What the community thinks
summary of 966 ratings (see reviews)
Content warnings
Graphic
Incest (23 reviewers), Transphobia (20 reviewers), Death (18 reviewers), Homophobia (14 reviewers), Grief (13 reviewers), Sexual content (8 reviewers), Violence (6 reviewers), Hate crime (5 reviewers), Infidelity (4 reviewers), Physical abuse (4 reviewers), Blood (4 reviewers), Domestic abuse (3 reviewers), Infertility (3 reviewers), Mental illness (3 reviewers), Religious bigotry (3 reviewers), Biphobia (2 reviewers), Child death (2 reviewers), Deadnaming (2 reviewers), Rape (2 reviewers), Sexual violence (1 reviewer), Toxic relationship (1 reviewer), and Medical content (1 reviewer)Moderate
Homophobia (11 reviewers), Transphobia (8 reviewers), Incest (7 reviewers), Sexual content (6 reviewers), Infidelity (5 reviewers), Domestic abuse (4 reviewers), Violence (4 reviewers), Blood (4 reviewers), Religious bigotry (4 reviewers), Bullying (3 reviewers), Alcoholism (2 reviewers), Death (2 reviewers), Emotional abuse (2 reviewers), Infertility (2 reviewers), Mental illness (2 reviewers), Physical abuse (2 reviewers), Sexism (2 reviewers), Grief (2 reviewers), Ableism (1 reviewer), Animal death (1 reviewer), Biphobia (1 reviewer), Body shaming (1 reviewer), Cursing (1 reviewer), Eating disorder (1 reviewer), Hate crime (1 reviewer), Misogyny (1 reviewer), and Sexual assault (1 reviewer)Minor
Animal death (3 reviewers), Sexual assault (3 reviewers), Deadnaming (2 reviewers), Incest (2 reviewers), Infertility (2 reviewers), Rape (2 reviewers), Sexual content (2 reviewers), Domestic abuse (1 reviewer), Gore (1 reviewer), Hate crime (1 reviewer), Homophobia (1 reviewer), Infidelity (1 reviewer), Miscarriage (1 reviewer), Physical abuse (1 reviewer), Racism (1 reviewer), Suicidal thoughts (1 reviewer), Toxic relationship (1 reviewer), and Xenophobia (1 reviewer)Moods
sad 76%
reflective 55%
challenging 49%
dark 38%
mysterious 26%
tense 17%
hopeful 11%
inspiring 11%
informative 5%
adventurous 2%
funny 1%
Pace
fast 20%
slow 12%
Strong character development?
Yes: 85% | It's complicated: 12% | No: 1%Loveable characters?
Yes: 63% | It's complicated: 32% | No: 3%Diverse cast of characters?
Yes: 98% | It's complicated: 0% | No: 0%Flaws of characters centre-stage?
Yes: 75% | It's complicated: 18% | No: 5% | N/A: 1%Average rating
Buy The Death of Vivek Oji
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What does it mean for a family to lose a child they never really knew?
One afternoon, in a town in southeastern Nigeria, a mother opens her front door to discover her son's body, wrapped in colorful fabric, at her feet. What follows is the tumultuous, heart-wrenching story of one family's struggle to understand a child whose spirit is both gentle and mysterious. Raised by a distant father and an understanding but overprotective mother, Vivek suffers disorienting blackouts, moments of disconnection between self and surroundings. As adolescence gives way to adulthood, Vivek finds solace in friendships with the warm, boisterous daughters of the Nigerwives, foreign-born women married to Nigerian men. But Vivek's closest bond is with Osita, the worldly, high-spirited cousin whose teasing confidence masks a guarded private life. As their relationship deepens--and Osita struggles to understand Vivek's escalating crisis--the mystery gives way to a heart-stopping act of violence in a moment of exhilarating freedom.
Propulsively readable, teeming with unforgettable characters, The Death of Vivek Oji is a novel of family and friendship that challenges expectations--a dramatic story of loss and transcendence that will move every reader.
