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A review by dukegregory
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
3.0
3.5
Emezi is sooooo talented, and what I've read (this and Freshwater), although not amazing to me, show such ability and promise that they are clearly an author to look out for. I love the characters' nuance here and the simultaneous readability and artfulness to their prose. But this novel does flop entirely to me as the mystery it sets itself up to be. The ending with Osita is obviously tragic, but I also find it a tad easy, a clear character choice to heighten emotionality, and thus a tad unsatisfying. I'm more so confused by the incest here though. I'm not really a prude, but I don't understand its necessity, if there is any. Vivek's general genderfluidity/transness is enough of a stigmatized notion within the Nigerian community shown to make the cousins' romantic relationship odd, since it makes it more forbidden, sure, but that's already been instilled otherwise. Why could Osita just not be a family friend that Vivek meets at standardized test prep, the way it happens in the novel as is. Regardless, I support the endeavor. It's wonderful to see a queer Nigerian voice come to the forefront of anglophonic literature. It's deserved even with my reservations.
Emezi is sooooo talented, and what I've read (this and Freshwater), although not amazing to me, show such ability and promise that they are clearly an author to look out for. I love the characters' nuance here and the simultaneous readability and artfulness to their prose. But this novel does flop entirely to me as the mystery it sets itself up to be. The ending with Osita is obviously tragic, but I also find it a tad easy, a clear character choice to heighten emotionality, and thus a tad unsatisfying. I'm more so confused by the incest here though. I'm not really a prude, but I don't understand its necessity, if there is any. Vivek's general genderfluidity/transness is enough of a stigmatized notion within the Nigerian community shown to make the cousins' romantic relationship odd, since it makes it more forbidden, sure, but that's already been instilled otherwise. Why could Osita just not be a family friend that Vivek meets at standardized test prep, the way it happens in the novel as is. Regardless, I support the endeavor. It's wonderful to see a queer Nigerian voice come to the forefront of anglophonic literature. It's deserved even with my reservations.