Blessings

by Chukwuebuka Ibeh
Blessings cover
Good Books rating 4.12
Literary Fiction
Technical:
  • ID: 457
  • Added: 2025-09-11
  • Updated: 2025-09-18
  • ISBN: 9780241998038
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2024-02-22
  • Formats: 12
  • Reviews: 4
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Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99 Hardback • £14.99

Blessings is an exquisitely moving debut novel by Chukwuebuka Ibeh that tells the story of Obiefuna, a Nigerian boy whose life is upended after his father discovers an intimate moment between him and the family's apprentice. Sent away to a strict Christian boarding school, Obiefuna embarks on a journey of self-discovery and grapples with his emerging desire in a society deeply hostile to queerness. The narrative also intimately follows his mother, Uzoamaka, as she struggles to hold onto her son and their bond amid the turmoil. Set against the backdrop of Nigeria's tense cultural landscape and culminating around the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2013, the novel delicately explores themes of love, loneliness, faith, and identity. Ibeh's writing is praised for its delicate, observant prose and its powerful depiction of family dynamics, societal expectations, and the conflict between personal truth and oppressive norms. The story is both a deeply felt coming-of-age tale and a searing examination of how politics and culture reach into the most intimate parts of life.

Reviews
Goodreads · 2025-09-12
poignant 4.00

The novel is praised for its lyrical writing and emotional depth, though some find the prose heavy in parts and wish the story was longer. It poignantly explores themes of queerness, family, and societal oppression in Nigeria.

This review highlights the elegant and moving storytelling of Blessings, emphasizing the magnetic pull of its characters Obiefuna and Uzoamaka. The reviewer appreciated the lyrical prose and the cadence that kept them engaged, despite feeling the novel could have benefitted from additional length to fully satisfy the emotional arc. The story's exploration of queerness amidst harsh societal homophobia is powerful, with the narrative gaining momentum particularly in the latter part of the book. However, the prose in the first half was sometimes perceived as heavy and monotonous, reflecting the protagonist’s oppressive experiences. Overall, the review recognizes the novel as a significant debut that handles important themes with tenderness and complexity, leaving readers wanting more.

Quick quotes

    I loved the lyrical writing and the cadence of this debut novel.

    Blessings definitely contains important themes related to navigating queerness, femmephobia, and alienation in an oppressive family and greater society.

    The story seemed to open up more and gain more momentum in the last 100 pages when our protagonist Obiefuna meets a man named Miebi.

Eureka Spring Times-Echo · 2024-08-08
reflective 3.75

The story is compelling and features well-drawn characters, though the narrative pace is slow, which may challenge some readers despite the emotional depth.

This review appreciates the novel's strong character development and the emotional journey of the protagonist, Obiefuna, who quietly embraces his truth amid societal rejection. However, the reviewer points out that the pacing of the story is very slow, with significant parts of the timeline compressed into highlights, which can make the reading experience feel drawn out. Despite this, the emotional resonance and the message about acceptance and love stand out, making the book worthwhile for readers who value character depth over plot speed.

Quick quotes

    Obiefuna is a great character who takes what happens with quiet compliance.

    Author Chukwuebuka Ibeh’s story often slows to a glacial pace, with great chunks of the books’ multi-year timeline crunched into basically only highlights.

    You’ll enjoy the soul-touching cast in 'Blessings' but if speed in a plot supersedes good characters, then step back.

Afrocritik · 2024-07-16
thoughtful 4.25

The novel is praised for its smooth prose and impressive writing, particularly for a young author, exploring the conflict between personal identity and societal norms through a subtle romantic narrative.

This review highlights the novel's engaging coming-of-age story that delicately portrays the protagonist's journey through love and self-discovery amid societal constraints. The reviewer appreciates the deep exploration of the inner conflict between the mind, body, and soul, and how the protagonist's existence challenges normative social expectations, making the story both relatable and thought-provoking. They emphasize the nuanced emotional development and the subtle romantic intrigue that evolves naturally, revealing the complexity of identity and acceptance in a restrictive environment.

Quick quotes

    Blessings is an enjoyable novel with smooth prose and impressive writing for a young writer.

    The conflict of the mind, body, and soul, of the mind’s inner epiphanies about what one is, and how it contrasts with what is socially acceptable.

    The development of the main character sets him on a path that makes him an outlier, his existence sooner or later bound to be one of stark contrast with what is normative in the world he knows.

The Republic: Serious Journalism from an African Worldview · 2024-05-05
poignant 4.50

The novel offers a rich and nuanced portrayal of queer identity within the Nigerian boarding school context, emphasizing the emotional complexity and social challenges faced by the protagonist.

This review delves into the novel’s exploration of queer coming-of-age in Nigeria, focusing on the dual perspectives of Obiefuna and his mother Uzoamaka. The reviewer notes the stylistic choice of revealing Uzoamaka’s inner thoughts while Obiefuna navigates his secret desires and the consequences of being outed. They highlight the emotional depth of the characters and the sensitive depiction of societal rejection, familial conflict, and the protagonist's internal struggles. The boarding school setting intensifies these themes, making the story a powerful reflection on identity, love, and resilience.

Quick quotes

    Obiefuna is queer; his parents already know, even if they won’t name it, and he doesn’t have a word for it yet.

    Uzoamaka, Obiefuna’s brooding mother, is the only other character whose mind and motivations are not veiled from the reader.

    Instead, he concerns himself with pining over Aboy, whose punishment for their moment of indiscretion is multiple times worse than Obiefuna’s ‘exile’.

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