Wow. What an absorbing debut. O.O. Sangoyomi’s lyrical retelling was beautiful to listen to. Her settings were vivid, the pacing of the story was fantastic, and her characters felt alive. I am looking forward to anything she may write in the future.

This was a very slow read. I couldn’t get into the story. I didn’t enjoy the dynamic between the characters at all. For the right audience, this will be a favorite, but I am not that audience.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a free advanced listener’s copy. I received this copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was in awe of this book from the first chapter. It oozes beautiful prose and the world building had me locked in from really early on. I hadn’t realized this was meant to be a lose retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth when I first requested the audiobook but the similarities were felt and appreciated. This felt like a love letter to the role of the maiden in the myth, a role that has to claw power for herself despite the love she feels for her husband.

From the jump this felt like a fairytale, honestly, not the kind that ends with ‘if you are kind you will get a good life’ but the kind that warns children that death is an outcome for doing wrong and the pay out of the ending of this book, without any spoilers, made good on that promise.

For those who care, this is a standalone as well! (Me, I’m people-who-care, I love standalones so much). This is a gorgeous book that I cannot recommend enough. This is one for the people who love a woman with rage and love in her heart in equal measures.

Even though I enjoyed this story, I do feel as if the synopsis did no favours to what is on the pages. Ododo decides to grab the life offered her as she refuses to be tied to a skill that only brings disdain and ill-treatment. So when given the chance to ascend, she does and uses the interest and desire that Oremo has for her to her advantage. But although she is smart and becomes an important adviser, there are other political games at play that she is naive to. There were points when she exasperated me with her naivete and belief in the goodness of those she interacts with. And even with that ending, I needed more groundwork to be laid to believe that the outcome for her would be that favourable. I would have enjoyed this more if there were more elements of fantasy included in this story.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for my review audio 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.

This is a fantastic story told through audio, I loved Ariel Blake's voice as she told the story of Ododo. I was entranced from the get go and it helped me so much with understanding how names were pronounced, I highly recommend listening and reading with your eyes because the prose is fantastic.

Highly recommend, and that cover is spectacular.

A great book for fans of the movie, The Woman King! Ododo is a young blacksmith who is abducted by the warrior king who is conquering his way across Africa. Ododo agrees to marry him but only after her mother, also a blacksmith, is located and gives her permission for the wedding. In the meantime, Ododo engages in training with the other women in preparation for childbirth and the warrior king also works with her on self defense techniques. All of this training and Ododo’s determination allows her to assume a position beside her fiancé in battle. When the other blacksmiths (also known as witches) in the kingdom decide to revolt, Ododo finds herself in an impossible situation as she has now fallen in love with her abductor.
I listened to the audio version of this book and it was excellent! The story was captivating and the narrator made it exciting - it was hard to stop listening. Listening to the accents and pronunciations really made the story come alive. Ododo reminded me of the Woman King - such a strong and likable character. Definitely not a predictable story though - just thoroughly engaging and enjoyable. Highly recommended!

First, the narrator was so good! 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!

This book is a standout debut that deserves attention! Masquerade blends African-inspired political fantasy with elements of the Hades and Persephone myth, focusing on a woman kidnapped by a warrior king who wants her as his bride. It's not your typical romance but a story of reclaiming agency and navigating power dynamics with gritty realism. Despite its low-magic setting, the narrative explores themes of strength and independence among women. I highly recommend it—plus, the audio narration is superb!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for an advanced audiobook!

I wasn't sure what to expect, but everything pulled together at the end. Òdòdó frustrated me in the beginning due to her naïvety, but she grew from that and firmly settled into her rage. Àrémó claimed to love her, but it wasn't healthy or true, especially since he had her kidnapped to become his bride. The story had a slow but consistent pacing. I am not familiar with Persephone's story, but this lack of knowledge did not hinder my understanding and enjoyment.

Content warnings: murder, violence, kidnapping, animal death, confinement, rape (minor, past), sexual assault (minor), toxic relationship, gaslighting, slavery (not MC), forced sterilization

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!

