I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This follows Òdòdó, a young blacksmith who strives for more than the life she and the other women of her guild have been granted. As blacksmith's they are shunned and called witches, yet they are expected to work themselves to the bone for their kingdom. Òdòdó quickly learns that the world is not a kind place, and enemies lurk around every corner. She is kidnapped and taken to be the bride of the king and she quickly has to learn the games that those in power play.

This was very well written and the audiobook was very well done. The narrator did an excellent job with the performance of all of the various characters that Òdòdó interacts with as she navigates court life and court politics. I was expecting more of a fantasy element to the story, but this is definitely more of a historical fiction and retelling. The magical elements I was expecting, and perhaps that was my own misunderstanding of the synopsis, were missing but I still enjoyed the book. I feel this would be good for older YA readers as there are some more mature topics, but nothing overly graphic. Òdòdó really comes into herself and grows quite a bit as she truly discovers her inner strength and the motivations of those around her.

Overall I think this is a solid debut, and I'm looking forward to seeing more from the author in the future.

The fact that Masquerade is Sangoyomi’s debut novel is shocking to me. Very loosely based on the Persephone myth, the novel features a 15th-century West African blacksmith, Òdòdó. Blacksmiths are known as “witches” in Yorùbáland because they don’t belong to a man (widows, single mothers, unmarried, etc.), and they are outcasts in a society built on power and hierarchy. When Òdòdó is kidnapped and taken to the royal city, she discovers that the king has chosen her to be his bride, and she is forced to learn the political maneuverings of the court if she wants to survive.

The premise sounds like a romance or a courtly novel, but neither of those terms encompasses the layers of story that build to several shocking plot twists. Aside from the gorgeous writing, Òdòdó is the greatest strength of this story, acting as a protagonist who is conflicted, learning, and willing to fight for her own agency. Sangoyomi applies a feminist perspective to a historical setting without making it feel incongruous, and the way female characters wield both subtle and direct power is masterful. We support women’s wrongs!

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me listen to this gorgeous audiobook ahead of the July 2nd release!

Sometimes, you know a book will be amazing just by looking at the cover, and that was absolutely true for Masquerade. After I found out this was a Hades and Persephone retelling, I knew I needed to read it.

The book follows Òdòdó, a woman who is abducted by a warrior king who has fallen in love with her. He takes her to his kingdom, where she is presented with more power than she has ever dreamed she might wield. There is court intrigue, danger, and a lush, beautifully built world that reimagines 15th century West Africa. The prose, too, is absolutely stunning. I adored following Òdòdó as she regains her agency and finds her innate power as a woman. This was so excellent, and I will absolutely be reading whatever O.O. Sangoyomi comes out with in the future. Also, I think this is a debut? If so, just... wow. Very impressive.

Since I read this via audio ARC, I also want to say that the narrator did a fantastic job. Audiobook narration can be so hit or miss, especially when you can't listen to a sample beforehand, and Ariel Blake did a beautiful job.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and to Netgalley for granting me an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This story follows along a Hades & Persephone/Beauty & the Beast storyline, with Òdòdó’s mother missing, while she is fighting for her independence and freedom. Òdòdó also must decide how to proceed after being elevated so much and having access to resources and status that she never possessed before.

This standalone novel offers political intrigue, power struggles, while highlighting the beauty of the riches and culture in Yorùbáland. The audio is narrated by Ariel Blake, and she does a great job - I am glad I listed to the story, and would be interested in stories told by Sangoyomi or narrated by Blake in the future.

I would recommend this book for fans of mythos retellings, and those interested in historical fiction and West Africa culture. I also recommend this specifically for fans of Jennifer Saint and Madeline Miller.

I enjoyed this one but I feel as if Tor mismarketed this book quite a bit. It's comped to The Woman King and marketed as a fantasy and didn't fully have the vibes of historical fiction often using words that wouldn't fit the time period. I would say Ododo is less badass woman and more a naive girl who wants power but just believes it will be handed to her. Which causes her to be duped by the people around her constantly. So the ending when she does finally claim her power is hard to swallow. It's more of a court intrigue story and that along with the audiobook and constant twists is what kept me invested.

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

In "Masquerade" by O.O. Sangoyomi, Òdòdó goes from being a shunned blacksmith in Timbuktu to the warrior king's wife in a wild twist of fate. Picture this: one minute she's fending off societal scorn, the next, she's kidnapped and swept off to the opulent capital by a man who turns out to be the very king who conquered her home. I found this a bit difficult to get into even though the story is very transportive.

3.5 rounded up. At first, I found this book hard to gather my thoughts on. By the end of it, I definitely enjoyed it, so let’s start with the good. This is definitely a celebration of Yoruba culture and West African history. I would consider this more a book of historic fiction rather than mythos or Greek retelling. The author has a strong, clear, and passionate prose when it comes to transporting you to this time. Everything feels so vivid and lively. By far, my favorite part of this read was the setting.

