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And Then He Sang a Lullaby
The inaugural title from Roxane Gay Books, And Then He Sang a Lullaby is a searingly honest and resonant debut from a 23-year-old Nigerian writer and queer liberation activist, exploring what love and freedom cost in a society steeped in homophobia.
August is a God-fearing track star who leaves Enugu City to attend university and escape his overbearing sisters. He carries the weight of their lofty expectations, the shame of facing himself, and the haunting memory of a mother he never knew. It’s his first semester and pressures aside, August is making friends, doing well in his classes. He even almost has a girlfriend. There’s only one problem: he can’t stop thinking about Segun, an openly gay student who works at a local cybercafé. Segun carries his own burdens and has been wounded in too many ways. When he meets August, their connection is undeniable, but Segun is reluctant to open himself up to August. He wants to love and be loved by a man who is comfortable in his own skin, who will see and hold and love Segun, exactly as he is.
Despite their differences, August and Segun forge a tender intimacy that defies the violence around them. But there is only so long Segun can stand being loved behind closed doors, while August lives a life beyond the world they’ve created together. And when a new, sweeping anti-gay law is passed, August and Segun must find a way for their love to survive in a Nigeria that was always determined to eradicate them. A tale of rare bravery and profound beauty, And Then He Sang a Lullaby is an extraordinary debut that marks Ani as a voice to watch.
August is a God-fearing track star who leaves Enugu City to attend university and escape his overbearing sisters. He carries the weight of their lofty expectations, the shame of facing himself, and the haunting memory of a mother he never knew. It’s his first semester and pressures aside, August is making friends, doing well in his classes. He even almost has a girlfriend. There’s only one problem: he can’t stop thinking about Segun, an openly gay student who works at a local cybercafé. Segun carries his own burdens and has been wounded in too many ways. When he meets August, their connection is undeniable, but Segun is reluctant to open himself up to August. He wants to love and be loved by a man who is comfortable in his own skin, who will see and hold and love Segun, exactly as he is.
Despite their differences, August and Segun forge a tender intimacy that defies the violence around them. But there is only so long Segun can stand being loved behind closed doors, while August lives a life beyond the world they’ve created together. And when a new, sweeping anti-gay law is passed, August and Segun must find a way for their love to survive in a Nigeria that was always determined to eradicate them. A tale of rare bravery and profound beauty, And Then He Sang a Lullaby is an extraordinary debut that marks Ani as a voice to watch.
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published June 6, 2023
63 people are currently reading
8358 people want to read
About the author
Ani Kayode Somtochukwu
53 followersAni Kayode Somtochukwu is a scientist, writer, digital creator, and queer liberation activist. His work interrogates themes of queer identity, resistance and liberation, with a focus on African narratives of queerness and it’s varied contestations in the literary and political sphere.
He writes in both English and Igbo and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Biology and Biotechnology from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology in 2019.
He writes in both English and Igbo and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Biology and Biotechnology from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
March 12, 2023
’August’s mother refused to name him before his birth. There remained this gentleness still, to the child growing in her womb. A hushed quality that kept her from pinning her hopes on it. She would not name the baby until it was squirming in her arms. Her daughter’s did not understand this. Or at least Uzoamaka and Chinyere did not. The youngest, Peculiar, was too young to understand or not understand…She did not want them to worry. She herself worried sometimes, when her faith faltered. On those occasions she read herself the letter she’d received from Kaduna, sitting in the darkness of her room. To her right, the curtains were drawn, as though if she let light fall on the brown paper, it would crumble into dust in her shaking hands.’
Set in Enugu, the capital city of Nigeria, this story revolves around two young men, Segun and August, who become friends early on in university. August’s story from his birth has spun a web around him of expectations. He arrived in this world as his mother was slowly slipping away. He is the last born of four, the only male, and thus he is expected to continue the family name through sons of his own, someday.
While this shares the story of his birth, there is little that is shared about his childhood, as this story begins when he begins his first semester where he begins to meet people and make new friends, including a girl that he likes, and who shares his passion for track. And then there is Segun, a student who he meets and develops a connection with, a relationship that has some rocky moments as time passes.
This is a beautifully written, impressive debut by 23-year-old Ani Kayode, exploring themes of family, love, and freedom of choice. Impassioned and eloquent, this heartbreaking, haunting story will stay with me for a long time.
Pub Date: 06 June 2023
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Grove Atlantic, Roxane Gay Books
June 12, 2023
The promo material for And then He Sang a Lullaby describes the novel as "a searingly honest and resonant debut from a 23-year-old Nigerian writer and queer liberation activist, exploring what love and freedom cost in a society steeped in homophobia." It's a single sentence, but it has all sorts of experiences and issues packed into it, just as this novel does.
The central characters, August and Segun come from very different backgrounds in a very splintered Nigeria. August's mother died giving birth to him (she'd already birthed three daughters, but felt obliged to produce a son). His three sisters raise him. His father owns rental properties which keep the family comfortable financially; however, despite the sisters' urging, no real relationship exists between August and his father. His father continues to mourn his wife's death; August assumes he is responsible for that death. August is also aware he is gay, but tries to avoid embracing the identity. He can "pass" as straight, and it's easier and more comfortable to blend in and to engage in occasional, usually anonymous sexual encounters.
Segun's family is less well-off. He's been bullied throughout his childhood for his less-than-masculine behaviors, but is well-loved by his mother. Having seen his first lover brutally beaten by classmates (far more brutally than any of peer violence Segun is regularly subjected to), Segun has a very different understanding of what it means to be gay than does August. Segun knows he'll never succeed at passing and fights to accept and present himself as exactly who he is. He also knows that he can become a target for truly deadly violence at any time.
The two men meet at university and gradually become friends, then lovers. Both are involved in the very earnest Socialist Students Association, though August is not the committed revolutionary Segun is. Given the privilege August unconsciously accepts as his due, their relationship is volatile—and this worsens when major anti-gay legislation is enacted. August seems almost deliberately obtuse, not acknowledging the homophobia embraced by many of his friends and believing he needn't worry about the legislation, so long as he doesn't draw attention to himself. Segun knows this legislation threatens his very right to exist.
