The Girl with the Louding Voice

A Novel

By: Abi Daré

Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh

An instant New York Times best seller

A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club pick!

"Brave, fresh...unforgettable." (The New York Times Book Review)

"A celebration of girls who dare to dream." (Imbolo Mbue, author of Behold the Dreamers, an Oprah’s Book Club pick)

Shortlisted for the Desmond Elliot Prize and recommended by The New York Times, Marie Claire, Vogue, Essence, PopSugar, Daily Mail, Electric Literature, Red, Stylist, Daily Kos, Library Journal, The Everygirl, and Read It Forward!

The unforgettable, inspiring story of a teenage girl growing up in a rural Nigerian village who longs to get an education so that she can find her “louding voice” and speak up for herself, The Girl with the Louding Voice is a simultaneously heartbreaking and triumphant tale about the power of fighting for your dreams.

Despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in her path, Adunni never loses sight of her goal of escaping the life of poverty she was born into so that she can build the future she chooses for herself - and help other girls like her do the same.

Her spirited determination to find joy and hope in even the most difficult circumstances imaginable will “break your heart and then put it back together again” (Jenna Bush Hager on The Today Show) even as Adunni shows us how one courageous young girl can inspire us all to reach for our dreams...and maybe even change the world.

©2020 Abi Daré (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Adunni’s brave, fresh voice powerfully articulates a resounding anger toward Africa’s toxic patriarchy.... Daré draws the reader in with a vivid character whose dire circumstances are contrasted with her natural creativity (she keeps her spirits up by composing comic songs imagining a fabulous future) and her undying will to survive.... Throughout her harrowing coming-of-age journey, told with verve and compassion, Adunni never loses the ‘louding voice’ that makes Daré’s story, and her protagonist, so unforgettable.” (The New York Times Book Review)

"[A] compelling debut." (Ms. Magazine, "Feminist Books Coming out in 2020")

"A heart-warming, enlightening novel... Through the moving story of a girl’s persistent struggle to acquire an education, The Girl with the Louding Voice brings deep, significant issues into focus." (BookPage)

A look inside Nigerian Culture

Arranged marriages, dreams deferred in a Male chauvinist Nigeria. Old men marrying young women to bare their kids, more importantly boys. The paying of bride price, love lost, sisterhood mending, this story was breathtaking, an awakening. One doesn't realize how lucky we are not to live the life of others. Social classes, witchcraft, tribal ways versus western medicine and culture.

Entertaining and Educational

Loved the story and production of this book. Adunni is a charming protagonist and never for a moment did I lose interest in her or her struggles.

WOW!

The written word filled with so much passion! and read with perfect expression! Amazing performance! Not just a book I read but an experience. I will replay portions of chapters 41 and 55 often!

Amazing read!

I finished the book within 2-3 days. And I did not want it to finish. Kudos to the author for writing such a powerful story and to the narrator for an epic performance!

Best writing and narration ever!

My favorite audio book since The Kite Runner. Beautiful writing and engaging narration. Subject matter is serious without being too heavy or triggering. A wonderful glimpse into Nigeria with a little underlying mystery.

Excellent!

This is absolutely one the best books I’ve ever read. I’m so glad I listened to it because it simply made the story come alive. It truly took you right there and made you feel every single one of Addini’s emotions from chapter to chapter. Her resilience and bravery was remarkable! I have never read a book that made me cry and sometimes chuckle from beginning to end. I never do ratings but I had to for this one because it was simply excellent from beginning to end!

The narrator is phenomenal!

I loved this story and fell in love with the main character. This one should not be missed!

Love this story!

This book gets better and better as you go along. The main character is smart and witty and says some of the funniest things. She persevered through many rough situations and you root for her all along. The kindness she finds along the way is so encouraging.

There are some descriptions that could be difficult for young readers or folks who have experienced sexual trauma, but they aren’t the main focus and represent what so many women in the culture experience.

I was sorry to have this book end and purposely saved the last hour.

exceptional

You will be transported to not only the land of Nigeria but to the life of Adunni and her cohorts. The narration is fantastic.
I listened to this I've the course of two days.
don't hesitate, buy it.

Historically wonderful

I especially enjoy a novel that at the end I know something about a subject, a history and a person. The person is not an historical but I learned so much about so many things through this engaging young woman.