Masquerade

by O.O. Sangoyomi

Set in a wonderfully reimagined 15th century West Africa, Masquerade is a dazzling, lyrical tale exploring the true cost of one woman’s fight for freedom and self-discovery, and the lengths she’ll go to secure her future.

Òdòdó’s hometown of Timbuktu has been conquered by the the warrior king of Yorùbáland. Already shunned as social pariahs, living conditions for Òdòdó and the other women in her blacksmith guild grow even worse under Yorùbá rule.

Then Òdòdó is abducted. She is whisked across the Sahara to the capital city of Ṣàngótẹ̀, where she is shocked to discover that her kidnapper is none other than the vagrant who had visited her guild just days prior. But now that he is swathed in riches rather than rags, Òdòdó realizes he is not a vagrant at all; he is the warrior king, and he has chosen her to be his wife.

In a sudden change of fortune, Òdòdó soars to the very heights of society. But after a lifetime of subjugation, the power that saturates this world of battle and political savvy becomes too enticing to resist. As tensions with rival states grow, revealing elaborate schemes and enemies hidden in plain sight, Òdòdó must defy the cruel king she has been forced to wed by re-forging the shaky loyalties of the court in her favor, or risk losing everything—including her life.

Loosely based on the myth of Persephone, O.O. Sangoyomi’s Masquerade takes you on a journey of epic power struggles and political intrigue that turn an entire region on its head.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mythology, Historical, Retellings, Adult

352 pages, Hardcover

First published July 2, 2024

About the author

O.O. Sangoyomi is a Nigerian American author with a penchant for African mythology and history. During a childhood of constantly moving around, she found an anchored home in the fictional worlds of books. She is a recent graduate of Princeton University, where she studied literature. Her debut novel, Masquerade, will be published by Macmillan/Forge in July 2024.

You can find Sangoyomi on Instagram and Twitter @oosangoyomi.

Reviews

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'all, this book is SO GOOD!!! I need it to pop off and become a huge hit because it's an incredibly impressive debut and I want to see more from this author. Masquerade is an African-inspired political fantasy novel, loosely drawing on the Hades and Persephone myth. To set expectations, this is not an underworld situation, rather it is a story about a woman who is kidnapped by a warrior king who falls in love with her and wants to make her his bride. But if you're expecting something like a traditional romance, that's not what this is.

The entire story is about Òdòdó, the main character, reclaiming her agency and finding a way to wield the power that she has always dreamed of. It wasn't what I expected, but it is brilliantly crafted with nuance and gritty details. Attention is paid to the ways women and children are often underestimated and can use that to their advantage. It is at times a brutal story, but I think the situation warrants it. This is a very low-magic fantasy. Some women are called witches, but it's unclear whether they wield any actual powers or are simply feared because they are independent and unmarried.

Seriously though, go pick this up! It's truly fantastic. And the audio narration is excellent. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[Mai H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a sea of highly promoted white male authors, my journey to finding enjoyable fantasy written by BIPOC women continues. This one, loosely based on Persephone, starts off well but Òdòdó and company began to annoy me before the end. If you have the chance to listen to this on audio, I found the West African narration quite pleasing. The narrator, Ariel Blake, is Black and Guyanese, but has a background in acting.

In this tale of capture, and pseudo-love, Òdòdó is brought to Ṣàngótẹ̀ to marry the king. He already has one wife he mostly ignores. I never truly trust a romance based on Stockholm syndrome. Don't call it enemies to lovers. Don't call it dark romance. He kidnapped her. He has more power than her. She has no choice.

While this had all the puzzle pieces to being a story I could truly enjoy, the stupid decisions Òdòdó ends up making make this hard for me. I had to double check that this was an adult fantasy, because her character reads very young adult. Perhaps you've come here from my other reviews. Perhaps this sounds similar.

However, unlike those other reviews, I did enjoy this for the most part. I am rather unfamiliar with African mythology, and even more ignorant to West African mythology. I'd love to learn more. I think we'll be seeing some exciting things from this author in time. I plan to read them.

🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio

[EmmaSkies · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

[Samantha (ladybug.books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is for everyone who wants a scheming, power hungry, morally grey female character. Òdòdò’s character arc is so satisfying.

I devoured this book, it was incredible. Highly recommend for fans of She Who Became the Sun. Wouldn’t really recommend it as a Hades and Persephone retelling. The similarities are very limited.

