The story follows Morountodun, a young girl orphaned after her parents apparently die in a car accident, though she cannot remember the exact details of what happened. Suddenly saddled with the heavy responsibility of caring for her three siblings, her situation quickly spirals downward as she desperately reaches out to an uncle for financial assistance, resorts to begging on the streets, and even tries to steal just to feed them. What made this so heartbreaking was feeling like the entire world was against her, especially when her sibling constantly blames her for their parents' death, forcing Morountodunto carry a crushing weight of guilt that pushed her close to a breaking point.
The writing style was wonderfully simple and easy to follow throughout. While some of the core dialogue felt repetitive at first, the big discovery and revelation at the end revealed an intentional purpose behind that repetition, making everything her sibling said suddenly make complete sense.
Even though this is a Young Adult story, it brings to light very heavy and crucial societal topics, particularly surrounding mental health. It thoughtfully explores grief, loss, and the severe hardships people face in a society that often refuses to care. It is truly the kind of story that tugs deeply at your heartstrings. Morountodun was a very easy yet deeply moving read that handled heavy emotional themes with care.
This book squeezed my heart in so many ways. 🥹 As a first born daughter who understands the weight of responsibility, I could relate with the guilt and pain that Morountodun underwent. Nothing in this story indicated the joy and sweetness that her name promised, and that plot twist at the end... 😭😭😭