Obiefuna is a young boy, who loves to dance, growing up in Nigeria. When his father catches an embrace between Obiefuna and the newly arrived house boy, he sends his son away to a strict seminary.

There, Obiefuna begins a journey of self-discovery whilst battling terrible violence from the older boys.

Once again, this is a book without an ending. 😠 I was just getting to know and love Obiefuna and then….nothing!

Hence rounding down from 3.5 stars to 3 stars.

Ibeh weaves a poignant narrative that delves into the lives of its characters, offering a raw and honest portrayal of the challenges they face. The work centres around a young individual who grapples with complexities of sexual identity. Obiefuna goes on a journey of self-discovery, we are drawn into the inner turmoil, pressures and desire for acceptance that is so strong I think we all can relate a little bit. I really felt myself moved by the novel's tackling of isolation and themes of loneliness. The vivid descriptions added to this experience ten fold. The prose as well was so impactful I felt myself becoming so emotionally invested.

I think this novel does a good job at not shying away from the challenges when you confront yourself in a space where you don't necessarily feel accepted or understood. I would highly recommend this to everyone.

3.5*

Let me start by saying that Chukwebuka Ibeh is a very promising new author. He delivers a raw story in simple lines, yet chock-full of emotions. I have had to hold my tears more than once while reading Obiefuna's story. He made his was to my heart and that is always an accomplishment that speaks volumes about an author's skills!

You may wonder then, why have I given this just 3.5 stars? Well the "problem" with this novel is the sameness of the story. In general lines we once again have a story about a person who struggles with his sexuality in a country where you are not free to be whomever you are. The same problems/development at both family level and societal level that one has read in countless other novels that deal with the same issues. I felt that whatever unique elements the author added: like setting, particulars of Nigerian society, were just not enough to cover the commonality of the core story. I really love the beginning, for my interest to dwindle as I've realised where the story was going...

Ibeh should use his skill and advantage of coming from a different part of the world to deliver something we did not read before! I am really looking forward to see what he will deliver next!

This novel is beautifully written and heartbreaking at the same time.

Blessings is a coming-of-age story following Obiefuna in Nigeria. He is caught in a compromising position with his father's assistant, Aboy, and he realises that he is gay. His father instantly sends him to a seminary, keeping the reason for this secret from Obiefuna's mother and brother.

The novel follows his life at the seminary and into university when he meets his partner Miebi, the criminalisation of homosexuality in Nigeria in 2014 and what that means for their relationship.

Obiefuna's relationship with his mother Uzoamaka is beautiful and the novel really focuses on Obiefuna's loneliness, surviving a strict Christian boarding school and love. Stunning.

I found this to be an emotionally engaging read. It is so beautifully written. I felt such empathy with Obiefuna when he first feels attracted to Aboy but is punished by his father then sent off to a strict seminary. This is not the stereotypical story of abuse but rather a coming of age awareness of a young man. It has strong themes of family and friendship evolving throughout. A highly recommended read

"How ridiculous, how callous and absurd to expect perfection from a child."

Blessings is a debut novel delving into emotionally resonant themes. However, it falters on a ‘technical’ level. The result is a novel that lacks cohesion and is hampered by major pacing issues. While the author’s prose occasionally achieves a delicate balance between restraint and intimacy, it often stumbles over clunky sentences and stilted dialogues. Nevertheless, given that this is a debut, it is by no means a poor effort.

