Title - The Death of Vivek Oji

Author - Akwaeke Emezi

Genre - Contemporary LGBT Fiction

I was provided by a e-galley from NetGalley by Publishers in exchange of an honest review

I have been meaning to read books by Akwaeke Emezi for a long time now since I had come across Freshwater and the review by a good friend of mine. Though I had picked up Freshwater a few weeks back but I had to put down the book due to other commitments and finally I was able to pick up this galley. Here is why the books by the author are so revered and are a must read.

The plot mainly revolves around Vivek Oji and his friends and family. Vivek was one day found dead outside his own home wrapped in colorful fabric and thus begins the story of what were the troubles and issues undergone by Vivek. From a life filled with disorienting blackouts to getting acknowledged for what Vivek is in the society forms the crux of the novel. Vivek's bond with Osita who struggles to understand what Vivek has been going through and the way Osita tries to acknowledge the same is explored in this novel.

I know the description of the plot is a bit vague but I would rather let you folks explore this beautiful novel that has moved just not mine but many a hearts. The book not only explores the struggles of a person who is conflicted but about the people around who are either denying or trying to understand the meaning of what the person is.

With not just Vivek but the novel is pretty much focused on Osita as well who is more than a cousin to Vivek and with such a backward society in Nigeria, how Osita learns to acknowledge Vivek. With characters who LGBT folks encounter everyday, this novel is a must read for anyone and everyone out there. Though I have heard it's not as brilliant as the authors' other work, for me since this was my first experience with the author, I could not put it down at all.

My Ratings - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (5 out of 5 stars)

I really enjoyed this book a lot. The characters were clever and engaging, and getting to spend time with them was a treat. I liked the writing too - it was descriptive without ever veering into flowery territory, and I would certainly be interested in reading more work by this author. The cover is great too!

Barely into adulthood, Vivek Oji is dead. That's not a spoiler - we are told as much in the title of Akwaeke Emezi's beautiful new novel, the follow up to their debut, Freshwater. I don't really want to box it into a genre, but I suppose it would be fair to say the narrative is propelled along by the mystery of Vivek's death and the doggedness of a mother's search for the truth behind the death of her only child.

So it begins with the death, then circles back to the beginning, when Vivek's parents first met and fell in love. Following Vivek through life, we get to know the loving parents; one fierce and strong, the other weaker and flawed, but both devoted to the child born on the day their grandmother died. Luckily for only-child Vivek there was cousin Osita, of a similar age and as close as any brother, spending more time at Vivek's home growing up than at his own. Things begin to change in their late teenage and university years though, and the cousins drift apart. Then, when Vivek is taken out of university to recover from being 'unwell', the two are reunited.

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Vivek and Osita, each withholding and divulging certain pieces of information that help to ease the pieces of the story-puzzle together. There are strong themes of sexual and gender identity throughout. It's not until the very end that we discover the true circumstances of Vivek's death, and the revelation is devastating. I had a lump in my throat for hours after.

Highly recommended.

5 stunning stars!!

This book was everything.

The writing was beautiful.

The story was beautiful.

The characters were beautiful.

I loved absolutely everything about this book.

I'm having a hard time putting into words the emotions this book made me feel. I was unsure how I felt after the first few chapters because there were so many characters and the the timeline kept jumping around.

BUT once I had a good hold on who everyone was, I was in love with them all. I loved their flaws and I loved how they loved one another. There were many characters yes, but they were all so necessary to the story.

Vivek Nnemdi Oji is someone that will stay with me for a long time.

Please read this book.

A big thank you to Faber and Faber Ltd and NetGalley for the ARC and wanting my honest opinion!

Thank you to NetGalley and Faber and Faber for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One day in Nigeria a mother finds her son’s body laid on her doorstep, stripped of his clothes and wrapped in cloth. Based on the title of the book, it's no spoiler that the body belongs to Vivek. The story follows his life leading up to that day, slowly unfolding the mystery of his death. It's a story of grief and loss, but also of living and identity as Emezi explores how the various characters react to Vivek in life and in death.