Full review to come

[Kaylah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong fmc, easy to follow fantasy, THE ENDING????? GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!!!!!! I ate this up like Halloween candy on November 1st!!!

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I beg you to gauge my eyes out.

The MC is a naive young blacksmithing woman who didn’t learn to read and was not exposed to complex politics and yet all it takes is a couple of weeks for her to physically and strategically outmaneuver seasoned fighters and politicians. The strategy and reading lessons she’s meant to take solely serve to info dump until they’re forgotten. The MC is frustratingly unobservant and completely passive in her own life until it turns out she’s a strategic savant. I could go on.

I was promised an adult fantasy book, and yet here I find myself with a story that reads like poorly edited YA.

[amarachireads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting historical fiction that is based on a Nigerian/Yoruba Retelling of Hades and Persephone. I loved how well-written this book was and how the author kept me invested and interested in the main character Ododos. As a Nigerian, I always appreciate books based on our traditions and mythology and I loved how that was woven into the Hades and Persephone aspects. The main character Ododo was a badass female character who wasn't afraid to take risks and do what was necessary to get to the top and I loved and supported her rights and wrongs. There's political and cultural intrigue along with betrayals and adventure which makes the book even more interesting. If you are looking for a diverse historical fiction with a strong female character along with passion and intrigue then you need to read this. Thank you Tor Forge for the arc for an honest review.

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was entranced by this book and devoured it. The world building was rich and while the conditions facing the main character were frequently horrible it was a beautiful world I wanted to stay in. I listened to about half of the audiobook and half with a physical copy (I am ever impatient). The narrator did a great job and I thought her accent (or the accent she used) helped to bring the story to life for me. I can understand why some of the other reviews didn’t love the book, it takes an untraditional path and I loved it more for that. This book is a love story, but as Ododo learns love makes us all dangerous. Ododo lives with her mother and her aunties as a blacksmith, one of the few ways a woman can make a life for herself without a man. They are considered unnatural and are called witches and while they are taken care of for the work they do it is barely enough and they are given no respect. One day while at market Ododo is abducted and taken to the capital city and is surprised to find the man she thought to be a vagrant is truly the high king and he would like to wed her. This book was full of darkness but it was rich and so enjoyable. I loved the ending because anything else would have been a travesty and while that may be a minority opinion I thought it was perfect, so perfect I am only upset that it means I am unlikely to ever revisit this world.

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books of the year (and decade) so far for sure! I'm in awe at the world and characters O.O. Sangoyomi has created. This book was everything I was hoping it would be, and yet it still managed to surprise me at every turn. I really love it to bits.

I know it's been promoted as a Hades x Persephone story, and while I can see it here and there, it's not a huge part of the book. So if anyone thinks "oh this is just another retelling" STOP RIGHT NOW!! It's not, it's so much better. PLEASE GIVE IT A CHANCE, IT'LL BLOW YOU AWAY!

It's also not much of a fantasy, so I hope anyone won't be disappointed going into this thinking that it is. It's more along the lines of historical fiction, but even if you mainly read fantasy I think you could still have a really good time with Masquerade.

The world is so vivid and easy to imagine, the beautiful writing contributes to this. I often felt like I was inside the book myself, walking or attending lessons with Òdòdó, running and collecting gossip with the twins, marching into battle, checking out the stables, attending meetings with the generals...

Naturally, I loved being in Òdòdó’s head as well, the whole book is told from her PoV, which was actually refreshing. I know someone probably would've preferred to have, for example, Dígí's PoV or even the Aláàfin's, but for me hers was more than enough.

Masquerade was really easy to get into, I was hooked from the very first page and loved the whole storyline, especially the ending.

THE ENDING!!! I was not expecting it to go that way, but I'm so glad it did. This is actually how I was hoping The Wrath and the Dawn would end, but it didn't, so I finally got my wish in the form of a different and better book. Yayyyy!!! No one is happier than I am in this moment.

I'd also love to see a sequel. Though, this book does stand on its own very well. I feel like, with the themes explored here, the next book could be even more exiting, so fingers crossed we get one.

As for the romance...listen...I like me a little toxic romance here and there, and I did ship them, but there was someone near the end I shipped Òdòdó with even more, WHICH I WILL NOT BE CONFESSING!! Mayhaps if we get another book, I will.

