Review: The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Published: February 2020



Adunni is 14 years old and lives in a small village in Nigeria with her father and two brothers. The only thing she wants in life is to be able to get her education and teach other girls in her village as well. When her mother passed away, her father promised that he would allow Adunni to get an education, but money talks louder than promises and so Adunni is given as a bride, the third bride at that. When something happens to one of the other wives, Adunni sees her opportunity to change her life, but what she finds isn't much better and she still isn't getting her education. Refusing to give up, she spends the year trying to fulfill her dream. Will she be able to do it?

Another great read for this year. I am glad I never had to be Adunni and my daughters will not have to either. It's a terrible thing to rob someone of an education who desperately wants it. Even though Adunni is young, she sees a lot in her life. She is eager to learn and share what she learns with others. When her father tells her she is going to be married, she is terrified. This is not something she wants and this is not what her mother wanted for her either. She reminds her father of the promise that he made to her mother, but he needs the money he will get for her bride-price in order to continue to live.

Adunni's older brother is working and her friends are excited for her to get married. Her younger brother, is frightened just as Adunni is. But what can they do. Adunni accepts her fate, but still is determined to get what she wants.

This book will make your heart ache for Adunni. Think about your life at 14, if you have a daughter, think about her life at 14. Unfortunately in some parts of the world, things like this are still happening. What can we do to stop it and make sure everyone, boy or girl, man or woman who wants an education is able to get it.


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Review: Jubilee by Margaret Walker

Jubilee by Margaret Walker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Published: 1966
 

Vyry was born a slave. She was born to a mother who was a slave and a father who was the Marster. When her mother died, Vyry was brought to the big house to work. She was only seven years old. She helped the cook in the kitchen and helped with her half-sister, Lillian. Jubilee follows Vyry's life and the life of those around her from the time she walks into that kitchen until she has her own family. From the Civil War to Emancipation. This book is long, but you will immediately be drawn into the story and will want more even when the story is over.

Thank you Melanatedreader and _pagesgaloree on Bookstagram for telling me about this book.

I have read many slave narratives, but this one touched me in a very different way. Vyry was very light skinned and many people, as she got older, didn't believe she was a black woman. I myself have been mistaken for Hispanic, when I lived in Texas.

Vyry was a special woman. She survived a lot in her life. She saw a lot of death, felt love and persevered through life with her strong will. I don't think too many women today could survive in times of slavery. I'm sure I couldn't.

Vyry's story is based on the author's grandmother. There were parts that really resonated with me. Like Vyry's mother had 15 children, but she died when she was just 29 years old. I remember my great-grandmother, who had over 20 children, telling us that for the first few she didn't even know how she was getting pregnant.

If you read no other slave narrative, this is the one to read.


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Review: The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Published: September 2019
 

Hiram Walker was born into slavery. He doesn't remember much about his mother except that she was taken from him at a very young age. Hiram was born with special gifts, that he discovers when his life is in danger. Will he have to continue to live a life of slavery, or will he find a way out of his situation and find out what happened to his mother.

When I picked this title as my Book of the Month selection, I was very excited to read it. I'm not a big fan of non-fiction so I haven't read any of Ta-Nehisi's other books. I did try, Between the World and Me, but it never really grabbed my attention.

From the start I was engrossed in The Water Dancer. I loved the way the story was being told. Shortly through, though I found myself getting lost in the words and having to go back and read passages. This happened several times throughout the book and I found myself wanting to put it down and give up on it, but I stuck with it and overall it wasn't too bad. I'm giving it 3.5 stars for all of the stopping and rereading I had to do.

This was definitely a new take on the story of the Underground Railroad. We even have the opportunity to meet Harriet Tubman in this book. After finishing the book, we watched the movie Harriet that my daughter has been wanting to see since it was released. There were a lot of things in the movie, that I recall from the book and that made the book a little more interesting after the fact. Weaving actual truth into the story makes it a little better for me.

The story takes you on a journey through Hiram Walker's life, from his time living and working on the plantation, to when he is able to move into the big house where his father, the master lives. We see him grieve for several members of his community, but none more than the mother he can't remember, even though he is often put on display for his memory.

If you're struggling through the book, I say stick with it, it is worth it in the end.

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Review: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Cora was born into slavery as her mother before her was. When the offer to run North was first brought to her attention, Cora wasn't interested. After a few instances happened on the plantation, Ceasar asked her again and this time she decided to say yes. Planning their route very carefully, they are able to make it away from the plantation, but will they be able to avoid the slave catchers forever?

This is one of Oprah's latest picks. I had a lot of high hopes for this book since previous Oprah selections have really held my attention But this book, just didn't do it for me. I was very disappointed It took me nearly a month to read this book and I felt as if I had to finish it to find out if it was going to get any better. There were parts that I got through faster than the rest of the book, but for the most part, I had not desire to pick up the book the way I usually do with whatever book I am reading. It seems this year Oprah's theme for her selections have been the same theme as previous selections in the 2.0 Book club.

I think the idea behind this book was great, and normally, I enjoy this type of historical fiction but this book just didn't do it for me. I got excited when I first heard about this book. Having the Underground being an actual railroad instead of just a "trail" made it seem more believable and more understandable on how the slaves traveled from the horrible conditions of the south to the freedom offered by the north. I wish this book would have been more enjoyable, but it just wasn't. Maybe others will get more from this story than I did. I'm not sure if I will read more from Colson Whitehead or not.


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Review--The Barefoot Queen by Ildefonso Falcones

The Barefoot Queen: A Novel by Ildefonso Falcones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Finally, I have finished this book.  It has taken me over a month to read it, which is a record for me.

Caridad is a Cuban slave.  She is being brought to Spain by her master when he dies on the ship.  After arriving in Spain she is given her freedom papers and then she has to try and find a new life for herself in a place where she knows no one.  Only in Spain a few days, Caridad meets an old gypsy named Melchor.  He brings Caridad home with him to be a companion for his granddaughter, Milagros.  But who is she really there to be a companion for.  The girls become fast friends.  But no longer a slave and far from gypsy, Caridad is not sure exactly how she should or would fit in.

Follow Caridad on her journey through Spain to find all the things she never had; freedom, friends and love.

This book took a long time for me to read.  There were days that I didn't even pick the book up.  The story as a whole was very interesting and I know a lot more about gypsy law than I ever thought I would.  Family is everything to them and they will let nothing come in the way of that.  While Milagros and Melchor were welcoming to Caridad from the beginning, it took the rest of the family some time to do the same.  They all learned from each other.  This book spans over many years and you get to see how Caridad learns to embrace her freedom.  There are lots of trials and tribulations for her along the way.  How Milagros grows from a love-struck teen to an adult with a daughter to care for.  Melchor on the other hand is an old gypsy who really only learned one thing.

This is a very good book with strong characters.  I just wish it hadn't taken me so long to read.

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

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