Review of Leaving Dahomey
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Review of Leaving Dahomey
[Following is a volunteer review of "Leaving Dahomey" by Jude Shaw.]
Leaving Dahomey by Jude Shaw is a historical fiction novel set in an ancient kingdom called Dahomey, located between the kingdoms of Ghana and Nigeria in the mid 19th century. The story revolves around the life of Adeoha, the daughter of a wealthy noble, Tubutu and Lamtaala. Adeoha is portrayed as an extraordinary young woman who is tenacious, intelligent, and mischievous. Sewextu, Adeoha's best friend, invites her to participate in the initiation to join dancers of the oracle in an ancient rite called Language of the Drums. This initiation starts the journey of self-discovery for Adeoha.
This novel addresses various themes, including women empowerment, slavery, land ownership, friendship, inheritance of wealth, and colonization. In the ancient kingdom of Dahomey, women could own land, have an opportunity to trade to increase their wealth, and become soldiers. After Adeoha participates in the Language of the Drums, she becomes compelled to embark on a journey of trading going as far as Atogon. She becomes a shrewd businesswoman and increases her wealth vastly. She later takes part in a dance competition by the persuasion of her first friend, Sewextu.
There are a few things that I liked in this book, one of them being the character of Adeoha. She was strong-willed and compassionate towards other people, including her slave friends and the Yovos(whites). I also enjoyed her friendship with Sewextu, which was strong and admirable. I enjoy reading books that have strong female protagonists. However, there were so many aspects that I was discontent with within this novel. The author of this book did not do thorough research regarding African culture, and some parts made me cringe a lot.
The plot had so many grammatical errors, especially since the author tried to narrate the book from different points of view. Some words were unbelievable because they started being used after colonization. The colonists introduced words like kilometers, summers, and December. The author has even introduced tigers that do not exist in Africa. The whole book has a very fake African aura because words of endearment like "I love you" were not used, especially in that era.
I would rate this novel 2 out of 4 stars because I had very high expectations, which, unfortunately, the author did not exceed. I expected a lot of action and thrilling scenes. I would recommend this novel to an audience that enjoys historical fiction, especially those with African settings.
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Leaving Dahomey
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Leaving Dahomey by Jude Shaw is a historical fiction novel set in an ancient kingdom called Dahomey, located between the kingdoms of Ghana and Nigeria in the mid 19th century. The story revolves around the life of Adeoha, the daughter of a wealthy noble, Tubutu and Lamtaala. Adeoha is portrayed as an extraordinary young woman who is tenacious, intelligent, and mischievous. Sewextu, Adeoha's best friend, invites her to participate in the initiation to join dancers of the oracle in an ancient rite called Language of the Drums. This initiation starts the journey of self-discovery for Adeoha.
This novel addresses various themes, including women empowerment, slavery, land ownership, friendship, inheritance of wealth, and colonization. In the ancient kingdom of Dahomey, women could own land, have an opportunity to trade to increase their wealth, and become soldiers. After Adeoha participates in the Language of the Drums, she becomes compelled to embark on a journey of trading going as far as Atogon. She becomes a shrewd businesswoman and increases her wealth vastly. She later takes part in a dance competition by the persuasion of her first friend, Sewextu.
There are a few things that I liked in this book, one of them being the character of Adeoha. She was strong-willed and compassionate towards other people, including her slave friends and the Yovos(whites). I also enjoyed her friendship with Sewextu, which was strong and admirable. I enjoy reading books that have strong female protagonists. However, there were so many aspects that I was discontent with within this novel. The author of this book did not do thorough research regarding African culture, and some parts made me cringe a lot.
The plot had so many grammatical errors, especially since the author tried to narrate the book from different points of view. Some words were unbelievable because they started being used after colonization. The colonists introduced words like kilometers, summers, and December. The author has even introduced tigers that do not exist in Africa. The whole book has a very fake African aura because words of endearment like "I love you" were not used, especially in that era.
I would rate this novel 2 out of 4 stars because I had very high expectations, which, unfortunately, the author did not exceed. I expected a lot of action and thrilling scenes. I would recommend this novel to an audience that enjoys historical fiction, especially those with African settings.
******
Leaving Dahomey
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Senator's Suitcase by Mitch Engel
