Nigeria by reading this book, and I definitely needed my eyes opened and my world expanded. I loved her passion and dedication to wanting to obtain an education so eventually she could become a teacher and help out other girls in her village. Really makes you appreciate our wonderful free education which a lot of us take for granted. You truly get to know and love Adunni, I finished the book a couple days ago and I miss her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexism, Classism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Rape, Abortion, and Adult/minor relationship
liesbethvv's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I read this book for a Reading Around The World bookclub and after our discussion, I kept my rating of 4 stars.
The Girl with the Louding Voice is the story of Adunni, a teenage girl being married off to an old man as a third wife who endures many hardships (do check the trigger warnings) but keeps insisting on trying to make life beter for herself and fighting for her education. She talks us through her experiences in her broken English, that gets better as she learns towards the end of the book. This is a gimmick that takes some getting used too, but certainly helped to transport me to Nigeria and Adunni's reality.
Sometimes Adunni broaches societal issues in a way that I feel is too unrealistic for a 14yo girl with a basic education and that made it feel a little forced sometimes, with social criticism being mentioned too literal to my taste. On the other hand, some of her returns are quite insightful or just plain funny.
Adunni's story captivated me, moved me and made me hope for better for her and many others in her life.
One thing to note is that this book was written for a western audience, published in the UK and might not be very representative of Nigerian literature.
The Girl with the Louding Voice is the story of Adunni, a teenage girl being married off to an old man as a third wife who endures many hardships (do check the trigger warnings) but keeps insisting on trying to make life beter for herself and fighting for her education. She talks us through her experiences in her broken English, that gets better as she learns towards the end of the book. This is a gimmick that takes some getting used too, but certainly helped to transport me to Nigeria and Adunni's reality.
Sometimes Adunni broaches societal issues in a way that I feel is too unrealistic for a 14yo girl with a basic education and that made it feel a little forced sometimes, with social criticism being mentioned too literal to my taste. On the other hand, some of her returns are quite insightful or just plain funny.
Adunni's story captivated me, moved me and made me hope for better for her and many others in her life.
One thing to note is that this book was written for a western audience, published in the UK and might not be very representative of Nigerian literature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Abortion, Classism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Grief, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Trafficking
Minor: Religious bigotry, Racism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Murder
ree333's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Classism, Child abuse, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship
jedore's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
"...the future is always working, always busy unfolding better things, and even if it doesn't seem so sometimes, we have hope of it."
This book pulled me into the life of a young Nigerian girl from the very first page and didn't let go until very late last night when I hit the author's acknowledgments. đ
If you've lived a life of white privilege as I have, it'll make you rue the day you ever complained about a single damn thing. By the end, you'll (hopefully) be fired up enough to take action to make a difference in the life of a young girl living in a country where women are still viewed as property.
The young girl at the heart of this heart wrenching and inspirational story is 14 year old Adunniâand I'm madly in love with her.
Although the story is filled with hardship, tragedy, abuse and violence that NO child should ever be subjected to, somehow it's not totally depressingâprobably because Abi manages to convey how each and every part of Adunni's story plays a part in making her wiser and emboldens her to fight fiercely for her survival and education so she can help herself and others like her.
This story solidified my stance on the "hardships" in my own lifeâthey serve a purpose, they make me better, and I need them to develop a strong sense of empathy that drives me to make this world a better place.
This book pulled me into the life of a young Nigerian girl from the very first page and didn't let go until very late last night when I hit the author's acknowledgments. đ
If you've lived a life of white privilege as I have, it'll make you rue the day you ever complained about a single damn thing. By the end, you'll (hopefully) be fired up enough to take action to make a difference in the life of a young girl living in a country where women are still viewed as property.
The young girl at the heart of this heart wrenching and inspirational story is 14 year old Adunniâand I'm madly in love with her.
Although the story is filled with hardship, tragedy, abuse and violence that NO child should ever be subjected to, somehow it's not totally depressingâprobably because Abi manages to convey how each and every part of Adunni's story plays a part in making her wiser and emboldens her to fight fiercely for her survival and education so she can help herself and others like her.
This story solidified my stance on the "hardships" in my own lifeâthey serve a purpose, they make me better, and I need them to develop a strong sense of empathy that drives me to make this world a better place.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Rape, and Sexual assault
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