The Girl with Louding Voice by Abi Daré

 

Adunni dreams of becoming a teacher.

But it seems it is not to be.  Her mother dies and her father marries her off so that he can earn some money. She faces several challenges but encounters a couple of friends on the way.  There are some grave dangers.  She has to escape the wrath of her husband. She finds employment but her boss is cruel and violent. She has to study hard at the same time as completing long hours of physical work.

Abi Daré certainly gives Audnni a “louding” voice and creates an authentic character here.     

Meeting Coty by Ruth Estevez

 

I really enjoyed attending the launch of this book at the lovely Portico Library in Manchester. Ruth gave us a fascinating talk which included some of the history of the Coty firm. 

Tessa Garcia has big dreams and takes steps to make them come true.

Tessa faces many expectations from her Spanish-Irish Catholic family; that she should marry, that she shouldn’t work, and that she should be dependent on men all of her life. She already has a work ethos and an enthusiasm for perfumes. This arouses in her a fascination with the perfume maker François Coty.    

Estevez presents us with a narrative as smooths as silk in this fascinating story of Meeting Coty.   

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