Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - And Then He Sang a Lullaby

Other than the fact that there could’ve been a little more room for character development had there been more grace afforded to August, I was completely blown away by this book. I wish I had the words to describe how much. I borrowed it from the library but it’ll definitely be a permanent addition to my personal collection at some point. It handles so many things I know all too well with a level of expert care that had me near tears throughout. While those who meant well showed and expressed as much, it wasn’t enough. I’m in awe that this is a debut work and I can’t wait to read more.

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bojosephh's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

brilliant. the ending felt a little didactic. which makes sense. Ani Kayode Somtochukwu is primarily an activist, and it jives that his first novel would be an argument for activism as a necessary mode for life. the ending while not feeling unearned, however, seems to buck against the style of the novel. it feels too neat, too pat. if this is where Ani was going, a different style might have been better. none of this detracts from its necessity as essential reading for anyone trying to understand queer African life as resistance.

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robyn1998's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was definitely one of the saddest books I've ever read. I had to keep taking breaks to cry. I think Ani Kayode Somtochukwu is ridiculously talented. The storyline was never predictable and the characters all felt very real. The only criticism I have is that the pacing felt a little all over the place at times.

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