First, I must emphasize that the synopsis, from the publisher, says this is “loosely based on the myth of Persephone.” Loosely. If one thinks about the basic premise of the Hades and Persephone myth, the connection is there. Òdòdó, our Persephone—loosely—gets whisked off to the Underworld, or Șàngótè, by our Hades—again, loosely. Also, we have some seed eating. That’s where the resemblance pretty much ends, but it is a resemblance. Also, Masquerade is most definitely fantasy. It is set in a reimagined, or alternate history, West Africa, which makes it solidly fantasy. Magic need not be present in order for a story to be fantasy; a story needs only to have a setting in some other place than the world in which we live (or have lived), which Masquerade amply provides. And man, does Masquerade provide a story.

This book packs quite the unreliable narrator punch. Is Òdòdó as naive as she makes herself out to be? The perception readers are given to believe, even when we start the story at the blacksmith forge, indicates yes. Even Òdòdó’s mother tries to knock some sense into her. But the Òdòdó we see at the end, as the title suggests, seems to be an unveiling more than it does an awakening.

Masquerade packs a slow pace— Sangoyomi eases readers into Òdòdó’s story. I will say, the plot meanders quite a bit, even when the main action picks up after Òdòdó arrives in Sàngótè. Even so, I just know the pacing was brilliantly purposeful. Fast-paced books have their advantages, but the suspense here builds into a maddening crescendo. Much action happens off page, many times Òdòdó must come by information secondhand because of court intrigue, and, like a good Greek tragedy, the pressure builds and then massively erupts.

Even though I prepared myself for some intrigue after I read the synopsis on this one, I didn’t quite prepare myself well enough. Every relationship Òdòdó cultivates had me squinting my eyes. You will not know whom to trust here. In the end, I dare you to have a list of even five people when it’s all said and done. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor.

I cannot believe that I am not seeing this book all over the place. It is fantastic. Please pick this one up post haste if you love any of the aspects or selling points you see. Beautiful African setting, wonderful plot development, characters out of this world, and a couple of twins who steal the whole show. What a fantastic story.

Ariel Blake’s narration only enhanced the brilliance of the story. The narration was very soft, lyrical, and so immersive. I was mesmerized for several hours. Wow.

My thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

While the book was fantastic, the official synopsis only partially sold what I sought. The title boasts a loose version of Hades and Persephone's myth set in 15th century West Africa; a girl is stolen from her home, only to find out the Warrior King is her captor, and she is to be his bride. Although she finds fortune in this brazen move, she quickly realizes how chained she is to the unfortunates of being a woman under a man's power.

I enjoyed checking this title via audio with Ariel Blake as the narrator. Blake embodied 13 hours of Òdòdó and her story, and I'd like to hear more from her in the future. I think she fits the main character's profile perfectly, as do the other characters who came into play.

One of my major disappointments was the need for more fantasy elements. If you're expecting something magical, I'm sorry, but it isn't here. Even though this book is pitched as an Adult, it read very much YA. I found the main character, Òdòdó, to be very naïve up until she faced her tragedy. And even then, it still took her a while to get the hang of wearing her big girl panties.

But trust me, not everything in this book is a negative take lol

THIS BOOK WAS NOT WHAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, IT WAS SO MUCH BETTER!

Are we sure that this is a debut because Ms. O.O Sangoyomi showed out with this one!

The story follows our main character Òdòdó, a blacksmith... called a witch though I saw no evidence of powers, after she has been taken from her home in Timbuktu by the powerful Aláàfin leader Àrệmọ. She has to navigate a foreign land, a deceitful first wife, and a hatefully jealous mother-in-law-to-be to place herself in the position of power that she has always wanted. She went through so many emotional situations that honestly rocked me. She made decisions that I thought she would have turned down and others that I thought would cost her her life. however, once she got her footing, Ododo was a force!!

Greek mythology Persephone and Hades retelling with an West African twist!

Ariel Blake did an outstanding job of keeping my attention, accurately interpreting moments of shock and tenderness.

GO PICK THIS UP!


Thank you Netgalley, O.O. Sangoyomi and Macmillan Audio for granting me an audio ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi. All opinions are my own.

Before this book, I had never read any books set in this time period or region of Africa. The story sounded interesting, so that’s why I wanted to read it.

While this book is marketed as more of a fantasy, I would say that it is historical fiction with a few fantasy elements.