I loved how the Aláàfin picked Òdòdó out, and how much he seemed to genuinely love her, the many gifts he gave her etc. But at the same time he could be controlling, not allowing her to have any contact with her past life, not wanting her to have any political positions because why would she need them...so it's a complicated relationship for sure.

One of my favourite things is that, despite the control of everyone around her, Òdòdó still managed to find her power. And I will support her no matter what.

*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4⭐️ ⭐️ | TikTok | IG |

A gorgeous reimagining of 15th century West Africa, this historical fiction is dripping with lyrical prose and boasts a detailed world that will have you transported between the pages in no time.

An outcast woman is stolen away by a warrior king and must learn to survive in a world filled with betrayals and political intrigue.

What I loved…
- dripping with political intrigue and machinations
- gorgeous prose
- feminine rage
- a dash of magical realism
- standalone
- dark themes and difficult decisions
- spectacular character arcs/development

What I didn’t love…
- the world building felt a bit info dumpy in places
- the classification as a loose Hades + Persephone retelling is VERY loose if you go in expecting that you may be disappointed.

Overall this was an enjoyable read, perhaps a bit less fantasy than I was hoping for but I think if you’re a fan of historical fiction (and like a sprinkle of magical realism) this is a great choice for you. The author builds a stunning world with rich prose that makes the word jump off the pages. I am excited to see what else this author writes in the future!

I will absolutely be keeping in eye out for more books by this author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group (Forge Books) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[PlotTrysts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this one. Historical fiction with a feminist bent set in 15th Century West Africa? Sign me up! Despite the rich historical details, I just couldn't get into it. The story is told in first person, and despite being in her head for the entire book, I never ended up understanding main character Ododo's motivations or desires, or what relationship they had with her ultimate actions. There never felt like there was a plot, just a series of events until ... the book ended.

The best part of this book was the narrator, Ariel Blake. She did the absolute best with what she had to work with, and managed to get me to listen all the way until the end.

2.5 stars rounded to 3, mostly for the narration. This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

[Me, My Shelf, & I · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was surprisingly good and ended in a satisfying way. I highly highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator not only does a fantastic job, but her accent really helps with the immersion and the pronunciation of the names.

I loved this West African fantasy. I will note that it's incredibly low fantasy as it doesn't really contain speculative elements, and there were occasionally times where I felt the MC was being a little too dense so plot things could happen, but overall it felt very cohesive and had a natural progression.

I support women's wrongs!!

Edit: A friend just asked if I thought this felt like too much of a Persephone retelling, and tbh I went in so blind that I had no idea it was supposed to be one, lol! The influences are definitely there, but I also think the story stands in its own right and veers from the common beats.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for granting me an audio ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

long live the queen

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Daffodils do not fear dying, for they have conquered Death himself.”

rating: 3.75★
an intriguing reimagining, i enjoyed the prose, the worldbuilding, the vivid details. there were complex female characters and political intrigue, the king had me flip flopping on what to think of him - overall i liked òdòdó's story, but there were its flaws.

the pacing was a bit off for me, and i found sometimes òdòdó would be incredibly observant and insightful, then sometimes completely miss some glaringly obvious things.

i thought it was YA originally and from the writing (also òdòdó feels young), but i think it's listed as adult and marketed as such. it does have some heavier scenes so it feels very on the fence in that regard for me.

i felt satisfied by the end tho.

Men called us witches, they thought us demons, and yet, it was they who wished to possess us.

[Jamedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally on JamReads

Masquerade is a standalone historical fantasy novel written by O.O. Sangoyomi, published by Solaris; a story that blends together a loose retelling based on Persephone's myth, with a bigger plot that explores the history of Yorùbá people. Sangoyomi not only creates an excellent female main character, full of nuances and whose growth during the story is incredible, but also brings to the spotlight a rather forgotten part of history as it is Yorùbáland.

Òdòdó is a blacksmith living in the recently conquered by the Yorùbá city of Timbuktu; a rather naive and young person, she's abducted and brought to the capital city of Ṣàngótẹ̀. Aláàfin, the warrior king of Yorùbá, wants her to be his wife, a situation that takes Òdòdó from one of the lowest social stratum to the top of the society; but surviving and dealing with the complexities of politics and nobility is another problem of its own magnitude. Òdòdó won't only have to deal with the rejection from Aláàfin's mother, but the relationship with the own king will show to be a difficult one, born with an imbalance of power that fights with the love they feel.

