**Review of "Masquerade" by O.O. Sangoyomi**

"Masquerade" by O.O. Sangoyomi invites readers into a world where masks conceal not just faces but secrets, and where the allure of power and prestige masks deeper, darker motives.

Set in a society where masks are a symbol of status and privilege, Sangoyomi introduces us to Dara, a young woman navigating a labyrinth of intrigue and deception. Her journey begins innocuously enough, as she enters the elite world of masquerades, where the wealthy and influential don masks to conceal their identities and indulge in decadence. But beneath the veneer of glamour lies a web of conspiracies and dangerous alliances.

At the heart of the narrative is Dara's quest for truth and identity, themes that resonate powerfully as she grapples with the consequences of unmasking both herself and those around her. Sangoyomi skillfully blends elements of mystery, romance, and political intrigue, keeping readers guessing as alliances shift and secrets are unveiled.

The author's prose is evocative, painting vivid scenes of opulent balls and shadowy backrooms where power plays unfold. The world-building is richly textured, immersing readers in a society where appearances are everything and trust is a scarce commodity. Dara's character development is compelling, her courage and determination shining through as she navigates treacherous waters to uncover the truth.

"Masquerade" is a captivating debut that will appeal to fans of fantasy and political intrigue alike. Sangoyomi's exploration of identity, ambition, and the price of power is both thought-provoking and thrilling, making "Masquerade" a standout entry in the genre. For readers seeking a novel that blends suspenseful storytelling with a richly imagined world, "Masquerade" offers a compelling and unforgettable journey into a world where nothing is as it seems behind the mask.

If you’ve been looking to expand your reads to settings outside the western world and culture, Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi is a great place to start. Set in an imagined Western Africa location in the 15th century, it’s the story of an outcast blacksmith who is raised to the upper echelons of society by a chance encounter. Supposedly it’s based loosely on the Hades and Persephone myth, but I would emphasize ‘loosely’ here. If political intrigue, historical fiction, and impossible choices is your cup of tea, you might love this read. On the fantasy elements: to me these were lacking and this didn’t really feel like a fantasy novel. There are a few interactions and mentions of gods, but it’s not really the focus of the story. It’s very much a character driven story and reads way more like historical fiction. So if that’s more your vibe, and you aren’t squeamish about super descriptive battle scenes, this might be a new favorite read. It’s not perfect—there’s a few little things that I’ll get into below, but first…

Can we get a little commotion for this gorgeous cover?!

Things to Know:
Standalone

African Fantasy

Reads like historical fiction

Political intrigue

TW: SA, death, slavery, and animal abuse

I won’t lie, the beautiful cover got me interested in this one at first. Plus, it’s a standalone, and Lord knows we need more of those in our lives. Òdòdó is a young blacksmith working with her mother and ‘aunties’ in a smithy. As outcasts of society, she’s lived a pretty sheltered, controlling life, and like any young girl, dreams of bigger things. A chance encounter with whom she thinks is a beggar man, turns into an abduction by the King of Yorubaland, who fell in love with her at first sight. There’s definitely a bit of Stockholm Syndrome here. And did I mention he’s already married? But don’t worry (insert eye roll), it’s strictly a political marriage, and Òdòdó rapidly becomes friends with wife #1. Is that a good idea? Well, no spoilers here…

I really enjoyed the narration of the audiobook, which absolutely lended a lush picture of the story in my mind. The moody elephants were also pretty amazing, as well as the twins (two adorable children who help our main character). Òdòdó herself was a bit of a conundrum for me. On the one hand, she’s super naive at times, and I just wanted to shake her and say, “Wake up girl, don’t be stupid!” But then at other times, she shows this crazy confidence and strength. I do think this was a bit on purpose, but it was frustrating as a reader because she was so inconsistent.

There were also a couple things that I thought were going to be big plot points that conveniently got resolved by someone else, so that was unexpected. And towards the end you can really tell where it’s going to end up, but I didn’t mind that too much, although it did feel a bit rushed considering the meandering style of the first 3/4 of the book. And like I mention, I definitely felt a bit of whiplash from Òdòdó’s character.

If you don’t like political intrigue, or you’re expecting a strong fantasy element, you’re going to be sorely disappointed by this read. I was a little disappointed it didn’t have more fantasy, but I’m a big fan of historical fiction, so once I adjusted my expectations, I still enjoyed the story. It’s also an impressive debut novel.