Set in Nigeria, from the late 2000s to the early 2010s, Blessings recounts the lonely and brutal coming of age of a gay young man, first at a Christian boarding school and later as a university student. Most of the novel details his experiences at the boarding school, honing in on the unforgiving hierarchies operating within it, where senior students wield power through physical and psychological intimidation. We first encounter Obiefuna, our protagonist, before his ‘exile’, when he’s still in Port Harcourt where he lives with Anozie, his disapproving father, Uzoamaka, his supportive mother, and Ekene, his younger brother, who, unlike Obiefuna, seems to effortlessly blend in with other boys, embodying ‘masculinity’ with ease. To avoid his father’s anger, Obiefuna has already begun to deprive himself of doing what he likes, for instance, he no longer dances, something he once loved doing. Yet, the arrival of Aboy, a boy around Obiefuna’s age who becomes his father’s apprentice, makes known, to both son and father, what had until then been a ‘suspicion’. As punishment, Anozie sends him to a boarding school, and Obiefuna has no choice but to acquiesce. Uzoamaka is left in the dark, and although she is told that Obiefuna is leaving home willingly, she knows that not to be true.

At the boarding school, Obiefuna struggles further with his sexuality, unsure of his feelings but aware of the shame and potential danger it poses. During his first year there he finds himself growing attached to a senior student, someone with a sadistic streak, capable of both affection and humiliating punishments. Under this guidance, Obiefuna learns to perform an accepted masculinity, straying further from his sensitive nature. Although Obiefuna eventually finds himself entangled with other boys, the furtive nature of their sexual encounters deepens Obiefuna's internalized homophobia. Authoritative figures at his school, like the chaplain, compound this notion of sexual pleasure as sinful, particularly when it deviates from the accepted heteronormative norms.

Intercutting Obiefuna’s grueling experiences at the school, we have chapters centered around his mother, Uzoamaka. She knows that her husband is not telling her the truth about the circumstances leading to her son’s enrolment in a boarding school, but Anozie refuses to tell her the truth. Their marriage is tumultuous, yet, although Uzoamaka chafes against Anozie's domineering nature, and stands up for her sons, she doesn’t have a lot of options besides to remain with him.
Several aspects of the novel's narrative structure could be improved. The ‘dual’ storylines, for instance, felt mishandled. If Uzoamaka’s chapters had focused on the early years of her marriage, and Obiefuna’s childhood, this would have made both her character and her marriage more well-rounded. Her bond with her son also could have had more room to shine. A focus on the past would have given the characters much-needed history, given that a lot of the time they come across as somewhat one-dimensional. It would have also added a layer of tension, and unease, given that, like Obiefuna, who is stuck at a boarding school, we wouldn’t know what was going on back home, and we would have experienced several reveals alongside him. Instead, we get these present-day chapters that are very repetitive in what they reveal about Uzoamaka. There is a plot point here that is portrayed in a way that lacks the emotional punch it should have had. If this had happened off-page, so that we only learn about them once Obiefuna is finally allowed back home, it would have been more emotionally resonant.

Obiefuna’s chapters themselves are repetitive, focusing on friction with other students – one abusive, another using him, and one betrayed by him. Although realistic, there was something slightly predictable about the way that he is shown to participate in the bullying of a fellow student. Sure, we can understand that to ensure his own self-preservation he takes part in this violent episode, but, the way the narrative depicts this and later on expounds on this scene, felt overstated, and adhered to a rather moralistic, lessons learnt, understanding of human nature. Besides that, these chapters revealed little about Obiefuna himself. The initial chapters set in the school give us an insight into the ruthless social hierarchies of the place, foreshadowing Obiefuna's need to protect himself from being 'known' in the upcoming years. And yet, the following chapters reiterate this to an excessive degree. Not only that, but the depiction of Obiefuna’s experiences at the school felt strangely myopic. In chronicling Obiefuna’s boarding school years, these chapters fall short as they neither provide a detailed portrait nor offer a comprehensive overview of this period of his life. Instead, they present a limited zoom-in, narrowing on a specific aspect of his experiences during that time. We learn little of his studies, of his teachers, and of his friendship with two other students, who remain little more than names on a page.