Sangoyomi puts the main narrative weight on Òdòdó's character; born in a low social stratum, and due to its naivety, abducted to be part of one of the highest. You can see how she's really in love with Aláàfin, but the rest of the court doesn't help with that; navigating and surviving to make firm her position will require of many sacrifices. Òdòdó's arc is not only a growth one in age, but in wisdom, learning how to cope with the difficulties, and finally understanding the hard truth behind her relationship with Aláàfin; her own example will be followed by many blacksmiths in Yorùbáland, starting a conflict that will push her position to the limit at many times.
Secondary characters are a layer of nuance to the story, creating a wider scenery of nobility intrigue and politics; each one has a set of goals that they will move towards, and all will influence in Òdòdó's life.

It is refreshing to see low fantasy proposals that explore civilizations that are criminally underrated, as it has happened with most of the Subsaharian Africa history; Sangoyomi, with a prose that borders the lyrical, paints a vivid portrait of the great moment of Yorùbáland, one of the empires that gained control over this particular region, putting attention to details such as the Ṣàngó's religion.
The pacing is relatively closer to be a slowburn, which puts many pieces in the table before starting to move all of them into the great finale.

Masquerade is simply excellent; a novel that puts the focus on a character such as Òdòdó, going far from conventionalism, a low fantasy proposal that I recommend everybody to read. An excellent debut novel by O.O. Sangoyomi, a voice that promises much in the future.

[Silvana]

DNF at 31%. Reminded me of some fanfic or romance drama plots but barely anything interesting happened.

[Madeline Elsinga · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Thank you netgalley and Tor for the eARC!

Loose retelling of Persephone with some Cinderella vibes too. I did not know this when I requested it, otherwise I would’ve waited/not requested at all. It was simply described as a retelling/reimagining so I was expecting an African myth retelling based on the setting. Hating that this is basically “Persephone and hades are in love and the mom is evil” 😭 based on synopsis I thought she’d be a badass independent woman knowing her worth and taking power but instead she’s a naive, one-dimensional 19 year old child with Stockholm syndrome 🫣

Love the atmospheric setting descriptions! Set in 15th century Yorubaland (which would be modern day Nigeria) and infused with West African Folklore. I love how unique this story/setting is, I’ve never read anything like it!! Also the food descriptions had me drooling. But that’s where my positives end 🫠

I was pulled in right away but it did drag a bit at times. There were some exciting moments but the pacing was so off. After one climactic moment, it begins to drag and have overly descriptive telling over showing inconsequential details. I started skimming toward the end. The ending also felt rushed and unrealistic, you really have to suspend a lot of belief for this book.

How can you be falling for this man that KIDNAPPED YOU and be blushing and shy and teheehee giggling so quickly?! Stockholm syndrome is strong with this one. Maybe my dark romance girlies will enjoy this but I’m sitting here thinking this girl is insane and wanting to gag. This book has me fuming, I’ve never felt so angry and annoyed while reading!

Repetitive-if I never hear “I tuck his braids behind his ear. They always come loose from his buns. He never notices” it’ll be too soon 🙃

Love Kolo, she’s the only sane and complex/dimensional character in this book. The others are all flat and not as well developed. The FMC Ododo is contradictory, she’s naive and innocent but she’s also viewed as this brilliant military strategist and cunning at court politics…HOW?!?

It had so much promise but the execution didn’t work for me. I’m very much in the minority opinion on this and it’s mostly because of a personal preference of not enjoying dark romance type stories!

TW/CW: drugging, kidnapping, violence, blood, murder, sexual assault, slavery, toxic relationship, body horror, vomit, fire/fire injury, animal death

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5. Hell yeah.

Do you like books with NO truly likable characters, least of all the main characters? Do you like reading about scheming evil people doing awful things? Do you like women with machetes and a thirst for power? Do you enjoy backstabbing, plotting, undermining, politicking, murder, maiming, and other general acts of unpleasantness? Do you want to say “holy shit” out loud multiple times in the course of reading? This is the book for you.

“It was easy for Àremọ to love me; it cost him nothing. However, it seemed that I was expected to love him by giving myself to him. I had already given him my hand; how much more of me must I give? What would I have left?”

[julia ☆ [owls reads] · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really sure to what to say. Marketing made me think this book was going to be heavier in fantasy elements than it was. I still enjoyed the historical setting, however, but was a bit disappointed when my expectations turned out to be wrong.

