Massive thanks to Tor for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a stunning historical fiction, about a culture immensely underrepresented in the genre. I've seen it described as fantasy and it's listed as such on Goodreads, the cover has a very fantasy vibe, but be aware it is NOT fantasy. There's no magic but even taking fantasy in its broader definition, that wouldn't fit. The world of Masquerade isn't imaginary or fantastical; it's simply not Western.
The story is loosely inspired by the myth of Hades and Persephone and the marketing seems very focused on that. I’m not sure it should be. I did see some nods to it because I was actively looking for them. But honestly, I'm not sure you'd even notice otherwise. Which is not at all a negative: it was a story much richer and more subtle than a plain Hades and Persephone retelling transported in another setting. It might actually be my favourite work inspired by this myth. But if you go in wanting a
traditional Hades and Persephone retelling, you might be disappointed.
The main character Òdòdó is a wonderfully complex woman. I was initially frustrated by how easily she accepted Àrệmọ abducting her. Even though she was happy with her change of fortune, wouldn’t it have been so much better to consent to it rather than being forced into it? But as the book progressed, she started looking at the situation more critically and questioning what his love meant. I absolutely loved her, and loved seeing her grow into her power. She is such a strong yet nuanced character. She was often right, also often wrong and I loved that about her: not perfect, not selfless, not immune to the corruption of power... And that made her wonderfully human.
I also loved the court intrigues and political aspects and how they impacted Òdòdó’s story.
Finally, the writing is absolutely glorious. Easy 5 stars. I will look forward to Sangoyomi’s next works!

Òdòdó’s hometown of Timbuktu has been conquered by the warrior king of Yorùbáland. A blacksmith by birth, she and the other women in her guild are labeled as witches. Already ostracized and impoverished, the treatment of their guild worsens under Yorùbá rule.

Òdòdó is abducted and taken across the Sahara to the capital city of Ṣàngótẹ̀. Upon arrival, she discovers that the Aláàfin warrior king himself has chosen her to be his bride.

Òdòdó finds herself at the very top of society, surround by more comfort and luxury than her previous could afford. But as she spends more time in court, she finds the world of battle and the political intrigue of the Aláàfin rule calling her name. As tensions rise between rivals states, elaborate schemes of deceit and hidden enemies unfurl within the royal city. Òdòdó must re-forge precarious loyalties of the court to her favor, or risk losing everything―including her life.

Read if you like:
- african mythology
- historical fiction
- a loosely based persephone retelling

Wow wow wow! This book is really fantastic. I loved the subtle references to the Greek myth of Persephone x Hades, but if you’re reading this and expecting it to be retelling - it is so much more than that. This is about women’s wrongs. The narrative is also full of high stakes and political intrigue - written with such beautiful prose and immersive storytelling. Òdòdó is such a great character; she is warm and loyal, yet fierce and brutal when she needs to be. Overall a great debut novel that I couldn’t put down and absolutely loved. I can’t wait to read whatever Sangyomi writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Groups / Forge Books for a free digital copy of this book. This is my honest review. Publication date: July 02, 2024.

⭐️ 4.65
🌶 1.5

Phenomenal! What a stunning debut!

Masquerade is an incredible work of historical fiction, set in pre-colonial West Africa (mostly Nigeria) and richly infused with culture, cuisine, fashion, religion and politics. The world building was so vivid that I felt transported to this time.

I really appreciated the introduction to West African folklore and mythology throughout the story. The few òrìṣàs (gods) mentioned feel like ominous, invisible presences deftly playing with the characters' fates.

Perhaps better than this beautiful setting is the storyline itself. The FMC Òdòdó starts her journey as a blacksmith, socially-shunned for the superstitious belief that all blacksmiths are witches. After she is kidnapped to the Royal City by a wealthy, powerful stranger and forced to be his fiancé, Òdòdó is thrust into the deadly politics of the ruling noble class and must quickly learn how to survive.

Her growth from naive, sheltered girl living under her mother's forceful thumb to wealthy, powerful game-changer is reminiscent of Sansa Stark's from Game of Thrones. Òdòdó is an unreliable narrator due to her sheltered upbringing, yet she slowly learns just how trapped she is by her gilded cage and starts to play offensively against the misogynistic society trying to suppress her.

Òdòdó faces many challenges from both friends and foes, yet her perseverance and determination not to give in and play the quiet, dutiful female earned my respect and admiration. While her naivety could be frustrating at times, where this tale ends will have you cheering for her. Honestly, that ending is perfection - I didn't see it coming!

