Chukwuebuka Ibeh writes a tender, sensitive, eye opening and heartbreaking coming of age debut, immersing the reader into Nigeria's challenging and culturally hostile conservative environment for the queer community and their families. Teenager Obiefuna's father has him sent to a harsh religious boarding school, after witnessing him in a personal scene with another boy, a strict place with its entrenched hierarchy and horror, where he experiences and observes the constant brutality and violence. Obi has to learn to survive the utter loneliness and the separation from his beloved mother, Uzoamaka, who goes through her own journey of looking at the nature of her husband, family, and the wider community. Despite the bleak darkness of the narrative, this is such heart in this emotionally moving, powerful, compulsive and gripping read that shines with shards of light, love, resilience and hope. The characters ring true, and the writing is beautiful in this hard hitting and thought provoking book that I have no hesitation in highly recommending to other readers. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

This book is a masterpiece.
I felt devastated when I ran out of pages.

The story follows a Nigerian teenager through his difficult and confusing sexual awakening. Obiefuna’s queerness fills his father with shame, so much so that he’s sent away to boarding school. We follow Obie into young adulthood where his lifestyle is voted illegal in Nigeria, along with the heartbreaking confession that he feels as though he’s living in a prison either way 💔

I’ve never felt so protective of a character before. Each moment of struggle you feel right alongside him. This timid, intelligent and brave misfit.

A wonderful book with beautiful writing, beautiful characters and a beautiful message too.

Favourite quote:

‘All along Obiefuna had never felt like he was searching, but with Miebi he felt the peculiar relief of having finally found.’

This book was absolutely devastating but also so beautiful.

book review: Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @vikingbooksuk for an eARC!

After Obiefuna’s father witnesses an intimate moment between him and the family’s apprentice, he sends him to a strict Christian boarding school. The story told alternates between Obiefuna and his mother Uzoamaka, as they try to live their lives while a political background threatens their freedom.

The writing in this book is just exquisite. It’s absolutely beautiful. Lyrical and stunning, reminiscent of Caleb Azumah Nelson. The way it is written you can just let it wash over you. I loved it.

It is a very thought-provoking novel, especially with the political background and such a brutally honest portrayal.

Insanely powerful for a debut novel. When I looked it up, my mouth DROPPED to learn that Chukwuebuka Ibeh is only 23-years-old. And the way his writing is so mature and every word has a purpose. The writing really puts you in the centre of the story, and all the characters feel incredibly real.

My favourite part of this book was the relationship between mother and son. I thought it was just incredibly beautiful. I loved the way it was written.

Obiefuna is the beloved first son, but his brother Ekene is more of what their parents want from a son. Obiefuna, more interested in artistic things, is bullied, derided and then caught in an intimate moment with another boy is banished to a strict boarding school. This begins what is a harrowing, uneasy read about being gay in an intolerant, homophobic country. What easily could have become a didactic polemic is enhanced beautifully by deft characterisation, intimate detailing of the loves and lives of Obiefuna.

The story crosses decades, and in the final third Ibeh focuses in on how the national politics of not just Nigeria but the world impact upon its gay populace, and this beautiful novel becomes great. This is an important story, the tale of one man, but it is universal too. It needs to be read.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

I was very conflicted reading this. It tackles such difficult and important topics, and centres around an African boy struggling with his sexuality in an incredibly conservative environment.

As a white, straight woman I feel like I can't really comment on this. It's not a book for me, and unfortunately it's not my kind of writing style. It’s quite factual and objective, jumps timeline and time periods and is intentionally focused on Obiefuna’s life experience rather than a specific plot. The dual-relationship with Obiefuna and his mother makes the story all the more heartbreaking.

The theme is incredibly poignant, especially towards the end with the law passed against homosexuality. I can't even fathom how you could live your life in that scenario, and so many were abused and tortured for being themselves. Obiefuna's response to his confrontation with his father, "I've been imprisoned my whole life" is entirely crushing.

Objectively, there is nothing wrong with this book. Unfortunately, it wasn't the writing style for me.

cw// mentions of rape, homophobia, sexual scenes, bullying, assault, terminal illness

I flew through Blessings in only a couple of sittings; it’s a book that captures your heart and refuses to let go.