This is a lot of summary—and I try to avoid writing reviews that are overloaded with summary. But I think the summary is essential because, once one comes to know these two young men and the culture they're living in, one can imagine all the many, many complications, misunderstandings, attacks, and crises of identity they face. These complications, misunderstandings, attacks, and crises of identity are the unrelenting action of the novel, which acknowledges that what love might make possible in other circumstances cannot be achieved in their particular time and place.
This is a book to read when you're feeling strong, when you can hang onto hope of the slow, slow moral arc of the universe ultimately bending toward justice. And Then He Sang a Lullaby reminds us that the rising tide of anti-LGBTQI+ legislation and violence we're facing in the U.S. isn't an anomaly, but an attempt to reassert hate and shame as the norm that they've been over time and across the globe.
The ending didn't quite ring true to me, but that didn't lessen the book's value and impact. Having read his debut novel, I'm very much looking forward to reading future works by Ani Kayode Somtochukwu. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
The central characters, August and Segun come from very different backgrounds in a very splintered Nigeria. August's mother died giving birth to him (she'd already birthed three daughters, but felt obliged to produce a son). His three sisters raise him. His father owns rental properties which keep the family comfortable financially; however, despite the sisters' urging, no real relationship exists between August and his father. His father continues to mourn his wife's death; August assumes he is responsible for that death. August is also aware he is gay, but tries to avoid embracing the identity. He can "pass" as straight, and it's easier and more comfortable to blend in and to engage in occasional, usually anonymous sexual encounters.
Segun's family is less well-off. He's been bullied throughout his childhood for his less-than-masculine behaviors, but is well-loved by his mother. Having seen his first lover brutally beaten by classmates (far more brutally than any of peer violence Segun is regularly subjected to), Segun has a very different understanding of what it means to be gay than does August. Segun knows he'll never succeed at passing and fights to accept and present himself as exactly who he is. He also knows that he can become a target for truly deadly violence at any time.
The two men meet at university and gradually become friends, then lovers. Both are involved in the very earnest Socialist Students Association, though August is not the committed revolutionary Segun is. Given the privilege August unconsciously accepts as his due, their relationship is volatile—and this worsens when major anti-gay legislation is enacted. August seems almost deliberately obtuse, not acknowledging the homophobia embraced by many of his friends and believing he needn't worry about the legislation, so long as he doesn't draw attention to himself. Segun knows this legislation threatens his very right to exist.
This is a lot of summary—and I try to avoid writing reviews that are overloaded with summary. But I think the summary is essential because, once one comes to know these two young men and the culture they're living in, one can imagine all the many, many complications, misunderstandings, attacks, and crises of identity they face. These complications, misunderstandings, attacks, and crises of identity are the unrelenting action of the novel, which acknowledges that what love might make possible in other circumstances cannot be achieved in their particular time and place.
This is a book to read when you're feeling strong, when you can hang onto hope of the slow, slow moral arc of the universe ultimately bending toward justice. And Then He Sang a Lullaby reminds us that the rising tide of anti-LGBTQI+ legislation and violence we're facing in the U.S. isn't an anomaly, but an attempt to reassert hate and shame as the norm that they've been over time and across the globe.
The ending didn't quite ring true to me, but that didn't lessen the book's value and impact. Having read his debut novel, I'm very much looking forward to reading future works by Ani Kayode Somtochukwu. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
November 16, 2022
heartbreaking but incredible. finished it in a day. a compelling narrative about how two queer young men deal with their sexuality in an intolerant climate. must read!!
April 23, 2023
Genre: LGBTQ/Homophobia/Nigerian Activism/ From Roxane Gay Books
Publisher: Grove Atlantic
Pub. Date: June 6, 2023
This brutal novel, which reads like a journal, is not for the faint of heart. Kayode Somtochukwu reveals the effects of state sanctioned homophobia on Nigeria’s queer community. The reader sees the daily struggle for survival through the eyes of two gay Nigerian men, August and Segun. When they become romantically involved, the dangers are pronounced. The author's writing is intensely raw and vivid. I highly recommend this novel.
High school track star, August, enrolls in college to escape his loving but controlling sisters. Because his appearance is masculine and he is an athlete, August can pass as straight. Even his sisters are unaware of his sexuality. The birthday parties they throw him serve as an example of how little they see the real August. Not only are they unaware that he grieves the loss of his mother on his birthday, as she died in childbirth, but he must also hide his attraction toward the boys at these parties. In heartbreaking scenes, the author describes how if he opened up to his sisters, he would expose himself to possible jail time, torture, or death.
Segun carries his own burdens. His mannerisms are overtly feminine, and he bears scars from beatings throughout his school years. Segun's mother is written as the direct opposite of August's sisters, which was refreshing for me. She complains to his school each time he is bullied or physically abused. When the principal does nothing, she enrolls her son at another school to give him a fresh start. However, switching schools has little impact. The assaults persist. Ani raises the question of why homophobia is so persistent and why Nigeria feels trapped in the past.
The perspectives alternate slowly and then more rapidly when the boys meet in college. Watching their tender love affair withstand the hostility hurled at them is bittersweet. The young men’s relationship is tested when Segun is beaten close to death in a homophobic attack. This tale has flaws. Ani clearly cares about his characters, but August and Segun feel too archetypical. I would have liked a bit more character development. Still, this is a riveting book. “And Then He Sang a Lullaby” will haunt me for a long time. Kayode Somtochukwu is an author to watch.
I received this novel at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://books6259.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com
https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
https://www.amazon.com
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https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/c...
Publisher: Grove Atlantic
Pub. Date: June 6, 2023
This brutal novel, which reads like a journal, is not for the faint of heart. Kayode Somtochukwu reveals the effects of state sanctioned homophobia on Nigeria’s queer community. The reader sees the daily struggle for survival through the eyes of two gay Nigerian men, August and Segun. When they become romantically involved, the dangers are pronounced. The author's writing is intensely raw and vivid. I highly recommend this novel.