Ultimately, if you're looking for a feminist take on West African history written by a BIPOC author, featuring an entirely BIPOC cast, with LGBTQIA+ side characters and morally grey to morally charcoal politics, this is it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Masquerade caught my attention when I read the blurb and it promised a reimagining of Hades and Persephone set in 15th-century West Africa. It’s a rather ambitious premise in attempting to retell Greek myth in a new context all on its own, and O.O. Sangoyomi succeeds in playing with those conventions, while also subverting them for the purposes of her narrative. .
I admit I don’t know a lot about Timbuktu or West Africa, and most of what I do know is related to colonialism. So I appreciate the window Sangoyomi gave into what the region might have been like at the time, particularly through the language, culture, and traditions.
Òdòdó is a sympathetic protagonist to follow, and she mirrors Persephone very well. She’s rather strong-willed, and I admired her for refusing the king who kidnapped her early on, and insists he prove his sincerity in pursuing her. I love the way this gave her agency in her situation, as well as commenting on the sexism of the time, often intermingled with classism, and how women had few opportunities beyond marrying well to elevate themselves.
The story had a lot going on, so it kept my interest throughout, turning pages to see how things would turn out. The pacing was fairly even, with only some slower moments that balanced out the quicker bits.
This was a solid debut, and I’m interested to read more from O.O. Sangoyomi in the future. If you’re interested in an immersive, slightly fantastical historical fiction read set in 15th-century Africa, I’d recommend checking this out!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this novel, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Before I get into my review I want to talk more about what this is and isn't. This isn't a romance. This is a woman kidnapped to become a bride. This is not a fantasy. There is no magic, aside from the story telling. This has the vaguest connection to Hades and Persephone, but I think if you're looking for a retelling, you're going to be disappointed. So, what is this? This is a historical fiction novel that examines power, what people are willing to do for it and how it can be gained by aligning oneself with marginalized communities. There, now I can talk about the book.

I loved having this glimpse into Western African history and culture. I apparently both want and need more pre-Colonial African history in my life. I have watched a few documentaries and some great movies about this sort of time period and I still find it absolutely fascinating so when I saw that this book was slotted in that period I was stoked. Our main character, Òdòdó, is kidnapped by the King of a descent sized empire for the time and she is a member of a shunned group of women who are the blacksmith's of the region. Called witches (this is where the idea that this is a fantasy comes from), but in reality they are women who didn't have the ability to choose any other life.

Òdòdó is given an opportunity for a different life. One that she really wants, but as time goes on she becomes disillusioned with how everything in the royal palace is ran. However, she realizes that she can make a difference, if she can gain more power. And then more power and so on. She also loses some of the things that are most important to her during this struggle. However, I enjoyed watching her grapple with staying true to herself and getting what she wants. I think she's a generally likeable character and she learns to play the games of royalty pretty well. Political Intrigue is quite prevalent in this, so if you're not a fan this may not be for you.

Overall, I think that fans of historical fiction that like royalty and political intrigue could really enjoy this. If you're interested in Western African history, this could be a great read for you as well. I don't know if it is completely historically accurate, but I think Sangoyomi did their best. Also, speaking of the author, this is an absolutely stellar debut and I can't wait to see what comes next.

This book transports us to a rich and imaginative world in which our main character, a blacksmith, is taken away by soldiers to marry the king of the empire, who has taken an interest in her. The story narrates her journey to garner power in the political game of Ṣàngótẹ̀, where she faces challenges from all sides, and where friendships may not always be earnest.

I really wanted to love this book, and although the plot elements and ideas seemed interesting, it feels like at times this book is all over the place, and despite us following Òdòdó in her narration of events, it feels lackluster at times, with the characters being caricatures of ideas and tropes, and being flimsy at times. It gets 3 stars because although I did not love the entirety of the story, the prose and some of the plot points are really strong.

To finally have an African fantasy like this! The lush world building and story telling did not disappoint and I’m so grateful that I got to experience this work so much. I’ll definitely be recommending this to others.

Quick-paced, vibrant, and impeccably detailed, Masquerade is as entertaining as it is compelling.

If you like historical fiction based on myth, this is the book for you! I actually thought the book was a fantasy going in, and while there is something that seems fantastical at one point, I don’t believe it really was intended that way. I’m not really sure why it's marked as a fantasy - perhaps because the setting is more inferred than based on solid facts.

This novel is set in 15th-century West Africa, and this book shows you not only everyday things like food and clothing but also fashion, weaponry, politics, and social customs. It's an immersive experience.

I also forgot this book was loosely based on the Persephone myth, and having read the novel I can see how that would be, though the end result is quite different. Also, not sure why the blurb calls him a “cruel king” as he’s more spoiled himbo than horrific. She's also not forced to marry him, so don't worry if you are concerned about sexual violence.

Anyway, the novel had me hooked until around 80%, when it started to lean heavily into what I found to be drama. Rather than focus on the subtle political maneuverings, the story became saturated in levelling up Ododo to heights that felt a bit over-the-top. Don’t get me wrong; I thought this book was fantastic; I just found the ending a bit rushed.