There are quite a few rave reviews for this book so far, but this book just wasn’t for me at all. There were too many issues with it for me to enjoy it.

Here’s what I did like:

I loved the setting and how not only was the geographical location cool, but I enjoyed the magical elements of this place as well.
The audiobook narration was great! The narrator had an accent that fit the character but was still easy to understand (even at 2.5x speed!). I was also impressed with all the hard names she had to pronounce and how effortless it seemed.

The author did a great job keeping my attention throughout the story with enough tense and fast-paced moments to keep me wanting to read more.

However, my main issue with this book was the main character. Òdòdó had questionable motives and made a lot of poor decisions. The romance was weird considering her circumstances. She didn’t seem to think it was a big deal in how she got together with the love interest, but in my opinion, it was really toxic and messed up.

Also, the decisions she made outside of her relationship made no sense to me!

Maybe it was because of the time in which this story took place, but there seemed to be a lot of unnecessary deaths. Also, be warned that there are a few graphic scenes that I hated.

Overall, I just felt angry after finishing the story. I wasn’t really satisfied with how things turned out, and a lot of the plot just didn’t make sense to me. I do think some people will really enjoy this story, but this just wasn’t my kind of book.

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.

The best part of this book was the narrator, Ariel Blake. She did the absolute best with what she had to work with, and managed to get me to listen all the way until the end.

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

Thank you Macmillan Audio for this ALC! Masquerade was an absolutely stunning debut novel. We follow Odobo, a 19 year old blacksmith who was taken from her village to be married to a warrior king. We see Odobo change from a quiet, unassuming teen to a fierce and powerful Queen. There were so many moments in Masquerade that shocked me and left me with my jaw hanging. 5 stars, I can’t wait to hear what people say after Masquerade this summer!

This was surprisingly good and ended in a satisfying way. I highly highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator not only does a fantastic job, but her accent really helps with the immersion and the pronunciation of the names.

I loved this West African fantasy. I will note that it's incredibly low fantasy as it doesn't really contain speculative elements, and there were occasionally times where I felt the MC was being a little too dense so plot things could happen, but overall it felt very cohesive and had a natural progression.

I support women's wrongs!!

This was a summer success of a book that I didn’t know I needed in my life. Based on a loose re-imagining of Persephone’s myth, and set in Yorubaland (modern-day Nigeria, specifically), Masquerade tells the story of a young blacksmith—in those days, thought of as witches—who the warrior king falls in love with and kidnaps to marry. Initially billed as a historical fantasy, this reads like straight historical fiction that happens to be based on a Greek myth. I didn’t actually know Persephone’s story, and was blown away at the similarities when my son was telling me the myth after I read the book.

Told from Ododo’s perspective, we see and feel her struggles as she is kidnapped, settles in to her new, opulent life, becomes a trusted advisor to the king, and finally has the opportunity to decide what she wants from her own life.

The narrator was phenomenal, and I could feel every ounce of emotion the author wrote into this story—the grief, the fear, the elation, the worry, the anguish, the hope, and the pride. And the last five minutes of the book made me gasp and tear up.

Highly recommend this!

This was a wild ride! I went from loving it, to thinking about DNF’ing it, to LOVING it. It made me feel a wide range of emotions and blew my mind on more than one occasion. But to set expectations: be aware that the marketing labelling this book as “fantasy” and “loosely based on the myth of Persephone” are strongly inaccurate. I would, however, recommend for fans of historical fiction with a feminist twist.

❤️ Strong character development
❤️ Atmosphere and lush writing style
❤️ Smooth corruption arc
❤️ Very satisfying ending
❌ Inconsistent FMC
❌ Some dragging
❌ Inaccurate marketing strategy

Trigger warnings: slavery, kidnapping and confinement, violence, blood and gore, injury detail, death and grief, murder, matricide, war, gaslighting, sexual assault, sexual violence, misogyny, fire and fire injury, animal violence and death, infertility.

Plot:
Òdòdó is a talented young blacksmith. Independent and unmarried, the women in the blacksmith guild are considered witches. Feared and sneered at, they have long been living under terrible conditions. But after meeting a stranger and gifting him a metal flower, Òdòdó’s life takes a dramatic turn. She is abducted and whisked across the Sahara to the capital city, where she discovers that the warrior king has chosen her to be his wife.

