And So I Roar - by Abi Daré (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A stunning, inspiring new novel from Abi Daré, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl with the Louding Voice

When Tia accidentally overhears a whispered conversation between her mother--terminally ill and lying in a hospital bed in Port Harcourt, Nigeria--and her aunt, the repercussions will send her on a desperate quest to uncover a secret her mother has been hiding for nearly two decades.

Back home in Lagos a few days later, Adunni, a plucky fourteen-year-old runaway, is lying awake in Tia's guest room. Having escaped from her rural village in a desperate bid to seek a better future, she's finally found refuge with Tia, who has helped her enroll in school. It's always been Adunni's dream to get an education, and she's bursting with excitement.

Suddenly, there's a horrible knocking at the front gate. . . .

It's only the beginning of a harrowing ordeal that will see Tia forced to make a terrible choice between protecting Adunni or finally learning the truth behind the secret her mother has hidden from her. And Adunni will learn that her "louding voice," as she calls it, is more important than ever, as she must advocate to save not only herself but all the young women of her home village, Ikati.

If she succeeds, she may transform Ikati into a place where girls are allowed to claim the bright futures they deserve--and shout their stories to the world.

Review Quotes

Winner of the 2025 Climate Fiction Prize

"Adunni's sparkling voice and the close sisterly relationship she develops with Tia propel this story along . . . A vivacious, inspiring read." -Oprah Daily

"Lyrical." -New York Times Book Review

"Nigeria is really bringing it right now as a hotbed of excellent books taking the world by storm. Author Abi Daré scored a hit with her acclaimed debut novel The Girl With The Louding Voice, a Today show pick. The heroine of that novel-now 14 year old Adunni-is back and paired with Tia, a young woman who must defy her dying mother or watch Adunni and all the girls of Adunni's village suffer a terrible fate. You needn't read the first book to enjoy this one, but everyone who devoured that bestseller will surely be ready for And So I Roar." --Parade

"It must be hard to be this good. Abi Daré returns to Nigeria and 14-year-old Adunni from her first bestselling novel, The Girl With the Louding Voice. Once again, Daré's storytelling makes for a knockout adventure of friendship, feminism and hope." --Ms. Magazine

"Powerful and inspiring." ―Grazia

"Abi Daré powerfully weaves an earth-shattering tale celebrating resilience and perseverance." ―Woman's Weekly

"Evocative." ―Good Housekeeping

"As different as her characters initially seem, Daré does an exceptional job of demonstrating their similarities and the universal need for love and growth as human beings. The plot twists and turns, taking readers back to Ikati with Adunni and Tia, and exposing both betrayals from intimates and generosities from strangers. Readers will hope for more from this accomplished author." -Shelf Awareness

"A brilliantly rousing, pacy tale about the power of speaking up." ―Red magazine

"Adnnni's natural lyricism is as powerful as her resilience...an indelible portrait of a turbulent girlhood." --Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"Daré delivers a gut-wrenching reminder that every woman has a lion inside her waiting to break free." --Booklist (Starred Review)

"Part old-fashioned adventure yarn, part feminist manifesto, and completely captivating." --Kirkus (Starred Review)

"Abi Daré is a novelist of great power, wit, and invention. She never misses a step, never drops a sentence, never takes a wrong narrative turn. Her characters burn in my memory forever, as if they were people I had known-- and will forever care about. Daré is not only gifted, she is also a gift." --Elizabeth Gilbert, #1 New York Times bestselling author of City of Girls and Eat, Pray, Love

"An edge-of-your-seat return to the world of Adunni from The Girl with the Louding Voice, with her unmistakable voice and big dreams. An uplifting story of friendship and sisterhood amid seemingly insurmountable obstacles." --Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake

"From the very first page, Daré has proved, once again, that she is a masterful storyteller to be reckoned with. And So I Roar is a searing, thrilling depiction of the bonds of womanhood that guide us from the villages of Nigeria into something like hope. An engaging, engrossing, remarkable read." --Tara M. Stringfellow, national bestselling author of Memphis and Magic Enuff: poems

"An enduring story of hope, love and the power we hold, if only we're brave enough to use it. And So I Roar is a beautiful novel, not easily forgotten." --Ore Agbaje-Williams, author of The Three of Us

"And So I Roar is about braving impossible odds, finding the courage to defend others, and refusing to surrender your dreams. It's a moving story of hope, healing, and the power of women standing together. This inspiring tale will stay with me for a long time." --Eileen Garvin, author of The Music of Bees

"Transcendent...a powerful reminder of what women can accomplish when we raise our words, not merely our voices. Adunni is as endearing as ever, and her complicated relationship with Tia expertly displays the nuances of female friendship, familial ties as well as burdens, and the difficult but sometimes brave reality of choosing oneself in a world demands women place themselves last. Full of poignant prose and compelling dilemmas, AND SO I ROAR is a dazzling novel." --Asha Lemmie, New York Times bestselling author of The Wildest Sun

"A gripping and immersive tale of womanhood, told through the louding voices and extraordinary circumstances of the 'ordinary' girls and women who unknowingly hold the power to change the world. Just as Adunni tells us that the words in a book have wings that can travel far; this novel will take flight into the minds and hearts of people alike and unalike who remember the past, but revere the future. This is a story that we must listen to, a story we won't soon forget."--Kai Harris, author of What the Fireflies Knew

"Within these pages there is truth. Ramifications of colonialism, climate change and female oppression cry out to be heard in this touching tale of connection and love." -- Anne Griffin, author of The Island of Longing

About the Author

Abi Daré grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. She studied law at the University of Wolverhampton and has an MSc in International Project Management from Glasgow Caledonian University. Abi completed an MA in creative writing at Birkbeck University of London, achieving a distinction. Abi lives in Essex, UK, with her husband and two daughters, who inspired her to write her debut novel.