The final segment of the novel feels like it belongs to a different novel altogether, bringing to mind The Human Zoo by Sabina Murray(whereas the earlier chapters felt closer to An Ordinary Wonder by Buki Papillon). A time-skip prevents us from seeing Obiefuna's character development firsthand, making this 'new' version of him feel like a different person. Yet, it is here that the novel presents us with more interesting character dynamics, as Obiefuna becomes part of a group of old friends, presenting him and us with different perspectives of queerness and love in conservative Nigeria. The contrast in tone between their early get-togethers—where they talk politics as well as chat about their past and present relationships—and the aftermath of a law criminalizing homosexuality (banning gay unions, lgbtq+ gatherings), is sobering. I wish this section hadn't been condensed into such a brief span, as there that proved far more compelling and nuanced than the somewhat dry, schematic chapters giving a partial account of Obiefuna’s school years. This part of the novel, featuring an adult Obiefuna, could have easily been expanded. Doing so would have allowed for a more in-depth exploration of Obiefuna's relationship with his father and brother.

Despite tackling compelling themes, Blessings makes for an uneven reading experience. The pacing consistently fluctuated between being sluggish and hurried, the mother-son dynamic was overshadowed by repetitive scenes that contributed little nuance to either the characters or their storylines, and the writing occasionally felt unsteady.

Nevertheless, the narrative does portray the far-reaching consequences of bullying on both victims and bystanders. It also delves into the loneliness, alienation, and dangers of homophobia, be it in personal relationships or on a broader societal scale.

'Blessings' is a brutal but moving novel set in Nigeria's recent past about the coming of age of a gay teenage boy. Obiefuna is sent away to a strict Christian boarding school after his father Anozie sees him embracing their apprentice. His father hopes that this will eradicate what he perceives as a sickness in Obiefuna, but amidst the discipline, violence and rigid hierarchies of the seminary, Obiefuna continues to experience a number of furtive relationships with other boys as he tries to figure out who he is.

Chukwuebuka Ibeh alternates between Obiefuna's time at the seminary and later at the university, and his mother Uzoamaka who, facing her own terminal illness, mourns the departure of her son. As she remarks to Anozie, 'It's one thing to love a child, but it's an entirely different thing for the same child to feel loved.' Later in the novel Obiefuna does find love but this is threatened by the increasing tide of homophobia and the criminalisation of same-sex relationships. At one point Ibeh muses, 'How do you begin something beautiful with the certainty of its end? You gave yourself over to love and lived the rest of your life knowing you never stood a chance.'

This is often an uncomfortable and upsetting read because of the relentlessness of the prejudice we see directed at Nigeria's LGBT+ community, but there is real tenderness in the way that many of Obiefuna's relationships are depicted in spite of this. Many thanks to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this novel to review.

This heart-breaking, book is set in Nigeria in 2007 to around 2016 and follows the coming of age of Obiefuna, oldest of two boys, who lives in Port Harcourt, loves his mum and is doing well at school. His dad catches him having a "moment" with his male apprentice and off Obiefuna is sent to a seminary, seemingly based on a conolial public school, where, with the help of two of his room-mates, he learns to navigate the system and tolerate the environment. Homosexuality is not tolerated but lives are carved out in the margins, often through oppression rather than consent, and the only openly and provocatively gay student is punished in an act Obiefuna is complicit in through fear.

This environment and fear of being "other" continues as he goes to university and meets the older Miebi. They have what seems like a lovely relationship, although tensions start to rise in the chosen family Miebi has gathered around him and the political and legal situation in Nigeria becomes more oppressive. People have to make choices, and they're awful ones, but the consequences are, too. This book reminded me a bit of "Nervous Conditions" and with a shout-out coming to Buchi Emecheta, there's a similarity there, too.

The language is quite plain with not a lot of description and a clear Nigerian English voice comes through which hasn't been edited out thank goodness. Although the book is quite bleak and ends with Obiefuna back where he started, touring his old neighbourhood in something like despair, I'm glad I had the chance to read it and learn about the lives of LGBTQ people in modern Nigeria.