Ododo is a wonderful character. The story follows her, as you heard in the blurb, as she is kidnapped and made part of the king’s court. The king wants her to marry him but she refuses. This is one of the best aspects of the novel - she is wary of the man’s reasons behind choosing her (unlike lots of stories where the woman is incredibly naive or stupid about it) and refuses to accept her new life until she’s convinced that he’s sincere. This is not a romance; in fact, I’d say it’s the antithesis of one - it shows how marriage, especially for women in lower economic and social standings - who have no hope of elevating themselves out of this, due to society itself - is a business. Ododo weighs the pros and cons In this way, Ododo, despite her young age - she’s 19 - is shown to be calculating and intelligent. In fact, this calculation and self-esteem are what propel her through the novel and comes back again and again.

Yet, she’s almost too good at everything all the time. She’s not exactly a Mary Sue, but she does seem to have a great number of natural skill sets. In this way, she felt a bit YA to me, though not enough to turn the story in that vein.

The other characters were great. My favourite was Rotimi, a side character. Aremo, the king, was rather insufferable, in truth. But, he’s a rich, spoiled, self-indulged king - of course, he’s insufferable! The other women, Kolo in particular, were layered and likeable.

One other thing this novel was great at was showing how systemic prejudice and institutionalized sexism are the true villains of the novel. Ododo is a blacksmith, something a certain small sect of women are in the novel, and despite their trade having a great value (as it’s perceived as mystical as well as important regarding the creation of weapons or other metal things), they are treated like secondary citizens because they are women. Sexism is a huge focus of this novel and it is great to see Ododo break through some of the glass ceilings.

The story itself is exciting and hard to put down. The pacing is a bit fast - I wished it had taken time to slow down and really show us the political intrigue aspects of Obobo’s story, but for the final ten percent of hte book to work other things were required, I suppose.

Overall, an entrancing, lyrical novel that manages to weave together several major themes into a beautiful tapestry.

I enjoyed this debut novel. I’m not familiar with pre colonial west African history, so I found this to be fascinating. Ododo was an excellent heroine. Brave and strong, and the story told through her was powerful. I did struggle with the pacing a little. Once you get past the first 30%, it really picks up.

DNF

I really wanted to love this book, but I found it pretty boring. I read the first few chapters and put it down and haven’t been able to pick it back up. That’s nothing to do with the book, I just am unfortunately in a reading slump right now and don’t want to force myself to finish this book and have that affect my enjoyment.

Thanks to NetGalley!

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.

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. 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?!

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

Rating is a 2.5 but rounded down to 2

StoryGraph rating: 2.5 stars

Initially, I got to 58% and decided to dnf...

Four days later I picked it up again and finished it in a couple of hours. I do not know how I'm going to rate this book... an enormous portion/element of it makes me want to give it maybe 2 stars. But then the ending honestly makes me want to give it like 3.75 maybe!

If this is a standalone, I'm also more inclined to rate it lower, because I only like how it ended if there's going to be a sequel.

The TL;DR is: I really really really did NOT care for the main character, at all. Until the very end. And there was a LOT of telling rather than showing throughout the book in general.
----------
Re-Readability:
I don't know... if this is a standalone like it seems to be from what I gather online... then definitely not. But if it's actually a series, I could see myself re-reading depending on the sequel(s). Only if the main character has ACTUALLY grown and doesn't go back to being near-sighted and kind of dumb in any sequel.

Writing:
There were some lovely lines throughout this book and I enjoyed the authorial voice and the tone of the story. The pacing worked well for me too. I'd actually be interested in checking out future works from this author, because I liked the writing and if the main character was even marginally more intelligent, I'd have enjoyed it a LOT more.

Characters:
Alright this is where I am torn because where Ododo ends up, as a character, is great. But where she starts out, and how long it takes for her to truly show any growth... made me insane.

She is a "too dumb to live" character for WAY TOO LONG. I have countless spoilery reasons, but it's completely hilarious to me that toward the end she makes an insulting comment about the generals, calling them "myopic" (aka: near-sighted)... GIRL ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! She was truly one of THE most near-sighted, idiotic characters I've come across in awhile. The amount of COMPLETELY OBVIOUS things she doesn't see directly in front of her face, is truly mind-boggling.

Aremo and Kolo were compelling characters from the beginning, but Ododo was a bland, nothing, personality-free character for way too much of the book.

Plot:
I did find it hard to believe that Aremo and his council couldn't put two and two together with the timing of the blacksmith revolts. There were a few things like that throughout the book that struck me as maybe not the most well-fleshed-out. And while I liked the ending, there were a few things in the end that I wasn't sure I found super believable (the council all going along with Ododo, for one thing. Seemed far too convenient.)