High school track star, August, enrolls in college to escape his loving but controlling sisters. Because his appearance is masculine and he is an athlete, August can pass as straight. Even his sisters are unaware of his sexuality. The birthday parties they throw him serve as an example of how little they see the real August. Not only are they unaware that he grieves the loss of his mother on his birthday, as she died in childbirth, but he must also hide his attraction toward the boys at these parties. In heartbreaking scenes, the author describes how if he opened up to his sisters, he would expose himself to possible jail time, torture, or death.
Segun carries his own burdens. His mannerisms are overtly feminine, and he bears scars from beatings throughout his school years. Segun's mother is written as the direct opposite of August's sisters, which was refreshing for me. She complains to his school each time he is bullied or physically abused. When the principal does nothing, she enrolls her son at another school to give him a fresh start. However, switching schools has little impact. The assaults persist. Ani raises the question of why homophobia is so persistent and why Nigeria feels trapped in the past.
The perspectives alternate slowly and then more rapidly when the boys meet in college. Watching their tender love affair withstand the hostility hurled at them is bittersweet. The young men’s relationship is tested when Segun is beaten close to death in a homophobic attack. This tale has flaws. Ani clearly cares about his characters, but August and Segun feel too archetypical. I would have liked a bit more character development. Still, this is a riveting book. “And Then He Sang a Lullaby” will haunt me for a long time. Kayode Somtochukwu is an author to watch.
I received this novel at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://books6259.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com
https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
https://www.amazon.com
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/c...
January 26, 2024
This book was nice in that it added a new perspective in gay literature as it took place in Nigeria. However, it is yet another sad gay book with unremarkable and difficult characters. I get that authors want to show a realistic experience, but as a reader I want a happy gay book without having to turn to YA.
March 20, 2025
this was so beautiful and heartwrenching
February 20, 2024
Honestly, I feel like it was very naive of me to think that this book wouldn't be so devastating because it's set in Nigeria. The 2000s+queerness+Nigeria = heartbreak.
I liked the book, I guess. I saw someone recommending a queer book on TikTok and I just had to dive in. It wasn't exactly the best ride for our main characters, but then again, the book revolves around two queer Nigerian boys in the 2000s. I feel like August has so much potential. I want to say had so much potential but I don't want to stay upset at him. Even if a lot of the things he did cannot be excused, I have to admit that he had it rough for someone so 'privileged'. I put that word in quotes because yes, he had it slightly easier compared to Segun and he didn't make very good use of it. I don't think I'll ever stop being upset at him for . Matter of fact, . But I'm all for redemption arcs so I feel like he becomes much better, as I saw in the last chapter.
Segun my beloved <3. His story is truly a tragic one. His mother showed him the importance of fighting and he was doing so well. . Segun was the best thing that happened to August but August was not the best thing that happened to Segun. It hurts to say this but I don't think they were ever going to work. I hate how Segun had to deal with Tanko. Like it hit a bit too close to home, that kind of dynamic. But honestly, all the queer people suffered.
I hated August's family. Especially Uzoamaka. The way all the expectations kept overwhelming the poor boy makes me want to wrap August in a blanket and protect him from the world (after scolding him on how he treated his lovers). Betty was such a real one fr. Dike can go to hell. All homophobes can go to hell. All bigots can go to hell.
I have so much I want to say but I think I'll slow down. The writing was good, although I felt like some of the language didn't fit the era of the book; I don't think anyone was saying 'popping off' until the late 2010s or early 2020s. I may be wrong but oh well. Now I feel like I'm ranting😭.
All in all, I would reread this book for sure, to see if my mind changes about some things. Just do not read this book if you have a headache or it will get worse. Also if the formatting of this review is weird, no it is not (I'm doing this on my laptop and HTML is annoying).
4.4 (4.2 because I hate all the boys in Segun's dorms) out of 5 (please take this with a grain of salt, I judge with my emotions).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2024
4.5 stars.
Once again, I’m floored that this is a debut novel. Where was I when literary talents were being handed out?????
A powerful novel following two young Nigerian men, August and Segun, who are independently battling with their queer identities in a society that is deeply homophobic and unaccepting of their identities and even more so of their relationship, a struggle that is compounded by a hostile political environment. The writing in this book was so poetic and raw painting a vivid image of Nigerian society, its landscape, and its people.
There is so much I appreciate about this book but at the top is probably the unflinching criticisms of African politicians, their cowardice, their greed, their selfishness, and worst of all their cruelty whose ripples are felt by the most vulnerable in society. I love that this was explored through Segun’s discovery of socialism and that through him the author questioned the impact of these politicians taking a “moral stance” against queer people in a misguided attempt to shake off a “colonial legacy”. I think Segun and I would’ve been great friends, and this just serves to show how well developed the characters were.
I often shy away from reading African literature, because so often it is so real, too real for me, but this was a cathartic read and I will be shoving this book down everyone’s throats for the rest of time.
Thank you, Ani, your talent really shined.
Once again, I’m floored that this is a debut novel. Where was I when literary talents were being handed out?????
A powerful novel following two young Nigerian men, August and Segun, who are independently battling with their queer identities in a society that is deeply homophobic and unaccepting of their identities and even more so of their relationship, a struggle that is compounded by a hostile political environment. The writing in this book was so poetic and raw painting a vivid image of Nigerian society, its landscape, and its people.
There is so much I appreciate about this book but at the top is probably the unflinching criticisms of African politicians, their cowardice, their greed, their selfishness, and worst of all their cruelty whose ripples are felt by the most vulnerable in society. I love that this was explored through Segun’s discovery of socialism and that through him the author questioned the impact of these politicians taking a “moral stance” against queer people in a misguided attempt to shake off a “colonial legacy”. I think Segun and I would’ve been great friends, and this just serves to show how well developed the characters were.