Buy The Death of Vivek Oji
United States
Bookshop US
Other countries
Bookshop UK
Blackwell's
The StoryGraph is an affiliate of the featured links. We earn commission on any purchases made.
What does it mean for a family to lose a child they never really knew?
One afternoon, in a town in southeastern Nigeria, a mother opens her front door to discover her son's body, wrapped in colorful fabric, at her feet. What follows is the tumultuous, heart-wrenching story of one family's struggle to understand a child whose spirit is both gentle and mysterious. Raised by a distant father and an understanding but overprotective mother, Vivek suffers disorienting blackouts, moments of disconnection between self and surroundings. As adolescence gives way to adulthood, Vivek finds solace in friendships with the warm, boisterous daughters of the Nigerwives, foreign-born women married to Nigerian men. But Vivek's closest bond is with Osita, the worldly, high-spirited cousin whose teasing confidence masks a guarded private life. As their relationship deepens--and Osita struggles to understand Vivek's escalating crisis--the mystery gives way to a heart-stopping act of violence in a moment of exhilarating freedom.
Propulsively readable, teeming with unforgettable characters, The Death of Vivek Oji is a novel of family and friendship that challenges expectations--a dramatic story of loss and transcendence that will move every reader.
What the community thinks
summary of 966 ratings (see reviews)
Content warnings
Graphic
Incest (23 reviewers), Transphobia (20 reviewers), Death (18 reviewers), Homophobia (14 reviewers), Grief (13 reviewers), Sexual content (8 reviewers), Violence (6 reviewers), Hate crime (5 reviewers), Infidelity (4 reviewers), Physical abuse (4 reviewers), Blood (4 reviewers), Domestic abuse (3 reviewers), Infertility (3 reviewers), Mental illness (3 reviewers), Religious bigotry (3 reviewers), Biphobia (2 reviewers), Child death (2 reviewers), Deadnaming (2 reviewers), Rape (2 reviewers), Sexual violence (1 reviewer), Toxic relationship (1 reviewer), and Medical content (1 reviewer)Moderate
Homophobia (11 reviewers), Transphobia (8 reviewers), Incest (7 reviewers), Sexual content (6 reviewers), Infidelity (5 reviewers), Domestic abuse (4 reviewers), Violence (4 reviewers), Blood (4 reviewers), Religious bigotry (4 reviewers), Bullying (3 reviewers), Alcoholism (2 reviewers), Death (2 reviewers), Emotional abuse (2 reviewers), Infertility (2 reviewers), Mental illness (2 reviewers), Physical abuse (2 reviewers), Sexism (2 reviewers), Grief (2 reviewers), Ableism (1 reviewer), Animal death (1 reviewer), Biphobia (1 reviewer), Body shaming (1 reviewer), Cursing (1 reviewer), Eating disorder (1 reviewer), Hate crime (1 reviewer), Misogyny (1 reviewer), and Sexual assault (1 reviewer)Minor
Animal death (3 reviewers), Sexual assault (3 reviewers), Deadnaming (2 reviewers), Incest (2 reviewers), Infertility (2 reviewers), Rape (2 reviewers), Sexual content (2 reviewers), Domestic abuse (1 reviewer), Gore (1 reviewer), Hate crime (1 reviewer), Homophobia (1 reviewer), Infidelity (1 reviewer), Miscarriage (1 reviewer), Physical abuse (1 reviewer), Racism (1 reviewer), Suicidal thoughts (1 reviewer), Toxic relationship (1 reviewer), and Xenophobia (1 reviewer)Moods
sad 76%
reflective 55%
challenging 49%
dark 38%
mysterious 26%
tense 17%
hopeful 11%
inspiring 11%
informative 5%
adventurous 2%
funny 1%
Pace
fast 20%
slow 12%
Strong character development?
Yes: 85% | It's complicated: 12% | No: 1%Loveable characters?
Yes: 63% | It's complicated: 32% | No: 3%Diverse cast of characters?
Yes: 98% | It's complicated: 0% | No: 0%Flaws of characters centre-stage?
Yes: 75% | It's complicated: 18% | No: 5% | N/A: 1%Average rating