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A review by ohlhauc
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Emezi's writing is so gorgeous, sparse yet evocative. You really feel like you're feeling the emotions of the characters, which in turn made the darker moments very heart-wrenching.
The story had a slow start for me, especially when the chapters focused on the present day of mother of the deceased titular character. Once the plot began to focus more on flashbacks, and we got nearer to finding out what happened to Vivek, the story became more riveting and I couldn't put it down. The relationships between the younger characters felt honest and how the author went about showing how they grappled with their identities and growing up was exquisite.
The story had a slow start for me, especially when the chapters focused on the present day of mother of the deceased titular character. Once the plot began to focus more on flashbacks, and we got nearer to finding out what happened to Vivek, the story became more riveting and I couldn't put it down. The relationships between the younger characters felt honest and how the author went about showing how they grappled with their identities and growing up was exquisite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Incest
Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Murder, Sexual assault, and Transphobia