[Content warnings: death, incest, rape, infidelity, abuse, misogyny]

I don't know how Emezi does it, but they managed to make Vivek's story breathtaking.

"The Death of Vivek Oji" is bold as it is beautiful. Told in both first person perspectives of Vivek and cousin Osita as well as third person points of view, Vivek's chapters are shorter because his* life was short. But then his narration becomes slightly longer as he starts to live. The timeline is not linear but it was never hard to follow. It has its own flow of interconnected events and characters' thoughts instead of being in chronological order. Sometimes Vivek was dead and sometimes he was not. It is haunting and works strangely well. (* I use he/him/his pronouns for Vivek because that is what Emezi used throughout most of the book. The last pronoun referring to Vivek by Osita is also masculine.)

The deliberate choice of including Igbo vocabulary into conversations and narration feels very intimate. Sentences reading like direct translations of Igbo vividly reflects the Nigerian setting.

In "The Death of Vivek Oji", everything is intertwined: the idea of life and death, discovery of love and sex and relationships, exploration of gender and sexuality, and finding roots and home. The eerie atmosphere of the book is almost paranormal. And this ghostly element plays into every part of the story as well.

With the main theme being queer identities, there are also implicit pansexuality and gender fluidity. The friendship between Vivek, Osita, Juju, Elizabeth, Somto, and Olunne is precious. "They barely understood him themselves, but they loved him, and that had been enough." An important part of the story is also about the nature of Vivek and Osita's relationship. They are cousins, so their love is incestuous. But this paints the picture of Vivek so well and heightens all his struggles. I find myself feeling okay about their tender yet tabooed relationship.

There are two things I cannot fully enjoy. One is the truth of Vivek's death. Compared to the intensity and beauty of the whole book, it falls flat even though that might be the most meaningful ending possible. Another is the hysteria of older women. Far too often we have literary fiction depicting hysterical women, and I just cannot seem to forget about the occasional ridiculousness of Mary and Kavita.

The book is dark and painful and joyous. The death of Vivek is not only the death of a living person, but the death of a past identity. It is fear that kills, but it is also killing that liberates in "The Death of Vivek Oji."

Compelling, poignant and powerfully written, this novel was refreshingly deep. It explores identity, the ties of family, sexuality, love and the fear of being different in a conservative Nigeria. Despite the serious subject matter, the prose is engaging and seductive, drawing the reader into a web of lies and half-truths. I was left guessing until the end of the novel what actually happened to Vivek Oji.

Beautiful and heartbreaking. This story explores culture, family, and how Vivek comes to terms with himself in Nigeria. Obviously the reader knows that Vivek dies. Through flashbacks and present day points of view from various people in his world, Vivek's life is laid out with a bittersweet foreshadowing of the result. At times, Ms. Emezi's writing is actual poetry, a beautiful read on its own. Combine this with emotional and intimate subject matter and the result is a very impactful story.

Book Review 🍂The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

“I’m not what anyone thinks I am. I never was. I didn’t have the mouth to put into words, to say what was wrong, to change the things I felt I needed to change. And every day it was difficult, walking around and knowing that people saw me one way, knowing that they were wrong, so completely wrong, that the real me was invisible to them. So: If nobody sees you, are you still there?”

After finishing Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi and absolutely loving it, I jumped at the chance to read their next novel.

The Death of Vivek Oji is a misnomer. The book is much more about Vivek’s life and their search for identity.

Vivek’s mother, Kavita, searches for the answers to her son’s death and the circumstances that led to it. The story is narrated by Vivek, his cousin Osita and an omniscient narrator in a non linear structure.
Vivek and Osita are drawn closer, surrounded by their close knit friendship group who are all struggling to balance their families expectations and their own desires and sexualities. As the children of the Nigerwives (the foreign born women married to Nigerian men) they are bonded by their otherness and coming of age dilemmas. Set in 1998, in a town in the south of Nigeria the story is woven against a backdrop of political tensions and social issues that I wished I knew more about and it set me off on a research quest.

Vivek is by far the most interesting character. Born on the day his grandmother dies, Vivek has a birthmark identical to the starfish shaped scar his grandmother had. As well as struggling with black outs which mark him as a strange person, he also explores his gender identity. As he becomes more flamboyant the group fear for his safety in an environment of rigid gender norms.
I would have loved to have heard more of the story in Vivek’s voice. There is relatively little.