I often shy away from reading African literature, because so often it is so real, too real for me, but this was a cathartic read and I will be shoving this book down everyone’s throats for the rest of time.
Thank you, Ani, your talent really shined.
May 10, 2023
3.5*
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to read this ARC.
This is a real, tender and powerful coming-of-age story of two Nigerian boys set against a society seeped in homophobia.
Through dual POV we go through the hardships of our main characters, and I found that I couldn't put it down once I'd finally picked it up for real. The writing is very straightforward in style that's more showing than telling, and I think it works in favor to underline exactly how real this story is for a lot of people still.
cw: strong homophobic language, homophobic violence, suicide ideation, off-page suicide
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to read this ARC.
This is a real, tender and powerful coming-of-age story of two Nigerian boys set against a society seeped in homophobia.
Through dual POV we go through the hardships of our main characters, and I found that I couldn't put it down once I'd finally picked it up for real. The writing is very straightforward in style that's more showing than telling, and I think it works in favor to underline exactly how real this story is for a lot of people still.
cw: strong homophobic language, homophobic violence, suicide ideation, off-page suicide
April 15, 2024
The story follows two main characters, August and Segun, both navigating their lives as gay men in a country where homosexuality is illegal. August, raised by his sisters and father after his mother died during his birth, and Segun, who was bullied throughout high school and university, share their experiences in alternating chapters. The book starts off slowly, but gains momentum in chapter 7 before slowing down again. While Segun's story is well-developed and captivating, the overall book didn't meet my expectations.
TW : suicide , bullying , homophobia
TW : suicide , bullying , homophobia
November 21, 2024
"Revolution is the solution but the people have to first reach that conclusion"
Beautiful story about finding hope in revolution, the grief you can feel when you revolutionary passions don't make sense to your loved ones, and the connection you feel with them when they do.
Beautiful story about finding hope in revolution, the grief you can feel when you revolutionary passions don't make sense to your loved ones, and the connection you feel with them when they do.
July 14, 2024
Gorgeous writing, the build up felt a bit excessive at first, but the last 100 pages really just make it all worth it. I have not cried this hard since seeing Coco in theaters for the first time.
February 20, 2024
[4.5]
I have been bawling all morning and I think I might continue to for a bit.
I knew what I was getting into when my bestie recommended me a book about two gay Nigerians.
All I can say is, this book was so sad and so raw. And it breaks my heart that this is the reality we live in. That friends, family and strangers can go about breaking a person all for the most bigoted of reasons.
As for the ending, it felt like such an incomplete ending, or at least not a conclusion I would have expected or written. But I think that’s exactly why it ended the way it did.
I really liked the inclusion of socialism in the book though. That’s something I’ve never seen being considered in a Nigerian book. Or honestly any work of fiction I’ve read so far. And I think it’s important it’s there considering how bad Nigeria’s (and the world’s) current climate is.
I just want to ask: could someone PLEASE write a happy queer Nigerian novel??? I’m begging. I can NOT always be crying.
I have been bawling all morning and I think I might continue to for a bit.
I knew what I was getting into when my bestie recommended me a book about two gay Nigerians.
All I can say is, this book was so sad and so raw. And it breaks my heart that this is the reality we live in. That friends, family and strangers can go about breaking a person all for the most bigoted of reasons.
As for the ending, it felt like such an incomplete ending, or at least not a conclusion I would have expected or written. But I think that’s exactly why it ended the way it did.
I really liked the inclusion of socialism in the book though. That’s something I’ve never seen being considered in a Nigerian book. Or honestly any work of fiction I’ve read so far. And I think it’s important it’s there considering how bad Nigeria’s (and the world’s) current climate is.
I just want to ask: could someone PLEASE write a happy queer Nigerian novel??? I’m begging. I can NOT always be crying.
December 17, 2022
And Then He Sang a Lullaby was a thoughtful read exploring the experiences of two gay characters in modern Nigeria as they tried to deal with the inherent homophobia all around them. The story was well paced and the prose engaging -- easy reading, yet still packing an emotional punch. I certainly came to care about the characters as the story progressed and was swept up in the action. Recommended for fans of emotion-packed contemporary dramas. It gets 4.5 stars from me.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 19, 2025
Started this book at 10 p.m. innocently thinking I’d only read 50 pages. I stayed up until 3 a.m. and read the entire thing. I have no regrets.
In the last few months, I’ve read my fair share of Nigerian queer literature, so I wasn’t surprised by the violence the Jonathan Bill brought upon queer people. (If you haven’t read Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh, you should!!)
And yet, it always leaves me speechless how brutal and tragic it still is.
Because of the dual POV, I loved that we got to understand August and Segun separately before we saw them as a pair. What are their concerns, hopes, dreams, and fears? The writing is beautiful, lyrical but not overpowering, so it doesn’t overshadow the plot.
Call me naive, but I really didn’t see the ending coming, even though it made perfect sense. It was the brutality and inevitability of it that hit so hard. I cried for hours after finishing the novel.
Aside from their love story, I fell completely in love with Segun’s character, and maybe that’s why the ending felt even more tragic to me. He was the one who couldn’t hide, who didn’t “pass” like August—as he rightly pointed out—so he had no choice but to fight.
Him being a communist, being political, reading and educating himself, and then having August who just hid behind his privilege… it was so frustrating to witness. I actually felt so wronged that Segun was the one who had to bear it all in the end. Sigh.
What can I say? I wish everyone would read this book. not only for the beauty of Segun and August’s love story but for the sake of every queer person who has fought and been silenced.
100/10 stars.😩😩
In the last few months, I’ve read my fair share of Nigerian queer literature, so I wasn’t surprised by the violence the Jonathan Bill brought upon queer people. (If you haven’t read Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh, you should!!)
And yet, it always leaves me speechless how brutal and tragic it still is.
Because of the dual POV, I loved that we got to understand August and Segun separately before we saw them as a pair. What are their concerns, hopes, dreams, and fears? The writing is beautiful, lyrical but not overpowering, so it doesn’t overshadow the plot.
