EVEN WHEN YOUR VOICE SHAKES

A teen in Accra takes a job in a wealthy household and finds the courage to speak up after she is sexually assaulted in this contemporary novel by a noted Ghanaian author.

Sixteen-year-old Amerley has dropped out of school and assumed the role of caretaker for her younger sisters due to her fisherman father’s absence and mother’s refusal to face their dire situation. The family is on the verge of eviction, and Amerley’s sewing skills bring in some income, although her dream of becoming an apprentice seamstress is out of reach financially. Her best friend, Sheba, and boyfriend, Nikoi, are also struggling, although Nikoi offers her family a temporary reprieve on rent with funds he had saved toward her apprenticeship. Then Rosina, her mother’s wealthy friend, offers to give Amerley a domestic position in her household, pay her sisters’ school fees, and support Amerley’s apprenticeship in two years’ time. Despite Amerley’s reluctance to leave home, her mother is insistent. Rosina’s gated luxurious dwelling is unlike anything Amerley has ever experienced, but the opulence masks serious family issues—and she is raped by a member of the family. Against overwhelming pressure to keep silent, Amerley testifies in court, becoming a beacon of hope for countless others who have endured rape and abuse. Amerley is a strong, well-drawn character surrounded by a complex supporting cast. The narrative is rich in cultural detail and universal in its themes of resilience and integrity.

A powerful story that will engage readers.