I would absolutely recommend this book to readers who love historical fiction, and non-western settings. While the quotes below might make you think otherwise, this is not really a romance. Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the early audiobook to listen to. 3.75 stars.

Fave Quotes:
“She had worked with far too many precious metals to be impressed by the silver of the stranger’s tongue.”

“If a person requires another to be whole, then it is you who I want to complete me, Alale Ododo.”

“Our largest crime being, not just women, but women without a man to belong to.”

“Would you like me to capture the southern winds and bottle them in a crystal vial? Would you like me to pluck the stars out of the sky, one by one, so that you may adorn your braids with them? Say it, and it is yours.”

“Men call us witches, they thought us demons, and yet, it was them who wished to possess us.”

The setting 😍 this is a perfect summer read. There is political intrigue in spades with a healthy dose of feminism.

• African historical fiction
• loosely based on Hades x Persephone
• we support women's wrongs

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

15th century West Africa. Political intrigue. Blacksmith witches. Elephant warriors. An unapologetically ambitious female lead.

This retelling of Hades and Persephone was nothing less than magic. Sangoyomi’s prose whisked me away and completely immersed me in the world of 1400s Yorubaland.

Odòdó is such a fascinating character. We see her go through countless forms of abuse and betrayal, and still, she pushes onward. Her final acts of the story had me pumping my fists in victory.

The political moves were brilliant and efficiently executed. Every character is morally grey, making the reader hesitant to trust any character, just like Odòdó.

I could’ve read 300 more pages of this story, I felt so invested.

What an incredible debut from a new voice. I can’t wait to hear more from Sangoyomi!

4.5 stars / 9 out of 10

4.5/5!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced readers copy of this e-book! This was such an amazing read! Although this took me a while to read, each time I picked it up, it had me wrapped in it!

As the description mentioned, this is a very loose re-telling of Hades x Persephone, and there was little to no mention/occurrences of the underworld! It is also very low-fantasy/magic, but definitely gave a more of historical fiction vibe, which we all know is my cup of tea!

This was my first time reading a Nigerian/Yoruba -inspired mythology retelling and it did not disappoint!

Blurbed as a loose Persephone x Hades retelling, Masquerade by O.O Sangoyomi was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 just based off of the stunning cover alone!

In this debut novel, our main character is abducted and made to marry a warrior king who is obsessed with her 🙃🫣 and let’s just say I side eyed this man from the very beginning.

Masquerade is primarily a historical fiction novel that would be great for lovers of mythological retellings. I was mostly interested in this title because of the fantasy elements that I thought would be present in the story, but there aren’t any, and in true transparency that did affect my reading enjoyment as I do generally have a hard time with retellings.

Masquerade, however, is intriguingly written with lush lyrical prose. The first half of the story does take some time to get going but the second half is much more developed and fast paced.

I did have a hard time connecting with the main character as her motivations were not clearly established and the plot progressed without much contribution on her part. Needless to say, the political intrigue and motivations of other characters were substantial enough to make this an enjoyable read overall. I did also appreciate the MC’s character arc and how she eventually came into her own by the end of the book on some “f*** the patriarchy!” vibes.

This is a complicated book for me to review. There were elements that I really liked, and elements that I found confusing and frustrating.

The prose itself was stunning, and the world was lush and clear without having any infodumping sections.

But as a reader, I really like to feel like I’m living inside a character’s head as I am reading, and I found myself really unclear about the main character, Òdòdó, her motivations, decision-making, and actions. The romance element was extremely flat, I didn’t know if I was supposed to be rooting for them to be together or not. The basis for their relationship was instantaneous, and although they spent time together, I didn’t feel like I saw their relationship grow.

While the main character was unclear, the rest of the characters and plot felt predictable, which made the book frustrating to read. It’s one thing if you know a character is walking into a trap, but also why they believe they have to or trust the other character, it’s another thing to watch a character just be oblivious to everyone around them.

I think this book is more for the political fantasy / historical fiction crowd than it is for the high fantasy or Romantasy crowds. What Òdòdó seemed to care most about was gaining power, and rising from a lowly position to that of a Queen. If you love books about feminine rage with a lot of morally gray characters, I think you will really love this one!

