LoveReading Says
A powerful, emotional debut novel told in the unforgettable voice of a young Nigerian girl who is determined to get an education so that she can escape her servitude.
Meet Adunni. I've never met anyone like her. She's smart, funny, determined, and this shines through on every page of her journey. Never before have I read a book where the voice is so strong, as you read the book, you are reading it in Adunni's words, hearing her voice.
Adunni's mother is passionate about Adunni getting a good education: "Your schooling is your voice child. It will be speaking for you even if you didn’t open your mouth to talk. It be speaking until the day God be calling you to come."
The spirited Adunni isn't just happy with a voice, she wants a "louding voice", she wants to be heard, to stand up, to make her own decisions and pave the way for other girls behind her. But her plans are dashed when her mother dies and her father sells her to a rich much older man, and she joins his two other wives with sole aim of bearing him a son.
Tragedy strikes, Adunni's forced to run and ends up in another evil house as a maid to an abusive family in Lagos.
This is a beautiful book about an incredible 14 year old girl and the relationships she makes on her path to find her louding voice, the people she befriends with her intelligence, courage and strength. And I absolutely adored it. Adunni, you captivated me. Your Mama would be very proud.
LoveReading
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Abi Daré Press Reviews
[A] brave, fresh voice . . . Dare draws the reader in with a vivid character whose dire circumstances are contrasted with her natural creativity . . . Unforgettable - New York Times
An impressive debut novel - Observer
Adunni's humour and fierce determination to change her destiny shine through this remarkable book. - Independent
The story told in this novel is an important one . . . The Girl with the Louding Voice joins a long and fine tradition of issue-led novels that have sparked conversations resulting in social change. - Guardian
Narrated by Adunni herself in a brilliantly sustained broken English, this ultimately uplifting debut novel shines a penetrating light on the barbaric practices of child labour and child marriage - Mail on Sunday
This is a compelling, captivating and unforgettable debut - Mirror
Dare's characters leap off the page, powering this funny, luminous and heart-swelling tale - Daily Mail, Summer Fiction Special
A vibrant, tender, beautiful novel -- Elizabeth Day Abi Dare makes a sparkling literary debut . . . and marks the appearance of a strong and stylish new talent - Harper's Bazaar
The Girl With the Louding Voice is a character for the ages. Adunni is a girl who narrates her own suffering with levity, who paints depth and texture and beauty into her Nigerian homeland, who tenderly cultivates her own humanity even while everything around her seeks to thwart it. She is an ambassador for girls everywhere. She is important, funny, brave, and enduring. Abi Dare has written an unforgettable novel, by the strength of her own louding voice. Incredible . . . packs an emotional punch -- Eithne Farry - Sunday Express
Adunni's humour and fierce determination to change her destiny shine through this remarkable debut novel. - i
Compelling and captivating ... an unforgettable novel and, in Adunni, the author has created a truly unforgettable voice - Daily Express
Abi Dare is a writer who not only knows how to create a powerful sensory impression, but also one who can really work the rhythm, texture and music of language. The words jump off the page . . . The Girl with the Louding Voice never feels like standard fare. It's lifted not only by the verve of its prose, but also its touching explorations of friendship and solidarity. It has an emotional connection that remains strong even in the final pages -- Sam Jordison - Guardian
Gives an eloquent voice to the victims of modern slavery - Independent
A stunning novel - original, beautiful and powerful. I was utterly captivated by Adunni and her mesmerising louding voice. A powerful debut novel . . . Compelling . . . Readers will fall in love with Adunni . . . The writing is addictive and deeply evocative. A beautiful debut from a talented author - Herald
Despite the heartbreaking subject matter, this is a story of hope ... a compelling read - Sunday Post
A bravely determined heroine - Sunday Times
A story of courage that will win over your heart - Stylist
Abi Dare's book is compulsive reading - Irish Tatler
A true original, this will open your eyes - Cosmopolitan
Winning comedy sparkles through the grimness . . . it's the vividly alive characters that keep you hooked, all the way to Dare's rousing, heart-swelling conclusion - Daily Mail
A bold new storyteller . . . Abi Dare's fearless debut is a celebration of girls who dare to dream and those who help them unfurl their wings so that they might soar Adunni's voice weaves and dances its way across the pages with a rhythm that captivated me, astonished me and, more than once, broke my heart Heartbreaking and inspiring. Dare provides a valuable reminder of all the young women around the world who are struggling to be heard and how important it is that we listen to them. A moving story of what it means to fight for the right to live the life you choose. - Kirkus
2020 [is] a dazzling year for debut novelists . . . This 2018 Bath Novel Award winner takes a long, hard look at modern slavery through the eyes of 14-year-old Adunni - Vogue
Pick the novel up now - Radio Times
Resilience and beauty of language are at the heart of this story of domestic slavery - Sainsbury's Magazine
It's an amazing book... I heartily recommend -- Jo Whiley - Radio 2 Book Club
A virtuosic study of female loss, determination, and of the subversive potential of words . . . It magnificently reveals how language constructs us as humans. With immense skill, Dare creates an irresistible energy and powerfully sustains it on every page -- Preti Taneja -
