Weekend Read: A tale of secrets and sisterhood

A thrilling mix of classic adventure and powerful feminist themes, And So I Roar is as gripping as it is empowering.

Nigerian British author Abi Daré follows up her acclaimed debut, The Girl With the Louding Voice (2020), with an equally suspenseful and eventful sequel.

In the first novel, we met 14-year-old Adunni, a bright and ambitious girl from a small Nigerian village with dreams of becoming a teacher. However, her world collapsed when her father forced her to marry an older man after her mother’s death.

When Khadija, the second wife, tragically dies during childbirth, Adunni fears she will be blamed. Desperate, she turns to Mr. Kola, a local man who promises her an escape to Lagos but instead sells her into servitude.

And So I Roar picks up just days after these events. Adunni has found safety with Tia, a kind neighbour, and is about to start boarding school on a scholarship. But her new life is abruptly interrupted when Mr. Kola and a village chieftain show up at Tia’s door, accusing Adunni of murdering Khadija. They demand she return to her village to face trial. Determined to prove her innocence, Adunni agrees to go, and Tia, loyal and protective, goes with her.

What follows is an intense journey as Adunni, now awaiting trial, meets other girls accused of various “crimes” — from resisting outdated practices to being blamed for failed crops. Meanwhile, Tia embarks on her own mission, travelling with Adunni’s younger brother in search of male relatives who can help defend Adunni and the other girls.

The story alternates between two distinct voices: Adunni’s, in her raw, self-taught English, and Tia’s, an environmental activist from a privileged, educated background. While Adunni faces unimaginable challenges in her quest for justice, Tia grapples with her own inner turmoil. Her estranged mother is dying, and her husband has just discovered old love letters, unravelling secrets Tia hoped would stay buried.

Daré’s new novel is enjoyable and is full of mystery, empowerment, and the fight for justice.

Ahmad Nazir is a UAE based freelance writer, with a degree in education from the Université de Montpellier in Southern France