Emezi explores the idea that death is not the end and our own selves exist beyond what we experience in our everyday reality. Their masterful prose perfectly captures the emotions of the characters, particularly their grief.

Compulsively readable, full of unforgettable characters this short, tender novel is highly deserving of a wide audience.

Thanks to @netgalley and @faberbooks for my eARC

The Death of Vivek Oji was a powerful, yet heartbreaking story of Vivek’s short life. When Vivek dies, his mother has a hard time accepting the fact that he is gone and tries to question all of his friends to see what they are hiding. Vivek hid his true identity from his family and was only his true self with his cousin and friends. Sometimes Vivek wanted to be referred to as he but other times he preferred female pronouns and the name Nnemdi. Because of the culture he was born into he was afraid to be himself. It was heartbreaking to see what he went through but it was also great seeing how her friends came together to be there for her and accepted Nnemdi for who she was.

There was one chapter in the middle about the riot that seemed out of place. As I kept reading I understand what the author was trying to accomplish but at the time it was very disjointed and it didn’t really play a role in the story. At times I also struggled with the relationship between Vivek and Osita.

Thanks @netgalley for the ARC for my honest review!

Will be posted on Instagram, Amazon and Barnes and Noble as well.

This is a wonderful novel about a family dealing with loss, secrets and living authentically.
In the opening scene Vivek naked body is placed on his family’s door step. We don’t know how the death occurred. As the story unfolds we learn that Vivek is a young adult who has returned home from uni due to medical issues. He’s the only son to kavita and Chika who are deeply concerned about the change in their son’s appear and behavior. They explore many avenues to help him to no avail.
The story is told from the perspective of Vivek and his cousin Osita. We also are provided chapters with no individual perspective but help provide background on the main characters, their surroundings and friends to the family. These sections help to understand what occurred leading up to Vivek’s death and after.

This is short book with only 245 pages. I felt the author dealt with Vivek’s struggle with his sexuality In African society was well done.

Pain was a theme carried throughout the novel. The pain in this novel is almost palpable. The pain that Vivek experiences struggling with his sexuality. The unrelenting pain Kavita feels over the loss of her son with no explanation as to why. Pain experienced by Maja over the loss of her husband and physical abuse suffered at his hand. There is also the pain experienced by the family at the loss of Ahunna. And finally, Osita’s loss for Vivek, someone he loved.

Community is another common theme in the story. We see this in the Nigerwives who support each other in good and bad times. The wives help non Nigerian woman learn to prepare traditional dishes, were a supportive ear to Maja during a troubled marriage and a shoulder to cry on during Kavita’s time of loss. Community is also seen among the children to the nigerwives. They formed a safe space for Vivek, Osita, Juju and Elizabeth to explore their sexuality and to be themselves workout judgement.

This is. fast paced story that unfolds in a easy languid way. The Vivek section are lyrical , almost like poetry.

There are supporting details that don’t appear to fit the larger story, specifically a riot in local market. We learn about the shop keepers and their experience during this chaotic time. I found this addition not the least bit distracting from the bigger story.

This is a wonderful book. I can’t wait to read more by this author and hope others pick this up,

This is my introduction to Awaeke Emezi, and shame on me or it taking so long.

The Death of Vivek Oji is breathtaking. The world comes alive though Emezi's writing, the feel of Nigerian politics and culture is palpable. Her characters reach through the page, the strength of this book is the importance of each characters experience and emotion which is so utterly human in all its complexities.

The language feels poetic without ever becoming pretentious. It's beautiful and an absolute must-read.

The narrators is this book have the most beautiful Nigerian accents that I truly found myself transported with. The Death of Vivek Oji follows, Vivek through his struggle to understand himself and his role in his family and in the world. It is told though a few POVs, which is something I always enjoy. The book was a little hard to listen to at some points, but that is what made the story so rich. ⁣
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I’m very glad I gave this one a chance.

This book was beautifully written, and heartbreaking. I had trouble at times keeping track of who the narrator was and all of the characters, but I think that was because I listened to this on audio book. It got better the longer I listened and got into the story.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I would recommend to read a physical coy instead of listening just because there are so many characters. The audio narrators were fantastic.

