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A review by desireeslibrary
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
4.0
4.5 stars
"Some people can't see softness without wanting to hurt it."
As the title implies, this novel centers around the death of Vivek Oji. It is told from multiple perspectives: that of Vivek's cousin, Vivek from beyond the grave, and an untethered third-person narrator that typically focuses on the perspective of Vivek's mother. It follows the story of Vivek's death and reveals who Vivek was and answers about why and how Vivek died.
I've been struggling with how to review this. I've seen it described as a backwards mystery where you start with Vivek's death and then walk back through what happened. But, I don't think that gives the right expectations nor do I think it's an accurate description. It's not really a mystery at all; it's a commentary on identity, sexuality, and the stigma surround gender non-conformity in Nigeria. The representation in this novel is absolutely chef's kiss. I think this is a first for me, but I would have liked more length to this story. I would have liked to see some of the characters developed more.
This is by no means an easy read. It is raw, gutting, and painfully beautiful. The way that Emezi writes in this non-linear fashion and explores the posthumous tension that exists between the people Vivek left behind and the truth of who he was is breathtaking! Overall though I did really enjoy this. It was a painful and heartwarming read and I will definitely be reading more from Emezi.
“Did it feel like terror? More like horror, actually. Terrible sounded like it had a bit of acceptance in it, like an unthinkable thing had happened but you'd found space in your brain to acknowledge it, perhaps even begin to accept it. Then again, horrible sounded the same way. The words had departed from their origins. They were diluted, denatured.”
"Some people can't see softness without wanting to hurt it."
As the title implies, this novel centers around the death of Vivek Oji. It is told from multiple perspectives: that of Vivek's cousin, Vivek from beyond the grave, and an untethered third-person narrator that typically focuses on the perspective of Vivek's mother. It follows the story of Vivek's death and reveals who Vivek was and answers about why and how Vivek died.
I've been struggling with how to review this. I've seen it described as a backwards mystery where you start with Vivek's death and then walk back through what happened. But, I don't think that gives the right expectations nor do I think it's an accurate description. It's not really a mystery at all; it's a commentary on identity, sexuality, and the stigma surround gender non-conformity in Nigeria. The representation in this novel is absolutely chef's kiss. I think this is a first for me, but I would have liked more length to this story. I would have liked to see some of the characters developed more.
This is by no means an easy read. It is raw, gutting, and painfully beautiful. The way that Emezi writes in this non-linear fashion and explores the posthumous tension that exists between the people Vivek left behind and the truth of who he was is breathtaking! Overall though I did really enjoy this. It was a painful and heartwarming read and I will definitely be reading more from Emezi.
“Did it feel like terror? More like horror, actually. Terrible sounded like it had a bit of acceptance in it, like an unthinkable thing had happened but you'd found space in your brain to acknowledge it, perhaps even begin to accept it. Then again, horrible sounded the same way. The words had departed from their origins. They were diluted, denatured.”