God's Children Are Little Broken Things

God's Children Are Little Broken Things was a short story collection written by Nigerian author Arinze Ifeakandu and published by A Public Space in 2022. It provides nine distinct "stories about the joys and tribulations of queer love in contemporary Nigeria".[1]

God's Children Are Little Broken Things
First edition
AuthorArinze Ifeakandu
LanguageEnglish
GenreFiction
PublisherA Public Space
Publication date
2022
Publication placeNigeria
Media typePrint (Paperback)
Pages224
ISBN9781399606288

God's Children Are Little Broken Things won the 2023 Dylan Thomas Prize, as well as the inaugural Republic of Consciousness Prize.

Reception

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In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews wrote that while "deftly capturing the richness and dangers of romantic connection," the stories in God's Children Are Little Broken Things "complicate and reimagine queer narratives".[1]

Publishers Weekly wrote, "An understated style reflects the characters’ tendency to avoid speaking directly about their relationships, which encourages close reading and elicits a strong sense of what it is like for the characters to endure the perils of being gay in Nigeria. The author leaves readers with a painful and powerful group portrait."[2]

Booklist also reviewed the audiobook.[3]

Awards and honors

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Kirkus Reviews included God's Children Are Little Broken Things on their list of the best books of 2022.[1]

In 2022, God's Children Are Little Broken Things won the Story Prize Spotlight Award[4] and was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize.[5]

The following year, it won the Dylan Thomas Prize,[6][7][8] as well as the inaugural Republic of Consciousness Prize.[9] It was also a finalist for the CLMP Firecracker Award[10] and the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction.[11][12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "God's Children Are Little Broken Things". Kirkus Reviews. 2022-05-10. Archived from the original on 2023-07-11. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  2. ^ "God's Children Are Little Broken Things by Arinze Ifeakandu". Publishers Weekly. 2022-04-20. Archived from the original on 2022-06-27. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  3. ^ "God's Children Are Little Broken Things". Booklist. 2022-09-01. Archived from the original on 2024-01-23. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  4. ^ "TSP: God's Children Are Little Broken Things by Arinze Ifeakandu Wins The Story Prize Spotlight Award". The Story Prize. 2023-02-07. Archived from the original on 2023-02-09. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  5. ^ Muchnick, Laurie (2022-09-07). "Here Are the 2022 Kirkus Prize Fiction Finalists". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  6. ^ "Arinze Ifeakandu Wins Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize 2023 For 'Exhilarating' Debut God's Children Are Little Broken Things". Swansea University. May 2023. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Awards: Dylan Thomas Winner; Indie Book Shortlists". Shelf Awareness. 2023-05-16. Archived from the original on 2023-07-05. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  8. ^ Schaub, MIchael (2023-05-11). "Winner of the 2023 Dylan Thomas Prize Is Revealed". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on 2023-05-12. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  9. ^ "Awards: Audie, Republic of Consciousness Winners". Shelf Awareness. 2023-03-30. Archived from the original on 2023-11-20. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  10. ^ "Firecracker Awards Winners Archive". Community of Literary Magazines and Presses. Archived from the original on 2020-10-23. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  11. ^ Schaub, Michael (2023-03-15). "Lambda Literary Award Finalists Are Revealed". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  12. ^ "2023 Lambda Award Shortlist Finalists Announced". BOOK RIOT. 2023-03-15. Archived from the original on 2023-04-28. Retrieved 2023-05-06.