Chukwuebuka Ibeh's debut novel, "Blessings" is another entry in the wonderful Nigerian fiction that we have been getting in the UK and the U.S. the last few years. Obiefuna is an effeminate young man whose father resents him for being "a woman in a man's skin." After the father Anozie witnesses a moment of tenderness between Obiefune and another boy, Obiefuna is beaten and shipped off to a brutal school where he continues to be attacked.

The novel is quite brutal and infuriating, and it can be tough reading at times, but it's also extremely realistic. I appreciated Ibeh's honesty in looking at how the violence in Obiefune's life is connected to his sexual identity. For most of his life, the people meant to love him (like his father) have used violence against him. Ibeh contrasts that with his mother Uzoamaka.'s plight, and how she has very little self-sovereignty in a marriage and society where men rule/make the decisions. Ibeh uses the mother and son story to illustrate that it's not gay men and women who suffer in a homophobic country (Nigeria) where homosexuality is outlawed (and Nigeria is no different from countries like England and the U.S. where homophobes are doing their best to roll back protections for gays and lesbians)

The novel is a powerful reminder at how little has changed for gay men like Obiefune. It's 2024, and it's depressing that books like "Blessings" are so vital to an understanding of how cruel and unwelcoming the world can be for gay black men. A terrific debut from Chukwuebuka Ibeh.

"How do you begin something beautiful with the certainty of its end? You gave yourself over to love and lived the rest of your life knowing you never stood a chance."

Obiefuna is but a teenager when he develops a crush on the handsome young man who becomes his father's apprentice. But when Obiefuna's father witnesses a small, innocent but intimate moment between the two, he is whipped and shipped off to a missionary school hours away from home and the mother he loves dearly.

The school, in a town in Nigeria, is brutal – older boys routinely beat the younger ones like Obiefuna. Even here, he cannot deny his attraction to others around him. It's a secret he holds close, petrified of what may happen if someone discovers his blossoming desires, and in the process perpetrates violence against those who are like him. This, against increasing political machinations that would would legislate discrimination.

'Blessings' is a kind of coming-of-age novel that is both tender and heartbreaking. You can't help but love Ofiefuna's gentle nature and empathise with his attempts to fit in. Alternately told from both his point of view and that of his mother, Ozoamaka (the one person who completely accepts him), this book shines a light on the struggle that many in the LGBTQ+ community have to face every day in many African countries like Nigeria, where being anything but straight is illegal and commands brutality and even jail time. It is about the innate human desire to be allowed to carve out a space for yourself, to exist, to be free. It is about love and hate and the weight of family and societal expectations. A stunning debut.

When penguin reached out to me and asked was I interested in this as soon as I read the Synopsis I jumped at the opportunity and I wasn’t disappointed,

It follows Obiefuna who is caught having an intimate moment with a boy and being caught by his father who then sends him off to a Christian boarding school which is really quiet the traumatic experience for Obie, this book was so beautifully written very poetic and it had me upset at times especially when you got his mums POV I think everyone needs to read this book once in there life they won’t be disappointed it’s absolutely beautifully heartbreaking!

What to say about this book!!

Blessings follows Obiefuna as he grows up in Nigeria, but when his father catches him having a moment with another boy, he is sent to a Christian boarding school. The writing is beautiful: tender, sincere, and poetic. It grabs you by the heart and doesn't let go until the final page. It's not just Obiefuna's story though - it's his mother's as well. Though it is a queer coming-of-age story, her presence in the novel is no less important.

Chukwuebuka Ibeh is a name that will come to frequent my bookshelves.

Let's say a 3.5 stars to round up. I thought this was a good debut, but unfortunately I didn't go into it the best way. After reviewing some Caleb Azumah Nelson books (which I love), I was contacted by Penguin to ask if I wanted to review Blessings - the link was made in their email, so I assumed it would be similar and I jumped at the chance. But I personally don't see any similarities. The plot, the writing style and the pacing were totally different, so I feel I wasn't sold this book accurately. That means I went in with higher expectations that it ended up delivering, through no fault of the author of course.

