Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.38 AVERAGE
4.38 AVERAGE
De manier waarop het geschreven is, vroeg wat tijd om te wennen maar is essentieel aan het verhaal van Adunni. Neem die tijd voor dit verhaal want het zal je bij blijven.
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
This was a good story. I can't imagine basically having the world turn against you at the age of 14. I liked the main character & many other characters were written well. There was some interesting Nigerian history thrown in, too.
I loved the accents of the audiobook.
I loved the accents of the audiobook.
medium-paced
The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré is a heartfelt and powerful story, particularly in the way it centers women’s bodies, girls’ autonomy, and the longing for freedom. What struck me most was how the novel highlights these struggles outside the Black American lens. Though fictional, Adunni’s story mirrors countless real ones—girls and women being treated as property, forced to meet their family’s needs first, often through prearranged marriages. Yet in Adunni’s heart, she wants nothing more than to finish school, to teach, and to use her voice to help others in the same circumstances. Yet, all of it must be put on hold.
From the start, I appreciated how authentically Daré allows us to see through Adunni’s eyes. I don’t often like to use the word resilient (especially since it’s so often used to define Black people and our forced tenacity to “make it do what it do”—spoiler alert: we don't often have a choice), but it’s the word that came to mind with her character. Her path to freedom and autonomy is rooted in community—a reminder of the truth I hold: it’s through community that we all get free. Even as she is forced to learn hard lessons about trust, she clings to her mother’s advice: “Adunni, you must do good for other peoples, even if you are not well, even if the whole world around you is not well.” For me, this wasn’t about sacrificing herself, but about holding on to her innate goodness in a world determined to strip it away. Adunni never becomes hardened; instead, she grows more aware, more focused, and wiser through her experiences. There were times I felt deep sadness at the hatred and judgment Adunni endured, sometimes even from women who looked like her. Yet she never allowed their cruelty to define or break her spirit. If this book had a title track, it would be Beyoncé’s Break My Soul. That’s the energy I felt as I followed Adunni’s journey.
Another theme that stood out was how far people will go to “save face,” prioritizing appearances over reality—often at the expense of those already marginalized. That was infuriating to witness, and I often found myself angry at those around Adunni while simply wanting her to be safe. The story reminded me of how often Black girls’ and women’s voices are silenced worldwide by patriarchy and misogynoir. At times it was a hard read, because these dynamics are still alive and here in America, it is resurfacing with even greater force, and for many of us, these dynamics have never left. It has never been enough to create our own spaces or shatter ceilings; systems still try desperately to silence us.
I also appreciated how Daré wove in facts about Nigeria—its culture, politics, and realities. Those details were a gift, opening my eyes to a country I know too little about.
Though I could sense the direction of the ending, I was unsure of the path, which kept me invested until the last page. Overall, I’d give this book a 3.8/5 and definitely recommend it.
emotional
hopeful
sad
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-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
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
Avevo aspettative abbastanza alte per questo libro, nonostante sia un po' fuori dalla mia comfort zone, e purtroppo non sono state raggiunte del tutto.
Il grande scoglio, per me, è stato lo stile di scrittura: l'autrice utilizza il Broken English (e un italiano sgrammaticato in traduzione) per riprodurre il modo di parlare dei nigeriano con poca istruzione come Adunni, la protagonista. Purtroppo però, invece di farmi entrare maggiormente nella storia e nel contesto, questo stile ha creato per me un muro insormontabile che non mi ha permesso il minimo coinvolgimento nelle vicende della protagonista. Peccato, perché la trama merita.
Il grande scoglio, per me, è stato lo stile di scrittura: l'autrice utilizza il Broken English (e un italiano sgrammaticato in traduzione) per riprodurre il modo di parlare dei nigeriano con poca istruzione come Adunni, la protagonista. Purtroppo però, invece di farmi entrare maggiormente nella storia e nel contesto, questo stile ha creato per me un muro insormontabile che non mi ha permesso il minimo coinvolgimento nelle vicende della protagonista. Peccato, perché la trama merita.