I struggled with this book. Perhaps it's just a marketing issue—the jacket copy suggests that the relationship between August and Segun is the center of this story, but they don't meet until over 120 pages into the novel, and don't really interact until a few pages past the halfway mark. Their relationship doesn't feel fully developed, either, operating heavily in summary to rush us to the conflict that arises with the anti-gay law of 2014 (in contrast with the two relationships Segun has in the first half of the book, which feel much richer and realer). Because the novel is told in alternating POVs that run for 30-40 pages at a time, the beginning of the text feels imbalanced—the two characters haven't met yet, so whenever we're in one protagonist's POV, the other is just not in the book for long stretches. I wonder how I would have reacted to this book if the jacket copy hadn't focused so heavily on August and Segun's relationship, because I do think the first half of the book had some really strong elements at play, and maybe if I had been primed to think "this is a novel of two different queer men and their experience at this place and time," I might not have been so disappointed with the final product.

Ani Kayode's debut novel, "And Then He Sang a Lullaby," explores the journey of two young queer men navigating contemporary Nigeria.

August, raised by his father and three sisters after his mother's death, grapples with feelings of incompleteness and yearning. Segun, on the other hand, faces bullying due to his effeminate nature, despite changing schools in search of acceptance. Their paths intersect at the University of Nigeria, igniting a passionate yet complicated romance. As August struggles with his concealed bisexuality, Segun refuses to compromise his identity. Their love is put to the test when Segun becomes the victim of a vicious attack, revealing the harsh reality of violence against the queer community.

Kayode's novel brims with genuine emotion and a fervent condemnation of homophobia and anti-gay hate crimes. However, the characters feel somewhat one-dimensional, veering too closely to stereotypes. The writing, while competent, lacks inspiration and the plot follows a predictable trajectory, while the dialogue at times feels contrived. Despite these shortcomings, the earnestness of Kayode's promising debut shines through, and I would be interested in seeing his writing develop in future works.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Had high hopes for this one. Felt like it didn't really get going until the final third, but I'm not sure the first two-thirds are worth reading to get there.

I have been following Roxane Gay's newsletter, The Audacity, since its inception, and I was thrilled to learn about her starting an imprint. And Then He Sang a Lullaby by Ani Kayode was its first publication. This book set in Nigeria tackles themes of queer love and politics.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

"And Then He Sang a Lullaby" is a novel by Ani Kayode that is set in Nigeria that is centered around the lives of several gay adolescent men. August, Segun, and the other men who play minor roles in the book all struggle to live safely as gay men in a society in which homosexuality is under attack by the government and is shunned by society in general. Kayode tells August and Segun's stories separately, but they eventually meet and fall for each other, but Segun struggles with August being closeted about being gay and this damages their relationship. Aside from worrying about societal hostility toward queer people, August lives with constant tension about the fear of disappointing his family. In the beginning of the book, we learn that August's mother dies giving birth to him, and feels responsible for making up for her death. This is a quality read.

This book is the inaugural title from Roxane Gay Books, authored by 23-year-old Nigerian writer and queer liberation activist, Ani Kayode. Wow! It's a stunner. This book is a journey through the complexities of love, identity, and freedom in a society plagued by homophobia. It is definitely a must-read.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley & Roxane Gay Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This novel follows Segun and August, two gay young men, in Nigeria in the late 2000s/early 2010s. They come from two different types of families, but both suffer due to the homophobia present in their country. Segun more openly suffers, from beatings, from predation and unhealthy relationships with other gay men, and from poverty; but he has a supportive family and a strong sense of advocacy. August suffers more internally from internalized homophobia and the pressure of being the only son whose mother died in childbirth; as a result, he is more sheltered and internalizes homophobia, feeling shame and trying to avoid his own feelings. They meet at university and enter a romantic relationship that oscillates between tender and difficult, due to August’s internalized homophobia, homophobic friends, and an anti-homosexual marriage law that passes.

The novel was overall well-written and does an excellent job in exploring both Segun and August’s individual experiences, as well as their experiences as a couple. If I didn’t know this was the author’s first book from the marketing, I would not have suspected it from the writing. A minor critique is that the shifts between Segun and August’s perspectives is, at times, a little jarring; there’s no real indication the switch is coming. This technique allows us to get both sides, often of the same moment from two different POVs, which works overall, but a little telegraphing of a switch in narrative would have been useful.