This debut novel follows a young boy, Obiefuna, as he grows up into his early twenties in Nigeria. He has a close relationship with his mother, but his father witnesses a moment between him and another boy and suddenly he's sent to a seminary boarding school where hazing and violence are the norm. This book was so full of violence and misery, I would have DNFed if I didn't have to review it. I don't want to mention what happens later in the book, but there's more devastation in the personal life of Obiefuna and also in the largest political context of Nigeria.

The pacing of this novel also felt off as the author tried to cram a lot of Obiefuna's life - growing up from a boy into an adult - into not that long of a book. Nonetheless I thought it was well written and I would give this author another chance, but this wasn't a book for me.

The coming-out tale is given a fresh slant with a Nigerian perspective in this striking debut novel. We first meet fifteen year old Obiefuna at home in Port Harcourt in 2006 when his father brings home Aboy to be an apprentice in his hardware store and instals him in the room Obiefuna shares with his brother who is 13 months younger. Ekene is mad on football, Obiefuna cannot play but does dance well until chastised by his father. Obiefuna finds himself drawn to Aboy, a situation his father will not tolerate and takes drastic action.
The novel follows Obiefuna’s education in school and in life up until the age of twenty-three when Nigeria, dismayed by lenient policies in the US and with unpopular politicians seeking re-election criminalises homosexuality in a bid to pander to the bigotry of religious groups.
The focus is on Obiefuna and his mother Uzoamaka, devoted to her son but pretty powerless to intervene and whose own secrets further compound the family dynamics.
This is a well-paced quick to read tale of the need to be vigilant, of grabbing moments of happiness while you can but never relaxing the need to keep looking back and being prepared to deny others the right to live the way they wish in order to be seen to be fitting in. It’s a universal tale but the Nigerian setting gives it an extra dimension which will seem especially terrifying to a young British, European or American adult, who would seem the ideal audience for this book, used to greater freedoms. Despite the seriousness of the issues involved this is very much a character-led narrative with the reader rooting for Obiefuna throughout. This is a significant addition to the canon of coming out stories which still demand to be told and Chukwuebeka Ibeh tells this well.
Blessings is published on 22nd February 2024 by Viking. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

Most of us aren’t cut out to be heroes, to show courage, to stand apart from the crowd. Obiefuna is no different. Blessings follows Obiefuna’s life from adolescence into adulthood as his sexuality means he is continually challenged – personally, in his family, socially and then politically. At each turn he struggles to find a sense of belonging and acceptance while not denying who he is. The fact that he often falls short is what makes this such a moving and compassionate book.

Obiefuna’s journey begins when his father, Anozie, catches him sharing an intimate moment with his new apprentice. Anozie sends Obiefuna to boarding school at a seminary in another part of Nigeria. Anozie is furious with his son and refuses to explain his action to the rest of the family.

From there the narrative largely follows Obiefuna’s story, as he negotiates a boarding school hierarchy where senior pupils are given free reign over their juniors – with all the bullying, capricious rewards and sexual harassment that implies. Obiefuna’s confused response is subtly drawn – as he veers between terror and craving their attention.

There is a second strand to the story, told from the point of view of Obiefuna’s mother, Uzoamaka. She has her own trials. Uzoamaka’s narration also explores the effect on the family of Obiefuna’s exile, and her own understanding of her son. This is a subtle exploration of family life – it could have been a brutal father and a passive mother but the dynamics are much more interesting.

There are also some lovely depictions of Obiefuna’s relationship with his brother, the way it shifts between hostility and acts of solidarity, the way their relationship is conducted through acts, the underlying emotions never given words.

Obiefuna’s experience at the school is not all bad. At times he finds status and acceptance – albeit at the cost of concealing who he is to many of his peers. In adulthood the duality of acceptance and challenge continues – at points appearing to resolve itself, but then leading to his greatest crisis yet.

Blessings is beautifully written, its restrained tone leading to a quietly powerful climax.
*
I received a copy of Blessings from the publisher via NetGalley.

