LOH #244: Adunni, The Girl with the Louding Voice.

I have read so many books this year, been shocked into silence by many characters and stunned silly by their actions. However, there are some that left quite a mark on me this year thanks to their grit and very palpable passion. One such book is The Girl with the Louding Voice, a novel by Abi Daré.

The Girl with the Louding Voice is about Adunni, a 14-year -old Nigerian girl who comes from very unfortunate circumstances with ambitious dreams. She dreams of becoming a teacher but the tides turn against her when she is forced into marriage after the death of her mother. In her bid to escape, she gets herself into more trouble and this trouble turns into something of a fortunate event as she finds her away from the precarious situation into the very busy atmosphere of Lagos.

Adunni finds herself grappling with the big city, a very strict employer and the handsy husband of the employer. I must say that the book already had me in tears for the first few chapters. The resilience of Adunni was admirable. It became even more noteworthy when I read that Adunni was based on a real person. Adunni’s lack of good English added to her charm. Despite her poor command of the English language, she was oddly descriptive in her perception of things.

Adunni left such a dent on my heart with her somewhat naive nature and gritty mentality. Not just Adunni. There were some passing characters that also left me reeling with their profound wisdom despite their young age. Kike is the most noteable for me. She not only encouraged Adunni to harness the power of her imagination but she also depicts to us, the readers, the pressures and societal dangers the girl child can face in the wrong circumstances. Another character was Khadija who played a significant role in Adunni’s life as a married woman until her death. The events that led to Khadija’s death were heart breaking and reminded me how fragile womanhood can be.

In conclusion, Adunni and all the events that led to her victory in the end sparked a fire in my heart. I couldn’t drop that book the moment I picked it up. I loved every bit of it and I adored Adunni (still do). Despite her naivety in some aspects, she was a curious mouse that had the knack for getting into trouble but that trait of hers was a beautiful strength. Her ability to quickly learn made me love her more and she wouldn’t stop obsessing over something until she had made sense of it. Adunni is a character who inspired me this year. Even till now, no book character has left me reeling as long as Adunni has.