Call me naive, but I really didn’t see the ending coming, even though it made perfect sense. It was the brutality and inevitability of it that hit so hard. I cried for hours after finishing the novel.
Aside from their love story, I fell completely in love with Segun’s character, and maybe that’s why the ending felt even more tragic to me. He was the one who couldn’t hide, who didn’t “pass” like August—as he rightly pointed out—so he had no choice but to fight.
Him being a communist, being political, reading and educating himself, and then having August who just hid behind his privilege… it was so frustrating to witness. I actually felt so wronged that Segun was the one who had to bear it all in the end. Sigh.
What can I say? I wish everyone would read this book. not only for the beauty of Segun and August’s love story but for the sake of every queer person who has fought and been silenced.
100/10 stars.😩😩
June 2, 2023
Pensive, absorbing, and exceptionally heart-wrenching!
And Then He Sang a Lullaby is a tragic, beautiful tale that sweeps you away to Nigeria and into the lives of two boys, Segun and August, one who is confident in his sexuality and not ashamed to be a gay man while bearing all the hatred and violence faced by that decision, and the other who is torn, ashamed and struggling to come to grips with his sexuality but who ultimately can’t resist what his heart truly wants.
The prose is evocative and expressive. The characters are layered, tormented, and vulnerable. And the plot is an exceptionally impactful coming-of-age tale of life, loss, family, friendship, grief, guilt, denial, secrets, heartache, culture, prejudice, homophobia, violence, and love.
Overall, And Then He Sang a Lullaby is one of those books you never forget. It’s raw, timely, powerful, and heartbreaking. It’s an incredible debut by Ani Kayode Somtochukwu that everyone should have to read, and which ultimately reminds us that to love and be loved is one of humanity’s most fundamental needs and to quote Mahatma Gandhi’s iconic words that perhaps we should all remember a little more often, “Where there is love there is life.”
Thank you to PGC Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
And Then He Sang a Lullaby is a tragic, beautiful tale that sweeps you away to Nigeria and into the lives of two boys, Segun and August, one who is confident in his sexuality and not ashamed to be a gay man while bearing all the hatred and violence faced by that decision, and the other who is torn, ashamed and struggling to come to grips with his sexuality but who ultimately can’t resist what his heart truly wants.
The prose is evocative and expressive. The characters are layered, tormented, and vulnerable. And the plot is an exceptionally impactful coming-of-age tale of life, loss, family, friendship, grief, guilt, denial, secrets, heartache, culture, prejudice, homophobia, violence, and love.
Overall, And Then He Sang a Lullaby is one of those books you never forget. It’s raw, timely, powerful, and heartbreaking. It’s an incredible debut by Ani Kayode Somtochukwu that everyone should have to read, and which ultimately reminds us that to love and be loved is one of humanity’s most fundamental needs and to quote Mahatma Gandhi’s iconic words that perhaps we should all remember a little more often, “Where there is love there is life.”
Thank you to PGC Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2023
2.5/5
'And Then He Sang A Lullaby' might be the first book I marked my calendar for pre-release. I had followed Somtochukwu’s work and was excited by the prospect of a novel that was being marketed as an exploration of the effects of the SSMPA on a Nigerian queer couple. It would be, I thought, the best exploration of Nigerian romance under oppressive regimes since Half of a Yellow Sun. Instead, this novel felt uneven, rushed, and sophomoric even at its best moments.
The inaugural title of Roxanne Gay’s publishing company, invariably much of the marketing and positive reviews have revolved around the “necessity of the story”, the “dire straits of Nigerian queer life” and its silent condition that the novel is breaking out of. I felt, however, that it was strangulated by both its necessity and publishing condition – every moment feels overly watchful of Western readership and attempting to maximise pathos for the Nigerian queer condition at the expense of the characters and their relationship, which is, after all, its central focus as a romance novel.
Its two protagonists August and Segun have different backgrounds both in terms of their class and their orientations towards queerness. August, masculine, and a comfortable middle class is more religious and struggles with his sexuality whereas Segun, more feminine, becomes radical and anti-assimilationist in his queerness - a queer tale as old as time.
It was structurally promising. It is told in the dual perspective of both of the characters coming-of-age, up to when they meet each other at university. We therefore see their previous relationships before they meet each other. Somtochukwu is at his best recreating the texture of these relationships. The relationships early in the book were established impressively and then met their downfall sometimes in the span of one or two chapters and this didn’t feel rushed. However, his main relationship does not enjoy this benefit. Where we see the ways that the two characters fit with their previous partners, the relationship between August and Segun feels unearned. When August meets Segun he spuriously falls in love with him and makes excuses to come to the cybercafe where he works. I for one was rooting for Trevor and Segun much more than I was rooting for Segun and August as it felt better developed to me.
The novel, at many points especially after August and Segun meet, feels as though it was reconstructed from a summary of a book by an author with little connection to the material. Plot points push into other plot points with a feeling of obligation and not passionate storytelling. Equally unmotivated was the prose style, which although competent, felt unoriginal. No sentence struck me as a standout way to describe an emotion, or as particularly distinctive in voice; here we can hold space for the fact that this a debut novel.
After August and Segun meet, the dual perspective ultimately does not add anything. When they have their fights, the dual perspective rarely changes one’s understanding of the conflict that transpired between them. These fights to me were also a lazy way to examine the effects of politics on love. Instead of subtly examining the way the social environment created by the legislation affects the couple, which the book does do in minor ways, the main conflict is caused by them fighting over August not feeling like he must be concerned with reading the bill and him trying to convince Segun to be less out there. Thus what could be a more distinctly Nigerian story rooted in the specificities of the way the cultural atmosphere was changed because of the SSMPA is roughly translated to a recognizable Western queer story of struggle between masc closeted DL and out fem flamboyant a la Eric and Adam in Sex Education. The themes of the personal and the political are especially unblended in the novel, mostly the political is slapped onto the personal in a didactic way – for example the depiction of what happens to both of their mothers or the Marxist student group which heavy-handedly mouthpieces the relevance of the politics.
