Reviews

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

knotemnels's review against another edition

5.0

Devastating & beautiful. Finished in a day because I couldn’t put it down. 

tigerrblossom's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? No

4.0

kvelpr's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-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

4.0

aqeela's review against another edition

4.0

3.75 stars, rounded up

carsonelainee's review against another edition

3.0

I've been on a slow journey to read all of Akwaeke Emezi's backlist and The Death of Vivek Oji seems to be their most beloved book. I can 100% see why. Emezi's writing style is unrivaled in its beauty and uniqueness.

The Death of Vivek Oji is a story that I haven't seen done before. It felt wholly unique and original. The longer I sit with the story, the more I like it and the more I feel like it made an impact on me. Because of this statement, you may be saying to yourself, "Carson, why the three-star rating then?" Well, dear reader, I rate my books solely based on vibes and the feelings I get from them. Super subjective, I know. But in the end, this didn't feel like a 4 or 5-star read for me. I don't know why, but I can tell you that this is a good book with an important message that I think everyone should read.

siljacharlotte's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

naya04's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

teresa_a's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

jadaleigh's review against another edition

4.0

Gut-wrenching and oh so beautifully written. Vivek's friends were fiercely protective which really warmed my heart. Considering we already knew Vivek's fate, the ending paid off super well, I just wish things would have worked out better for such a brilliantly vibrant soul.

thebookishblues's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-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