I think if there had been a little more emotional intimacy between the characters, I would have absolutely loved this book. I look forward to reading more from this author!

I really wanted to like this one but I just couldn't get engaged with it. I did love the setting and the historical research that had clearly gone into writing it. I love seeing a West African setting with the politics and culture and thought that was well done.

However, Ododo was a main character I just couldn't jive with. She seemed perfectly fine being kidnapped to be married and had an instalove connection with the Alaafin. The romance started too early and there was no dealing with the repercussions of her kidnapping. I felt like I was reading a character much younger and a lot more ignorant than what I would expect of an adult novel.

I want to thank netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to receive an arc for an honest review.

This book was such a surprise. I really enjoyed the way the story was crafted and how everything felt like it was following a sequence in order to understand everything that we were questioning about everyone around our main character. This West African 15th century novel was a very new topic for me and I have never read anything like this. Obviously, we always read books about women having no rights or only being importante because of how many kids she can give to her husband; our main character hadn’t had this experience before but, once she gets kidnapped, she realizes that her role as a woman is much different than what her mother always thought her. I really enjoyed that she wasn’t stupid, she continued to do things that went against what everyone around her said she should do (especially her mother in law, she was the WORST).

This had lots of political intrigue in this book was in every page, I found it interesting and it made lots of sense due to how there were many groups who are fighting for power but, also, the people that are oppressed are looking for ways to gain some power in order to defend themselves, their families, their communities and their work. Our MMC put everyone on their toes even if they didn’t like her and wanted her gone, she continued pushing until she got her point across or her ideas to be heard (although, she learns that women are an extension of their husbands and they have no agency on their own). Also, the audiobook was very very good and whimsical. This author needs to write another book soon.

Òdòdó’s is a blacksmith, a profession for women who are the lowest class of society, but she is beautiful, which will make her kidnapped by the Aláàfin (king) of Yorùbáland to make her his wife.

It’s set in pre-colonial West Africa, in the 15th century, and it’s a political story: when Òdòdó’s arrives in the city of Ṣàngótẹ̀, she will have to learn that not everything is what it seems; everyone has their motives; there are wolves dressed as sheep; on the outside, everyone stands friendly, but she doesn’t know their true intentions: the nobility wants to prevent her from marrying the king, and Òdòdó’s will fall into a couple of traps before she learns. In a court with enemies who seem friendly, Òdòdó has to outsmart everyone.

No character is likable; some are more villains than others, but all of them, including the protagonist, have flaws. Òdòdó can be naive and calculating at the same time, she wants to get married, although she does not always agree with the king, she loves him but it is twisted, she begins to learn his character, and she wants him to listen to her, and give her advice that will benefit her and women like her. It’s not a love story; Òdòdó has her agenda; she wants to please the king, but at the same time, she wants power, and everyone can be ruthless when it comes to power. Òdòdó does not want to survive; she wants freedom.

It’s fast-paced; something is always happening: drama at the royal court, military fights, a revolt of the lower classes. The setting is wonderful, and I think the author does a good job showing the society of Yorùbáland and its customs; it feels realistic and genuine.

Overall, this is a great debut, set in a society forgotten in literature, I will continue reading more from the author.

Read it if you like

Historical Fiction
Morally Grey Characters
African Folklore
Political Drama

3.5⭐️ 0🌶️

First of all the cover was stunning! I knew I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw it and then when I saw it was a Persephone inspired story set in 15th century West Africa, I couldn’t start it fast enough!

This book was beautifully descriptive. I could picture everything so vividly. I was fascinated by Òdòdó’s journey through this book from penniless blacksmith to bride of the Aláàfin and revered warrior witch.

I admired her ruthless determination to acquire power in a world where women were virtually powerless. The journey of self discovery that Òdòdó went on during this book was remarkable. But I did find myself getting frustrated by how naive she was at times. She was so frustrated that men wouldn’t see her as anything more than the Aláàfin’s bride despite her strategic prowess and yet she too was oblivious to the machinations of the other women around her.