A gut-wrenching but ultimately hopeful examination of love, queerness, and politics in contemporary Nigeria. The backstory behind this novel is incredible; I'll be looking for more from Kayode.

really enjoyed this one. loved the gorgeous prose, the settings, the unique love story, the heartbreak of it, the way it took its time. i also just really appreciate stories set in Nigeria, especially queer ones. this holds a special place in my heart <3

Beautifully and delicately told story of two young queer men. About midday through the novel I felt the pacing slow, but it also matched the heart aching circumstances of their coming of age in a space where they weren’t accepted. Ani Kayode is a gifted writer, tenderly unpacking this story of August and Según. The novel picks up again in the last third, with changes around them and the necessity to change their actions. It’s a book worth sticking with!

If Roxane Gay tells me to read something, you can bet I will read it. And Then He Sang a Lullaby was a solid recommendation, though it should come with a warning that it will break your heart. I needed a hug after I finished it because Ani Kayode Somtochukwu spares no emotion in telling the story of the two main characters who grapple with their sexuality and sexual orientation within the confines of the Nigerian society in which they reside. Moments of tenderness existed even as the threat of violence and terror simmered and exploded on numerous occasions. Somtochukwu guides us with a firm hand through August and Segun's stories and demands our attention so that we have no choice but to witness and experience this alongside them. It's a powerful read, but can be emotionally depleting so take heed and make sure you have a way to care for your heart as you read it.

Unfortunately, I DNFed at 6.3%. The story starts with scenes of pregnancy/birth + complications and those are major triggers of mine. On top of that, the book seemed to have long chapters and paragraphs which discouraged me completely from reading.

This was a beautiful, and at times heartbreaking book about two young men in Nigeria who meet in college and fall in love amidst increasing homophobia and anti-gay legislation. Author Ani Kayode Somtochukwu is an award winning Nigerian writer and queer rights activist. Notably, this is the first novel released under the imprint of Roxane Gay.

August is a track star whose mother died giving birth to him, and he struggles with the expectations of his sisters and the sadness of his father. He feels his life has to justify the sacrifice of his mother, who knew she shouldn’t have another child but chose to because she wanted a son.

August sees his attraction to men as shameful “lapses” until he meets Segun. Segun is a student activist who attends socialist meetings and protests a bill that would make gay marriage illegal. He’s out and has loving parents but he’s also experienced bullying and violence throughout his childhood.

At first everything in their relationship feels right, but Segun worries about caring for someone who is still closeted, while August struggles with the disapproval of his family and friends, and the criminalization of who they are. The growing hatred around them increasingly fractures their love for each other.

I loved the complexity of the issues raised in this story, as well as the raw emotion. For example, Segun understands that August needs to come out when he’s ready, but that also means he’s not sure he can commit to a relationship with him. August is okay with passing as straight, while Segun has never been able to do that. August has financial stability while Segun is more vulnerable and has a greater understanding of social inequities.

August and Segun care for each other but their relationship isn’t perfect and neither are they. Reading this, I was left with so much sadness, thinking about what these two young people could have had together if the world was kinder. I was also left thinking about the things I haven’t had to deal with myself. And while I appreciated reading about Nigeria, the issues raised in this book are similarly relevant in the U.S. I highly recommend it, particularly as we celebrate Pride Month.

Note: I received an advanced review copy of this book from NetGalley and publisher Roxane Gay Books. This book published June 6, 2023.

Shelf Awareness review published on 6/16/23!

Opening line: "A prophecy heralding a name-carrying boy in a family of girls manifested at the expense of a mother's life is a compelling hook to launch both a debut novel and the Roxane Gay Books imprint...."

I'm so glad that this book exists and that Roxane Gay Books exist now. This was a very strong inaugural launch and I will think about this book for a very long time. It was well paced paired with powerful themes, what more could you want?

I am very excited to read the inaugural title from Roxane Gay Books, as I know that she has impeccable taste and is only going to put out perfection. The writing in this book is so breathtaking and emotionally profound, it blew my mind when I found out how young this author is. What a talent. I loved this story at first because of the prose, but then because the narrative arc was rich, thoughtful, and complex. I can't wait to see what else comes from Kayode. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. This book reminded me of Giovanni's Room.