So compelling and accessible was The Death of Vivek Oji that it instantly pulled me in. I loved the Nigerwives (as they call themselves), the foreign women who have come to live in Nigeria with their Nigerian husbands and formed a community. One moment they were supportive and lifting each other up and the next they were gossipy and judgemental. I also loved being immersed in the Nigerian culture and language, the roar of the motorbikes and the bustle of the market.

Emezi made me feel all the feels and I absolutely loved this book! I'd recommend The Death of Vivek Oji to anyone looking for a beautifully written tragic story of love, grief and acceptance and to fans of Chinelo Okparanta's Under the Udala Trees.

I wanted to love this book! I expected to love it. That did not happen, unfortunately. I think it is a worthy book and I think there will be plenty who love it, but I just did not connect with it like I thought I would.

Here is the good - Emezi is such a talented writer and her writing style is captivating. The structure itself was interesting. The entire story is framed by a mystery and the reader is left to put the clues together and it definitely kept me reading and wanting to know what happened.

Here is the bad - I think the mystery that kept me reading also left its namesake character feeling flat. We never really get to spend time with Vivek and I believe that is purposely done, but it ended up making me as the reader feel distant and unconnected to the story. Also, there is an important part of the plot that is a SPOILER so I cannot mention it here, but it left me saying WHAT???!?!! I could not get over it and not in a positive way.

Overall, mixed feelings on this one and, the more I think about it, the less I like this read. It is still getting three stars as the writing is top notch and I cannot give such excellence any less.

Profound, moving, and tragic, The Death of Vivek Oji is a beautifully written story that takes you out of your comfort zone. The story begins with the titular event when the naked body of Vivek Oji is found wrapped in colorful fabric on his parents’ doorstep. The preceding and following events are presented in non-linear fashion from the perspectives of Vivek’s mother and Vivek’s cousin, Osita. The author has successfully crafted a book that is incredibly gripping, eloquent, and thought-provoking. I was immediately captured by the characters’ emotions and by the authors’ poetic writing style. They manage to broach a variety of sensitive subjects in a heartbreakingly raw and realistic manner. There are certain passages throughout this short book that I am certain will stick with me because of how deeply they spoke to my soul. The Death of Vivek Oji is a fast and profound read that will leave you drowning in emotion. It is the kind of book that absolutely should not be missed.

When they hear some noise outside, Kavita opens the door and finds her son Vivek dead on the porch. There was some commotion at the local market and Vivek had wanted to go there where he obviously was killed. But who would ever want to do something to her beloved son? Yes, he had always been different, a bit strange which also made it hard for his cousin and childhood best friend Osita who witnessed strange occurrences such as Vivek’s mind wandering away and making him believe being a different person. And that’s just what he was, secretly, without his parents’ knowledge. But Osita, too, has some secrets he keeps from his and Vivek’s family, some just because they do not fit in their village’s idea of a young man’s life, others because they would be impossible to endure for anybody.

Just like in her novel “Freshwater”, “The Death of Vivek Oji” centres around a young protagonist who differs, whose mind works in a very singular way, yet, Vivek’s is less extraordinary than Ada’s. Nevertheless, the main conflict is placed between the individual and society: a person who does not comply with general expectations and cannot really reveal his emotions and most certainly cannot live the way he would prefer since this simply does not work in the place he lives.

“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?”

The story is told in flashbacks to describe the long road that lead to Vivek’s death. Alternately, Vivek and Osita narrate from their point of view what they experienced and how they felt. Both are trapped somehow since there are things they cannot talk about to anybody except for each other, at the same time, it is difficult for Osita to support Vivek’s otherness. The struggles they go through are very well established and easy to relate to. From a western perspective, it is incredible what is done to Vivek, especially the exorcism performed on him, but there are still places where binary thinking is the rule.

