Ada’s Realm by Sharon Dodua Otoo (Author), Jon Cho-Polizzi (Translator)

WHERE IS ADA?

In a small village in West Africa, in what will one day become Ghana, Ada gives birth again, and again the baby does not live. As she grieves the loss of her child, Portuguese traders become the first white men to arrive in the village, an event that will bear terrible repercussions for Ada and her kin.

WHEN IS ADA?

Centuries later, Ada will become the mathematical genius Ada Lovelace; Ada, a prisoner forced into prostitution in a Nazi concentration camp; and Ada, a young, pregnant Ghanaian woman with a new British passport who arrives in Berlin in 2019 for a fresh start.

WHO IS ADA?

Ada is not one woman, but many, and she is all women – she revolves in orbits, looping from one century and from one place to the next. And so, she experiences the hardship but also the joy of womanhood: she is a victim, she offers resistance, and she fights for her independence.

This long-awaited debut from Sharon Dodua Otoo paints an astonishing picture of femininity, resilience and struggle with deep empathy and humour, with vivid language and infinite imagination.

BOOK REVIEW

Sharon Dodua Otoo’s debut novel Ada’s Realm is an ambitious and highly creative narrative of strength and resilience of women throughout time. By writing from multiple perspectives, from past to present, the story weaves together an astounding picture of feminine life that all women can relate to and find courage from.

The reader is taken on an emotional journey with the character of Ada through many tragedies, sorrows and injustices she must overcome in her journey to becoming the strong and courageous woman she is. While it’s an incredibly dark novel in some ways, it is simultaneously full of humour, compassion and beauty, giving the reader hope in even the bleakest of situations.

The writing in this novel is stunning – Otoo creates a highly descriptive atmosphere with an evocative writing style that captivates the reader, making it impossible to put the book down. Ada’s Realm is a masterpiece and will remain a lasting reminder of the importance of fighting for what’s right and valuing the struggles of all women throughout the centuries.

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