I absolutely adored The Girl With The Louding Voice when I read it a few years ago, so it was an absolute joy to reunite with Adunni in And So I Roar.

And So I Roar starts with Adunni living with Tia after she has escaped from the rural village and Big Mama, the woman who was treating her as a slave.
All she has ever wanted is a formal education and the opportunity to thrive and achieve her aspirations in life.
Tia has secured a school place for Adunni, and her future looks promising. The excitement in the house is palpable as Adunni prepares for her big day.
Suddenly, there's a loud commotion and banging at the gate, and what follows sees Adunni's dreams shattered, and both her and Tia face a harrowing ordeal as Adunni is forced to return to Ikati. Tia must choose either to protect Adunni or to return to Port Harcourt, where her mother ails but can answer the questions of secrets buried long ago and now will be the time that Adunni needs to use her louding voice to not only save herself but all the women and girls of the village.

The way Abi Darè tells the story of not only Adunni and Tia but of women and girls in Nigeria is raw and emotive. The themes of female genital mutilation, oppression, violence, child marriage, and rape are dealt with sensitively yet still made me so angry. It's a difficult yet necessary story to read, yet even through the tears and rage of reading this book, I felt hope. Adunni is such an incredible character that I would go as far to say as one of my all-time favourites. The way her voice never waivers throughout all the hardship she faces is something so special. Even hearing her name brings a lump to my throat.
This novel took my breath away. There's so many layers from the heartbreaking stories of the women, including Zenab, who I also loved to the plight of deforestation. I can't recommend both The Girl With The Louding Voice and And So I Roar enough

Abi Dare is a spectacular writer and it was a joy to read this, the sequel to The Girl With The Louding Voice. She rights with depth, soul, realism and intensity that few authors manage and she writes in a way that makes every character jump from the page.
We are truly in the age of subversive women redefining what popular, modern literature looks like and long may it last.

Following directly on from Daré's triumphant debut, 'And So I Roar' continues Adunni's journey into womanhood during a crucial time for the rights of Nigeria's woman and girls.

Adunni's characterisation is masterful; lovable, admirable, and relatable, she's a character you immediately root for. The use of a Nigerian-English dialect, Yoruba phrases and rich imagery immerse you fully into Adunni's world; which is why I found it so disappointing to find that this sequel also included points of views from other characters, namely Tia's. Though her characters own story picked up pace in the last 20% of the novel, I found her parts much less fleshed out and distracted from the brilliant writing in the rest of the novel. At times her character felt like an educational aid purely there to 'explain' in more westernised terms the various ways in which the girls in the novel are being victimised, and her commentary on the environmental issues raised throughout the novel was clearly an attempt to amplify the cause but felt insincere and inauthentic. Exposing social issues is often done more successfully when the 'show me don't tell me' method is used, which is what worked so well in the first book and is sorely lacking in this one.

Another issue I had was with the pacing of the book, which felt incredibly sluggish throughout the beginning 60%. The sheer amount of 'info dumping' (again, mainly in Tia's entries) made it difficult to emotionally connect with the story, and it was hard work to get through that portion. The pacing picks up in the last 20-30% and I enjoyed that portion a great deal more. I still can't help but feel like this sequel fails to make a name for itself, and remains in the shadows of it's more refined predecessor.

I absolutely loved The Girl with the Louding Voice and felt sceptical that a sequel could do it justice I was wrong This is a great story taking us further into the lives of Nigerian women and girls in small villages The stories are heartbreaking but neverthess worth hearing. It is so emotionally engaging. Adunni is slightly less central to this story as we engage with Tia, her marriage and her back story.At the same time the stories are framed around a timeline of death. This adds pace to the whole story Absolutely riveting as aread

"To not listen to our stories is to believe that you are better than us."

Following the success of the International Best Selling Book, 'The Girl With The Louding Voice', Abi Daré returns with a bang this summer, with the most anticipated sequel of 2024!

Adunni is finally about to begin her schooling, but unfortunately her woes have yet to end. On the night before she is due to start school, she is recalled back to her village to answer for her alleged "crimes". Adunni must use her voice to save not only herself, but the lives of the village girls too. Fortunately for Adunni's is that she won't have to face this journey alone, as Ms. Tia will be with her every step of the way.

⚠️ This book makes reference to deaths of parent/s, SA & FGM ⚠️

As always, I will be completely honest. I nearly DNF'd 'And So I Roar' 😱 Despite being forewarned earlier this year that the book would comprise of a multi-pov narrative, I really struggled to engage with the earlier chapters of this story. I eventually found my footing, and I didn't take my foot off the gas until I was nearing the end. This was a very engaging read & I am so glad that I persevered with it.

