Reviews tagging 'Dysphoria'

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

36 reviews

annamae7784's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Dysphoria

lazlio's review

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

This was a beautifully written book. Very sad and heavy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Death, Lesbophobia, Outing, Homophobia, and Transphobia

midnightreads1803's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Ableism, Mental illness, Dysphoria, and Incest

Moderate: Hate crime

one_womanarmy's review

challenging emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.25

Heartbreaking sorry of gay, lesbian, queer and trans identities growing up in a mixed class and mixed-ethnicity set of family systems in Nigeria. I cried through nearly half the book, swept up in the loneliness of performing ourselves for family alongside moments of the stunning beauty of tender, inescapable young love.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Incest, Eating disorder, Transphobia, Dysphoria, Homophobia, and Self harm

thepassivebookworm's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Incest, Blood, Dysphoria, Physical abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Death, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault

canascorner's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Transphobia, Homophobia, Death, and Sexual content

tea_kettle's review

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

4.25

amazing story, beautifully written, and one i would read again despite the heartbreak. However, the mildly (and later very graphically) incestuous themes were pretty uncomfortable to get through, and i don’t think they necessarily needed to be that way. Still, it was a great story, and i’m glad it was told, especially by a writer so skilled. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Death, Grief, Child death, Incest, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Sexual content

Moderate: Dysphoria, Physical abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Hate crime, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Minor: Child abuse, Deportation, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Vomit, Infertility, and Rape

mausi's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

This book was such a surprise, it took me on a journey I did not expect! And what an emotional journey that was. The story genuinely took me by surprise and got me thinking a lot about it. This is the second book by Akwaeke Emezi and I love how challenging and daring their books are. It certainly challenged my thinking about love in many ways. Additionally, having read about the author themselves, I imagine this story is highly personal to them as they also grew in Nigeria as a queer person. I certainly learnt a lot about what it must be like for a queer person to grow up in and oppressive environment, certainly a book to recommend, especially to those who might not understand queer love and struggle. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Dysphoria, Hate crime, Mental illness, Grief, Death, and Homophobia

mandi_lea's review

emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Death, Grief, Transphobia, Sexual content, Blood, Dysphoria, Incest, Infidelity, and Religious bigotry

tinyjude's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

I liked the writing style and the ending felt powerful and fulfilling despite it's tragedy after wondering so bad what happened to Vivek.

I wish that instead of seeing Vivek/Nnembi from everyone's points of view, we got more from her inner world and how she felt in those final months. Especially with all the gender fluidity and sexual identity that could have  been explored through her lens. My biggest complain is the incest like WHAT THE FUCK? they could have been childhood friends and that would have made this so much more enjoyable, but making them cousins... I hated every second of it. Also, why is everyone fucking everyone without their partners' knowing? WHY ARE YOU CHEATING AND SAYING YOU LOVE YOUR GIRLFRIEND/BOYFRIEND???? I DONT GET IT.
After so much transphobic comments from his parents, I am glad that his mom accepted him, even though it was too late and her reactions at first hurt so much to read.
The grandma was my favourite character. She rules even after death, she would have loved Vivek/Nnembi so much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Death, Grief, Incest, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Transphobia