This book wasn’t at all what I expected and while I’m not mad about it I do feel a bit misled. I was expecting a Persephone inspired fantasy set in West Africa. But this book was not fantasy, it was closer to historical fiction. It was also so loosely based on Persephone that I don’t know if I would have picked up on it had I not been told. I’ve also seen it marketed as a romance and I really don’t think I would consider it a romance despite the whole book being set in motion by Àrẹ̀mọ falling in love with Òdòdó at first sight and kidnapping her hoping to convince her to marry him.

Thank you for this ARC!

A really refreshing story filled with rich details and interesting characters. I really enjoyed reading this book.

Thank you Forge for my review copy, my opinions are my own.

Masquerade is a reimagined 15th century West African tale that is loosely based on the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone, but this story is so much more than the Greek tale, this is a RICH tale full of politics, twisted love, toxic relationships (of all sorts), learning to thrive is a world that the main character was not born to, kidnapping from the edges of the Timbuktu market to the palatial capital city. Ododo has been a blacksmith her entire life when she finds herself stolen away from her guild and is now the bride to be for the Alaafin (ruler of the Yorubaland).
Thrown to the political wolves, Ododo has to learn to swim and make herself indispensable to her future husband, while dealing with piranhas masked as important people.

The pace is slower, but this allows for more development of the characters and larger plot lines. I loved Ododo, I felt so much for her story and development, her strength and how she learns to survive.

Highly recommend, and that cover is spectacular.

I really enjoyed this book. It was very nice to read a book about pre-colonial times. This one takes place in West Africa. I really enjoyed Ododo as a character. I loved the elephant Aja! This was a great story of resilience and the power of women. What a great debut by the author!

Not quite fantasy, not quite historical fiction, "Masquerade" by O.O. Sangoyomi will appeal to readers of both genres. The world comes alive on the page with sights, sounds, and smells of a reimagined 15th century West Africa.

Òdòdó is a blacksmith in Timbuktu where her guild is indispensable to those in power, but where the women who wield the hammer are outsiders viewed with suspicion as witches. Òdòdó has a chance meeting with a man she will later learn is the warrior king of Yorùbáland. She is soon kidnapped and brought to Ṣàngótẹ̀ to become the new queen. The myth of Hades and Persephone provides a loose structure for the story. Every reference to the myth is satisfying, but the story is not confined by the myth, and it is never predictable.

Òdòdó is a complex and interesting character who struggles to find her place and her power in situations where she is often made powerless by those around her. I was invested in her journey and THAT ENDING! Everything perfectly led up to that ending and the entire tapestry of this novel was woven beautifully.

The imagery on the cover is beautiful and powerful. Masquerade at its core is a retelling of Perspehone but set in West Africa and from a more feminist perspective. Some may find it confusing for the MC to be kidnapped and seemingly falling in love with her kidnapper, but again...it's a Persephone retelling for those not familiar with the myths of Perspehone and Eros. Also, I've read a number of books where the FMC falls for her captor in some way so it's not uncommon. All that aside I'll say stick with the book until the end and you won't be disappointed. It was a good story and I'd recommend it to someone else.

This was a ride! I don't know where I expected this story to go but in the end, I was shocked, cheering, and just happy to be where we ended up! It was so many ups and downs starting with Òdòdó's kidnapping... by a handsome king. Well how am I supposed to feel about this? I'm kinda here for it. LOL. This is only the mere beginning of our flower's tumultuous journey. I didn't know who she could trust. (Spoiler Alert: No One!) And after a certain point, what really matters? I must say I thoroughly enjoyed all of the twists and turns in this ancient mythological tale!

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

As a member of his former congregation, I know the ex-pastor of my church, who is recently semi-retired, would be captivated by Masquerade by O. O. Sangoyomi. (He was born to missionary parents in Kenya and is currently in that country seeking to reconnect with his past heritage.) He always tried to incorporate novels by East African writers into his sermons, hoping to inspire the congregation to explore such literature. Therefore, when Masquerade appeared on my book-reviewing radar, I jumped at the opportunity to read it. The book, while set in West Africa in the 15th-century pre-colonialism, is inspired by the myth of Persephone; this unique setting, with Africa as a pseudo-character, challenges the power dynamics that the northern hemisphere has over the mostly southern one. The setting allows author Sangoyomi to make some pointed observations about the similar power dynamics between women and men. This debut novel is impressive, even if it does take a while to get going.