Darè incorporates many important social issues into this story, such as; Deforestation; Global warming; FGM; Marriage; Cultural practices; Patriarchy. Despite the heavy themes, as with TGWTLV, there is a perfect balance of humour throughout.

I'd been keen to read about Adunni's continued journey, however I found that I was more intrigued by Tia this time around. Tia is very complex character in this novel. She has many secrets that I was shocked by - there was even a moment where I threw my book - then I remembered it was a signed copy & it should be treated with more tenderness!

Nevertheless, Adunni does not lack in this sequel, she holds a fire within her which cannot be extinguished, no matter how many opposing figures attempt to dim her light & impact. Adunni is really that girl!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book & would definitely note it as being a binge-worthy & heartbreaking read. For lover's of TGWTLV I don't think you will be disappointed by this beautiful sequel.

Is this on your TBR?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved girl with the louding voice so was excited to continue the story of Adunni.
Daré’s prose is as vivid and evocative as ever, painting a stark picture of life in Nigeria. The novel delves deeper into the complexities of gender inequality, poverty, and corruption, while also exploring themes of hope, resilience, and sisterhood.
The introduction of Tia, a British aid worker, adds a new dimension to the story. The dynamic between the two women is compelling, highlighting the stark contrasts between their lives while also showcasing their shared determination to make a difference.
While And So I Roar is undoubtedly a challenging read, it is also an inspiring one. Adunni's journey is a testament to the human spirit and the power of perseverance. Daré’s ability to balance social commentary with a gripping narrative makes this novel an important and thought-provoking read.

Ultimately, we can all agree that this is a wonderful book but sadly (for me) it didn't quite reach the same heights as its predecessor thus my enjoyment of the story here was less. I'm saying this while fully acknowledging that this is a great story.

I wish I could have read this without making the comparisons between the two works but as this is a direct sequel that starts right at the end of the events in the first book, it's not possible.

First things first we need to establish that this continuation was needed. Often my fear with sequals that come out seemingly because of the success of another book is that they are unnecessary. That is untrue in this case. Daré had a clear vision of spotlighting the harm that is accompanied by girlhood not just for Adunni but the whole cast of characters some introduced here and others making a welcome return. Because of this I emphasize that you pay attention to the content warnings because these girls really go through hell and back.

The only theme that felt not fully thought out was the impact of the western world on climate change in Africa. I really wanted more said here because while I understand her points without Daré not having to state them I wish the time had been taken to fully express this idea.

The reasons this didn't quite scratch the same itch for me are: the pacing felt slow in some parts even with the countdown element introduced; the dual POV had me not caring about things happening to both main characters equally, surprisingly Tia stole the show for me in this one for the most part.

An unexpected delight was having Kayus here. He stole the whole show for me.

CW: rape, genital mutilation, sex trafficking, forced pregnancy.

A powerful sequel to Daré's acclaimed debut, The Girl with the Louding Voice. The novel continues the journey of Adunni, a young Nigerian girl whose voice and spirit is infectious.

Set against the backdrop of rural Nigeria, the story follows Adunni as she navigates the challenges of her past and the dangers that come back to haunt her. After escaping a life of servitude, Adunni is on the cusp of fulfilling her dream of getting an education when she is abruptly forced back to her village to face a dangerous ritual. Alongside Tia, her mentor who is grappling with her own personal demons, Adunni must fight not only for her life but for the future of all the young girls in her village. Although I'd urge readers to read its predecessor first, Daré makes this sequel accessible to those who haven't, or those for whom it's been a while between reading both.

Daré's narrative alternates between Adunni and Tia, expanding the scope of the story to explore broader themes of women's rights and social justice. While the novel tackles heavy topics such as forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and the struggle for women's autonomy, it does so with a blend of raw emotion and a gripping storyline that keeps the reader engaged.

Daré is an expert at creating a unique voice for her characters, which helps to separate both perspectives while also breathing life into minor characters like Zenab and Kike. Adunni remains the heart of the story, and her resilience and fiery spirit continue to shine through. Like me, some readers may find they need to frequently remind themselves that Adunni is a fictional character - that's how real she feels in Daré's work.

Thank you to netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the digital ARC.

‘And So I Roar’ is Abi Daré’s follow up to the outstanding ‘The Girl With The Louding Voice’, and picks up where the first book left off, with Adunni due to take up her scholarship and fulfil her dreams of completing school. Unfortunately, her past comes knocking in this novel, which largely takes place over a tense 24-hour period in her old village Ikati as she prepares for a dangerous ceremony that she hopes will help clear her name.

