Wow. Loved this and I’m still tied up in knots about it! Where to even begin?! I adored both FRESHWATER and PET and now THE DEATH OF VIVEK OJI, their third book, has just solidified that Akwaeke Emezi is firmly an auto-buy author for me!

The title tells us what to expect, but wow it was no less gripping and affecting learning how this outcome came to be. I don’t really want to spoil any of the story for you so I won’t share too many details but let’s just say it‘s hard to put down! Set in 1990s Owerri in Nigeria, sectarian tensions ramping up, it’s a layered examination of the feelings tied up with being queer and genderfluid, whether felt personally or by those around you. Ultimately, however any one person feels about it, it seems that the shared prevailing message is that it is not ok, or at least not safe, to be out and proud in Nigeria when you don’t conform. The actions taken all speak of this wider view of society, even as in this particular story, it all circles back to one individual’s personal shame and unacceptance.

I thought the characters were all memorable and stood out in their own way. I also appreciated how Emezi shared just enough of the socio-political influences and cultural beliefs to inform the story and provide nuance without going out of the way to either. The way everything tied up with the superstitions around Igbo naming traditions and reincarnation was so deftly done, the way cultural beliefs naturally inform the worldviews of those within communities living it. But it also made for such a symphony when tied into the plot of the story
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Another aspect I really enjoyed reading about was the Nigerwives, and what it can be like for non-Nigerian women who marry Nigerian men and then move to the country to live with them. It makes sense for a community to form and be a place of solace if so inclined, if personalities align, across generations. Within this context, it makes sense how the telling of the entire story strikes the perfect balance of being on the inside/outside. I remember reading more about Emezi’s parentage after reading FRESHWATER; they were born to and raised by a Nigerian Igbo father and Malaysian Tamil mother. In their acknowledgements too, homage was paid to the Nigerwives community they knew and friendships it gave them in their childhood in Aba.

The way the pronouns suddenly shifted in the later parts of the book was also nicely done. And at the end especially, it is telling of the turmoil felt by the narrator and perhaps where thoughts truly lay. What a read, I couldn’t help racing through it. Looking forward to whatever they write next!

An evocatively written coming-of-stage story set in Nigeria with an unfortunate death of the title character at its heart, The Death of Vivek Oji is melancholic and heartbreaking. In a society that views homosexuality as a taboo that sometimes even results in brutal murders, Emezi thoughtfully explores topics like gender dysphoria, assertion of sexual identity and parental grief on how to deal with a child that's different from others of his age in the society. Emezi's characters are memorably etched out, on whose strength her story stands, and her write evokes images of a Nigerian childhood to the unfamiliar reader. A fascinating book that will resonate with many readers this year.

Reading this book was like watching a flower slowly open up and bloom. Each layer I peeled off the top gave me more insight into the mystery of what lay inside, but each layer was also beautiful in itself.

The book is about Vivek Oji, but it is also about the people around him, the people whose lives were intertwined with his. It tells a sensitive story that reads a little bit like an 1800s family drama, but seamlessly integrates elements of life in Nigeria. It sets up character perspectives that help you piece together the mystery but simultaneously make you want to know more about the character themselves.

One of the best ways I can describe this book is "brave". Akwaeke Emezi tackles difficult themes - themes of love, family, home, guilt, redemption, sex and what it means to be LGBTIQ+ in Nigeria. When you read the book, even if you think the plot is starting to look predictable, you may well be surprised about what you find. In the end, this book reminds the reader that sometimes being afraid, being too careful, or caring too much, might be what hurts you the most.

I was given an electronic advanced reader's copy of this book from NetGalley and Faber & Faber Ltd in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Here are some of my favourite (non-spoilery) quotes from the book:

"That morning, she was wearing an orange cotton dress; she looked like a burning sunset, and Chika knew immediately that his story would end with her, that he would drown in her large liquid eyes and it would be the perfect way to go."

"If nobody sees you, are you still there?"

"Chika stayed downstairs, fielding the visitors who pressed sympathy into his hands until his fingers felt dead."

Loved the author's debut - less enamoured of this second effort, but eagerly awaiting whatever's next.

I didn't know anything about this book going in, other than that it was a highly anticipated novel, so the story unfolded in a really interesting way for me, transporting me to a country and a community (on so many levels) that I know almost nothing about. The story centers around a community of Nigerwives--who are foreign women married to Nigerian men and have chosen to stay in Nigeria and raise their kids there (albeit begrudgingly for some)--and their kids, whose lives are interwoven in various ways from early on, one of whom is Vivek Oji. It bounces back and forth between the aftermath of Vivek's death and the events and characters leading up to it, starting from before Vivek was born, told mostly in the third person but sometimes in certain first person perspectives. It may sound confusing, but it actually flowed very well, and you understand later on why the author wanted certain characters to develop a first person voice.

