A review by brittanythechronicreader
Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

WOW. Masquerade was one of the best books I've read in 2023 and possibly my favorite general fiction book this year. This story, loosely based on the myth of Hades and Persephone, is set in 15th century West Africa. The main character is a marginalized girl from Timbuktu who is kidnapped by the Alaafin (emperor) of Yorubaland who decides she will be his second wife. Her kidnapping causes a chain of events to occur throughout the kindgdom that she must deal with to maintain her place at court. This book kept me on my toes the entire time. From the very first page, Sangoyomi drew me in with her beautiful writing and fast-paced plot. The imagery in this book is incredible. The scenery, buildings, and outfits were described so vividly that I felt like I was there next to the characters. This story took political drama and court drama to a new level, and I cannot recommend this enough if you have any interest in either. The main character, Ododo is one of the best morally grey characters I've ever read, and I never fully landed on whether I loved or hated her. This story fleshed out the complex realities of being a woman in a patriarchal society, and it did so without moralizing or being too on the nose. My only critique of this book is that the pacing in the first quarter feels off. The first part moves a bit too rapidly, but it doesn't take away from the book as a whole. If you are interested in historical fiction, court drama, West African fiction, feminist literature, Black fiction, or books at all, I would highly recommend this read.
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