I found the story incredibly engrossing and full of emotions - primarily anger and disgust at the degradation of women and girls, but also hope and admiration for the central characters Adunni (as loveable and feisty as ever) and Tia (whose past receives more focus in this instalment). The other girls in lock up with Adunni waiting for judgment or sacrifice had tragic tales to tell and diverse lessons to share, and their stories will stay in my mind for a long time.

The short timeframe of this book meant that the pacing felt slightly odd, and a little confusing at times, but I loved the structure with extracts from Adunni’s book of wisdom sprinkled throughout, and struggled to put my kindle down due to the tension.

Ultimately, giving this 4.5 stars but would definitely recommend reading the series in order rather than picking this up as a standalone. Both are 100% worth your time!

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I read Abi Daré’s debut novel, The Girl With The Louding Voice and was astounded by the craftsmanship of the writing. Adunni spoke to me through the pages and captivated my heart. I was soon buying copies to pass onto friends and family, still as recently as last December.

I was thrilled when I heard there was to be a new novel, following Adunni and I counted down the days to release. And So I Roar is a titan, Daré is a master of description and setting and features characters so beautiful rounded that you feel part of their community within a few chapters.

I had to purposefully slow myself down, to not rush the reading of this novel but I was driven to learn and devour so much of Adunni and her relationships as she navigated trying to fulfill her dream of getting an education.

The novel packs emotional punches, my heart soared and then within pages I would be swallowing lumps in my throat. The beautiful narrative has you fighting with Adunni for her future, her present and her past, And So I Roar is an absolute sensation and I’m struggling to find enough words about just how wonderful this novel is.

Adunni doesn’t have an easy life, but the pages of this novel fill you with hope, with inspiration and with joy, that lions like Adunni do exist in our communities and I hope their roars continue to deafen those who deserve to be defeated.

This book continues the story of Adunni and we find out a bit more about Tia, but other characters as well. The girls in the village "receive" a voice so finally they can tell their story. The story has a really beautiful writing style that makes you feel rage and hopeful that the problems the characters face have a solution.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the first book I was delighted to have the opportunity to read this one. It didn't disappoint. I couldn't put it down and found it thought provoking. It an excellent and well written book with a truly enjoyable plot. The issues facing women in Africa, Nigeria in particular is both moving and informative. The sisterhood that develops is powerful. Highly recommend.

4.5/5

I don't think I expected a follow up book to The Girl With The Louding Voice so what an unexpected joy it was to see this novel on Netgalley.

And what a book! It starts with Adunni living with Miss Tia and her husband Ken in Lagos having escaped the clutches of Big Madam (Florence), who treated her as a slave. Tia is also recovering from her trouble with her mother in law still blaming her for the lack of children, despite knowing it is not Tia's fault.

We join the new family as Tia is about to go to school having won a scholarship. However the plans are destroyed when men from Adunni's village, Ikati, come to take Adunni back to answer for her part in the death of her friend, Khadija. But Tia won't let Adunni face the music alone.

The story follows what happens after Adunni's return and there are a lot of surprises along the way. We also have a secondary plot dealing with Tia's past and her relationship with her parents.

I knocked the half point off because the start of the book seems pretty slow and a little unrealistic at points but when the action begins in Ikati you will find yourself breathless trying to keep up. I had to force myself not to rush through what was happening at times.

As I say, some of the story seems a little unrealistic to me but the suffering of women and girls has been going on for centuries and made me so angry. There are a lot of heavyweight issues dealt with (very sensitively) such as baby factories, child brides, rape, female genital mutilation along with the usual tropes of women generally being sidelined in favour of men, of having their dreams ended because they are expected to care solely for children.

There is also a sub-plot dealing with environmental issues that the African sub-continent is coping with - deforestation, drought, floods etc.

Abi Daré is certainly not shy about tackling all these in this book but they dovetail very well. She is the girl with the louding voice and she has given Adunni (and perhaps more girls and women like her) the chance to roar.

An excellent sequel to her first novel and I'd highly recommend it. I can't say whether you could read it without first having read "... Louding Voice" but if you haven't I would urge you to read that too.

Thankyou very much to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.

Readers, I present to you Abi Daré’s follow up And So I Roar. If you fell in love with Adunni in GWTLV, you’re going to fall harder in this fantastic sequel.

If you are new to Daré’s work, I won’t reveal anything regarding her first book but what I can say about this one is that she has continued to weave the humour that we have come to love and adore whilst raising awareness on serious issues concerning females in Nigeria.

The contrast between modernity and safeguarding and patriarchal traditions that harm young girls and women is strong and is the underlying theme throughout this piece of work. Alongside this, Daré successfully addresses issues regarding the climate and the impact of a lack of access to education.

