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tamerebel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Transphobia
alayamorning's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Sexual content, and Transphobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence
skudiklier's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
5.0
This book was stunning and heartbreaking and beautiful and painful and surprising. I read it for a book club that isn't meeting for several weeks (I always read book club books too early accidentally haha), but this time I'm glad because I want to think about it a lot before I'll know what to say. I'd definitely recommend it though, it's very good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Biphobia, Blood, Xenophobia, Violence, Vomit, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Islamophobia, Infidelity, Infertility, Incest, Homophobia, Hate crime, Grief, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, Deadnaming, and Bullying
Moderate: Abortion, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Eating disorder, Cursing, and Rape
Minor: Ableism
naika's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I have complicated feelings about this book, sadly. Do I think the writing was as harrowing and gripping as the hyper suggests? Yes. It tackled a wide range of themes, from grief and loss, identity, abuse, cultural and social differences, etc. That is what initially drew me to the story. But I would be dishonest if I did not say some of what was written was unsettling to me - specifically the incest. It would be one thing if the book clearly unpacked the problems with this, but to me, the story took a passive, unchallenging approach. I could not come to terms with how it was handled.
I also struggled with some sections of the story where we got points of view from characters who ultimately had little to do with the larger story. It ended up being unnecessary filler and distracted me from the narrative. So I would also say the pacing did not always work for me.
But the story continues to sit with me, despite some of the jarring aspects. This is making it difficult for me to give a star rating, so I won't.
I also struggled with some sections of the story where we got points of view from characters who ultimately had little to do with the larger story. It ended up being unnecessary filler and distracted me from the narrative. So I would also say the pacing did not always work for me.
But the story continues to sit with me, despite some of the jarring aspects. This is making it difficult for me to give a star rating, so I won't.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Transphobia, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Sexism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Infidelity, Homophobia, and Cursing
Minor: Infertility
poursandpages's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“They burned down the market on the day Vivek Oji died.”
Normally, I like to write a review when my thoughts are fresh, & jot it down as soon as I close the book. Not this one.
There is SO much here. Even 12 hours later, I’m like, what did I just read?
First, Emezi’s writing ability is UNPARALLELED. Holy shit. I couldn’t be more excited that we picked their debut novel for September #JLoReads.
This book eviscerated me in less than 250 pages. The characters, the stories, the journeys. It allowed these fictional characters to share what I know to be REAL stories in such a raw & human way.
“If that pleasure was supposed to stop me from being a man, then fine. They could have it. I’d take the blinding light of his touch, the blessed peace of having him so close, & I would stop being a man. I was never one to begin with, anyway.”
I realize I said barely anything in this review, but if it’s not already on your list, add it immediately.
Normally, I like to write a review when my thoughts are fresh, & jot it down as soon as I close the book. Not this one.
There is SO much here. Even 12 hours later, I’m like, what did I just read?
First, Emezi’s writing ability is UNPARALLELED. Holy shit. I couldn’t be more excited that we picked their debut novel for September #JLoReads.
This book eviscerated me in less than 250 pages. The characters, the stories, the journeys. It allowed these fictional characters to share what I know to be REAL stories in such a raw & human way.
“If that pleasure was supposed to stop me from being a man, then fine. They could have it. I’d take the blinding light of his touch, the blessed peace of having him so close, & I would stop being a man. I was never one to begin with, anyway.”
I realize I said barely anything in this review, but if it’s not already on your list, add it immediately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Transphobia, Homophobia, Incest, and Physical abuse
lennie_reads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Faber & Faber for my ARC.
I read Pet earlier this year and was utterly amazed so I knew when I saw this on NetGalley I had to request it. And now after reading this I know I need to read everything Emezi has ever or will ever write.
Once I started this I ended up reading it in one sitting; it's addictive. It's also visceral, gritty, raw, dark, uncomfortable, extremely upsetting and so so powerful.
It's hard to explain this book without giving away spoilers but the basic premise is that Vivek's body is found by his mother after he has been left on his doorstep wrapped in material.
From here we travel back in time to before Vivek's parents have met and the story builds from there.
I guess you would probably class this book as a mystery but not necessarily 'what happened to Vivek?' but 'who was Vivek and why did this happen?'.
We have different POVs from family members & friends, who build the story around Vivek, whilst also delving into their changing attitudes towards each other and life itself. I feel that Emezi is perfectly happy letting you make your own mind up about the characters and all of them are delightfully and distressingly complex. Also, for one reason or another, most of them have been pushed to the extreme - religious bigotry, internalised homophobia, over protectiveness, stigma against mental illness and more.
There is a huge focus on relationships in this book and it's a testament to Emezi's skills that you can route for a couple when there are a lot of complicated issues surrounding them.
This book delves into taboos, the life of niger-wives, found family vs blood family, embracing who you are and how devastatingly cruel life can be.
CW: Rape, incest, Mental illness, Transphobia, homophobia, death, religious extremism, physical abuse, violence, infidelity, death, rape, sexual assualt, sexual favours, hate crime, grief, domestic abuse, deadnaming
I read Pet earlier this year and was utterly amazed so I knew when I saw this on NetGalley I had to request it. And now after reading this I know I need to read everything Emezi has ever or will ever write.
