A dark, unique, and rage-filled story that had me cheering for Sally-Mae’s revenge, even if the narration didn’t quite deliver the intensity I craved.

I really loved the story itself, but when reviewing an audiobook, I have to consider the entire listening experience, and unfortunately, the narration was a big miss for me.

The story was dark, mysterious, and wonderfully unique, with all the feminine rage I LOVE! It tackles some incredibly heavy topics, including sexual abuse, racism, and religion, while delivering a tale of vengeance that had me internally screaming, “YOU GO, GIRL!”

After Sally-Mae is violated and impregnated, the very community she is a part of shuns her. But Sally-Mae isn’t about to quietly accept her fate. With a little help from some magical sources, she sets out to reclaim her power, and I was HERE FOR IT!

I loved the creative ways Bubonic Plague and Cholera were defeated, and of course, the rattlesnakes were my absolute favorite! Watching Sally-Mae take control of her circumstances and deliver her retaliation was incredibly satisfying.

Unfortunately, the narration didn’t capture the darkness, emotion, or intensity that I felt this story deserved. The casting felt mismatched to the characters, particularly having a male narrator voice Sally-Mae’s perspective. Rather than pulling me deeper into the story, it often took me out of the experience.

Ultimately, I think I would have enjoyed this one significantly more in print. The story itself was fantastic, but the audiobook experience held it back for me.

📖 The Turning of Sally-Mae
✍️ Nuzo Onoh
🎙️ Curt Bonnem & Délé Ogundiran
🎁 Tantor Media
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️