The Girl with the Louding Voice - Abi Daré

This is one of those amazing books you just know will stick with you for a long time. How is this Daré's debut novel?! This is such a powerful, heart-wrenching and inspiring story, which follows our fourteen-year-old protagonist Adunni, a Nigerian girl with one dream: to get an education. Following the death of her beloved mother - who instilled the hunger for education into her from a young age - and the subsequent downfall of the family into financial hardship, Adunni has no choice as her father's only daughter but to be married off to a wealthy suitor who will save them from ruin. Adunni's new husband is far older than her and already has two wives, whom she must live alongside. The superior wives have thus far failed to produce a son for their husband, so Adunni - still a child herself - must be ready and willing to give him a male heir.

When Adunni sees an opportunity for escape, she naturally seizes a chance at freedom - ending up in a place where she is equally subservient whilst working as a housemaid, being constantly beaten and abused by her mistress Big Madam. Despite the horrors of this new home, such as the predatory drunken husband of her new mistress, Adunni finds moments to sneak off to the library and attempt to improve her vocabulary, as well as making a new friend in the resident cook who takes her under his wing. Due to the profound message her mother left her before she died, that having an education can give you a 'louding voice', Adunni will stop at nothing to ensure she escapes her life of servitude.

Daré's writing is compelling, and her narrative voice is beautifully illustrated. At the beginning of the novel, Adunni's very basic English and limited education is apparent through her child-like descriptions of her surroundings and events which take place. It is so lovely to watch this unassuming narrative voice develop into a powerful and determined young woman over the course of the story, with Adunni becoming more confident, self-assured and her English greatly improving due to her studying a Collins English dictionary she finds. If all of this wasn't enough to convince you how wonderful and empowering this book is, here's a beautiful quote to illustrate just how poignant Daré's message is:

"I want more than just a voice, I want a louding voice. I want to enter a room and people will hear me even before I open my mouth to be speaking. I want to live in this life and help many people so that when I grow old and die, I will still be living through the people I am helping."

Adunni is a loveable, charming, strong, brave protagonist who you will absolutely fall in love with, and shows just how powerful knowledge and education can be for so many disadvantaged women who decide that they will not be silenced. An absolutely stunning debut!