Obiefuna is a much wanted first son, a miracle for his mother. But, his brother Ekene is the outgoing child, neatly fitting in with the other kids, while Obiefuna is the misfit, bullied and derided for his dancing skills and unusual ways. Often too beaten by his father, for this is a society where even the slightest hint of effeminacy will not be tolerated.

When his conservative father witnesses an intimate moment between the teenage Obiefuna and the family’s apprentice, newly arrived from the nearby village, Obiefuna is banished to a strict Christian boarding school in the hopes that it will fix his errant ways.

This seminary school differs immensely from the village school Obiefuna loved and excelled in; here, life is marked by a strict hierarchy, a punishing regimen, and devastating violence meted out primarily by fellow students.

Obiefuna struggles to gain footing in this journey of self-discovery, but he does, digging deep into a resource of survival skills amidst the cruelty around him. Through wonderfully understated prose, Obiefuna is illustrated with compassion and sensitivity - his story is heartwarming and heart-wrenching in equal measure.

Meanwhile, his beloved mother, Uzoamaka, grapples to hold onto her favourite son, her best friend, as life throws more chaos her way. Her chapters show her reflections on the relationships with her husband, two sons, community and the social constraints that bind her.

Blessings is a queer coming-of-age story with a strong focus on resilience, hope, and the enduring power of love to overcome adversity. But, through this powerful debut, Ibeh depicts the awful realities that many LGBTQ+ Nigerians suffer on a daily basis in a country where same sex relationships remain illegal - with a maximum penalty of death by stoning.

Blessings is out next February, and I highly recommend reading. 4.5⭐

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy. As always, this is an honest review.

Blessings is a heart-wrenching, beautifully written story that grabs you immediately.

This book is so special because it flips between Obiefuna's story and that of his mom, Uzoamaka, who is trying her best to keep her family together. You can't help but feel for her as she deals with missing her son and all life's challenges.

The way the author describes everything, you feel like you're right in the middle of their world, feeling every emotion and facing each challenge. It's a story about finding yourself, dealing with tough stuff, and the unbreakable bonds of family and love. The book doesn't shy away from asking big questions about life and freedom, making you think long after turning the last page.

Chukwuebuka Ibeh's novel Blessings concentrates around the life of the main character, Obiefuna. The movie follows Obiefuna's journey as he discovers his sexual identity and navigates the intricacies of love in a tiny traditional and religious Nigerian village. His journey is both wonderful and heartbreaking; we see him fall in love and experience both the joy and pain of new relationships. What actually distinguishes this debut is the incredibly engaging narrative that brings the characters, their environment, and experiences to life. The author does an excellent job of making Obiefuna's feelings appear real and realistic.

"Blessings" is a queer coming-of-age story about resilience, hope, and the enduring power of love to overcome adversity at its center. The enthralling beauty of the writing and the weight of its message make it a must-read debut that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page. This is a brilliantly written book that is also really emotional. Obi's persona accurately depicts the awful realities that many LGBT Nigerians suffer on a daily basis, in which life becomes one of solitude, fear, and shame, and your very existence is discussed across the country simply because of who you love.

beautifully written, highly recommend. I started reading this book, looking forward to escaping to Nigeria and learning about the life of Obiefuna. The last part was so poignant and beautifully written, it just put everything to perspective.

I was firstly drawn in by the striking cover and then, on finding this was a queer coming of age story set in Nigeria, I was even more intrigued.

This is a story of family, fear, grief, love and resilience. Its devastating at times, especially when it's very close to home and the events were very real things although in a fictional story.

I was captured by the writing, drawn in by how I could feel the emotions our main protagonist, Obiefuna, was feeling.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc.

Blessings is a poignant coming of age story about sexuality, shame, and the struggle to survive in a place that is hostile to your very existence. Through the alternating lenses of Obiefuna and his mother, Ibeh's sensual prose builds a visceral portrait of a young gay man's struggle to accept and be accepted for who he is, and a mother's struggle protect them both.

Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh is a compelling novel that revolves around the life of the main character, Obiefuna. Set in a small conservative and religious Nigerian village, the story follows Obiefuna's journey as he explores his sexual identity and navigates the complexities of love. His journey is both heartwarming and heart-wrenching; we see him fall in love, and experience both the joy of new relationships but also the pain of loss and betrayal.

What truly sets this debut apart is the beautifully immersive prose which bring to life the characters, their surroundings and experiences. The author does a remarkable job of making Obiefuna's emotions feel relatable and real.

At its core, "Blessings" is a queer coming of age story of resilience, hope, and the enduring power of love to overcome adversity. The captivating beauty of the writing and the strength of its message makes it a must-read debut that will linger in your mind long after you've turned the final page.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

Set in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Blessings follows the story of Obiefuna, a teenage boy struggling with his sexuality. After his conservative father witnesses an intimate moment between him and another boy, Obi is shipped off to a strict Christian boarding school in the hopes that it will ‘fix him’. However, as Obi grows up into adulthood, his life becomes one of shame, secrecy and loneliness, particularly when politics comes into play, and the country he lives in threatens his safety and his very existence.

If I could sum up this story in one sentence, it would have to be this quote from Obi’s character: “Well I think in general love stories like ours don’t get to have such happy endings”.

This is such a beautifully written book, but an incredibly emotional one too. Obi’s character truly depicts the tragic realities that many queer Nigerian people face on a daily basis, where life becomes one of isolation, fear and shame, and where your very existence is debated throughout the country, simply because of who you love.
I really liked the split POV between Obi and his mother - it worked so so well. Although the main point of this book centres on queer experiences, Obi’s mother, Uzoamaka, makes up a significant part of the story as her chapters reflect on the relationships she has with her husband and two sons. It gives the book a refreshing perspective, especially as Obi and Uzoamaka’s relationship is a complex one, but one ultimately bound by love.

Blessings is a beautiful coming of age novel surrounding Obiefuna as he navigates life as a queer person in Nigeria.

My favourite aspect of this book was Obiefuna's relationship with his mother. Their relationship was complicated but it was filled with love nonetheless. Their bond felt so real, I have to say, Chukwuebuka Ibeh did an amazing job crafting these characters.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, I think its a story that needed to be told and I strongly advise you to pick up a copy when it releases in February.

Spanning a decade in Nigeria beginning in 2006, Chukwuebuka Ibeh’s’s debut is a poignant coming-of-age story in which a boy struggles to keep his sexuality under wraps, afraid of the consequences of its revelation in a deeply homophobic society.
Obiefuna is a much wanted first son, his brother arriving just two years after he was born. Ekene is the outgoing child, neatly fitting in with the other kids, while Obiefuna is the misfit, derided for his dancing skills and beaten by his father for them. This is a society where even the slightest hint of effeminacy will not be tolerated and when his father discovers him with a boy, Obiefuna is enrolled in a seminary far from home. For three years he learns to pass as straight. There are few family visits and his mother’s illness is kept from him. Obiefuna settles into his studies at university, falling deeply in love with an older man just before Nigeria enacts laws so draconian gay men begin locking themselves into marriage.
Ibeh delivers his story in beautifully understated prose. Obiefuna is drawn with compassion and sensitivity, engaging our sympathy as he contends with heartache, fear and humiliation. There can be no happy endings here, as Ibeh makes clear, but as his moving, empathetic novel draws to its conclusion there is the possibility of hope, at least for Obiefuna.

Blessings is a difficult read, not because the language is hard, but because it reminded me how far the rest of the world has to come to get to a point of true acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. You really feel for Obi, the main character, as you watch him repress the joyful, dancing loving side of him in order to make his father happy. Despite trying to force himself to fit a mould that's not him, he's caught out and sent to a harsh "Christian" Seminary school that encourages corporal punishment, strict rules, and an internal hierarchy that encourage not so secret student violence.

Meanwhile, we also join Obi's mother who's struggling with her own drama while trying to understand what's happening to her favourite son, a child she was fiercely protective of and had an incredible bond with.