Now, just reading it by itself without the audiobook, I initially found it really hard to connect with the characters. I felt that Òdòdó represented so many parts of women that we love to see in main characters. She has a past that’s tricky. She has a love story that is seemingly misunderstood. She is a woman who also craves power and is often put in impossible situations. I think most people will love this main character’s rootedness in herself and her purpose, no matter the sacrifice, choice, or consequence. This book is definitely a long game, but again, 1000% the audiobook made this experience for me. I have to give so much praise to Macmillan Audio and the care they took into the delivery of this narrative. Ariel Blake was vibrant and captivating in a way that I just didn’t necessarily feel just having the book in hand.

Separate from just the story, I think this book is a case of marketing taking a chance and being willing to face the consequences. The marketing for this book is essentially saying it’s a loosely based retelling of a Nigerian retelling for the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades. This just seemed like a way to widen the audience to those who would not normally read books focusing on Black characters in this space. As well as labeling it as fantasy or mythology. I think you will have readers who are either completely swept into the story with the comparison to the mythological retelling, or you’ll have people who recognize that this book could’ve stood on its own without that comparison being made. The same way, you will have people who were hoping for more fantastical elements and recognize that there weren’t many there, or any at all, to be honest. So, I think this is also a case of the marketing team behind this book willing to take that chance because they knew they had a very strong FMC. And who doesn’t love reading about a strong woman standing by her decisions and existing in the morally gray?

Now onto not necessarily the bad, but the things that left me kind of questioning. I found myself wondering what the point was. I also felt more connected to the setting and all the emphasis put into everything else going on politically than what was happening with the character herself. At first, I was like, OK, I get it. She is hoping to see her mom. She’s holding out to be connected to her mom, but then I was also thinking, what happens when she does get her mom back? It’s obvious the mom’s not just gonna live there. Well, I guess it’s obvious to everyone but her. And so when that happened and her mom just pops up at the hut and she quickly ran out after her mom wasn’t ready to settle into this new life with her, it just kind of shined a light on how passive Òdòdó was. She approached other situations with more grace and patience. So then I said, OK, was she motivated by this power, this want to have a better life for herself, as we see in the conversation she has with her mother. But we also acknowledge that she would not have this position had she not been kidnapped. This is where I felt some of the ideas were clashing.

There were also some points where the pacing felt weird and the book would drag more than others. I fell asleep and would have to pick back up and rewind or flip back pages. But I’m very glad to have finished and heard Òdòdó’s story told so well via audiobook and written so eloquently. I wondered if this could’ve been marketed as a YA read, but again, I think marketing made the choices they made for broader audience purposes. Regardless, I know this will be a compelling read for many. As we see Òdòdó finding her sense of self and purpose, the way in which it highlights different female relationships and aspects of the feminine form, it’s beautiful in prose and detailed portrayal of 15th-century West Africa. Along with the journey of Òdòdó not only stepping into the light of her own path but the meaning of her stepping from behind the shadow of a man.

Thank you to Forge Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for this digital ARC and listen.

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

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

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

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

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

4.5 Stars
Not me stumbling on another book with a character with a hand injury (was this a common plot point that I just never noticed until my own hand injury?? lol).

I absolutely loved Òdòdó, she is so badass and I found her growth inspiring, she had me on team Òdòdó from the start (and especially with what she did in the end!! I was not expecting that at all, I was so happy for her lol). This was such a powerful story with shocking reveals and great characters, I finished this so quickly because I was immediately drawn in from the start and the audiobook narrator did a really great job at telling this story. Adding this one to my favorites!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

I went into this book pretty much blind and I loved it! I enjoyed the character development throughout the story and was happy to see the nuances of the relationship between the FMC and her suitor. I enjoyed that she was strong despite her cultural limitations and watching her development was fun.

Loved this thrilling historical fiction from O.O. Sangoyomi that is full of political intrigue and a fascinating blacksmith main character in Òdòdó. Women blacksmith books are a huge fave, and it was wonderful to read one set in West Africa. Ariel Blake’s performance is absolutely gorgeous. She is a new-to-me narrator and is immediately going in my I would listen to hear read a grocery list group to follow.

2.5 stars
I was very excited at the beginning of Masquerade with the alternative historical fiction setting. I didn’t love the set-up of the book with Ododo’s kidnapping and the back and forth of deciding whether or not to marry her kidnapper for access to money and power. That decision dragged on for the entire book. Red flag after red flag but the money is too sweet. My patience ran out long before the ending. Fortunately, the narration was fresh so it got me to the finish line.
*Thanks to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance audiobook.

From the moment I picked up Masquerade I was absolutely captivated by O.O Sangoyomi’s level of storytelling. Inspired by the myth of Persephone, we follow Òdòdò, a blacksmith in Timbuktu, whose life takes a dramatic turn when she is kidnapped by the Warrior King. What follows is a journey of transformation and empowerment as Òdòdò navigates the treacherous waters of betrayal and the royal court in Șàngóté.

