The Stolen Daughter by Florence Olajide

The Stolen Daughter by Florence Ọlájídé.

Published 31st May 2024 by Bookoutre.

From the cover of the book:

My heart races as gunfire startles me from my sleep, and my lungs fill with smoke as I realise my village is being burned to the ground. I tremble as I discover my family is missing, but before I can find them, I am taken. With tears streaming down my face, I wonder if I’ll ever see my parents and little brother again…

Western Africa, 1848. In a small Yorùbá village, fourteen-year-old Ṣìkẹ́mi refuses to live by the elders’ rules. All she wants is to learn how to hunt and defend herself, like the boys. But her father is quick to remind her that soon she’ll be expected to grow up and marry.

But Ṣìkẹ́mi’s world shatters when her village is ambushed by slave raiders. She watches in horror as she’s separated from her family before she is sold to Madam Tinúbú, a rich and powerful slave trader. With her heart in pieces, Ṣìkẹ́mi’s days are filled with back-breaking labour and constant fear of brutal punishment.

Desperate, Ṣìkẹ́mi looks for a way to escape her nightmare and find her family. When someone tries to poison Madam, she sees a chance to save her mistress’s life. As a reward, Madam grants Ṣìkẹ́mi’s request to train as a warrior and join her guard. Madam sees something in Ṣìkẹ́mi that she could use, and something she desperately needs to keep her power…

But Ṣìkẹ́mi has a plan of her own. Even if everything is taken away from her, her spirit will never be broken. And nothing will stop her from being reunited with her family. Not even Madam.

Inspired by true events, The Stolen Daughter is a gripping and unputdownable story about facing your fears, overcoming unimaginable hardship, and the courage and strength of women in a world ruled by men. Fans of Marie Benedict, Sadeqa Johnson and Suzette D. Harrison will be swept away.

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1848, The Yoruba Kingdom, West Africa. Fourteen-year-old Ṣìkẹ́mi longs for the freedom enjoyed by the boys of her village. All she wants to do is be like them, and her defiant behaviour is always getting her into trouble. She cannot understand why her lot should be one of marriage and motherhood, when she is just as good at hunting and bushcraft as they are.

When the peace of the village is shattered by the arrival of slave raiders, Ṣìkẹ́mi's frustrations are thrown into sharp relief. Torn away from her family and traded as a slave, she is bought by Madam Tinúbú, a rich and powerful woman at the heart of the West African slave trade. Ṣìkẹ́mi's only concern now is to stay alive.

By chance, Ṣìkẹ́mi comes to Madam's attention after saving her from an attempt on her life. As a result, her capricious owner spots an opportunity to use her for her own ends. Ṣìkẹ́mi is given the chance to train as the warrior she has always longed to be... and she begins to lay plans to find her way back to her parents and younger brother.

I loved Florence Ọlájídé's fascinating memoir, Coconut, about how her life has been shaped to give her a foothold in two cultures - Britain and Nigeria. So when I heard she had written her first novel, The Stolen Daughter, I could not wait to read it.

The Stolen Daughter is the epic story of Ṣìkẹ́mi, a young girl snatched from her family and forced into slavery in nineteenth century West Africa. Ṣìkẹ́mi is a bold and courageous character, and Ọlájídé uses her struggles beautifully to fashion a tale that totally immerses you in the life of a young woman swept along on a tide that she cannot control. Ṣìkẹ́mi refuses to be cowed, and her intelligence, intuition, and sheer force of will are powerful weapons in the long game she must play. At times she does get lost in the manipulative schemes of others, which allows the story to take lovely twists and turns, especially when it comes to friendship, the possibility of love, and the things she is prepared to do to win her freedom. I adored her, taking her completely into my heart, which tied me completely to every one of the triumphs and tragedies that mark her journey.

Through Ṣìkẹ́mi's story, Ọlájídé touches on so many aspects of the history of this region, primarily around the slave trade and the relationships between the divided ethnic groups of the Yoruba Kingdom and the 'white man'. Rather than follow the well worn path of a slave taken across the ocean to toil for the British empire, or in the Americas, Ọlájídé turns her eyes to the workings of the slave trade within Africa itself, which makes this an eye-opening read. 

Ọlájídé delves into the mechanics of slave raids; the vicious infighting between tribes; and the enormous wealth garnered from the slave trade that fed the political ambitions of families in power. It is horribly fascinating to read about, and she does not shy away from addressing the complicity of the West Africans who exploited their own people for personal gain, nor the excruciating complexities of the relationships between them and Britain that led to the eventual formation of Nigeria. 

There is an intriguing thread to the novel which explores the role of women in Yoruba culture, which I found really thought provoking. There are many powerful female characters in the story, some of whom are intimately involved in supporting the political machinations of their families as financial backers through the slave trade. And yet, they are never allowed to exceed their 'place' in the patriarchal structure they inhabit. This is strictly a man's world, and the women are never allowed to forget this, often through violent means. Much to ponder upon there... 

And speaking of pondering, I highly recommend a read of Ọlájídé's poignant reflections on the legacy of the slave trade today, particularly the stigma that still abounds in Nigeria in respect of families who were touched by its reach. 

The Stolen Daughter is an impressive fiction debut. It is a fine example of my absolute favourite kind of historical novel - one which totally consumes you with a well-written story, teaches you about uncomfortable history, and makes you take a good hard look at the lessons the past can teach us. 

The Stolen Daughter is available to buy now in ebook and paperback formats. Buy link: Amazon UK

Thank you to Bookoutre for providing me with an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to take part in this blog tour.

About the author:

Florence is an educator and her passion is improving children’s lives. She caught the teaching bug at thirteen when she organised the neighbourhood kids into evening classes so they could support each other with homework. 

Three years later, just shy of her sixteenth birthday, she entered the University of Lagos, Nigeria to begin her teacher training. In 1981, she graduated from the University of Lagos, Nigeria with a Nigerian Certificate in Education. 

She was a headteacher of a London inner city primary school. She is the co-founder of Inspired Futures and has a passion for seeing children achieve the best they can and ensuring that schools provide them with a first-class education. 

Florence was shortlisted to attend Penguin Random House’s WriteNow London workshop in 2018. She is the author of the memoir Coconut.