The ending felt predictable and steeped in bathos. The aftermath was neat and hurried, again going back to the idea of this feeling like a reconstructed plot summary rather than a cohesive novel. A lot of the side characters feel severely underdeveloped, most especially the women in the novel who are not known by readers beyond their death, grieving and support (or lack thereof) for the protagonist.
On a positive note, the book is far from boring and is mostly paced fine. Much can also be said of its positive representational politics. But I believe queer Nigerians deserve more than just “important stories” and queer Nigerian authors deserve to be evaluated on more than their braveness. In the Renaissance Nigerian queer literature is experiencing I slouch towards the insular and strange such as Eloghosa Osunde and Akwaeke Emezi as opposed to the well-intentioned social realists – who I find too often are neither social nor realistic. I will be reading more from Somtochukwu though and I can’t wait to see how his writing develops.
'And Then He Sang A Lullaby' might be the first book I marked my calendar for pre-release. I had followed Somtochukwu’s work and was excited by the prospect of a novel that was being marketed as an exploration of the effects of the SSMPA on a Nigerian queer couple. It would be, I thought, the best exploration of Nigerian romance under oppressive regimes since Half of a Yellow Sun. Instead, this novel felt uneven, rushed, and sophomoric even at its best moments.
The inaugural title of Roxanne Gay’s publishing company, invariably much of the marketing and positive reviews have revolved around the “necessity of the story”, the “dire straits of Nigerian queer life” and its silent condition that the novel is breaking out of. I felt, however, that it was strangulated by both its necessity and publishing condition – every moment feels overly watchful of Western readership and attempting to maximise pathos for the Nigerian queer condition at the expense of the characters and their relationship, which is, after all, its central focus as a romance novel.
Its two protagonists August and Segun have different backgrounds both in terms of their class and their orientations towards queerness. August, masculine, and a comfortable middle class is more religious and struggles with his sexuality whereas Segun, more feminine, becomes radical and anti-assimilationist in his queerness - a queer tale as old as time.
It was structurally promising. It is told in the dual perspective of both of the characters coming-of-age, up to when they meet each other at university. We therefore see their previous relationships before they meet each other. Somtochukwu is at his best recreating the texture of these relationships. The relationships early in the book were established impressively and then met their downfall sometimes in the span of one or two chapters and this didn’t feel rushed. However, his main relationship does not enjoy this benefit. Where we see the ways that the two characters fit with their previous partners, the relationship between August and Segun feels unearned. When August meets Segun he spuriously falls in love with him and makes excuses to come to the cybercafe where he works. I for one was rooting for Trevor and Segun much more than I was rooting for Segun and August as it felt better developed to me.
The novel, at many points especially after August and Segun meet, feels as though it was reconstructed from a summary of a book by an author with little connection to the material. Plot points push into other plot points with a feeling of obligation and not passionate storytelling. Equally unmotivated was the prose style, which although competent, felt unoriginal. No sentence struck me as a standout way to describe an emotion, or as particularly distinctive in voice; here we can hold space for the fact that this a debut novel.
After August and Segun meet, the dual perspective ultimately does not add anything. When they have their fights, the dual perspective rarely changes one’s understanding of the conflict that transpired between them. These fights to me were also a lazy way to examine the effects of politics on love. Instead of subtly examining the way the social environment created by the legislation affects the couple, which the book does do in minor ways, the main conflict is caused by them fighting over August not feeling like he must be concerned with reading the bill and him trying to convince Segun to be less out there. Thus what could be a more distinctly Nigerian story rooted in the specificities of the way the cultural atmosphere was changed because of the SSMPA is roughly translated to a recognizable Western queer story of struggle between masc closeted DL and out fem flamboyant a la Eric and Adam in Sex Education. The themes of the personal and the political are especially unblended in the novel, mostly the political is slapped onto the personal in a didactic way – for example the depiction of what happens to both of their mothers or the Marxist student group which heavy-handedly mouthpieces the relevance of the politics.
The ending felt predictable and steeped in bathos. The aftermath was neat and hurried, again going back to the idea of this feeling like a reconstructed plot summary rather than a cohesive novel. A lot of the side characters feel severely underdeveloped, most especially the women in the novel who are not known by readers beyond their death, grieving and support (or lack thereof) for the protagonist.
On a positive note, the book is far from boring and is mostly paced fine. Much can also be said of its positive representational politics. But I believe queer Nigerians deserve more than just “important stories” and queer Nigerian authors deserve to be evaluated on more than their braveness. In the Renaissance Nigerian queer literature is experiencing I slouch towards the insular and strange such as Eloghosa Osunde and Akwaeke Emezi as opposed to the well-intentioned social realists – who I find too often are neither social nor realistic. I will be reading more from Somtochukwu though and I can’t wait to see how his writing develops.
June 22, 2024
I really enjoyed this moving story of two young men trying to be their true selves in a homophobic society. Somtochukwu is a really talented young writer, and he was very deftly able to render the shifting dynamics of August and Segun's relationship in an engrossing and believable way. Somtochukwu's prose flows smoothly and rarely falters, and I found myself flying through this novel.
The main issue I had with the novel was that the alternating perspectives sometimes double-backed themselves in time. For example, one chapter would have Segun describing his holiday vacation and then the next chapter would start with August before the holiday vacation describing things Segun already told the reader. I didn't feel like it added much and made the timeline unnecessarily confusing at times.
But other than that small structural issue, I found this book to be a really promising debut that shows that Roxane Gay's imprint is off to a good start.
The main issue I had with the novel was that the alternating perspectives sometimes double-backed themselves in time. For example, one chapter would have Segun describing his holiday vacation and then the next chapter would start with August before the holiday vacation describing things Segun already told the reader. I didn't feel like it added much and made the timeline unnecessarily confusing at times.
But other than that small structural issue, I found this book to be a really promising debut that shows that Roxane Gay's imprint is off to a good start.