The novel concerns a young woman named Òdòdó, who works as a blacksmith in the city of Timbuktu, which seemingly calls its female blacksmiths witches. One day, she is kidnapped and taken across the Sahara Desert to the capital city of Ṣàngótẹ̀ where she is to be wed as the second wife of the local warrior king. In a case of potential Stockholm Syndrome, Òdòdó falls in love with her captor. However, she comes to realize that the luxurious wife of the king is a better situation for her to be in rather than as a poor blacksmith. Still, she refuses to get married until her mother can be found and witness this elevation of position. The problem is that her mother is nowhere to be seen, seemingly inspiring other female blacksmiths to leave their jobs. Has Òdòdó gotten into a position that’s well over her head? Is she also being double-crossed by her husband and jealous first wife? Time will tell.

The book is interesting, particularly through the feminist themes it explores. For instance, women are painted as having to be wilier and more intellectual to get past the brute force favored by men. However, the heroine of this tale does get kidnapped. Some readers will find this will leave a bitter taste in their mouth. While Masquerade does have feminist leanings, particularly as the book nears its conclusion, it still might be hard to fathom why a woman would fall for someone who did her harm and injustice. However, I will concede that perhaps the situation was common then, and I can certainly see how Òdòdó may see the kidnapping as advantageous. Still, even though I might be carping about something that could be waved away as cultural relativism, the kidnapping aspect of the book initially soured me on the tale. If I hadn’t needed to read the book for review, I might have abandoned it — if not for that reason, then because the first half of the tale is relatively dry, with nothing too much happening. Things begin to get intriguing only when Òdòdó gains a seat at the general’s table.

The book’s big turning point is when Òdòdó begins to see physical battles and warfare with her own eyes. That’s where Masquerade truly begins to pick up steam. Until then, the novel spends a great deal of time detailing Òdòdó’s education and the comings and goings of big city life. The result might put most modern readers to sleep, given that this meticulous detail is a bit like reading about the speed of molasses. Thus, it could be argued that Masquerade could use some pruning. However, I would encourage readers to keep attacking the book as it does get much better in its second half. The big question is whether readers will care that much to see this tome through to its conclusion. Their patience will be rewarded if they do because this novel yields impressive returns. There’s court intrigue and some political maneuvering as Òdòdó captures her to-be husband’s ear with a relatively successful military strategy. Even though some twists towards the novel’s end are a tad bit predictable, there suddenly is enough excitement in the text that even formulaic plot points become suspenseful.

Ultimately, Masquerade is worth reading, even if it takes some time for the reader to warm up to it. It doesn’t help that Òdòdó’s warrior king treats her like a cad, which is only resolved at the end of the novel, and that whole kidnapping plot point is one that modern readers may feel a little uncomfortable in their skin reading about. Still, despite its flaws (and many major ones), Masquerade is a recommended read. We need stories like this told of precolonial times in African nations to come to learn and understand these cultures. To that end, Masquerade was an instructive read for me; it was a true eye-opener. This book is about the powerless working their way into powerful situations and the cost they must take to get there. It’s not always an easy book, and it may leave some readers squirming, but Masquerade gets to the truths behind people’s masks. If you’re looking for something different and startling, I recommend starting here, particularly if you’re a particular pastor who has sadly left a grieving congregation of churchgoers mourning their loss. Once you get past the book’s lumpy beginning and early mid-section, it turns into something compelling. In other words, this one’s for you if you’re into that sort of thing.

Mix West African Mythology with Persephone and Hades inspired retelling and you have Masquerade. This book was EXCELLENT. As a huge fan of retellings, and non European mythology I found this book to be well done well written and the characters are well fleshed out. it is an immersive tale about a woman who fights for her freedom after being forced into a marriage.

~ I received a copy of Masquerade by O.O Sangoyomi from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~

Ododo is an ambitious young woman who grows up against a women's clan of blacksmiths. She is taken to the gilded city of the Alaafin, an ambitious emperor who wants to keep expanding his empire. Throughout the story Ododo grows and learns to use her talents and place to gain knowledge, and goes through challenges along the way. The world building was interesting and the main character develops over time in this tale. Masquerade doesn't focus much on the romance, which gives a lot of space for the main character to grow as an individual, although the reader at times has to guess what her actual goal is. The final third of the book is where the book is most interesting, and the ending was satisfying conclusion to the tale, but also open ended enough for future development.