Reviews

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

amanda_serenity's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

christina_andrews's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad 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

5.0

Everyone should read this book. I find it breathtaking and read it over 2 days, I just couldn't what to discover more. 

aminasbookshelf's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.0

salwa15's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.5

ksaratom's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

written in a quiet, understated tone, this book was devastating. the storytelling reminded me a bit of butter honey pig bread with deep, dark family history that affected the characters’ lives. the writing felt haunting and captured the desperation of a mother trying to understand her child. the friend group was quite interesting, but I don’t think I got enough from them to be fully invested. at the end, there was all this buildup to find out what happened to vivek, but it felt very obvious?

overall, I’m glad to have read this story, however, it was told in a confusing, nonlinear way. the changes in pov and timeline were sporadic, making it hard for me to follow. 

jaysteady's review against another edition

3.0

Okay, so. I do concede that I read this entirely in nearly one sitting. I had to know how it ends. However, after I was finished, I couldn’t reflect on the no doubt powerful(!) message of this novel, but on how there were some plot lines that were never flushed out or ever answered for me? It made it feel like filler? Also, was incest necessary to the plot or? I feel like it really just scared away a potential audience that this story should have been able to reach. For no reason? I just had more questions than anything. Definitely enjoyed it, but couldn’t rate it more than a better-than-average star rating for me.

P.S. You can bet your bottom dollar that I’m still going to read Freshwater though, so do with this review what you will

bookswithboo's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

4.5

mittland's review against another edition

5.0

loved. sort of both a love story and a mystery. will be reading more from this author

bail33's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Best book I’ve read all year without question. Easily a classic in queer literature. No story has ever made me feel the way this one has.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Homophobia, Transphobia, Incest, and Violence

rmceachern's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

3.75