This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year from the moment I heard the premise (and even more so when I saw the cover). This debut shows so much creativity and talent from it's author that I can't wait to see where they go next.

- MASQUERADE is a gorgeously rich story. A loose Persephone and Hades retelling set in precolonial West Africa, the world of this story drew me in immediately and the beautiful writing kept me hooked.
- I took some issue with characterization in this book. Òdòdó didn’t have a very solid personality, and she veered between naive and smarter than a room full of generals depending on what the story needed.
- I did love how it was entirely women that drove the plot forward. Women who were trying to break out of the confined roles they were given, and each choosing different ways to try to do it.

The pacing is very different than what I’m used to. The MC made me want to pull my hair out. Extremely naive , pretty selfish. It does not read like an adult fantasy book to me. Then the ending… omg frustrating to say the least. Gorgeous cover! Thank you #MacAudio2024 for the advance audio.

Ododo is born in Timbukto in the fifteenth century. She is born a blacksmith as all blacksmiths are women. But they are not revered. Instead they are made up of widows and women who couldn't find a man to support them and are considered low caste and witches. One day Ododo is selling some flowers she made in the market when a man flirts with her and she gives him one of her flowers to remember her by.
Then disaster. Ododo is kidnapped and taken across the Sahara to the capital city. It turns out that the man in the market had been the ruler of all the land and he has decided that Ododo will be his wife. Aremo is a warrior king; he has conquered many lands and is at the peak of his strength and power. To be chosen as his wife is hard for Ododo to understand and she asks that her mother be brought to the capital for the wedding. Aremo agrees but the mother has disappeared, giving Ododo time to start to adjust to her new life.

As a member of the court and the prospective new queen, every word and action she makes is scrutinized. She tries to make friends but is betrayed several times by those who would have her disappear or be taken down in Aremo's regard. Each section of the country is headed up by a general and several of these men are determined to take Ododo down. Her prospective mother-in-law seems to hate her and her teacher thinks she is dull and uneducated. But Aremo thinks she is wonderful and that is the opinion that counts. He starts to train her to be a warrior in secret and she ends up going into battle with him. That battle almost leads to her death but she survives and comes back to even more power.

The author is Nigerian American and this tale is based on Nigerian folklore. It is full of descriptions that will transport the reader to Africa, markets and wealth beyond belief, court politics and battles for supremacy. Ododo's motives and actions are not always easy to understand but as she becomes adjusted to her new life she learns to not trust so quickly and to make her own plans. This book is recommended for readers of multicultural, historical and fantasy fiction.

Masquerade is set in 15th-century West Africa and that’s what drew me to it; It’s not a setting I’ve read before and it was lush and vibrant. The sense of place was fantastic because every scene was easy to visualize in vivid detail, despite my lack of knowledge about Yorubaland. I loved learning about the òrìṣàs, divine spirits of the Yoruba religion, as well as other cultural beliefs. Sangoyomi’s writing style was lyrical and I enjoyed her turns of phrase enough that I wrote down a lot of quotes I thought were beautiful or poignant. My only issue with the writing is the maddening repetition of the phrase “One of his braids came loose from his bun. He never noticed.” The author tells us this every time she describes the warrior king, I noted it at least 5 times and didn’t feel it was warranted—we remember.

I also really enjoyed the political intrigue and following the motivations of several factions. Òdòdó made several enemies by simply existing even though she was brought to court by force rather than by her own will. There are enough secret plots, rivals, betrayals and alliances to keep things interesting but not too much that it’s difficult to follow. I was especially fascinated by the blacksmith guilds, how they are connected to the overall plot and the broader implications of their roles in a patriarchal society. Blacksmiths were labelled witches and reviled despite being the backbone of the economy.

Masquerade is supposedly a Hades and Persephone retelling, which I can see in certain plot points but if you’re reading it solely for that, I think you run the risk of being very unsatisfied. Instead, I think the relationship between Òdòdó and Àrẹ̀mọ (the Warrior King) is not so much a romance but rather an exploration of power imbalance and what an all-powerful king thinks love is. The King’s characterization is static and one-dimensional. Then we’ve got our FMC. She is forced to live through so many hardships due to the nature of her lowly station in life but she is also ambitious and not exactly concerned with doing the right thing as she crawls her way to the top. She inspires empathy, annoyance, and even condemnation which, in my opinion, makes her an interesting character. Unfortunately, I had one issue with her depiction.

