In Abi Daré’s debut novel, a 14-year-old girl in 2014 Nigeria who is sold into marriage by her father is determined to get the education her mother told her was so important, despite the one-dimensional role as a doting wife she is forced to endure.
Following the novel’s release in 2020, it has succeeded expectations and triumphed in the world of literary fiction, with the Guardian describing how it has ‘sparked conversations’ and Goodreads rating it 4.5 stars.
Not only was this novel humorous and entertaining to read, but also massively educational: in my admittedly narrow view of the world it always seemed as though there had been immense progress in the fight for gender equality, yet my perspective shifted entirely after reading. The way in which Adduni is perceived not only by her husband and father, but also what her female peers had been indoctrinated to believe, shocked me. She was no more than a commodity, only useful for producing male children and maintaining a spotless household. Of course, I was aware that any history textbook will prove that this is what women have been reduced to for eternity; yet the extent of the maltreatment of a girl younger than me was truly eye-opening.
And yet Adduni perseveres relentlessly in the face of adversity, driven by the words of her late mother. Perhaps the most poignant moment was when Adduni was taken out of school by her father, knowing her fate as a subservient housewife would soon be sealed. The way in which the novel was told from Adduni’s perspective enhanced the intimacy of Daré’s writing, educating readers about the experiences of child brides in Nigeria in a captivating manner.
It is vital that girls around the world read this book in order to better appreciate our different experiences; it is through sharing these stories that we can begin to understand the message that ‘inside every girl is a louding voice’.