Upon finishing this book, an impressive debut novel and Bildungsroman about a young Nigerian boy growing up gay in an ultra-conservative country, I looked up the author. He was born in the year 2000! An incredible talent to have produced such an absorbing read at a young age.

Obiefuna is a Nigerian boy who loves dancing and loves his mother, and is teased for his effeminate ways by his brother’s friends. When Obi’s father finds Obi in a clinch with his one of his apprentices, he sends Obi into exile, enrolling him at a strict Christian boarding school, hoping to shake him out of his ways.

At boarding school, Obi becomes consumed with keeping his sexuality a secret whilst simultaneously experimenting with boys who also have their own secrets to keep in what is a hostile environment for queer men.

As Obi grows up and moves into adulthood, Nigeria becomes more conservative and moves against the gay community by criminalising same sex relationships, forcing Obi into some difficult decisions.

This was an excellent read up to the 75% mark at which point it lost me somewhat. The last quarter of the book, while informative and interesting, was more telling than showing, with the prose lacking the subtlety and control of the earlier sections. I found the ending rushed and a little disappointing. A really good debut that needed just that little bit more finesse to make it really great, but still very much a worthwhile read. 3.5/5 ⭐️

Blessings tells the story of Obiefuna. When his father witnesses an intimate moment between his son and an apprentice, he sends Obiefuna off to a Christian boarding school where he must navigate being a junior member as well as his queer identity in a country that does not recognise him. We read his mother's perspective and how they reach a future which can include all members of their family in a country that is hostile towards Obiefuna if they were to know the truth. Later on, Obiefuna meets like minded people but his history at the school causes him to feel a deep guilt that he finds it difficult to share. His shy nature and his love of quietness makes it easy for others to dismiss him as the law changes, and the act of homosexuality is made illegal. Will Obiefuna, and the people he knows, be safe?

This was powerful and beautifully written. Obiefuna is just my kind of character: unassuming, peaceful but put in impossible circumstances that need courage that he finds he must grow into later. I haven't read a book about the queer experience in an African country before and it is hard to read but at the same time his mother's experience is heartwarming. She loves but is also coming to terms with issues in her family and with her health.

Such a wonderful book, I'd highly recommend.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my free digital ARC of Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh! There was a lot of good, excellent even, in this debut novel about a young queer boy in Nigeria, but I found myself questioning the decision to include certain POVs from Obiefuna’s mother. For me, these sections weren’t as strong as Obiefuna’s, in that the voice felt too similar.
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That said, Obiefuna’s story was a heartbreaker for sure, tenderly written. After his father witnesses an intimate moment between Obiefuna and the new apprentice, Obiefuna is sent away to seminary school. In this conservative environment, you can imagine it’s not easy for someone like Obiefuna to thrive and there are some difficult-to-stomach scenes. But Ibeh does a great job showing the hypocrisy of these places, of toxic masculinity being used to mask so-called ‘deviant’ desire. Obiefuna is driven to some terrible choices due to his time there, but Ibeh builds out his character so thoroughly that you have to empathise.
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I thought the story really hit its stride one Obiefuna leaves school and begins to form relationships with other queer people. It’s set in the 2010s, so covers the signing of the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act. The effect on Obiefuna and his circle of queer friends is devastating, but there’s a glimmer of hope too. They go to ground, but refuse to give up who they are.

Interestingly I’ve seen other reviewers say they liked this section of the book the least, so I’m intrigued to see some more opinions once this book is released in a few days! I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on what Ibeh does next

Beautifully written and filled with so much pain and love dealing with family issues, sexuality and trauma as well as violence. Heartbreaking in parts, it is a story that will stick with you, and I am excited to read more from this author in the future.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK for the advance reader copy.

This is a beautifully written book following the like of a young man who is coming to terms with himself and how his family and the world around treats him,

I enjoyed reading this story and following the time arcs, and I’m glad I was able to read this book!