Òdòdó is 19 years old, but she has not received any education, nor does she know how to read. Once in court, she’s provided with a teacher and we have a few studying scenes but they’re always interrupted by something. In other words, the reader doesn’t witness believable growth. Then suddenly we’re supposed to buy that within a season, she becomes a master military strategist and advisor to the king? She starts to solve problems that even the most senior generals haven’t been able to solve. No, I simply don’t buy it. At the same time, she’s also shown as being incredibly naive. She’s been sheltered her whole life so I don’t blame her but it just doesn’t add up! I feel like it’s an issue in both the plotting and the character.

Lastly, Masquerade is a Historical Fiction and despite being marketed as Fantasy, it contains one scene of magical realism. The author herself has stated she does not intend her book to be categorized as a Fantasy. It would be disrespectful to relegate the òrìṣàs as mere Fantasy when they’re part of a faith that is still being practiced today in certain parts of the world. I felt the need to point all of this out because reading other people’s reviews, it seems this miscategorization is a common source of disappointment and confusion, myself included. Hopefully having this information will help you set your expectations accordingly. I know it helped me better appreciate some choices that the author made, after the fact.

Overall it’s a worthy read. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read historical fiction set in non-Western countries and people who support women’s rights and wrongs.

Pure female rage and I’m HERE FOR IT! This book had me holding my breath is so many parts. It is SO SO good! A little slow to start, but when Ododo finally gets to Aremo’s Royal city, the story takes off! This is a Persephone/Hades retelling and it is gorgeous. Poor Ododo! Everything she goes through, but she is standing on business. My heart broke so many times of all the betrayals, misunderstanding, love, family, relationships. Beautiful read, I highly recommend!

following a chance encounter with a poor stranger, òdòdó is kidnapped away from her mother and their blacksmith guild in timbuktu. only after she has been carried across the sahara to the capital city of ṣàngótẹ̀ does she learn that her stranger is actually the warrior king of yorùbáland, who recently conquered her city, and he has chosen her as his bride. at first her fortunes appear to have changed overnight, as she soars from the fringes of society to the uppermost heights, but she quickly learns that her new position comes with new threats—and new opportunities, if she is willing to seize them.

this book had me from “persephone retelling in 15th century west africa,” and while it’s only a retelling in the vaguest sense, i think i enjoyed it more for that. i didn’t love the first half—the pacing was off, and òdòdó accepted her new situation a little too easily, so it was difficult to fully believe the gravity of the situation (and later events would have been more meaningful if we saw more inner conflict early on)—but the second half more than made up for it. òdòdó’s transformation from naive girl to ambitious royal is so satisfying; my only complaint is that it happened rather abruptly at certain points, which i think goes back to the pacing issue. otherwise this is a lush, captivating historical fantasy (although very light on the fantasy elements) full of politics, court intrigue, and one woman’s fierce pursuit of agency and power.

This story was well-written and engaging to read. But I couldn't get into the story because I'm not a huge fan of first-person writing styles. Also, some of the minor details were repeated way too many times. How many times do I need to be told that Àrèmo could put his hair up correctly and he never noticed? There wasn't any real chemistry between any of the characters not even the love interest so that fell a bit flat.
Òdòdò is a morally gray character who feels more selfish than someone who did bad things for a good reason. Her motivation felt only self-serving.

I might have to do a reread to fully connect but this first read did not meet my expectations.

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TL;DR: A deeply immersive and wonderful read, I devoured this.
Source: Thank you to the publisher for an ARC via Netgalley!

Plot: Òdòdó is kidnapped from her life as a blacksmith to wed the king, thrusting her from a life of poverty to political tensions and backstabbing.
Characters: The cast was varied and unique and I came to love almost everyone.
Setting: Beautifully drawn, the characters were more the focus but the setting was well realized.
Magic: There is a tiny hint of magic in the dreams of Òdòdó but outside of that I didn’t pick up on much.

Thoughts:

I loved this one. I’ve sat on a it a few days and it’s just stayed wonderful in retrospection. This follows the daughter of blacksmith, a witch, Òdòdó. She catches the eye of a wandering man, and is abruptly kidnapped and thrust into the position of a bride to be to the king. This comes right before a blacksmith strike, where the guilds are simply disappearing, and other political tensions are simmering. Òdòdó has to learn to navigate her new home and environment and find out where she fits.

This is probably one of the most immersive books I’ve read this year. This had that special spark that once you start reading, you sink in and can’t come out. I didn’t trust anyone in this one, but I loved everyone. It’s one of those books you really have to pay attention because you’re seeing the world through Òdòdó’s eyes and even she is lost. It’s absolutely entrancing.

It’s not an easy read in some aspects so go in checking your content warnings, but it’s so worth the time and the read. The cover is beautiful and so is the contents, how can you miss out on all that? Long live the Queen.