“This is how Vivek was born, after death and into grief. It marked him, you see, it cut him down like a tree. They brought him into a home filled with incapacitating sorrow; his whole life was a mourning.”

Incredible writing and beautiful imagenery. Vivek is an interesting character and I wish more passages were told from his perspective. On the other hand, I can see why Emezi would choose not to reveal all of his mind.
I emphatized most with Viveks mother, Kavita, and I felt nearly as desperate as she did to find out what happened to the child she never really knew (or refused to know).

“We can’t keep insisting he was who we thought he was, when he wanted to be someone else and he died being that person, Chicka. We failed, don’t you see?”

This book was heartbreakingly beautiful.
This book was given to me in exchange for a review. all opinions are mine.

The book is about Vivek, he came into this world at the same time his grandma left and the mystery of how he died is what the readers will unravel.
I liked how everything was connected, from the roadside mechanic to the parents. It tells of familial bonds, religious fanaticism , love , betrayal and friends that become family. It a book that would stay in your mind after reading it.
The writing is beautiful, it weaves Viveks past and the present ( what happens after his death) together in an almost otherworldly manner, because Vivek also has his POV in the present. I like this and although i said this was a heartbreaking book it also gives you hope that death is just the beginning and its nothing to fear.
I highly recommend this.

I picked this book up on a rainy Sunday intending to read a chapter before beginning my day and ended up staying curled up on the sofa until I finished it..

The Death of Vivek Oji is equal parts beautiful and devastating. Emezi seamlessly weaves in Nigerian politics and Igbo culture in to a story that centres on the life (and death) of Vivek Oji. This added a wonderful depth to the book and gave it a feeling of authenticity that was a true delight to read.

I will be thinking about this book for some time to come and cannot wait to see what Emezi writes next.

5/5

Despite the title, the book is as much about life as it is about death, which is clear from the start when we learn of how Vivek’s parents meet - long before Vivek is even in the picture.

Most of the story is told from the perspective of Vivek’s cousin Osita with some input from Vivek. The timeline changes between the past and present in an almost disorderly fashion.

Emezi makes the late 1990s Southeastern Nigeria setting come alive. I loved the references to the Igbo culture, as well as Nigerian politics during this period as it helped to situate and contextualise this. I think it tried too hard at times but it comes across largely authentic overall. Their prose is beautiful and it is easily readable, the story is emotionally affecting, which makes it easy to overlook minor flaws.

I liked that it’s almost a young adult story, a coming of age story and a love story - the best type of love, self-love. Learning to love yourself is a hard task, made more perilous by a homophobic and transphobic society afraid of anything different to the norm.

There’s also a mystical element to the book which is not always subtle but still makes thought-provoking points for readers. Death and how it came to be is set up as a mystery here. It’s a strange phenomenon that when someone dies, people’s first question is how did it happen like only once they possess this knowledge will they then be able to grieve and accept this loss. This book explores grief and the experiences of loved ones left behind.

A close community of mixed-race families in Nigeria is not something I have come across often or considered in detail, so it was interesting to see that depicted in this book. While it is easy to see how much love everyone had for Vivek, I still wish we had heard more from Vivek who is by far the most compelling character. Some characters and storylines, though interesting obstructed the plot and weighed it down. Part of the issue is that we don’t stay with them or Their ideas long enough. However, I think of the story as snapshots of life because right off the bat we are told;

"If this story was a stack of photographs—the old kind, rounded at the corners and kept in albums under the glass and lace doilies of centre tables in parlours across the country—it would start with Vivek’s father, Chika”.

Before reading this, I saw reviews which expressed distaste for an incestuous relationship described in the book. However, reading this beautifully depicted relationship, I have to admit that I don’t have any strong or negative feelings towards it. Art explores and pushes the envelope, even if taken this is taken literally it is simply another tool used to evoke strong emotions.

This would make a great book club pick as there are many elements to ponder on, from issues that the author raise and does not address, to the difference in how lesbian relationships are depicted in the book in comparison to the other queer relationships.

The finish is dramatic but emotionally effective and some scenes will stay with you for a while.

Thanks to Netgalley for my e-ARC.

How did Vivek Oji die? To answer this question, we have to learn how Vivek lived.