This was a sometimes funny and oftentimes emotional and powerful read. Despite the trials and tribulations that the girls in this story suffered, their resilience and endurance was inspiring and the strong female energy within the writing gave me goosebumps more than once.

To gift readers with a sense of hope and love whilst tackling safety issues is a delicate balance and one that Abe Daré has done well.

You won't be able to put this one down.

I absolutely loved "The Girl with the Louding Voice" and was excited to see there was a sequel. Adunni's voice, again, comes through loud and clear in her very personal version of English, and Miss Tia narrates alternate chapters. The story begins with Adunni living with Miss Tia and about to begin her education thanks to the scholarship Tia helped her win, but she is caught up in events that take her back to her rural village. Tia follows her but is distracted by problems with her husband and mother. I very much enjoyed how the stories were intertwined and learning more about Tia's background. Adunni ends up imprisoned in her village because of the events of the first book, and it is heartbreaking to read how easily a girl can be dragged back into a terrifyingly patriarchal society and blamed for societal problems.

I was intrigued by the back stories of the other girls that Adunni meets, and the different issues they brought (e.g. child marriage, trafficking, mental health, FGM) and these were well integrated into the story. I particularly liked the way one city girl played out a talk show to take their minds off the upcoming events and interviewed everyone about their stories. However, from here, it grew increasingly heavy handed. Tia is presented as a saviour of the girls, and there are lots of speeches about feminism and patriarchy that increasingly hammer home the messages about the many different ways girls can be subjugated in Nigeria. These issues are all obviously terrible and need to be discussed, but it felt very much like the author wanted to shoehorn in as many of them as she could, making it feel almost like a newspaper article. The first book I felt was more effective because it clearly showed how Adunni was forced into slave labour in Lagos as part of the story. This sequel was not quite so effective because it felt like a teaching tool describing so many terrible things at once, and presenting what i felt was a fairly unrealistic solution at the end. I would still recommend it and I enjoyed finding out more about Nigeria and about the characters we met in the first book.

Thank you NetGalley & Abi Dare for the Arc.

Adunni is back and as strong and resilient as ever! Adunni is in Lagos, as a 14 year old & excited to finally enrol in school. Adunni having escaped the tumultuous life in Ikati, is desperate for a future in Lagos with a lovely woman Tia, who is a brilliant and witty woman who has troubles of her own.

It’s not a simple as running away from the past as it always catches up to you. The night before Adunni is set to start school trouble comes to the gate in the form of elders from her village and so the story unfolds from there..

I absolutely loved book one and was worried about the second book meeting the standard but really it surpassed that. I loved the relationship between Tia and Adi and how Tia would go for any lamps for her. The story pulled at my heartstrings and is now a favour after ’The girl with the louding voice’. Amazing book.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me an advanced ecopy
This is the second book of Abi's I have read after 'The Girl With The Louding Voice' which I really enjoyed. This is the sequel follow up and couldn't wait to read. Tia and Adunni once again take us on a whirlwind of a ride through Lagos and a small village called Ikati. When Adunni is collected by her village chief to be taken back as a sacrifice for her part in the lack of rain and killing of her old friend Tia decides to risk it all and go with her.
I also loved the language and use of writing using the African Tongue. This book gives an insight into how females in villages are treated as well as discussing topics such as global warming , deforestation and female genital mutilation. It gives a good insight into the difference to places in Nigeria's cities like Lagos compared to remote villages such as Ikati. Loved the characters and storyline. I will be recommending to others. 4.5 stars

Girl with the Louding Voice is one of my all-time favorites, so I was a bit nervous when I heard Abi Daré was bringing Adunni back in another book. But I shouldn't have been! This sequel is amazing, continuing her journey with so much hope and inspiration that it sticks with you long after you've finished reading."

I really loved The Girl with the Louding Voice and was both looking forward to returning to these characters and their lives if a little apprehensive that a sequel wouldn’t be as strong as the first book.
I was wrong, And So I Roar is every bit as good as The Girl With The Louding Voice, perhaps it’s even a stronger read . Adunni is such a wonderful character , she really wove her way into my heart and it was great to read more about her, her challenges, strength, development, humour and ambition.

Strongly written, vivid descriptions, well drawn characters and impossible to put down. I loved being back in Adunni’s world.

4- 4.5 ⭐️

Wow wow wow!

Abi Dare has truly outdone herself. It’s very rare to find a sequel that’s better than the first book. This book had me hooked and I could not put it down. I stayed up all night to finish it because I needed to know how it ended.

The suspense was amazing and I loved the new characters we were introduced to. Seeing Adunni’s growth was great too.

Highly recommended 💯

PS: I think it can be read as a standalone however reading the first book will make you appreciate the characters a bit more