A review by carriepond
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

emotional mysterious 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

5.0

From the first page and the title of The Death of Vivek Oji, we know the what—the story’s central character, Vivek Oji, has died. What this fairly short novel spends its time considering is the gut-wrenching why, which is answered for the reader through chapters that shift between characters and events before and after Vivek’s death. 

Learning what happened to Vivek was as sad as I imagined it would be, but seeing the emotional fallout as characters reckon with the ways they failed to see and love Vivek in life was more devastating. Is protecting someone the same as loving them? 

I loved this book. 
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