I wanted to sit with this book for a bit before writing my review. This is a beautifully written novel that follows Obiefuna, a gay Nigerian boy, who is banished to a Christian boarding school after his father witnesses an intimate moment between his son and his apprentice. What follows is a coming-of-age story, where Obiefuna must hide his sexuality from his family, his new school, and Nigeria. All of this takes place, of course, amidst an increasingly conservative and anti-LGBTQ+ political climate. The book ends when Nigeria criminalizes same-sex relations. 

I really enjoyed this book; however, the dual POV between Obiefuna and his mother didn't work for me. I was so engrossed in Obiefuna's story that I found myself disappointed when it reverted to his mother's perspective. As Obiefuna grows increasingly distant from his family, the POV shift feels more out of place. 

There is also a bit of a tone shift between Obiefuna's years in boarding school and then college. I thought the author's prose actually improved a lot in Part 4, and he navigated a darker subject matter quite effectively. I feel like the author wanted to highlight Obiefuna's growth from teen to man, but I think the novel would have benefitted from 75 or so more pages so it felt less choppy (particularly between part 3 and part 4). I would have loved to spend more time with adult Obiefuna and his queer friend group & learn more about queer activism in Nigeria. Having said all that, this is the author's debut novel and I'm really excited to follow along his journey.