Discussion: Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi

Hey y’all! We're kicking off the new year with O.O. Sangoyomi's book, Masquerade, a fantasy & historical fiction novel set in 15th century West Africa.

Written during her sophomore year of college, Sangoyomi has shared that the book "stemmed from my frustration about being unable to find classes related to Africa at my school, especially classes about pre-colonial Africa. I was born to Nigerian immigrants, so I’m passionate about the history of West Africa in particular...The more that I read about the richness of this historical era, the more inspired I became to write a story set within this time period. Especially because storytelling plays such an important role in Yorùbá culture in terms of preserving histories and memories, it was important to me to try fighting against the kind of death that comes when a culture or a history is no longer talked about." Can't wait to explore this beautiful tribute to lineage and reclaiming of memory with y'all.

Location details will be sent to RSVPs so make sure you let us know you’re coming. Wishing you a reflective and restorative end of year and nourishing start to 2026! See y’all soon!

Book Description:
Set in a wonderfully reimagined 15th century West Africa, Masquerade is a dazzling, lyrical tale exploring the true cost of one woman’s fight for freedom and self-discovery, and the lengths she’ll go to secure her future.

Òdòdó’s home city of Timbuktu has been conquered by the warrior king of Yorùbáland. Under their new oppressive ruler, conditions for Òdòdó and the other women in her ostracised blacksmith guild grow even worse.

Then Òdòdó is abducted and whisked across the Sahara to the capital city of Ṣàngótẹ̀, where she is shocked to discover that her kidnapper – the apparent vagrant who had visited her guild just days prior – is none other than the warrior king himself, and he has chosen her to be his wife.

Òdòdó soars to the very heights of society, and into a world of battle and politics. As tensions with rival states grow, revealing elaborate schemes and hidden enemies, Òdòdó must defy the cruel king she has been forced to wed and reforge the shaky loyalties of the court in her favor, or risk losing everything—including her life.

Loosely based on the myth of Persephone, O.O. Sangoyomi’s Masquerade takes you on a journey of epic power struggles and political intrigue which turn an entire region on its head.

Getting the Book:
If you'd like to shop local and Black-owned there’s the beloved Marcus Books. You can give them a call to reserve a copy and visit them at:

Marcus Books - 1 (510) 652-2344
3900 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Oakland, CA 94609

This book is also available at the Oakland Public Library and the San Francisco Public Library, both in its physical and e-copy form, and as an audiobook.

Alternatively you can support Independent Bookstores via [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/p/books/skin-bones-renee-watson/20612443)

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