Daughters of Oduma

Sisters of the Mud #1

by Moses Ose Utomi

An elite female fighter must reenter the competition to protect her found family of younger sisters in this “absorbing, striking” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) young adult fantasy inspired by West African culture, perfect for fans of The Gilded Ones and Creed.

Eat. Dance. Fight.

This is the life of the girls who compete in the Isle’s elite, all-female fighting sport of Bowing. But it isn’t really Dirt’s life anymore. At sixteen, she is old and has retired from competition. Instead, she spends her days coaching the younger sisters of the Mud Fam and dreading her fast-approaching birthday, when she’ll have to leave her sisters to fulfill whatever destiny the Gods choose for her.

Dirt’s young sisters are coming along nicely, and the Mud Fam is sure to win the upcoming South God Bow tournament, which is the tiny Fam needs the new recruits that come with victory. Then an attack from a powerful rival leaves the Mud without their top Bower, and Dirt is the only one who can compete in the tournament. But Dirt is old, out of shape, and afraid. She has never wanted to be a leader. Victory seems impossible—yet defeat would mean the end of her beloved Fam. And no way is Dirt going to let that happen.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Young Adult Fantasy, Mythology, Sports, Fiction, Audiobook

366 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 7, 2023

Reviews

[Shannon Miz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughters of Oduma appealed to me immediately for two reasons: I love the concept of found families and girls working together, and I love me a good competition story! And I absolutely enjoyed those aspects of the book. I'll tell you that my only real qualm with the story as a whole was that it took me a bit to get into it, and I also had a hard time picturing what was actually going on during the Bowing.

That said, it absolutely delivered, especially on the found family concept, and the girls coming together for the greater good! Dirt will do basically anything to help her sisters, and that is one of the things that makes her such a likable and admirable character. There were times that she seemed a bit judgmental of other girls' choices, but there is certainly character growth that happens during the course of the book.

Anyway, there is no way you cannot cheer for Dirt, full stop. I wanted so badly for her, and her sisters, to have all the very best of life, however they ended up choosing it to look. And one of the best parts about this story for me is that the author really gives Dirt the chance to look inside herself, to find her own power, no matter what the world around her says.

A few more things I loved: the incredible cultures and world that the author built, the use of "fat" as a compliment/strength, and just women being multifaceted in general. Also, there will be more, as the author just announced! 

Bottom Line: Loved Dirt and her sisters' journeys, as they showed that women can be warriors... or also not, because women should have choices. The whole narrative was fabulous.

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

[amsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘the lies of ajungo’ (an adult sff novella set in this universe) is one of my most anticipated books of the year so I decided to give the author’s YA fantasy a chance as well. i’m glad i did, it was interesting, fast-paced with interesting characters. It tackles bravery, sisterhood, tradition and being true to oneself. really loved that every character was flushed out and had a whole character arc even snore, who’s practically a baby. wish the world building was more fleshed out but it’s fine enough given the context

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly one of the most underrated books I’ve ever read. Everyone should be reading this book. It’s bold and beautiful and strong and unlike anything else I’ve ever read.

[Dramapuppy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bizarrely slow paced for a book about a tournament for the gods, so it never became a page turner. But the characters and world really come into their own as the book goes on

[Devashree Vyas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would genuinely advise against heeding to my judgement when it comes to this book. I read the audiobook version. As a result, my attention was not as it would be for an ebook or a paper book. And I did not connect to the book. I let passages and chapters go by without really realising what’s going on. At the same time, I got the gist of the story so I did not make an effort to keep reading it repeatedly.

I liked the premise. It gave me an opportunity to experience notions of a different culture. At the same time, because of the disconnect, the world-building never got through to me. I don’t know if that is a negative aspect of the book itself or if it is because I was not able to give the attention from my end. I read a lot of audiobooks so it isn’t as if I struggle with them but I did struggle to connect with and enjoy this one.

[emerson]

dnf @ 8%

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a breath of fresh air. I wasn't sure what to expect, but what I got were rich, full characters, an entire new world, and an unexpected story. Overcoming loss, finding yourself, the strength of a family, and growing into who you are meant to be are just a few of the themes touched on throughout the novel. I loved the writing as it mimicked an ancient story being told. The rhythms of the words were almost comforting in a way, and the language just enhanced the world created by Utomi.

[Cristi Smith-Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughters of Oduma is a unique, fat-positive fantasy tale about found family.

I loved the representation of fat girls as powerful, the affirmations, the relationships between the girls, and Mud fam's perspectives. I found the worldbuilding intriguing but found that there were many questions left unanswered in that aspect.