I don't think I've ever listened to an audiobook performance from Ariel Blake but I think her voice was perfect for this story.

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

An incredible debut! Masquerade is a vibrant historical fantasy with roots in pre-colonial West Africa. This story is action-packed and filled with political intrigue. I loved speculative insight into the tangled web of power, love, and freedom.

I listened to this on audio. Thank you @macmillian.audio for the gifted ALC!

Ariel Blake’s narration is bewitching. I was completely enthralled by her storytelling.

I loved it so much that I had to grab a physical copy for my shelf. 😍 This cover is absolutely gorgeous too!
My rating: 4.5⭐️

What to expect:
Political intrigue
Corruption
Folklore and mythology
Love vs. possession
Strong FMC

I truly do not have enough good things to say about this book. Ododo is one of the most beautiful complicated and intricately developed characters and her determination to be the master of her fate kept me hooked from the very first chapter.

This was amazing. I love the cover and I love the story even more. It was beautifully crafted and written. This is making it to my top books of the year . And for a Debut that is nothing short of amazing . I have no complaints. Everything about this was perfection. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Masquerade was a Macmillan audio pick, and I was so excited to read a historical fiction set in West Africa! This book had me so surprised at every turn. I did not know what to expect from Òdòdó, but immediately was taken with her drive to survive. Watching her grow a thirst for power and freedom was like a villain-era story, but there is nothing villainous about a woman’s quest for autonomy! Òdòdó begins with the expected naivety of a girl who has been sheltered by her elders, but her natural intelligence is fed by her experiences, and she grows to outwit those who would keep her down or harm her. She has become a favorite FMC of mine; I would love to know what she is doing after the events of the book!

It was interesting to watch Òdòdó fall for a man who loves her but was so clearly sexist and power-hungry. Every aspect of her relationship with Àrẹ̀mọ had me on my toes; I never knew if things would get darker or lighter between them. Meanwhile, Òdòdó’s relationships with other characters, like Rótìmí, Kọ̀lọ̀, and Ọmóṣẹwà, were so fascinatingly nuanced, and I found it exemplary writing when Òdòdó would have “silent conversations” with such characters; Sangoyomi’s ability to write interactions between characters that had little to no dialogue and consisted mostly of body language is truly a skill of great talent!

In the end, Òdòdó’s actions did not surprise me, I only found myself cheering for her, and, as I mentioned, wanting to see what she’d do next and after, so her story wouldn’t end! This book was definitely five stars for me, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in women taking hold of their power (which should be everyone!)!

As for the audiobook aspect, the narrator Ariel Blake has so many books under her belt, but this was my first by her, and I’ll definitely be looking out for her from now on!

I'm not sure why I went into this thinking it was fantasy - I think it was definitely more of a historical fiction, but I really enjoyed it. I loved the incorporation of African culture and myth and the story was really well paced. I just finished reading Markless, another new release, and I think lovers of that story could really enjoy this one too!

I was granted an audio ARC by MacMillan audio and definitely recommend this as the reading format for this book! The narration was exceptional!

Wooooooooooooow this was a really good book ! Love and war is a real thing lol . Such an eventful love story . I really disliked his mother , the beef she had with just any woman in his life was sickening and unnecessary. This was a really good read.

Òdòdó’s pure willpower emanates off of the pages of the book (and into your ears if you’re audiobooking like me)! I love how strong of a character she is and how she knows precisely what she wants no matter what circumstance she is thrown into (or off of).

I really enjoyed how the very real world was built into this fantastical take and how you could feel the heart of this world beating. The narrator, Ariel Blake, breathed even more life into this world and created easily distinguishable voices for the characters, both major and minor.

There are a lot of heavy topics covered in this story including kidnapping, SA, and some gruesome deaths, so be sure to check out the CWs.

The last quarter of this book has some wiiiiild moments that I did not see coming. Chapter 25 was like a punch to the gut and the final chapter was just so good. Yesss Òdòdó. Boss move. She goes through so much in this story that she deserves the ending.

