The Girl with the Louding Voice | One of The Best Books

5/5 stars

Adunni is 14 years old and only wants one thing. An education. She wants to learn and to be heard. Instead, her father marries her off to an old man who was looking for a third wife. A tragedy in her new family sends Adunni to Lagos where she will work as a domestic servant for a wealthy family. It is there that she works to figure out what happened to the servant, Rebecca, she replaced and figure out who she is in the process.

This was a brilliant debut. I finished in two days because I could not put it down. While the content could be heavy and sometimes triggering, Adunni captured me. Her character development throughout the entire novel was strong, and I felt extremely connected to her. I loved her interactions with the fellow employees who often acted like mentors, friends, and parents. Her resilience was inspiring. I didn’t want to put the book down because I was so invested in her future.

The plot was also exciting. Based on the back cover summary, I had assumed more of the plot would be devoted to the mystery of Rebecca’s disappearance. While this theme showed up, it was definitely not a main point. Despite this, I was not disappointed and I didn’t feel like I was lacking anything. Adunni was such a strong character, I was only concerned with her well-being and path to an education.

This has become one of my all-time favorite novels. If you are looking for a story of heartbreak, resilience, and finding your voice, this is the book for you.