Scan barcode
jasmijn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Beautifully and masterfully translated to Dutch by Aarjan and Thijs van Nimwegen, which really deserves a mention: the main character speaks her own version of English, then translated to Dutch, which the translators managed to convey without becoming too stigmatising or annoying to read. Highly recommended.
Adunni is admirable for her optimism and determination and carries through every event with courage, but a lot of bad things happen to her and those around her. Check the trigger warnings if you think you may not be up for this.
Graphic: Rape, Domestic abuse, Death, Grief, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Death of parent and Trafficking
Minor: Alcoholism, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Infidelity
laurataylor's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Death, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Slavery, and Trafficking
janeleef's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Trafficking, Slavery, Rape, Pregnancy, Abortion, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Torture, and Violence
rebekistan's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Trafficking
Minor: Abortion and Death of parent
davidbythebay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Reading (or listening) in a dialect can be a struggle for me. I found listening to this book was best for me. Once I got into the rhythm of it, I found it immersive. Paired with the slow start, which provides a lot of great material to expand the story, I struggled a bit to get into the story. I also struggled because I was trying to figure out what kind of story this was. Part coming of age novel, part mystery, part literary dive into another culture very different from my own. I was best served with just enjoying the ride and not worrying about the genre. It successfully was all of those and more.
Trigger warnings are a must! Child marriage, child rape, marital rape, physical and emotional abuse, assault and violence. There are a TON of heavy topics handled delicately and beautifully throughout. It was hard to read those scenes, yet it made it all the more real and powerful.
The ending is open enough to be satisfying yet wanting that taste more. And the final action did feel a little rushed with elements and events you really want to see come to pass not happening. I could easily see this being the start of a duology or series of books following Adunni from her youth throughout her life and experiences. I would like that, but am happy enough with where this book has settled me.
A wonderful book to bridge February and March, brining together Black and Women into one focus and frame that highlights the intersectional struggles of a young poor girl in Nigeria. A story of heart and fight, one where you feel like you are reading a thriller because it is exciting, this should be a must read for anyone. That is why,despite my few peeves, I'm still giving this a5 star rating.
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Death, Emotional abuse, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Grief, Abortion, Blood, and Infidelity
Minor: Alcohol, Infertility, Chronic illness, and Confinement
korinnagarcia's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexism, Classism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Rape, Abortion, and Adult/minor relationship
penofpossibilities's review
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, Blood, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Misogyny, and Rape
Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, Miscarriage, and Cursing
Minor: Infertility, Police brutality, Vomit, Abortion, Animal cruelty, and Death of parent
liesbethvv's review against another edition
- 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
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.
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
wikikapusta's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Trafficking, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
Minor: Abortion
ekua33's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Abortion