This book was definitely more character- and atmosphere- than plot-based, but I found that it worked. There’s no epic quest or high-stakes world peril, but themes like self-discovery, the fight for freedom, female rage, and vengeance are pretty strong. There’s manipulation and betrayal, a hate-to-love-to-hate toxic relationship, court intrigue, and power struggles. The ending was *chef’s kiss* and I *might* have screamed in my car when I listened to it.

Characters:
While I can’t say I *loved* any of the characters, I have to admire Sangoyomi for how she skillfully created nuanced and interesting characters. There was so much grey area, it was hard to hate even the walking-red-flag MMC. While I found the FMC very inconsistent (painfully naïve but also smart and strategical, tender and caring but also violent and remorseless), I have to admit it kept me on the edge of my seat. I had a hard time guessing what she would do (and if there’s one thing I hate, it’s predictability).

Writing:
I found Sangoyomi’s writing style very lush and descriptive. The pace could have been reworked (it was slow- to medium-paced for the first 60%, and then the rest was very fast—almost rushed.

Audiobook:
I loved Ariel Blake’s smooth but powerful voice, but also how listening to this book in audio format allowed me to hear the proper pronunciation of the beautiful West African names.

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. I was blown away by the narrator. This book was gripping, descriptive and very powerful. The ending was absolutely shocking!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

This historical fiction set in a reimagined 15th century West Africa follows Òdòdó on a journey from belonging to a group of women mostly cast out of society, to a seat at the most powerful table: the King's.

LOOSELY based on the myth of Persephone, but this is truly its own story, and this is not a romance by any means.
The overall book is fairly slow-paced, I really enjoyed the writing and the book overall.

Òdòdó makes some decisions that I did not agree with or could see through her naivety too easily. While they made sense for her character, I found it a little hard to believe how she simultaneously becomes an apparent policial mastermind, despite still making poor judgement calls and trusting too easily.

She learns a lot of things the hard way, and fights endlessly to be recognized and respected as her own person, not just someone's "something" which I think is relatable to a lot of women.

Thank you Forge Books and Bookish First for sending me an ARC, and thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC. The narrator was excellent!

Masquerade is a remarkable debut by O.O. Sangoyomi. Readers who enjoy new takes on myths, especially stories set in the continent of Africa, and readers who appreciate adventures with strong female characters will enjoy this book. Set in 15th century West Africa, the author does an amazing job of building a world that absorbs readers in the sights, smells and sounds of this time. Beginning in Timbuktu, I was immediately transported to an enchanting story with the main character, Ododo, a young blacksmith at the heart. Historical and geographical references to the Yoruba peoples and settings such as the Niger River as makes the story more engaging. Loosely based on the myth of Persephone, with hints of Cinderella, Sangoyomi incorporates real historical events along with a lot of imagination and African folklore. The author creates a spellbinding tale of power and deception as well as the Ododo’s struggles for freedom. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. Wonderful narration by Ariel Blake. I hope there will be a sequel. Thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the ARC.

Huge thank you to MacMillan for this ALC — I had a wonderful time listening over a few days of driving! The story itself was immersive and engaging, and the narration was lovely. This is billed as a Hades and Persephone retelling, which did give me the expectation for more fantastical elements than were present, but I enjoyed what was there as well as the political intrigue/court machinations that I love in a fantasy tale. I liked Òdòdó as a main character — she grew and evolved from her starting place as a naive teen. I do wish we'd gotten more from her in terms of overthrowing an oppressive power structure, but perhaps that could be good material for a sequel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow! I don’t even know how to start describing this epic debut novel. Òdòdó is a witch/blacksmith in the country of Yorùbáland. She is kidnapped and taken to the capital city of Ṣàngótẹ̀ where she discovers she is to be the new King’s bride.

She falls in love with the riches and lavish lifestyle of the country and starts to develop feelings for the King as well. As wedding plans are made, trials and betrayal come to the royal city and the new Queen to be must learn quickly of who to trust.

This is an epic novel with stunning visuals and insights into courtly life in this fantasy 15-century city. It shows the limitations of women in public but that sometimes they have more power than what meets the eye.

As a reader, I always try to find the meaning behind the title of a story and was unsure how the title fit in with Òdòdó’s story until the last page. It really is a fitting title.