Unedited review
Publishes in Minnesota: July 6 (partnered with local bookstore that features book the following week)
Publishes in South Dakota: July 12

Travel to 15th century West Africa in the pages of O.O. Sangoyomi's new historical fiction, "Masquerade," published in hardcover format on July 2.

The stage is set in Timbuktu, where Òdòdó, the youngest in a guild of blacksmiths, goes about her work. Blacksmiths guilds were composed of single, socially undesirable women and were considered outcasts and witches — considered to command the elements to forge the weapons they truly made with metal, fire and no small measure of hard work.

When Timbuktu is overtaken by warriors from Yorùbáland, Òdòdó is captured and taken across the Sahara. Certain she is to be sold into slavery, she is shocked to see a familiar face. Previously mistaken for a harmless vagrant in Timbuktu, the headstrong Òdòdó caught the attention of the warrior king, Àrẹ̀mọ, who brought her to the capital city of Ṣàngótẹ̀ to be his bride.

A man ruled by passion and fury, Àrẹ̀mọ sets out to prove his love for Òdòdó and she, in turn, sifts through the complicated task of organizing her feelings and emotions about life, love, politics and relationships in this story of self-discovery and freedom that is unlike any other.

There is violence of various natures expressed throughout the book, though it isn't overly graphic in nature. As is customary of the culture and timeframe, polygamy is regularly mentioned and discussed. Self harm, suicide and human sacrifice are prevalent topics.
Reviewer opinion: "This is the first West African historical fiction that I have had the opportunity to read. I enjoyed the surprising twists and, while I was a little bit intimidated by the names and places at first, once I got into it, the story really sucked me in! I may have gotten really upset at a character or two along the way. I found myself scheming and pondering right alongside Òdòdó — fuming through the trials and cheering through the victories."

"Masquerade" by O.O. Sangoyomi

c. 2024, 352 pages, $27.99

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC Audio Copy! 4.5 Stars

First I want to start with recommending the Audio of this book if you are debating on what format to read. The narrator did such a fantastic job with this story, and this will forever be on my list of Audiobook recommendations based on narration alone.

I love a good mythology/retelling and this is probably one of my favorite that I have ever read. I knew nothing about the story going in and am still not familiar with the original story, but this makes me want to read so much more African Mythology.

The FMC in this book is so well written, she faces so many things through the course of the story and she maintains her bada**ness while also remaining realistically human.

I will absolutely be reading anything this author writes.

This was an absolutely compelling premise with a slightly off kilter execution for me. While my overall feelings were those have enjoyment, I did have a couple of problems that kept me from being totally immersed in this novel.

The things that were done well were the folklore and historical aspects of the novel. I really felt like I was transported to the time when this was happening. The description of the clothing, the food and the way the structure and the hierarchy was assembled was very well explained and written. I really enjoyed the political intrigue and the "trust no one" vibes that accompany this book as well.

I struggled with the pacing of this book, as well as my likability and believability in the main female character. For the first 50% of the book or so I really felt like not much was happening towards the overall development of the plot. I was starting to get a little concerned that the ending was going to feel very rushed because I was running out of time for important things to happen to further develop the story. I also had problems with the main female character. Despite being kidnapped by the king of the region, she immediately falls in love with him and apparently has no problems with being kidnapped. She never tries to escape or questions why this was done. She just accepts it. I also feel like severe mistrust should be placed in some of the people she's placing her trust in and they are showing her clear signs that she should not trust them and yet she continues to. I could not believe how utterly naïve she was about everything that was happening to her. Then out of nowhere with mere months of training, she becomes this epic warrior. I just feel like the character of development was too light to explain how she was so humble and naïve in the beginning to becoming the person she was at the end of the novel.

I am unsure if this is a standalone or a series, but I am leaning towards the possibility of a series based on how the first book ended. I will be interested in reading the second book to see if any further developments are made, and if it gets any better from here, I did overall enjoy the book as I read it just a couple reservations with a few things that I mentioned.