When I tell you Sangoyomi has a way with words, and immersing you into a world that felt both ancient and timeless. I was truly captivated by her writing. This story had me on my toes the entire time! I cannot tell you how many times I had to stop reading to digest the twists and turns of Òdòdò’s story!

Òdòdò’s journey was truly a testament to personal empowerment and resilience (personally would have given up a few times, Òdòdò was truly that girl).

Masquerade is a MUST READ. I finished the book a week ago, and I’m still thinking about it. And this is a DEBUT!! I can’t wait for whatever she had next!

Set in 15th Century West African this is a novel rich with African History and Mythology. Òdòdó is a strong female character thrust into royalty after she is kidnapped and I was always interested in how she would get through every trial thrown her way.

The writing was engaging and the characters, political machinations and action sequences makes this fast paced story that
had me hooked to the bitter end. I really enjoyed this and look forward to getting my own copy upon release.

Honestly blown away by how good this is; I’m not sure there were any aspects I didn’t love. Set in the late 15th century in Yorubaland (a time and region we don’t get enough stories about) MASQUERADE is fast paced, complex without being overly dense, and filled with nuanced relationships between characters who are neither always kind and right nor always monstrous and wrong. In particular, I thought the relationship between Ododo and Aremo (the king who has kidnapped her to be his brides) was so well done, as we experience Ododo’s ever shifting love and doubts about her husband-to-be, the more she learns about him and what it would mean to be his wife.

The audiobook narrator does an excellent job of voicing the characters and their emotions, as well as differentiating between the characters. As someone not overly familiar with West African culture, I also appreciated having the pronunciations of the different character names and places.

CW: animal death (a captive elephant is killed by humans, the death scene is depicted on page but is not overly graphic).

This book is simultaneously inspired by African history and mythology and the Hades & Persephone story. It sounds chaotic, but it absolutely worked. I loved our FMC, Òdòdó, and the way she grew into her strength, found her agency, and generally grew into an incredible woman. I loved how women were depicted throughout the book, particularly how they took advantage of how men underestimated them. As a bonus, we have lots of commentary on society, colonialism, and the patriarchy. The storyline was very engaging and I was sad to find the book had ended, despite being satisfied with the end of the story, because I wasn't ready to say goodbye. I read this one on audio and I highly recommend that - the narrator brought a richness to the story and I enjoyed it so much more because I was hearing the names and words pronounced correctly.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I found Masquerade to offer a vibrant and engaging setting coupled with characters that I just couldn't connect with.

Written in first person, we get a intimate look at what our MC, Òdòdó’s, is thinking and feeling throughout her journey...but despite the heightened insight, I just didn't feel connected to her in anyway. Without any stakes felt toward her, the beautifully imagine atmosphere is essentially what kept me turning the pages.

The quality of writing and atmosphere was at a caliber that does has me curious what this author will do next.

4.5⭐️

The novel introduces us to Òdòdó, a female blacksmith, living in 15th century West Africa. As her quality of life diminishes under new rule, Òdòdó is kidnapped by a man she had thought to be a poor traveler. In a twist of fate, he is revealed to be a warrior king. She is then forced to find her footing at the upper echelon of society.

What a masterful tale! This novel is perfect for fans of the myth of Hades and Persephone as well as The Arabian Nights. The writing, the narration, and Òdòdó’s character combined for quite an entertaining read.

Read this is you enjoy:
💠 poetic writing
💠 exciting action scenes
💠 a strong FMC
💠political intrigue

Thank you to @macmillan.audio @forgereads @netgalley for the ALC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙬𝙖𝙮. 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙣𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙨. 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩.

Òdòdó has been kidnapped by a warrior king, who has chosen her to be his bride.

What we get from there is a beautifully written story about Òdòdó’s journey from subjugation to finding her own power.

I loved seeing Òdòdó learn how to win battles both political and violent, and I really loved how the story progressed, and that climactic ending was just perfect for her arc.

You can definitely see the connections to the story of Hades & Persephone, but O.O. Sangoyomi has done a fabulous job making this story its own. (I would also like to point out that the romance in this book is definitely not the main driver of the story, and I would definitely not describe this book as a “romance” book.)

I also felt she did a really great job transporting the reader to 15th Century West Africa; the setting really jumped off the page for me.

I was sucked in from the start by the writing and narration. This is this author’s debut, and I’m so excited to where she goes from here.

As for the narration, Ariel Blake was just fantastic, and really added to the immersive experience of the writing, and brought the characters to life.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for providing me an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What this book is giving:
✅ Historical Fiction
✅ 15th Century West Africa
✅ Loose Persephone Retelling
✅ Politics
✅ Battles
✅ Betrayals
✅ Badass FMC

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ / 5