Song stuck in my head while reading:
🎵 Special - Lizzo

📱🎧 Read using ebook and audiobook

[Eden]

DNF @16%

I liked the author’s reasons for writing this book, but the writing style wasn’t for me.

[Tory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off strong with vibrant culture, dialogue, and dialect. I could very much *hear* all these characters in my head!

(It took me wayyyy too long to realize their fighting ritual, "bowing," was a reference to *BOW* like you do to royalty, and not like an archer's *bow*. Definitely could have been clarified sooner!)

SPOILERS


SPOILERS


Imo, it got shaky and overlong at the end, with a LOT of questions about their world left unanswered, and ended with an overexplained "believe in yourself."

[Rich in Color is now on StoryGraph]

Review copy: ARC via publisher

*Sigh* I really wanted to fall in love with this book as I found it an interesting premise for a debut fantasy novel. It seemed very different from the typical “hero’s journey” type of story that has the chosen main character on some journey to save the world. In “Daughters of Oduma” Dirt’s chosen family is her world and she must save them. I expected a very different type of fantasy and I definitely did, but to me there was something missing. I initially could’t figure it out as I was reading as I struggled to connect to the story. It was later as I realized what took me out of the novel so many times was that the world building felt incomplete to me and I was struggling due to not having these answers.

Daughters of Oduma was set on some island country(?) on some world where children were split into groups of four communities (the Bower Girls, the Butterfly/Mosquito Girls, the Pusher Boys, and the Flag Boys). There is only one adult (Antie Yaya) who seems to oversee all of the groups (I think) but definitely knows more than she lets on. The Bower Girls are the sporty girls of this society and the novel focuses on the biggest tournament of their year, the God Bow Tournament. As you can see, I had some confusion about location and the structure of the society. Also, my teacher instincts kicked in and I was very troubled that there were no other adults around. The ages of the girls in Dirt’s fam range from 4 to 16, with no adult taking care of them according to what I understand of the societal set up and I couldn’t help but worry about the kids. This one concern kept taking me out of the story as I wondered “who initially taught the children to survive?” “Who taught the children all the rules of the God Bow tournament?” “Who built all the structures described in the story?” “How did a world without adults come to be?” I feel like this is where world building broke down because there was no mythos introduced that would help us make sense of this world; it was if we were dropped in a moment of time in Dirt’s life and we were expected to know the same information that Dirt did. And while that idea is usually true, in many fantasy novels establishing mythos is usually told through beliefs or stories to help orient the reader to the world of the novel. I feel like Utomi could have slowed down some of the action of the novel to establish his world more clearly.

On the other hand, Daughters of Oduma moved at a brisk pace. There were definitely some gut wrenching moments, specifically the event that has Dirt realize that in order to save her family she must come out of retirement to compete in the tournament. The relationships with the sisters was lovely and really showed why Dirt was willing to do anything to save her family. The stakes were truly very high for Dirt as she had two weeks to get herself in shape in order to compete, but also had to overcome her mental blocks, which I felt were the strongest aspect of the novel. Dirt was happy in her “retirement” because she really didn’t enjoy Bowing and to find herself in the position of having to fight or else is not just a physical battle but an emotional battle and the journey that Dirt goes on was written beautifully. There were many times where I felt with and for her as self-doubt can really harm us and hold us back. I was with her when she had to fight her inner demons, or the Whispers as they were called in the novel, in order to stand for her family. To me, Dirt’s inner life was the strongest aspect of the novel.

Overall, while I didn’t fall in love with the novel I do not see it as time wasted. I was into it at many points and connected with some of the characters. The story moved well and there were many wonderful moments that I truly enjoyed.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What worked:
The author artfully crafts a rustic world where there’s a definite hierarchy of social levels. Bowers like Dirt and her four “sisters” are at the top and spend every day training for competitions. Bowing seems to be a form of sumo wrestling with a bower throwing her opponent to earn points or forcing them out of a circle of sandbags to end the match. Dirt is part of the Mud Fam and she’s the Second Sis in the clan. The First is expected to represent the Mud in the God Bowing tournament and this year’s results will be extra important. Dirt will soon become a woman and leave her sisters and they’re already at the minimum number to remain together. The winning Fam will inherit all of the new bowing recruits and the Mud Fam will disband without that happening.
The most interesting part of the story is Dirt’s character and her internal struggle to become a champion bower. She’s out of shape and unmotivated and one of her younger sisters can even kick her butt. On the other hand, she knows the importance of the God Bowing tournament and how her family’s survival is at stake. To not compete would insult the Mud Fam but her skills and moves are slow and clunky and she tires too easily. The First has confidence in her and offers unwavering compliments and support. So why does she listen to the doubting voice in her head that always leads her to defeat? She is brave. She is fat. She is Dirt. This is what she must remember.
Different chapters focus on different characters to provide various perspectives on the story. Dirt’s sisters love living in their Mud Fam but they’re uncertain about their futures. Swoo aspires to become a champion bower and she resents Dirt’s attitude toward the championship. Nana has dreams beyond bowing but tradition dictates the direction of her life. Verdi isn’t the First of the Vine Fam but she manipulates Carra Carre to do her bidding. Carra Carre is obsessed with winning to help her Vine Clan but Dirt eventually realizes they share some of the same vulnerabilities. Verdi’s distorted vision of future Fams will result in drastic changes and it requires sacrifices and destruction in its wake. The various points of view allow readers to develop an overall picture of conflicting events.
What didn’t work as well:
Part of the world-creation includes dialogue specific to the story so the vocabulary sometimes affects understanding. Readers should still be able to get the gist of what characters are saying but the exact ideas may require inferencing. That being said, a unique language is necessary in order to effectively immerse readers in the culture.
The Final Verdict:
The unique culture and conflicts in the story are highly engaging. The author crafts an emotional tale where the dramatic suspense builds to an epic climax between two formidable forces. Overall, I highly recommend you give this book a shot.

