May - theme: Modern Slavery
The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
When I asked my friends and relatives for themes for my book reading bonanza I have to say I was not expecting "modern slavery" and when Brent said it, my first reaction was woah. After some research and a trip to the library which coincided with a preschoolers craft morning I decided on The Girl with the Louding Voice.
I initially wrote this review by explaining what happens in the book. Then I deleted all of that. I cannot write as beautifully as Adunni, our protagonist, so I think I will let her talk for herself in her louding voice:
"Come close," Papa say. I know he want to tell me something bad. I can see it inside his eyes; his eyesballs have the dull of a brown stone that been sitting inside hot sun for too long. He have the same eyes when he was telling me, three years ago that I must stop my educations."
"I rub my chest, where the too many questions is causing a sore, climb to my feets with a sigh, and walk to the window. Outside, the moon is read, hanging too low the sky, be as if God pluck out His angry eye and throw it inside our compound."
"I didn't ever see that nonsense Mr. Kola man since he dropped me in this house. Mr. Kola is a slave trader. Him and Big Madam, they are slave-trading people like me. Only difference is I am not wearing a chain. I am a slave with no chain."
Thank you Brent for putting me on this journey and thank you Abi Daré for writing this book and allowing me to voyage with Adunni. This was a brilliant book, the type of book that will stick with me for years to come. Many chapters in Adunni's story were awful but she never fully lost her hope and her determination and her sense of her own self-worth even while those around her didn't see it. Beyond that the writing was exquisite and vivid. I almost feel like I have visited Nigeria just by reading this story.