I don’t think my review can do this book justice - this is a heartbreaking, finely woven story that draws you in from the beginning. Emezi does a beautiful job revealing the story of Vivek Oji through multiple perspectives, layer by layer, until the entire picture is revealed at the end. The plot is paced beautifully, moving to an unexpected but satisfying conclusion.

If you enjoy family sagas, African literature, or character-driven books, I’d definitely recommend reading this book. It definitely deserves the rave reviews it has been getting, and Vivek’s story is not one I’ll soon forget.

Thank you to Faber & Faber for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a captivating, tender and heartbreaking story - beautiful.
If you didn’t already guess from the title, Vivek Oji is dead; left naked wrapped in colourful fabric at his parents doorstep. What follows is his mother’s journey to discover why this happened to her son, and the realisation that she never really knew him at all. The story is mostly narrated by Vivek’s mother, Kavita, and his beloved cousin, Osita, who is struggling with his own identity and sexuality. However, there is a strong supporting cast of characters, many of them Vivek’s friends who are all coming of age and discovering their own identity and boundaries, as well as his intensely religious aunt Mary who judges Vivek’s behaviour whilst remaining completely unaware of her own son’s desires.
This novel was an emotional rollercoaster - to know that Vivek dies at the beginning of course makes it harder as we get to know him and how oppressed he feels by his family’s expectations. There is no happy ending to be had here (although an unexpected ending perhaps), so there is an overall feeling of sadness and resignation whilst reading. However, there is also a lot of passion, love and friendship and the writing is absolutely beautiful - almost poetic. This book made me feel uncomfortable in places, but also felt like a powerful and necessary read.

I have been excited about this book all year, and it did not at all disappoint. Akwaeke Emezi is one of the best writers I've ever encountered, and their first 2 books--Freshwater and PET--are so spectacular and different from each other that any future Emezi books are auto-reads for me. The Death of Vivek Oji is very different from Emezi's first two novels, though I would say it has some similarities to Freshwater in its polyphonic narration. This book is both heartbreaking--the title character's death begins the novel and is in the title after all--and shockingly uplifting at times...it was breathtaking. (Content warning for homophobia, transphobia, and consensual incest.)

This is an exquisitely written, heartbreaking story about family and friendship.  I loved the way different parts of the story were likened to a pile of old photographs but, goodness me, the story is so sad.  A beautiful book, hard to read at times, but certainly worth a reader's time.

Vivek Oji is dead, his body left on the doorstep of his parents' house. Slowly the truth of what happened is revealed as we learn what Vivek meant to everyone around him, and who he really was. The way Emezi made me care so deeply about these characters was just incredible, so that when the whole truth of Vivek's death was revealed I felt so personally affected by it. This book is about so many things all at once: colonialism and its legacies, family and parenthood, toxic masculinity, queer identities, otherness; but mostly it's about grief and love. I loved the blurring of boundaries, between life and death, gender identities, different kinds of love. The writing is so simple yet beautifully emotive. And I cried. My one negative comment is just that because the narrative hops around the timeline quite a lot I found it a bit difficult sometimes to figure out where we were. But I don't care, because I loved it. That's all.

The Death of Vivek Oji is set in southeastern Nigeria and begins with the introduction of the main characters as if looking through a photo album. Then we learn how Vivek Oji's body was found on the veranda of his parent's house, dead and still bleeding with the back of his skull bashed in. The story switches points of view between Vivek, his cousin Osita, and narrative parts that belong to all of the main characters, Vivek's friends and family. You grow up with Vivek and Osita, learning that Vivek has a chronic illness. As the story progresses, we learn that Vivek is transgender and begins to go out around town as herself, in spite of the danger of being in a place in which LGBTQ+ people have no legal protection. Because you know the end of of the story, but without all of the details, this book cultivates a sense of unease while you read it, because you are afraid for Vivek and what happens next. This book is absolutely stunning, you are wholly immersed in the story and the setting, and you feel deeply with the characters Akwaeke Emezi has brought into being.

The opening line of the synopsis pulled me right in- What is it like to lose a child you didn't really know? A story of a family's love and dysfunction; the character development is outstanding. It is very easy to become invested in the story. A great read for anyone that like appreciates suspense, drama, and social narrative. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this moving novel.