There is some mystery to solve, yet, it is much more about young people who are trying to figure out who they are and how they can live in a place where fixed rules and high expectations do not go well together with who they are. Even though it is, in the end, a rather sad story in many ways, I’d consider it a great and noteworthy read.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi.

Set in Nigeria, Vivek Oji has turned up on this parents' doorstep, dead and wrapped in colorful fabric. There is no note, or indication of how he got there, save for a violent blow to the back of his head. What on earth happened to Vivek, and who is not saying anything?

Reading this was an interesting experience. I was totally into it the first third, totally zoned out the second third, and then dove right back in the last third. By the end my heart was aching and I was torn to shreds by this book. But having said that, I know that I missed details that probably would have made the impact a lot stronger.

This is such a multilayered story, with a TON of fodder for a robust bookclub. There is sexuality, gender identity, race, religion, friendships, romance, family secrets, and all in a book that isn't that long. It's a heavy read, be prepared, but it will make you feel all sorts of ways.

Incredible, heart-breaking and beautiful tale of one Nigerian boy's death and life, and his family's struggle to understand him. "The Death of Vivek Oji" is unforgettable.

Emezi has written a true work of art. Although it isn't a particularly long book, it took me a long time to read it because I felt I had to savor the beautiful language and storytelling. I highlighted so many passages in the ebook that I wish I had it as a paperback as well.

Where do I even begin? Perhaps the same way as Emezi begins her book, which is that Vivek's mother finds her son's body wrapped in layers of fabric in her home. The story that follows is a multi-POV telling of Vivek's life, one so misunderstood by those around him. It is a highly character-driven novel, very much about nonconformity in a society with strict unspoken rules. There are a number of difficult themes involved: violence, death, incest, domestic abuse, antagonization of homosexuality and gender fluidity.

There is no question that the author is an incredible writer, and that the story is an important one to tell. That's why I'm giving it 5 stars, even though I wasn't really ready for a story so heart-wrenching in the moment I read it. If you are prepared for a difficult yet vivid and unforgettable boo, this is it,

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book in a very long time which kept me awake late at night. Yes! The storyline, plot, setting, and characters are too gripping and engaging to keep the book aside.

As the title suggests, it's about Vivek Oji's mysterious death but the book doesn't talk about the process of dying or battling with it. On the contrary, the book is about his life, personality, and people around him.. It's also about Vivek's grieving mother who's trying to find an answer for her son's death: How and why? This is a heart-wrenching story of finding and accepting your own identity and trying to find a safe place among the people who are too ignorant or incapable of understanding something different.

The author highlights cultural and religious traditions, daily life routines, the conflict between clans, and intolerance in society. They focus on regressive beliefs of society and its impact on the lives of people who are not as per the "norm".

This is my first book from the author and I'm totally in love with their writing style. There's also a touch of Murakami's way of storytelling in this book. Looking forward to read their previous and upcoming books.
I strongly recommend this book to everyone as a must-read. This book will be an eye-opener to many.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber for an eARC to review in exchange for an honest review.

A highly impressive novel that will lure you in.
At the start the body of Vivek Oji is laid on his mother’s doorstep. We know Vivek will die but who was Vivek, what kind of person was he and why was his life cut short? This is the story of a man growing up in middle class community in Nigeria, an outsider trying to live the life he wanted facing intolerance and a lack of understanding. Akwaeke Emezi is a storyteller who has created some wonderful characters who are carefully drawn out as each one gives their thoughts and views on Vivek.
An astonishingly good novel - highly recommended.

‘Ugly things; ugly words. Calling them women, as if that’s supposed to be ugly, too’
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Wow. Wow wow wow wow wow. This book took my heart. All I can say is, Akwaeke Emezi, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for this absolute beauty of a novel
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An exploration of gender, sexuality and the effects it can have on both a family and a community. The Death of Vivek Oji is a coming out and coming of age story like none other I have read. A story of compassion and understanding that sometimes can get lost in the translation of grief, we learn very early on that Vivek has passed away, you don’t learn how just yet or why but as the story unfolds, you get glimpses of wonder and beauty whilst always holding on to the dread of what you know is round the corner for this deeply loveable character.
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Both raw and heartfelt in their writing, Emezi has painted a picture of sheer and utter beauty whilst laying destruction at the heart of it all. This story is one that will stay with me for a long time, I can’t recall enjoying a book this much for a while and can not recommend it enough!
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Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC and again, thank you Emezi for a truly wonderful book!