5 out of 5 daffodils

I can't really give a full review on this book as I DNF'd it, or at least put it down and haven't picked it back up. I don't know if it's just the mood I was in or something else. I liked the author's writing style but this really felt like a YA book trying to be adult. The pacing of the book had some issues for me as well. I will probably give this book another chance at a later date. But when I put the book down and just couldn't bring myself to start reading it again, I knew it just wasn't the book for me at this time.

This was one the biggest surprises this summer, whatever you expect from Masquerade by O.O Sangoyomi, you are going to be surprised! I think it's really better to go in blind and experience this as you go!

I loved every second of it and I got swept in from the first pages, which not always happens to me. This is the perfect case of supporting women's rights but more than anything women's wrongs.

Òdòdó is an amazing character to follow, growing through the story and seeing her come into herself and bloom on pages was a wonder to behold. I was rooting for her from page one and I did end up holding my breath through certain chapters 😶‍🌫️.

I thought this would be a love story, and it is in a way. It's more a love letter to powerful women that need to make their own way through a society that is built against them.

I don't really know what to complain about, there were a few instances where the pacing was bit off but other than that this is perfect. I think we are all sleeping on this book and I really need more people to pick it up!!!

Not a bad read but an overall miss. I expected more fantasy and thought the story would follow a more intentional usurp of power by Òdòdó for more of the book. And though the ending was satisfying, the bulk of the story was too far from my expectations.

Very interesting read and a good introduction to African mythology. You get a little bit of political intrigue, lots of cultural insights and rich worldbuilding. My only complaint is the book felt a bit too long or was a pacing issue. Nonetheless, I'm excited to read more from the author.

A lot of these books other reviews have me stumped... so many reviews complaining about not liking a romance book that starts with a kidnapping. apparently they all missed the note that this is loosely Hades & Persephone inspired. But more importantly this is not a romance. This is a story of a young woman finding herself in better fortunes and for the first time away from her mother. Ododo is someone who at the beginning of the story is incredibly naive and just happy to no longer have to work a cruel job that has her at the very periphery of society. And while she learns about politics and who to trust and how to move at court she also learns more and more about herself and to desire ever more.
This book is not perfect. Sometimes the jumps in Ododos abilities can come as a surprise because the passing of time isn't always clear. There's also a type of tendency of "telling not showing" that can be found in many modern fairytales and retellings (I don't mind it if it fits the book, which imo it did here). Odod is also has a very subtle tendency towards being and unreliable narrator in how she sees herself (which is where the misunderstanding of seeing this as a romance might come from because that is how she sees her and Are Mo's relationship for a big part of the book). readers who pay attention will however discover the underlying tensions that are there from the beginning.
I also have to add that the book did have a bit of trouble truly gripping me in the first third/half (but I was still never close to even considering dnfing) . The ending however is one of my favorite endings this year and truly exactly what I wanted to happen.
Overall I would call this a very good debut with flaws and I can't wait to see what the author has to share in the future!

Characters 9/10
Atmosphere 10/10
Writing 10/10
Plot 10/10
Intrigue 10/10
Logic 8/10
Enjoyment 10/10

Masquerade follows Òdòdó, the daughter of a blacksmith in Timbuktu. In this society, blacksmiths are women considered to be witches, and her status as a witch limits her opportunities within the caste system. After being abducted, Òdòdó is given the chance to live a life she never imagined for herself. With this newfound life, she must decide how far she’s willing to go to keep it—and whether it’s truly enough.

Just wow. This book easily ranks in my top 10, maybe even top 5 reads of the year. I couldn’t put it down. While some readers have mentioned that it reads like YA, which might be due to the limited romance, I personally love YA, so that didn’t bother me at all. I found myself completely engrossed in the story. The narrator did an excellent job, adding to the experience—I was audibly gasping throughout and didn’t see many of the twists coming. Overall, Masquerade is an amazing read. I’ll definitely be rereading it in the future, and I’m thrilled to have snagged the Fae Crate special edition. If you’re looking for a story with a badass, morally grey female main character that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is the book for you.

OH MY GODS! This book pulled me in from page one and I was sucked into this story. I can’t wait to see what else this author gives us.

My rating: 2 of 5 stars--

The storytelling is decent, but the story is not. The politics of this book are *really* bad. Odede is a morally fucked character and apparently readers are supposed to be ok with that bc love? Even though the "love" story is really a story of self-interest and abuse.

Odede is raised by a strong, single mother within a guild of women blacksmiths who are persecuted by the larger society because they are suspected of witchcraft. Odede's life changes when she charms a young king disguised as a vagrant, who has her kidnapped and brought to the palace at the center of his colonial empire. They are engaged to be married, but Odede wants her mother to join her at the palace before she can truly embrace her new life of luxury as the king's second and favored wife. However, her mother can't be found as blacksmith guilds across the empire have gone on strike, disappearing from their forges. Unwittingly, it is Odede herself who has inspired the strikes, through her sudden social advancement.