I think in general there just wasn't enough development of certain things -- plot points and character dynamics. So then some stuff felt undeserved (Kolo & Ododo's sudden friendship... the generals backing Ododo... the one new general being SO devoted to her after we saw literally one conversation they had...) -- too much telling and not enough showing.

Themes:
Personal agency. Freedom. Choice. Misogyny.

A reimagination of pre-colonized West Africa, loosely inspired by the myth of Hades and Persephone.The MC, Òdòdò, is abducted by a warrior king who has fallen in love with her and desires to marry her.
The narrative is presented through Òdòdò's POV, portraying her as a naive, warm, kind, skilled, and strong young woman. While her naivety may sometimes make her an unlikeable character, it aligns with her portrayal as a humble girl from a lower class background, sheltered all her life and then thrown into a world of wealth, luxury, and intricate politics beyond her understanding.
Despite her initial innocence, she quickly adapts and undergoes significant character development, leading to her redemption by the story’s conclusion.
The story is captivating with well-developed world-building that is easy to follow. The author immerses you in Òdòdò's journey, allowing you to experience her desperation, frustration, and eventual triumph.

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.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

In 15th century Africa, a young woman branded as a witch because of her trade as a blacksmith is kidnapped by a powerful warrior king to be his bride. The book starts off promising, but the main character's glaring ignorance in some instances conflicts with her inexplicable genius at strategizing and court politics. It felt like an even more implausible version of Kaikeyi.

I received a free ARC of this work in exchange for an honest review

Flowing. That is the first word that comes to mind when reading this tale. It flows straight off to the point that 30 pages in we had already gotten a taste of the world and an introduction to the main players and it did not feel rushed. The world is dangerous and filled with riches and danger as the lead is stuck to the side of an enemy [?] without giving anything away, the world is so strong it keeps you riveted even if you find the story formulaic in its light retelling format, I already know I will be subscribing to any of the author’s following works.

I fell in love with this cover and wanted to read this book because of that. Then I read the blurb and saw that it was based on Persephone. It does say loosely, but I would argue that it is so far removed it shouldn’t be mentioned at all. I think that this book should be marketed more towards those who enjoy dark fantasy. Without getting to far into the weeds, the FMC ends up falling for her kidnapper and doing unfathomable things in the name of “love”. I struggled with calling it a romance at all because of how twisted it all seemed. I also struggled with these decisions and had a strong distaste for the FMC as a result. I admit I struggle with fantasy; I went into this book expecting more historical fiction with veins of mythology, not what I got. I also feel that the pacing was too slow for this type of story and needed to be faster. I do think despite my troubles with this book that this author does know how to invoke some strong emotions.

Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi is one of those ARCs I thought that with a little bit of time my thoughts and opinions would settle, and they simply have not. My emotions and the frustrations have calmed, but not the overall take away opinion. And oh yes, did I feel the frustration after finish this book.

Let's get this straight, the synopsis is not right, or is right when they say this is "loosely based on the myth of Persephone," because do they mean it! When I think of Persephone, I think of kidnapped female who falls in love with antagonist and things turn out relatively okay. Masquerade, the FMC is problematic and I hate it. Sorry, hate is a strong word. I STRONGLY dislike it. I'm not sorry, but who in their right mind falls in love with the kidnapper? Stockholm syndrome much? SPOILER ALERT - who in their right mind then kills their own mother because it's the "right" thing to do in their mind? Someone who is problematic. Problematic is an understatement. Can't forget how she so conveniently doesn't relate this strike and mother's disappearance to her kidnapping!!!! And the two main enemies of the character, just right there in your face. Add the last main issue I have with this book, is the lack of character development/timeline. She goes from this "country" background with supposed minimal knowledge of the world beyond what her mother has taught and through storytelling, to this rather well respected strategist with some insight to her lessons? How?! HOW?! Did anyone read anything else that I missed? And tell me where they explained what the cowpea seed supposedly does to a person. Please.

Some readers could argue against everything I just said. You could argue that the author was keeping the FMC's main thoughts a secret from the reader, similar to how she kept a plan from others around her. I don't know. Maybe I'm just not the biggest fan of falling in love with your kidnapper. Maybe I'm not a fan of naïve main characters and lack of character development. Maybe, I am simply not a fan. I wanted to like this book. When you boil things down, this is NOT a retelling of Persephone and Hades, nor do I recall any "fantasy." The only connections to Persephone are the fact the FMC's name means flower, FMC is kidnapped, the MMC is called the demon, and MAYBE a love story. This is simply historical fiction.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group | Forge Books for allowing me to read this for a review.

I will be posting to Instagram, Goodreads, and Storygraph.

4 Stars

This was the most interesting book and was beautifully written. I felt transported into this world. It was like stepping back in time in a country I have read little about. This book was gripping, descriptive and very powerful. The ending was absolutely shocking!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.