[KP · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally don't read YA anymore, but I wanted to support this author's debut, and I'm so glad I did. I had a great time with this super fast-paced, action-heavy, exciting book. The entire time I was reading, my heart was pounding as I wondered what would happen next - or if my predictions would come true, as it is a fairly tropey book. I've seen some people say this book has graphic violence in it, but I think that may be a YMMV sort of thing - while there was violence here, I didn't find it especially graphic as an adult reader; for people on the younger range of the YA audience, however, they should be proceed with caution and be aware that there are two particular scenes that are violent and upsetting. I appreciated that this book hinted at elements of something Wrong happening in the world around these characters (and at one point, pulls it to the forefront), but the book itself is really just focused on a relatively smaller issue. Fantasy novels often want to Go Big with their protagonists fighting to save the world. This protagonist just wanted to protect her family. I loved Dirt and Webba and Swoo and Nana and Snore so, so much. I loved this love letter to fat, strong Black women. I just saw on the author's Insta that they've been greenlit for a sequel to this, and I'm thrilled. There need to be more books like this in the world.

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. I loved all five of the sisters and their fierce love and loyalty to each other, and they all had depth and development, including the little ones, and each of them with a different attitude and feelings about the Bowing (the fighting competitions they take part in). The Isle with its Fams felt like a unique and intriguing setting, but I do feel like there wasn't quite enough explained about the 'why' of it all. That said, at one point Dirt goes to visit Aunty ?(forgotten her name) and we find out Dirt doesn't know either, and Aunty challenges her to question their traditions and that in fact, all girls can choose what life they want to lead. Nevertheless, I have finished the book realising it feels more like a long prologue in terms of plot and the world, but I can overlook that (and the fact that my mind would wander a bit during the Bowing fights) because I really enjoyed the sisters and became quite attached to them, and loved the themes the book explored through them, about self-belief and choosing your own path, strength and bravery. The narrator of the audiobook was great too. What's more, there is going to be a sequel, so yay! Judging by the author's tweet about it, it sounds like we find out more, so I'm in.

[Bookworm · Rating 1 out of 5]

Can't remember what drew me to this book, although the premise that it is a cross between The Gilded Ones (which I haven't seen) and Creed (which I have) was very interesting to me. I also wanted to expand my readings of non-Western/European/etc. mythology so this seemed like an interesting read.

I did like the idea of a young woman fighting to protect her found family. I also liked the premise that she was actually considered too old and too out of shape but had to get back in the ring one more time. This is perhaps a combination of tropes, but all the same it was still an intriguing take that I haven't seen before.

Overall, this was very dull. I hate alternating POVs, which rarely work for me and did not here. I was also surprised at how dull it was--ultimately never felt the stakes were that high, I was not compelled by the story of Dirt or anyone else, the conflict made me shrug in the end.

Maybe it was not for me, maybe I was not in the right mood. But I did want to read something for Black History Month and get this off my backlist (plus it was readily available at the library) but overall this seemed overhyped for what it was. I might read other stuff by the author but this was pretty skippable.

Library borrow and that was best.

[Christian Lash · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm so very torn about this book. On one hand, it's a compelling story with likable characters and a good message. On the other hand though, there are *so* many questions that are never answered. I had a hard time sticking with the story because of those questions. Like, why is this society so separated into their roles? Why is there only one adult in the entire story? Why are 16 year olds considered old and out of shape? What exists outside the island? Why does everyone think they can't be bowers anymore once they get their scarring? And what the heck is scarring, anyway? And so many more questions that I can't post because spoilers. I almost never say this because I like stories with movement, but this book could have done with a lot more world building and a bit less blow-by-blow of all the fights.