October 10, 2024
I can’t say much without spoiling my book club, but I love the relevancy of Usain Bolt here. 🏃🏿♂️
January 1, 2025
Buena forma de empezar el año, sí señor. Tengo pendiente escribir una reseña en condiciones, pero diré que es una historia dura, con un final muy duro, pero que merece la pena
July 8, 2023
***Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review***
If Roxane Gay tells me to read something, you can bet I will read it. And Then He Sang a Lullaby was a solid recommendation, though it should come with a warning that it will break your heart. I needed a hug after I finished it because Ani Kayode Somtochukwu spares no emotion in telling the story of the two main characters who grapple with their sexuality and sexual orientation within the confines of the Nigerian society in which they reside. Moments of tenderness existed even as the threat of violence and terror simmered and exploded on numerous occasions. Somtochukwu guides us with a firm hand through August and Segun's stories and demands our attention so that we have no choice but to witness and experience this alongside them. It's a powerful read, but can be emotionally depleting so take heed and make sure you have a way to care for your heart as you read it.
If Roxane Gay tells me to read something, you can bet I will read it. And Then He Sang a Lullaby was a solid recommendation, though it should come with a warning that it will break your heart. I needed a hug after I finished it because Ani Kayode Somtochukwu spares no emotion in telling the story of the two main characters who grapple with their sexuality and sexual orientation within the confines of the Nigerian society in which they reside. Moments of tenderness existed even as the threat of violence and terror simmered and exploded on numerous occasions. Somtochukwu guides us with a firm hand through August and Segun's stories and demands our attention so that we have no choice but to witness and experience this alongside them. It's a powerful read, but can be emotionally depleting so take heed and make sure you have a way to care for your heart as you read it.
Read
January 14, 2024Heart-wrenching story about gay men growing up in Nigeria, socialist ideals, grief, and shedding the burden of expectations. I listened to the audiobook for ease, but the narrator's attempt at Nigerian accent was so annoying! It was clumsy, the pidgin was choppy, and so many words were mispronounced (which is why I'm typically wary of African audiobooks not narrated by the authors). Definitely not a light read, but it offers insight into the lives of middle-class/poor Nigerians, and specifically the sting of growing up gay in a homophobic society.
February 5, 2024
My heart completely dropped after reading the last chapter of this book. Wow. This was an incredibly emotional book. Normally I hate books that start slow paced but I felt that it was necessary and useful in this book as it focuses on the character of Segun and August. While this book is about the relationship between these two characters, it transcends a romance book. Would highly recommend this as a read but not if you’re looking just for some queer romance novel.
April 17, 2023
This is a beautiful, complicated, layered, heartbreaking, utterly devastating book.
CW: homophobia, homophobic violence, suicide, death of a queer character
CW: homophobia, homophobic violence, suicide, death of a queer character
September 28, 2023
Роман, у которого оказалось много параллелей со «Спрингфилдом» Сергея Давыдова. Начиная от издательской судьбы (вышел флагманом в новом импринте известной фем-писательницы и публицистки Роксаны Гэй в Grove Atlantic), кончая общими темами и персонажами.
Это дебют молодого (23 года) нигерийского парня из рабочей семьи. Написанный в тетрадочках, от руки перенесенный на смартфон и отправленный Роксане — без агента, без рекомендаций, без регалий, — роман счастливо вынырнул из самотёка (200 манускриптов ежемесячно). Формально это — бытовая любовная история двух очень разных парней из провинций Нигерии, которые поступают в один университет в столичном Лагосе и начинают встречаться. Август — атлетичный, богатый и свой в доску парень, тогда как Седжун — манерный марксист из рабочего класса, в детстве стадавший от буллинга. Однако они нашли общий язык, общие чувства, общую опасность — в Нигерии однополые отношения под запретом. Вот только открытому, честному Седжуну всё труднее мириться с позицией Августа — прятаться в шкафу и угождать гетеро-окружению.
Любовным сюжетом роман, конечно, не исчерпывается, иначе грош бы ему цена. Автор сам открытый гей, сам родом из того же города Энугу, откуда и его герой Седжун. И он также был неоднократно бит за свою открытость, политическую и общественную позицию. Писал, как говорится, по горячим следам и попал в самый нерв. Ярко показывает взаимоотношения героев с матерями, отцами, сестрами и друзьями, как их разрывает между своей самостью, чувствами — и долгом перед родней, ожиданиями общества, накатанной колеёй. Эволюция Августа удалась особенно хорошо: весь этот знакомый многим путь от отрицания к принятию и гордости — ярко и на контрасте с путём Седжуна, парня с напускной смелостью, но без внутреннего стержня.
Это дебют молодого (23 года) нигерийского парня из рабочей семьи. Написанный в тетрадочках, от руки перенесенный на смартфон и отправленный Роксане — без агента, без рекомендаций, без регалий, — роман счастливо вынырнул из самотёка (200 манускриптов ежемесячно). Формально это — бытовая любовная история двух очень разных парней из провинций Нигерии, которые поступают в один университет в столичном Лагосе и начинают встречаться. Август — атлетичный, богатый и свой в доску парень, тогда как Седжун — манерный марксист из рабочего класса, в детстве стадавший от буллинга. Однако они нашли общий язык, общие чувства, общую опасность — в Нигерии однополые отношения под запретом. Вот только открытому, честному Седжуну всё труднее мириться с позицией Августа — прятаться в шкафу и угождать гетеро-окружению.
Любовным сюжетом роман, конечно, не исчерпывается, иначе грош бы ему цена. Автор сам открытый гей, сам родом из того же города Энугу, откуда и его герой Седжун. И он также был неоднократно бит за свою открытость, политическую и общественную позицию. Писал, как говорится, по горячим следам и попал в самый нерв. Ярко показывает взаимоотношения героев с матерями, отцами, сестрами и друзьями, как их разрывает между своей самостью, чувствами — и долгом перед родней, ожиданиями общества, накатанной колеёй. Эволюция Августа удалась особенно хорошо: весь этот знакомый многим путь от отрицания к принятию и гордости — ярко и на контрасте с путём Седжуна, парня с напускной смелостью, но без внутреннего стержня.
