In Nigeria, sweet, sensitive Obiefuna is caught by his father in a compromising position with another boy. This sets off a chain of events that will change his life forever.

Sent away to a boarding school, Obiefuna now faces a whole different set of obstacles, while his mother remains at home wondering WHY her husband sent their son away. Always knowing there was something different about him, she has protected him and never loved him any less, so reconciling why her husband pulled him from his school to send him away is hard.

Obiefuna is grappling with his attraction to the same sex. It is widely seen as sinful and shameful by the conservative Nigerian majority. It’s not safe for him and we see that play out in numerous ways throughout this book.

There were moments I wanted to weep for him, and moments I wanted to scream at him… All the while, though, I loved Obiefuna. We see the reasons behind some of his actions, good and bad. I just wanted him happy.

This was a really beautiful story, following Obiefuna through his three years at boarding school and the years after. The growth is immense, and told through such a unique lens, at such a pivotal time in the world for queer rights.

Wow! This book hits you hard in the feels. This story really made me think about how LGTBQ+ are treated in other areas around the world. These characters broke my heart. I will think about this book a lot.

For me, blessings kind of fell flat. Reading about Obiefuna's mother made me sad since she was a genuinely loving mother who also possessed a deep knowingness and inaction. Obiefuna's persona intrigued me in particular because it was so complex; at moments, he was very aware of who he was and at other times, he was overtaken by it and didn't know what to do with himself. I really cherished the love that existed between Obiefuna and the partner he eventually met; I cherished its sweetness and warmth, but I also cherished the fact that that aspect of the tale was still nuanced, emphasizing the depressing and restless existence of homosexual people in Nigeria.

However the part that fell flat for me was the exploration of the homosexuality in Nigeria. This was not the fresh take that I was looking for. But, I did like it all the same!

Blessings was such a good read and fulfilling read, an amazing debut by Ibeh. I enjoyed that Obiefuna's story was a multilayered story with many turns, both good and bad. It was heartbreaking to read how Obiefuna's father treated this child whom he did not know how to love and accept. It was exhilarating to read about Obiefuna and Aboy, and feeling that type of sweet innocence and love that comes with one's first love. It was sad reading about Obiefuna's mother, one who loved her son so deeply that in her love, sat deep knowingness and inaction. I particularly enjoyed how very multidimensional Obiefuna's character was, how he sometimes didn't know what to do with this thing that was himself, and at other times, was deeply consumed and fully knowing of who he was. Most especially, I loved the love that existed between Obiefuna and the lover he finally found; I loved the sweetness and warmth of it but again, I loved that that part of the story was still laced with nuance, further drawing emphasis to the somber and restless lives of queer people in Nigeria.

Thank you for giving me this arc!!

“I often think of how much love is lost as gay kids grow up. We are robbed of the chance to experience the innocence of early teenage love. Because you spend all that time with fear, mastering your own pretence.”
Wow…..where do I even start. This book is absolutely stunning. The journey of Obiefuna was captivating but also heartbreaking.

This story is about self discovery—growing into the person through experience and struggles that people and the world shape around you. It also shows how the love of a parent cultivates the relationship that you have with yourself.

“ It’s one thing to love a child, but it’s an entirely different thing for the same child to feel loved. A home is the last place a child should feel conditionally loved.”

I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Actual rating 4.5 stars.

”It’s one thing to love a child, but it’s an entirely different thing for the same child to feel loved. A home is the last place a child should feel conditionally loved.”

I’ve read quite a few books set in Africa, especially in Nigeria (The Death of Vivek Oji being the best known) and I really loved the setting of all of these books. Therefore I couldn’t wait to read Blessings, about a gay Nigerian teen, a dancer, who is banished to boarding school when his dad witnesses an intimate moment between his son and another boy. This story is not only about Obiefuna though. It’s also about his mom Uzoamaka, who doesn’t understand why her son is suddenly send away.
 
Blessings is a powerful, tender and sometimes harsh story about love and acceptance set just before Nigeria criminalizes same-sexs relationships. It’s about wanting to be free, but needing to hide at the same time.

I loved the lyrical writing and the cadence of this debut novel. Whenever I wasn’t reading, I couldn’t wait to be back with Obiefuna and Uzoamaka, they both pulled at me like magnets. I had one wish though, that this novel would have been a little longer, like fifty pages or so. I loved the last part, but also think it was too short. It left me longing for more. That’s why I rounded my 4.5 star rating down to four. But overall this debut impressed me and I can’t wait to read more by Chukwuebuka Ibeh.

Thank you so much, Doubleday Books and NetGalley for this wonderful story! And I love the cover!

Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc of this upcoming novel!

I should start by admitting I missed the “rainbow milk” craze. It’s on my tbr but I have yet to read it. Based off of the blurb alone, I can see where the comparisons lie, however this book…this lovely book.

This is as important as the subject remains prevalent. This is beautiful and achingly written.