Perhaps the most stunning novel I’ve read this year. Heartbreaking from the first page (from the title, really), the writing sings and the changes in points of view and the clever unraveling of the plot made this one unputdownable. .

Beautiful. Heartbreaking.

The Death of Vivek Oji was such a powerful story. I loved the writing so much. The narrators were perfect and made me feel so many emotions. Even though Vivek’s death is expected, I felt sadness and teary-eyed towards the end. I highly recommend this book.

I don’t know how to start this review. It’s one of the most emotional books I’ve ever read. If you haven’t put this in your tbr list, please do and I can assure you emotions will be all over after you read this.

The Death of Vivek Oji, as the title itself, is a story leading to what happened - how and why he died. In the firs chapter, it tells you right away and as you read along, it shows more than what the title implies. Set in the 1990s in Nigeria where traditions and beliefs are more present, this book deals with how people look and perceive a person’s state of mind when they do not conform to what they know as normal. It will give you a deeper understanding of how to love differently, what it truly means to be happy and the sacrifices we do to achieve that little happiness.

But what truly gets to me as a mother, is the pain and anguish of losing a child you never knew. How do you feel their pain, to see their world as they want you to see it without judgement, to understand the emotional turmoil in coming out, the freedom of being their unique self and be respected as a human being. It is hard as it is being a parent in that situation but harder when you cannot express yourself and seek support from the people supposed to love and protect you.

“We can’t insist he was who we thought he was, when he wanted to be someone else and he died being the person”

This is my first book by the author and will look into her other works too.

This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2020. I loved Emezi's other books, and this one was amazing as well. An emotional novel about grief, gender identity and sexuality. This gripped me from the start and I wanted to keep reading to figure out what was going on. And as their other books, the writing is excellent. Definitely a new favourite.

This book is Amazing. The writing style is perfect, just perfect. Every quote has a meaningful depth, a powerful reflection on the world and on the society. The characters are real, as real persons, with passions, frustrations, dreams and thoughts. The story is powerful and sad, really sad, but so good. Everything was so vivid in my mind and I cannot reccomend this book enough. I'm starting Freshwater by the same author just now, because this book is so, so, so good.

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi is a coming-of-age coming out story about Vivek and people around him. It goes back and forth Vivek’s death and we get to see this unjust world that brings this unfortunate moment that shatters a family inside out.

This book is full of love, hurt, and friendships. It’s a heartbreaking story of a family’s struggle who is trying to come in terms with their son’s death and where an emotionally broken mother is trying to find some sort of explanation behind it.

We see Vivek’s inner struggles, unexplained blackouts and his reliance on his friends, not his family because of the conservative culture and shallow mentality around him. Not only this but we also witness the friction between two families amidst all this and the dynamics between Vivek and his friends. The author has also explored different kinds of love beautifully and unequivocally. I loved it.

I fell in love with the book within a few pages into it and I didn’t expect to feel shattered and shocked on the first page itself. There are only a few books that have made this kind of impact on me, The Book Thief, The Kite Runner, The Hate You Give to name a few. I think the writing style and narrative felt personal and raw which made me read this book in a single day. I was invested in these characters journey and the tragic and brutal story of Vivek left me with a lot to contemplate about the society we live in. It’s an amazing book and I would highly recommend it.

Enjoyable. The narrative felt as though it shuffled between two modes. The intimate story of Vivek and his immediate family (including friends) and then the wider story of the community as a whole. There's a lot of detail about secondary and tertiary characters that ultimately adds up to very little in terms of my reading experience. I felt strongest for the mother, though the book's sympathies seemed to lie elsewhere.