April 8, 2024
I was lucky enough to attend a live conversation between Ani Kayode and Roxane Gay about this book as they were launching it last year, and it was honestly one of the coolest experiences of my life. Roxane Gay is a writer I’ve deeply admired since I began college and was assigned some of her work for my intro writing classes, and it was wonderful to see her in person and to hear her and Ani talk about this incredibly novel, the first to be published under her new imprint. And I can see now why she chose it - this is a devastating, beautiful, important story that deserves a wide audience. Among many other things, it helped shine a light for me on the immense challenges facing the LGBTQIA+ community in Nigeria, as well as the activism that has risen up to try to combat those challenges. I’m really grateful to have read such a powerful piece of art from an extremely talented up-and-coming novelist, and look forward to reading more from him, and from Roxane Gay Books more broadly, in future.
April 14, 2023
A big thanks to NetGalley and Roxane Gay Books for providing me with the ARC!
Wow I don’t know where to start honestly. When I first saw the title of the book it just drew me in, it made question what will happen in this and how does that relate to the title.
But this book was so much more, it is beautifully written, the prose is captivating and the story is phenomenal. I truly can’t believe that this is a debute novel.
This book made me sad and me feel so much for August and Segun. Them exploring and getting into terms with their sexuality in environment what is so harmful and discriminative towards them was truly heartbreaking. Such an important read, a must read!
Wow I don’t know where to start honestly. When I first saw the title of the book it just drew me in, it made question what will happen in this and how does that relate to the title.
But this book was so much more, it is beautifully written, the prose is captivating and the story is phenomenal. I truly can’t believe that this is a debute novel.
This book made me sad and me feel so much for August and Segun. Them exploring and getting into terms with their sexuality in environment what is so harmful and discriminative towards them was truly heartbreaking. Such an important read, a must read!
March 11, 2024
Told in two (2) PoVs, And Then He Sang a Lullaby tells the story of August a God-fearing track star who leaves Enugu City to attend university and escape his overbearing sisters and Segun, an openly gay student who works at a local cybercafé in the university.
August's three sisters had to raise and care for him when his mother passed away after childbirth. August struggles with his mother's passing and bears the weight of her passing on his shoulders He has no connection with his father, and when the time came for him to move out of the house, he decided to go to a distant university.
In the university, he makes friends and tries to hide his attraction to the openly gay boy on campus - Segun. He even tries to date a fellow female track star to hide his true identity. Later, the attraction for Segun grows and they start seeing each other secretly.
Ami Kayode Somtochukwu wrote one hell of a book! Everything came together to produce a fantastic and heartbreaking story—from the writing to the language to the narrative. I love Segun’s character, believe it or not, several people are open, unapologetic and fearless about their true identity and true to themselves. Segun is a prime example of what it's like to live in a nation or a place where society views you as an outcast and the legal system views you as a criminal.
I believe I now know why Somtochukwu created August's persona. Some people are also unclear about who they are, but they choose not to speak out about it. In the sense that, they are unsure about their true selves and are not loud about it either. This book is beautiful.
Somotochukwu wrote the story of two gay boys' experiences in light of the Anti-Gay bill passed in Nigeria. Nothing prepares you for the end of this book. I cried!
I highly recommend this book.
August's three sisters had to raise and care for him when his mother passed away after childbirth. August struggles with his mother's passing and bears the weight of her passing on his shoulders He has no connection with his father, and when the time came for him to move out of the house, he decided to go to a distant university.
In the university, he makes friends and tries to hide his attraction to the openly gay boy on campus - Segun. He even tries to date a fellow female track star to hide his true identity. Later, the attraction for Segun grows and they start seeing each other secretly.
Ami Kayode Somtochukwu wrote one hell of a book! Everything came together to produce a fantastic and heartbreaking story—from the writing to the language to the narrative. I love Segun’s character, believe it or not, several people are open, unapologetic and fearless about their true identity and true to themselves. Segun is a prime example of what it's like to live in a nation or a place where society views you as an outcast and the legal system views you as a criminal.
I believe I now know why Somtochukwu created August's persona. Some people are also unclear about who they are, but they choose not to speak out about it. In the sense that, they are unsure about their true selves and are not loud about it either. This book is beautiful.
Somotochukwu wrote the story of two gay boys' experiences in light of the Anti-Gay bill passed in Nigeria. Nothing prepares you for the end of this book. I cried!
I highly recommend this book.
December 13, 2022
wow. this was beautiful & heartbreaking.
looking forward to the release.
i got to read this becasue of an internship i'm doing at a publishing house and i'm very glad i got that opportunity.
this is a queer love / coming of age story set in nigeria around the year 2014 i believe. and it's one of those books that really gives you hope all throughout and makes you cheer for the characters to find the courage to be true to themselves. and then... the end just shattered me.
it'll definetly take some time until i can gather all of my thoughts. wow.
looking forward to the release.
i got to read this becasue of an internship i'm doing at a publishing house and i'm very glad i got that opportunity.
this is a queer love / coming of age story set in nigeria around the year 2014 i believe. and it's one of those books that really gives you hope all throughout and makes you cheer for the characters to find the courage to be true to themselves. and then... the end just shattered me.
it'll definetly take some time until i can gather all of my thoughts. wow.
June 9, 2024
i loved this book, but it def comes with a warning. when i started reading this, i thought it was a mix between purple hibiscus and a little life, but it definitely ended up being more like a little life than i was expecting. definitely don’t read this if you want a happy story. but, the two main characters’ perspectives are told with such depth that you really grow to understand them without really having to put in much effort or think about it which makes the book really beautiful. make sure you’re in a good place before reading this cause a lot of the content is really hard to read and pretty sad, so keep that in mind!! such an amazing book tho if you can deal with the depressing themes
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