Once I started this I ended up reading it in one sitting; it's addictive. It's also visceral, gritty, raw, dark, uncomfortable, extremely upsetting and so so powerful.
It's hard to explain this book without giving away spoilers but the basic premise is that Vivek's body is found by his mother after he has been left on his doorstep wrapped in material.
From here we travel back in time to before Vivek's parents have met and the story builds from there.
I guess you would probably class this book as a mystery but not necessarily 'what happened to Vivek?' but 'who was Vivek and why did this happen?'.
We have different POVs from family members & friends, who build the story around Vivek, whilst also delving into their changing attitudes towards each other and life itself. I feel that Emezi is perfectly happy letting you make your own mind up about the characters and all of them are delightfully and distressingly complex. Also, for one reason or another, most of them have been pushed to the extreme - religious bigotry, internalised homophobia, over protectiveness, stigma against mental illness and more.
There is a huge focus on relationships in this book and it's a testament to Emezi's skills that you can route for a couple when there are a lot of complicated issues surrounding them.
This book delves into taboos, the life of niger-wives, found family vs blood family, embracing who you are and how devastatingly cruel life can be.
CW: Rape, incest, Mental illness, Transphobia, homophobia, death, religious extremism, physical abuse, violence, infidelity, death, rape, sexual assualt, sexual favours, hate crime, grief, domestic abuse, deadnaming
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Transphobia
maisierosereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I fell in love with Awkaeke Emezi's writing as soon as I read Freshwater last year, so The Death of Vivek Oji was one of my most anticipated releases of 2020. From the first, one-sentence chapter I was hooked on the plot, and ended up reading the whole book in less than 48 hours.
The way this book is structured - with the mystery of how Vivek died, the events leading up to his death, and the way his death affects his loved ones - makes the story captivating even though you know from before you open this book that the titular character will die. The chapters are told from different points of view and from different points in time, with all of these perspectives coming together cohesively to form the whole story.
Emezi's writing style is as gorgeous as always, and their characters are beautiful in their imperfect complexity. The relationships between them are also beautiful, complex, and challenging. In their interview with Rivers Solomon for Greenlight Bookstore, Emezi talked about how they wanted to present these relationships as they were without telling the reader how to feel about them and leave the reactions up to the readers - I could definitely see and feel this when reading The Death of Vivek Oji, particularly in regards to the central relationship (which is consensual but incestuous).
As with their previous books, Emezi's writing is informed and influenced by personal experiences of growing up in Nigeria and their own intersecting identities. The influences from life - Igbo spirituality, the Nigerwives, the politial upheaval, the conflict between the different religious and ethnic groups - give this story a richness and realness that add to the compelling and emotive nature of the plot.
Overall, I enjoyed The Death of Vivek Oji just as much as I was expecting to and highly recommend it.
I fell in love with Awkaeke Emezi's writing as soon as I read Freshwater last year, so The Death of Vivek Oji was one of my most anticipated releases of 2020. From the first, one-sentence chapter I was hooked on the plot, and ended up reading the whole book in less than 48 hours.
The way this book is structured - with the mystery of how Vivek died, the events leading up to his death, and the way his death affects his loved ones - makes the story captivating even though you know from before you open this book that the titular character will die. The chapters are told from different points of view and from different points in time, with all of these perspectives coming together cohesively to form the whole story.
Emezi's writing style is as gorgeous as always, and their characters are beautiful in their imperfect complexity. The relationships between them are also beautiful, complex, and challenging. In their interview with Rivers Solomon for Greenlight Bookstore, Emezi talked about how they wanted to present these relationships as they were without telling the reader how to feel about them and leave the reactions up to the readers - I could definitely see and feel this when reading The Death of Vivek Oji, particularly in regards to the central relationship (which is consensual but incestuous).
As with their previous books, Emezi's writing is informed and influenced by personal experiences of growing up in Nigeria and their own intersecting identities. The influences from life - Igbo spirituality, the Nigerwives, the politial upheaval, the conflict between the different religious and ethnic groups - give this story a richness and realness that add to the compelling and emotive nature of the plot.
Overall, I enjoyed The Death of Vivek Oji just as much as I was expecting to and highly recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, and Alcoholism
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Miscarriage
nordstina's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
The title of this book gives away the major plot event that serves as the main event that everything surrounds in this book. I really wish Goodreads did half stars, because I would have rated this a bit higher. The novel begins with Vivek's mother discovering her son's body at the front of the house. In some ways, this is a bit of a murder (?) mystery. She tries to figure out how Vivek died. The book is told from multiple characters' points of views. I am trying not to spoil major plot points here, because I really appreciated how they were revealed. The book focuses a lot on relationships and family, acceptance and non-acceptance, and secrets. The relationships that Vivek has with his friends and his cousin Osita really resonate.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Incest
julidrw124's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Transphobia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Infertility
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