I struggled at points with the pacing and language of the book. It forward in time what felt haphazardly at points, but overall it's a compelling story that brings Queer rights and the struggle to get them sharply into focus.

An incredibly powerful read!

This is a heartbreaking coming-of-age story that follows Obiefuna as he comes to terms with the reality of trying to exist as a queer person in Nigeria.

Obi is punished because his very first intimate encounter with another boy: he is sent to a Christian boarding school where he is forced to conceal who he really is. Obi continues to suffer as a consequence of this and we are forced to witness the internal and external conflicts that he has to endure.

This was a tough read. It is cruel and unbelievably sad for most of its page count, but it is impossible to stop reading. You are immediately drawn in and trapped by the delicate writing.

There are some truly horrific moments within and I was overcome by a sense of helplessness that I rarely experience when reading.

Condemning people for just wanting to be comfortable to exist freely is just evil.

The cover is strong and striking and I will be buying this as soon as it is published next year!

"I think in general love stories like ours don't tend to have such happy endings. It's like a story set in wartime. How much happiness can you get? Even the appearance of happiness is set against the backdrop of a larger sadness."

Really enjoyed this debut novel set in Nigeria in the early 2010s. I haven't had a chance to read many queer novels set in this part of the world, so really appreciated the perspective explored here.

Obiefuna is a young boy who gets sent away to a seminary school when his father observes his close relationship with another boy. Throughout this book we see his coming of age at a religious boys school and explore his relationships with classmates and family members. There are also chapters written from his mother's perspective as she develops in her understanding of her family, her community, and herself.

This book is beautifully written, I was deeply invested in the characters and wanted to see what happened next. There was a slight tone shift towards the final quarter that explored the political side but still fit within the story and provided more context to the time and place.

Yes, it is difficult at times to read about this young boy/man's struggles especailly with the violence he experiences and witnesses, but there are also moments of hope, acceptance, and love. Overall, this book felt very real and I appreciated this look into an experience that has historically been underrepresented.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for providing me with an ARC.

Blessings is a queer coming of age story that follows Obiefuna as he grows into himself and goes on a journey of self-discovery. Set in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Obiefuna’s world is one of strict conservatism and religion – one where his father sends him away after he catches Obiefuna with a boy. But this is not a love story – not, at least, until the last third of the book – and Obiefuna’s acceptance of himself still leads to shame and hidden longing.

I really enjoyed this book. Ibeh writes beautifully; all of the characters we meet felt so real to me, and I’m still thinking of them now. More than a queer coming of age story, Blessings is about mother-son relationships, the meaning of family, and how that fits into a culture that is so anti-gay. Obiefuna’s mother, Uzoamaka, is equally as important as Obiefuna in this novel, with chapters told from her narrative point of view as she comes to terms with what she knows of her husband, her son, and herself.

A really interesting look into Nigerian culture and how one boy finds himself, I would recommend this to any queer person or anyone interesting in stories outside of a Western lens. A small but very important book, and a stunning debut, I’m already looking forward to what Chukwuebuka Ibeh will write next.

*4.5 (rounded up)

Content Warnings: homophobia, violence, cancer, death of a parent, sexual content, child abuse, gun violence (mentioned), police brutality (mentioned)

After his father witnesses an intimate moment between him and another boy, Obiefuna is sent to a strict Christian boarding school. While he grapples with the new, unfamiliar situation he finds himself in, his mother also struggles to stay close to her son.

This book left me emotionally reeling. It's a real shame that tales of queerness from the Global South are so often overlooked, and I'd argue that Blessings is a prime example. It's such an impressive debut novel, with engaging writing, a well-flowing story, and the ability to really make you, the reader, feel that you have walked through Obiefuna's life with him. The emotional themes are so strong here, and in combination with characters who feel so grounded and real, this book was so impressive. Following Obi through his coming-of-age, deep and touching relationships with his family and friends, and into his adult life, I had such a clear sense of this character and that made experiencing his emotional journey and growth so visceral. My only critique would be the pacing towards the end, but nonetheless, this was a really incredible read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.