Reviews

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

lesedi66's review

emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

readingafrica's review against another edition

4.0

This is a queer Nigerian story set in Aba (Ngwa) featuring a close-knit immigrant community of foreign-born women married to Nigerian men, spirituality, a looming tragedy, and Emezi's trademark writing style. The ending was unexpected, but quite beautiful and bittersweet. I really had a problem with the incestuous relationship between the main characters, there were some other moments that just seemed weird to me.

I love Akwaeke Emezi's work, because they reject the common tropes and themes that we've come to associate with African Literature. I like that they tell 'unusual' and imaginative stories about complex characters.

enid815's review

5.0

This book kept my interest from the first page. Trying to figure out how Vivek was killed was a journey. It was completely unexpected how it happened.

kathrinelar's review

4.75

Virkelig god, trist men samtidig comforting. Elskede den måde den var skrevet på 

heyheatherelise's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

robda5ft's review

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

Pain… this was so heartbreaking 💔 4.5 because there is a storyline that I don’t love. 

bookish_withsky's review

3.0

It was Emezi's typical phenomenal writing. I love how all of her book (that I've read so far) discuss hard topics in such a beautiful way. This is a 3.5 or even a 4,there was just the one thing that repeatedly took me out of the story. Its considered spoilers, so keep that in mind before reading further.

Vivek begins a relationship with his cousin. I can acknowledge that its acceptable or possibly normal in some cultures (I don't know if it is here because they also kept it hidden, but that could've been for other reasons as well). Its still something that makes me uncomfortable and takes me out of the story. So if if incest is a trigger for you, maybe reconsider. That being said, its handled decently well and is still worth the read, in my opinion.

ruqqiya's review

emotional sad medium-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

2.0

Incest

and terrible plot twist/ending. I’m tired of queer tragedies. 2 stars for the beautiful writing though. 

ohjessicabrown's review

emotional sad medium-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

5.0

This book will wreck you. Beautifully written, but devastatingly tragic. 

lee_bean's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5