But Odede turns out to be completely disinterested in the plight of anyone beyond herself. As long as she's in love with her abuser and living in a palace, she's super ok with colonization, slavery, and the social class of women she hails from being subject to poverty, violence, and poor health.

I kept waiting and waiting for there to be some big turning point moment where Odede would prove to actually be capable of some compassion. My prediction was that Odede's mom would return and convince her to use her power to back the strikes. But alas, this does not happen and Odede remains as shitty as ever. I think this book could have been a lot better with multiple POVs. After all, the Persephone myth is also largely about her mother, Demeter.

Other pet peeves:
-Odede is not a girl's girl. She sees the other women in the palace--the Alafin's mother, his first wife--as her enemies more than the man who kidnapped her and spies on her. She resents other women who assume she's weak. She wholeheartedly buys into the patriarchal bargain--she seeks power by playing into roles set by men. Throughout the book, female friendship is manipulated for personal gain.
-Odede loves her abuser. Odede is not all too concerned about her abduction and treats it as an overall positive thing and a sign of the Alafin's love.
When Odede begins to feel trapped and surveilled in the palace, she blames anyone but the Alafin. She is constantly praising the Alafin's skills over her own. She risks her life for him even when he abuses her and has no trust in her.

Many thanks to Tor and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I'm here for Ododo's rights and wrongs!

It took me wayyyy to long to finally get into this book and I was close to DNF'ing it a couple of times but I've finally finished it and I can definitely say it's a solid debut.

I love a corruption arc - but honestly, I wish it didn't come in last 2 pages lol. We get little bits and pieces of Ododo realising she craves power but it's not enough. But that ENDING, sign me up for a sequel PLEASE!

Òdòdó is a strong blacksmith from Timbuktu where she lives with the other members of her blacksmith guild. Blacksmiths are already viewed as outsiders within the community, and now that the warrior king of Yorùbáland has conquered Timbuktu conditions have deteriorated for her guild even further. Things go from bad to worse when Òdòdó is kidnapped and brought to Sàngótè where she is forced to marry Àrèmo, the warrior king who is responsible for the conditions she and her guild finds themselves in. It seems that a simple kindness to a beggar, who was the warrior king in disguise, has lead to this predicament, but as tensions continue to grow between rival states Òdòdó sees an opportunity defy the king, but first she must repair the strained bonds that her new, unwanted position has created, or potentially lose her life along the way.

Masquerade is said to be loosely based on the myth of Persephone, which is what drew me in at first. The more pages I read the less I could see the comparison–the similarities are so very few–but I still found Masquerade to be a very entertaining story full of strong female characters. Òdòdó is a remarkable individual and I took delight in joining her on her journey. I loved watching her growth as the story went on. Sangoyomi is a masterful storyteller, using words to paint spectacular scenes and events, creating a page-turner that kept me hooked.

I also greatly enjoyed the audiobook. The inflection and changes of pace effectively conveyed the various feelings, emotions and experiences of the characters, creating a tone that fit well with the story, and the voices and accents used for the characters brought them to life. Blake’s presentation of the narrative greatly added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

This book was not what I expected, in a number of ways! I found it compellingly and skillfully written, but also perplexing and surprising from start to finish. I actually went and read some other reviews of it just to get my head around my reactions, and was a little baffled to see it called a fantasy, and intrigued by the marketing saying it's loosely based on the myth of Persephone. I can see that part a bit, in retrospect, but it wouldn't have occurred to me if I hadn't been told. What it felt like to me was historical fiction, in a time and place (pre-colonial Yorubaland) that is very unfamiliar to me, which was really fascinating to read!

It's also so unusual, at least within my reading wheelhouses, to encounter such a detached and morally gray first-person protagonist. Òdòdó felt like a mystery to me, even though the reader is theoretically inside her head; it seemed like some of her most impulsive actions and reactions were not only a surprise to me, but also a surprise to her. The masquerade is at every level, somehow! I didn't really find myself rooting for her, but it was intriguing to watch her lean into the brutality of the system she was kidnapped into, and gradually turn it for her own gain. Like, badass, but also it's unusual to watch a character have so many chances to take a moral stand and always choose the most self-serving one, without ever being really sure about why or how she feels about these choices. Maybe this is just my taste, but I guess I wanted a little more of Òdòdó's interiority!

But overall, as a look into a history I know nothing about, it was compelling. And had really interesting structural things going on—a brief dip into second person, some mirroring plot points between Òdòdó and the king she's engaged to marry, some twists the reader is meant to see coming and some that are shockers! A page-turning read.