The first half of the story was paced in a weird way. The first few chapters with Òdòdó's kidnapping were intriguing, but her extremely quick acceptance of her situation was very odd to me. There didn't seem to be any emotion coming from her aside from passivity and that made it difficult for me to connect to her and her story. An event that was supposed to be tense and scary was just... flat.

The second half did pick up in terms of action, though! I found myself more engaged, if only to figure out what Òdòdó was going to do. I still found the writing emotionless, but the twists were interesting and I appreciated that O.O. Sangoyomi wasn't afraid to take chances with plot twists and the direction the story took. I'll definitely keep an eye out on their future works!

*

eARC provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how to feel about this book. The cover is beautiful and that's why I picked it up. You know I barely read synopsis so I mostly went in blind.

This is a debut novel and it feels like it. The pacing is uneven. I was never sure about the main character Ododo's motivations. This book often read like YA. I never really got a feel for the world this story took place in.

Overall I had an enjoyable reading experience and I would definitely read more books by this author in the future.

I'm still willing to give this a recommendation. It wasn't a great read but it was good.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masquerade is is beautifully written novel with rich characters that is set within 15th century West Africa and draws some inspiration from the myth of Hades and Persephone. The life of a blacksmith is a difficult one, yet when Òdòdó is abducted from her home in Timbuktu and brought to the capital city of Ṣàngótẹ̀ to be the wife of the Aláàfin, the warrior king of Yorùbáland, her life changes in ways she never imagined.

Òdòdó is an engaging and sympathetic character and while some her decisions are very naive, they are also understandable when viewed as both a result of her sheltered upbringing with her somewhat overbearing mother and her lack of experience in dealing with the intricate aspects of politics and noble relationships.

Masquerade does not shy away from the consequences that occur when nations are conquered, as war, death, slavery and the subjugation of women-both common and noble women though different means-are depicted. Òdòdó’s relationship with the Aláàfin is also a complicated one: the power dynamic present-as well as the circumstances surrounding their betrothal-leave her completely at his whims for her survival.

Òdòdó’s journey as she attempts to gain agency beyond simply being the future wife of the Aláàfin is an arduous one and the ending, while foreshadowed is also slightly bittersweet in my opinion. While perhaps the best possible scenario for Òdòdó, she sacrificed and suffered a great deal to reach it.

The narration for Masquerade by Ariel Blake is wonderful and she does an excellent job bringing the characters to life. Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Forge Books and NetGalley for providing access to this ALC.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

So overall this book fell flat. The romance was uninspired and the chemistry none existent, and it caused many of the major events in the story to fall flat. The plotting was arguably the book's biggest flaw, the first half was slow and uninteresting while the opposite is true of the second half. The ending is the real star of this novel because the main character did something, that surprised me. If there is a second installment to this book I would read it.

[adele · Rating 1 out of 5]

I so wish I'd liked this book. In theory, it was everything I was looking for: I haven't read enough stories set in medieval Africa, and that the protagonist is a young woman just made it even better.

But this one wasn't for me. For one thing, the first 60% of the book is fairly dull. It was like watching a long training montage without knowing the ultimate goal. Things just happened and didn't seem to be building towards anything. There are many characters, and there's not enough time to get a full sense of some of them. Òdòdó, the protagonist, was initially hard to like and she gets more difficult to like and emphasize with as the narrative progresses. The reasons for her choices are sometimes opaque.

It's taken me about two weeks after finishing the book to write this review because I was trying to figure out why I still didn't enjoy it once the story got going. I think it's partly because I didn't find the worldbuilding immersive. It didn't feel ancient, it didn't feel regal, and it didn't feel African. It had the trappings of Africa -- the food, the clothes. But something was missing, and I wonder if that had something to do with the story being rooted in Greek mythology instead of African or African-derived mythology. I generally love a cultural mashup, though, so maybe I'm wrong about that. But this novel felt like cosplay.

I was also disappointed that the relationship between Rótìmí and his second-in-command was never explicitly defined as romantic or sexual. The way homosexuality was only ever vaguely alluded to made it seem like Hayes code censors had been at this book. But it's 2024, not 1934. And I don't know how homosexuality was perceived in the various kindgoms in northwest medieval Africa, but surely a reimagining is a perfect opportunity to depict a wide acceptance of queer relationships. You could definitely read this book and not realize any of the characters are gay. In Nigeria today, homosexuality is criminalized and queer people are persecuted. It's one of the worst countries on earth for queer people. That makes me question, is part of the reason for the spinelessness wanting to sell this book in Nigeria?

