The Girl with the Louding Voice

Adunni, is a 14-year-old who recently finds out she is about to be sold into marriage to a much-older man- who already has two other wives.  Adunni will be his third wife and will be expected to bring him a son.  All Adunni wants in life is an education, she wants to become a teacher.  She dreams of becoming a teacher.  

Her father needs the money, so he arranges Adunni’s marriage to get rent money, animals, and liquor.  Marrying off your young daughters is customary in this village.  The women are expected to marry early, have lots of sons, and take care of their men.  Adunni, does as she is told, and marries.  She is unhappy and hates her new circumstance. 

A few months into her new life,  Adunni finds herself in a difficult situation.  She decides to run away to a neighboring village where a family friend helps her escape to Lagos and finds her a job as an indentured servant.  

Her new life is not better.  It might even be worst.  She is beaten and expected to work long hours.  Her hopes of getting an education seem out of reach, until the house cook befriends her and informs her of a scholarship she could apply for.  If she is chosen, she would go to university and all schooling would be paid for.  She could finally become a Teacher.

Even though faced with so much adversity, Adunni remains positive and hopeful that her situation will get better.  Her love of people and her strength and kindness remain steadfast.  She gets stronger and stronger with each chapter- she not only survives, she thrives.

A wonderful choice for a book club- I can just imagine the lively discussion that would ensue. 🙂

I especially love that the author has two daughters who remained her guiding light while writing this novel.  Abi Dare has provided a good example of what courage, fortitude, and the desire to better oneself looks like. Adunni fights for the life she imagines, she does not settle for the live she is given.