Author: O. O. Sangoyomi
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Forge Books
Book Release Date: 2024
Pages: 343
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Set in a wonderfully reimagined 15th century West Africa, Masquerade is a dazzling, lyrical tale exploring the true cost of one woman’s fight for freedom and self-discovery, and the lengths she’ll go to secure her future.
Òdòdó’s hometown of Timbuktu has been conquered by the warrior king of Yorùbáland, and living conditions for the women in her blacksmith guild, who were already shunned as social pariahs, grow even worse.
Then Òdòdó is abducted. She is whisked across the Sahara to the capital city of Ṣàngótẹ̀, where she is shocked to discover that her kidnapper is none other than the vagrant who had visited her guild just days prior. But now that he is swathed in riches rather than rags, Òdòdó realizes he is not a vagrant at all; he is the warrior king, and he has chosen her to be his wife.
In a sudden change of fortune, Òdòdó soars to the very heights of society. But after a lifetime of subjugation, she finds the power that saturates this world of battle and political savvy too enticing to resist. As tensions with rival states grow, revealing elaborate schemes and enemies hidden in plain sight, Òdòdó must defy the cruel king she has been forced to wed by reforging the shaky loyalties of the court in her favor, or risk losing everything—including her life.
Loosely based on the myth of Persephone, O.O. Sangoyomi’s Masquerade takes you on a journey of epic power struggles and political intrigue which turn an entire region on its head.
My Review: Masquerade is a retelling of the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone set in 15th century West Africa. Odobo works as a blacksmith. Her hometown of Timbuktu has just been conquered by the King of Yorubaland. One day, she is kidnapped and is taken to the capital of Sangote. Once she arrives, she learns that she is to be the wife of the King of Yorubaland. Odobo learns that as the king’s royal bride, she learns the true cost of power.
I found Odobo to be a frustrating character. She is often a pawn for others. Also, she does many things that does not make sense as a reader. She is power hungry and very ruthless. She is not afraid to kill whoever gets in her way. I found her to be heartless, and I did not like her ending. I thought she did not deserve her fate. This is because she does not care about others. She was selfish and vain and only cared about her own ambition and the means to get it. Therefore, Odobo was not a likable character, and I did not root for her to get her own way.
Overall, this book is about lies, secrets, and power. I did not care for any of the characters. They lacked character development and were flat. I also thought that the book was very slow moving and tended to drag. The political and courtly intrigue in this book did not make much sense and was never really explained. I did like the setting of West Africa and how the author incorporated Yoruba culture and mythology. Still, this plot was interesting enough to keep me reading! I recommend this for fans of The Gilded Ones, Daughter of the Merciful Deep, and Children of Blood and Bone!
Rating: 2 ½ out of 5 stars
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