I hope this is made into a series and the next one is just as fierce. This would be a perfect reader for those who loved the Poppy War trilogy by RF Kuang or Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to an advanced reader copy to share my humble thoughts and opinions.

Solid 4.5 for me as a reader. I was fortunate enough to have an arc of both the book and audiobook. I went into the book with little insight and loved the lush detail of the mythology.

I love retelling/different interpretations of stories.

The title will definitely be purchased when available to.

Thanks to Tor Publishing Group and Macmillian Audio for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.

Òdòdó is a young girl living in poverty in Timbuktu. Her family are blacksmiths who are looked down upon especially under the rule of their new king from Yorùbáland. She is kidnapped by a vagrant only to find out that he is actually the king who wishes to take her as a second wife. She quickly learns the dangers of a political life at court. She is intrigued by her betrothed but wields what little she powers she has to hold off the wedding til he finds her mother. When her mother is found, she realizes that there is much she does not know about her new king.

I don't know much of the myth of Hades and Persephone, and much of the criticism I have seen about this title is about that. So I think it's actually to go in blind expecting really interesting historical fiction set in Western Africa. I really enjoyed the story, the narrator's accent had me fall right into Òdòdó's world and enjoy discovering the new kingdom with her. I, of course, had the same reservations about him as she and yet was surprised and intrigued by how much deception there was around her at court. It amazed me how it reads like a Phillippa Gregory novel set in an English court and yet with the beauty and culture of Africa. The ending was fabulous!

The world was lush and magnificent. Really sucked you in and wouldn’t let go. Great mythology and writing.

For Fans of:
- A Song to Drown Rivers

Òdòdó’s is an outcast. Born into a community of society's discarded women, it is her destiny to work as a blacksmith from sun up to sun down from the day she was born until the day she dies. In her beloved city of Timbuktu, her fate is sealed and her options are naught until she meets a strange man who changes her life forever.

This book includes:
- political intrigue and court machinations
- innocence lost
- 15th century Africa
- betrayal
- the role of women in politics
- Iron Worker union
- social pariahs

I've recently been on a kick of reading books with women who go on difficult journies, but this one had a bit more of a "good for her" type of vibe which I appreciate. The pace was a bit slow in some spots, but when it picked up I was drawn into the story. I listened to the story on audiobook, and the narrator had a fantastically mesmerizing tone of voice. Òdòdó’s could be soooo frustrating, especially when everything was so obvious to everyone but her, but the ending was so satisfying that I don't even mind. If you enjoy high-stakes politics and ruthless characters, I recommend this book.

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, O.O. Sangoyomi, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to review this book. This review is also available on my GoodReads - check out my profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863

✨ 𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 ✨

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐎.𝐎. 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐲𝐨𝐦𝐢
𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 • 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘺 • 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘬𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦
𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 • 𝘔𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 • 𝘙𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 • 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
𝘈𝘙𝘊 • 𝘗𝘶𝘣 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦: 2 𝘑𝘶𝘭𝘺 2024

Thank you @macmillan.audio for the free review copy!

This was a smash of a debut! If you like mythology or historical fiction or witchy political intrigue, you need to read this.

Set in the region of Timbuktu, Masquerade is loosely a Persephone retelling crossed with dark Cinderella-reimagined vibes. Òdòdó, our bada$$ main character is plucked from life as an impoverished blacksmith when she’s singled out by the Aláàafin, ruling King of the region to be his betrothed. But life as a woman is riddled with misogyny and other challenges.

The region is in the midst of a bloodbath alternating between internal civil revolution coupled with the King’s ambition to expand his territories and conquests and the elephant ivory trade. Will a simple girl of humble origin be able to pull herself up by her bootstraps or will she succumb to the many snares and betrayals coming at her from every angle? Will she fall in love with the Aláàafin along the way? Will true love reign over terror?

🎧 So much culture and lyrical prose. I loved the narration of this audiobook and found myself switching back and forth between audio and physical book. Audio really helped when it came to pronunciation and I loved the narrator’s accent! I flew through this book. Dark romance and historical fiction fans - check this one out. Releasing July 2!

TW: quite a bit of blood and gore, gruesome warfare, death, murder.

This was an unusual read for me, but I enjoyed the audiobook immensely.
It's setting is one I know little to nothing about, but I wanted to educate and learn about other cultures and traditions.
I felt this book did that superbly, and it was a fascinating and gripping listen, very well performed by the narrator Ariel Blake.