Many of the most fundamental reasons why I didn't enjoy this book are my own fault though - I had a lot of mistaken assumptions at the start. I had thought this was an alternate history with fantasy elements, like RF Kuang's Poppy Wars trilogy. I think my brain made that stupid leap because the description uses the word "reimagined" and imagination can be associated with the fantastical. I kept waiting for people to, like, explode into living fire. Something about all of the metalworkers being women called witches probably made me thing they really were witches, too. I also didn't realize how violent the book was going to be, and how cruel and sadistic the characters would prove. I think that was partly because it was written like YA and the protagonist is so young. Content-wise, it's definitely not YA, though. I was especially mistaken in thinking that the protagonist was a good person. Even after she executed her own mother in cold blood, I didn't fully get how cold and cruel she was at heart. It wasn't until she murdered Àrẹ̀mọ that I realized that her hidden steel had an even more deeply hidden layer of cruelty. Not that he didn't deserve it, mind.

I'm honestly really glad most people seem to like this book, though. It's the kind of book we need more of. I almost didn't write a review at all because I know that if this book doesn't sell, that will affect the prospects for future Black authors writing Africa-set stories in a way that doesn't happen to non-minoritized authors.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Zana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up!

This was a lot more historical fiction than fantasy, but even then, I enjoyed this read!

If you're into rags to riches storylines, girl power, political intrigue, and a dash of magical realism/fantasy, then I'd definitely recommend this.

The worldbuilding was so lush that I was immediately drawn into the story. Not knowing much about historical Yorùbáland, the author did a great job immersing me into the setting and the history. I really loved the idea of a women's blacksmith guild. I don't think I've ever read a story about blacksmithing being women's work.

While the pacing in the first half was great (I was both enraptured and revolted by the kidnapping portion), the second half did drag for me. It was hard for me to pay attention and I had to reread several times to understand the subtle nuances between the political players. But then again, that's usually me with storylines heavy on political games.

The ending leaned heavily on fantasy, which I absolutely loved (and was pleasantly surprised by since this novel was 90% historical fiction). No spoilers, but the ending was very satisfying.

This was a great debut! I'd love to read more from O.O. Sangoyomi.

Thank you to Forge Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for this arc.

[Olga Yolgina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was quite a disappointment. Such a chance to delve into the magical and enigmatic indigenous culture of Africa (what I was loo0king forward to explore starting the book) just absolutely wasted.

It was like "Here, come see Timbuktu in the year 1436" and then just a load of stuff that could have never happened there at that time. I just don't get it. If the story is only loosely based on the place/time, why give any historical anchors at all?

And don't even get me started on the characters, especially Ododo.

Overall I'm just so very sorry that it could be so good, but wasn't.

[bailey elizabeth smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

“She makes that silly flower again and again, yet she still does not understand that it would not have died had it not been beautiful enough to be picked in the first place.”

…

What an incredible debut! This book loosely draws on the Hades and Persephone myth, and has such an incredibly written morally grey fmc. That ending though!! Please read this, this book deserves more love and attention!!

[Maddie Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Propulsive and intricately plotted, MASQUERADE blew me away. Absolutely couldn't put this book down. Can't wait for everyone to experience Sangoyomi's deeply immersive novel this summer!

[Jessica]

A loose retelling of Hades and Persephone, set in 15th century West Africa. The rich descriptive language was wonderful, and I appreciated that there was a glossary at the back to help as well! (Love me a good glossary!) I listened to the audiobook, but followed along in the physical book, which was great because I would have been pronouncing the names all wrong in my head, and I hate that! Also, who wouldn't want a pet elephant?! I mean, be honest!

*I am not rating books read for the World Fantasy Award.*

[Shirleynature · Rating 5 out of 5]

While featuring an unlikely heroine, this is a vivid feminist lens to glean untold history. Oyin Sangoyomi’s debut novel is an epic pre-colonial 15th century West African tale of Yoruba heritage, with court intrigue, and a loose retelling of the myth of Persephone and Hades.
This author interview is excellent!
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/...#

[Ms. Woc Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

See full review below
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....