[Chris G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Isle community is a rigidly structured hierarchy and Sis Dirt is the second most powerful Bower in the Dirt Fam, which has shrunk to five members. That’s almost extinction in a society where only winners at the God Bow tournament are able to obtain new recruits. Oldest Sis Webba is the Dirt Fam’s sole hope against the powerful and numerous Vine Fam, but when she is injured in a preliminary round of Bowing, less talented Sis Dirt is unwillingly thrust into a leadership role. The fantasy world is vividly portrayed while shifting narrative points of view provide insight into the motivations of the entire Dirt Fam and other important characters. Themes of self-acceptance and openness to change are well - done. Good reading! EARC from Edelweiss.

[Wynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful story! The world building is lush and detailed, making it easy for the reader/listener to be transported into the world of the Mud Sisters. Although the story revolves around a competition, which means a lot of description of the sport itself, it's the inner journey that each of the girls takes that really matters. The author sees each character complexly, so the reader is easily invested in their individual stories. I would highly recommend this for girls on their own coming-of-age journeys. I'm glad I chose the audio book, because the rhythm of the narrative was compelling.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dirt and the sisters of the Mud Fam fight to be the dominant clan of their island but wonder if there's more to life than fighting.

The world building is very strong and believable but it was not a world I was interested in. There are no adults on the isle and the teens and younger who live in their West-African-inspired land are divided in castes of fighters, pretty girls, etc. Well written and some may like it but it was not for me.

RE 43-170, there is a mention of one fighter having pierced nipples but no sexual innuendo/content at all.

[Hannah McMurphy · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I had to spend one more moment hearing Dirt's inner mantra I was going to lose my mind. I truly believe the book could have been an hour or more shorter if we cut out all the times it was repeated. The story basically had no plot, it was just one fight after another, with Dirt NOT believing in herself. I wanted the opponents to win because I couldn't take any more of her whining. I also had a difficult time understanding the audiobook narrator and had to slow my listening speed down to 1, which made the book feel like it went on forever. This one just really didn't work for me.

[Daggry]

Well narrated on audio, but this story wasn’t for me. That is… I loved that it centers chosen family and young women and girls and that it’s wholeheartedly fat-positive. (And that it shows how the most powerful athletes aren’t the leanest ones.) But the sport is very much the focus, and that’s just not a subject I’m interested in reading about. The many training and competing scenes that bored me will delight other readers.

There’s more that confused me (Why bowing in the first place? Where are all the adults? Why do they first think 17 too old for a sport that doesn’t sound like it’s too much for an adult?) or that felt repetitive (self-pity and insecurity alternating with “I am brave! I am fat! I am Dirt!”). This author has astounded me before, though, so I’ll be eagerly waiting what he does next.

[KATHRYNE STEVENS · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters in this novel are really well developed and you can feel each characters personality in the varying POVs. My biggest struggle was with the plot, I thought it was too slow and it took too long for me to actually figure out what was going on in the book. This was compounded by the language used in the book, while it helps set the scene it took awhile for me to get used to it as a reader. Both of these things lent to the feeling of a slow and somewhat tedious read.

[Brenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this story! It was riveting and I loved the unique language used (‘na’, ‘oos oos’, and fat as a compliment) and the strength the characters portrayed. I do wish we could have taken a look outside the south and found out more of larger story, like why they fight and are divided by caste, and where the adults are. Maybe there is a sequel?

[Bonnie Benson-Palmgren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not finish this. Got to page 33 reading it aloud to someone. I really wanted to like it but kept stumbling over the writing and it was taking me forever to get through. The writing also distracted me from the meaning of the book. I think if I were to take the time to either listen to the audiobook or read it for myself it could be good.

[Katie Avalos · Rating 3 out of 5]

An action packed, unique coming of age story. This type of story, with lots of literal fighting mixed with emotional battles, is not really to my preference, but I can appreciate the creativity and different take on a common theme.

[camilla hects pr rep · Rating 4 out of 5]

so glad i listened to this as an audiobook. kind of achingly long but also had me in tears at the end. my favorite thing was how often fat was used as a compliment / a physical form to aspire to ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

[Teddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a good message for everyone about being your true self, no matter what that is.

[Sarah Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found family with girls and their complicated but real relationships? Yes please.

[Brittany Boggess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. The development of Dirt and how she comes into herself even though she has doubt and fear is inspirational. We all need sisters/friends like Webba. Someone who sees the greatness in us when we don't see it for ourselves.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5