Two gay young men (August and Segun) meet in the University of Nigeria and fall in love between 2013 and 2014. Segun is a budding firebrand socialist organiser from an impoverished background while August is a laid-back guy with a reasonably comfortable life. Even though they love each other, their different outlooks on political consciousness lead to friction and conflict between them. They grapple with what it means to live as gay people in an atmosphere of violent homophobia. In 2014, the Nigerian government passes an anti-gay law that leads to more brazen attacks on queer people.

There are some painful things in this book - made even more painful by the fact that they are true representations of events in our society. We must continue to bear witness against the rank evil that is queerphobia, especially as it is being weaponised by governments across the world. Trigger warning for homophobia, homophobic slurs, homophobic assault, suicidal ideation, and suicide.

I am very proud of Ani Kayode Somtochukwu for this debut novel. The story unfolds in an engaging way, and I found myself putting aside other things to finish it within a day or so. I was also intrigued by the references to socialist/communist consciousness. This is an important book and a remarkable achievement. It is for sure going into the list of Nigerian/African queer literary canon.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a free ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

The promo material for And then He Sang a Lullaby describes the novel as "a searingly honest and resonant debut from a 23-year-old Nigerian writer and queer liberation activist, exploring what love and freedom cost in a society steeped in homophobia." It's a single sentence, but it has all sorts of experiences and issues packed into it, just as this novel does.

The central characters, August and Segun come from very different backgrounds in a very splintered Nigeria. August's mother died giving birth to him (she'd already birthed three daughters, but felt obliged to produce a son). His three sisters raise him. His father owns rental properties which keep the family comfortable financially; however, despite the sisters' urging, no real relationship exists between August and his father. His father continues to mourn his wife's death; August assumes he is responsible for that death. August is also aware he is gay, but tries to avoid embracing the identity. He can "pass" as straight, and it's easier and more comfortable to blend in and to engage in occasional, usually anonymous sexual encounters.

Segun's family is less well-off. He's been bullied throughout his childhood for his less-than-masculine behaviors, but is well-loved by his mother. Having seen his first lover brutally beaten by classmates (far more brutally than any of peer violence Segun is regularly subjected to), Segun has a very different understanding of what it means to be gay than does August. Segun knows he'll never succeed at passing and fights to accept and present himself as exactly who he is. He also knows that he can become a target for truly deadly violence at any time.

The two men meet at university and gradually become friends, then lovers. Both are involved in the very earnest Socialist Students Association, though August is not the committed revolutionary Segun is. Given the privilege August unconsciously accepts as his due, their relationship is volatile—and this worsens when major anti-gay legislation is enacted. August seems almost deliberately obtuse, not acknowledging the homophobia embraced by many of his friends and believing he needn't worry about the legislation, so long as he doesn't draw attention to himself. Segun knows this legislation threatens his very right to exist.

This is a lot of summary—and I try to avoid writing reviews that are overloaded with summary. But I think the summary is essential because, once one comes to know these two young men and the culture they're living in, one can imagine all the many, many complications, misunderstandings, attacks, and crises of identity they face. These complications, misunderstandings, attacks, and crises of identity are the unrelenting action of the novel, which acknowledges that what love might make possible in other circumstances cannot be achieved in their particular time and place.

This is a book to read when you're feeling strong, when you can hang onto hope of the slow, slow moral arc of the universe ultimately bending toward justice. And Then He Sang a Lullaby reminds us that the rising tide of anti-LGBTQI+ legislation and violence we're facing in the U.S. isn't an anomaly, but an attempt to reassert hate and shame as the norm that they've been over time and across the globe.

The ending didn't quite ring true to me, but that didn't lessen the book's value and impact. Having read his debut novel, I'm very much looking forward to reading future works by Ani Kayode Somtochukwu. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

Ani Kayode Somtochukwu’s debut novel And Then He Sang a Lullaby is a heartbreaking story of revolutionary love. The novel moves between the perspectives of August and Segun, two young men at a Nigerian University at different places in their acceptance of their queer identities. While August initially struggles with his sexuality, Segun refuses to feel shame and believes in a future of queer liberation. This is a love story set in a place where homophobia is codified in law. The alternating perspectives of this novel make for two engaging coming of age stories that illuminate the barriers to freedom in oneself and in the world. They’re a devastating scenes in this book and a clear cry for revolution that provides a thread of hope. This is a beautiful, moving debut that makes me excited for what Kayode writes next.