The author uses this community to explore so many aspects of life and human nature and human relations that speaks to those who have never set foot in Nigeria or Africa. They beautifully delve into a myriad of emotions and experiences, centering around the feeling of being "foreign," of conforming to societal norms and expectations (or not), of identity, purpose, and the many facets and layers and types of love. They pack a lot into the relatively short novel. The characters will stay with you long after you finish the story!

This was a solid 4.5 stars for me. What an eye opening book. It kept you wondering the whole time. I had an idea of what was going to happen, but it played out so well. Amazing book. It really opens your eyes about LGBTQ+ in other cultures. It was sad and heartbreaking. I liked how it was a story even though it opened with the typical "ending." Highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Emezi's sophomore adult novel couldn't be more different from Freshwater - where their debut was a compelling and more slippery, hard to define story, The Death of Vivek Oji is a more straightforward and accessible read, telling the story of how a young Nigerian man's dead body ends up on his parents doorstep.

A tagline I've seen for this book is "What does it mean for a family to lose a child they never really knew?", and this made me consider what I believe is the key flaw with the narrative: as readers we too never properly get to know Vivek. The story is narrated by his cousin, Osita, and other friends and family members, with Vivek's contributions limited to very brief and vague interludes. Whether this was Emezi's intention I can't be sure, but it meant the gravity of what ultimately happens to Vivek and the emotional impact of events was all but lost on this reader.

On a positive note, I enjoyed the prose and the short, snappy chapters meant the book made for a past-paced read. It's just a shame that the way the story was told detracted from what the book was really meant to be about.

Hands down, this is one of the best books I have read this year. The writing is so simple, for this very complex story of love, family and friendship. Set in Nigeria, told through multiple narrators, a very nuanced story comes to life.

From the beginning we know Vivek Oji has died, but the mystery behind this death, is how or why? The story goes back and forth fluidly between, the days after Vivek died and years prior. Vivek has had an extremely complicated life that he has hidden from his parents, but as he gets more comfortable with himself, he surrounds himself with a group, that will do what they can to protect him.

This is a really hard book to write a review, because there is so many layers, and I want you all to have a wonderful reading experience and not give any spoilers. I will say, this is a book I was hesitant to pick up, but in the end this was meant to be, and I will be thinking of this book for a long time.

<I>the real me is invisible to them...if nobody sees you, are you still there?</I>

Vivek is the child of a Nigerian father and an Indian mother, and we learn from the very first sentence that he dies - but how? The novel lays down the final scene for us and then through multiple perspectives - but mainly those of Osita and Vivek - the reasons behind Vivek's tragic death finally unfold.

This novel is powerful. And a little confusing at first, since it jumps around a lot between now and before Vivek's death. But once you get into the narrative the story unfolds beautifully and it hits hard. The emotionally charged writing help to convey such a profound sense of grief and loss. The novel also highlights Nigerian perspectives around a variety of issues, without halting the flow of the narrative, it's all woven into the novel so well. This novel touches on issues of fertility and the woman's role, demonic possession and its use by people in addressing any issue they deem outside the norm, toxic masculinity and the male role in society...

In addition to this we learn the stories of a close friendship group. We learn about the perspectives around and explorations of gender within this group of young people, in a place where this is sadly still illegal, where such explorations of gender are suppressed and literally demonised. We see this when the use of exorcism for 'demonic possession' is used in response to behaviours deemed 'unnatural' and the result of demons. Gender variant people, we learn, are deemed mentally unwell, and are therefore dealt with accordingly, with no regard to the identity or humanity of the person in question.

Even though I went into this novel already knowing how it ended, it still left such an emotional impact on me when the full story was known. It left me feeling incredibly sad at the tragedy of it all. Such a powerful novel and by far the best I have read from Akwaeke Emezi so far.

CW: death, gender dysphoria, transphobia, incest, domestic abuse.

Thanks to Netgalley for the e-arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

“The death of Vivek Oji” is a bitter-sweet story of a young man who's trying to find out who he really is. Vivek wants to understand his sexuality, he's struggling with a gender identity. He's overwhelmed by his emotions.

At the beginning he's confused but thanks to his friends Vivek is slowly finding a happiness and true self. He's finally accepted that he's “different” and that's ok. Still, he's keeping his secret from his parents, not wanting to disappoint them.

The book broke my heart more than hundred times. Emezi's writing is so powerful it takes over your body and soul. I just can't get over this book.

It shows there is still so much we need to learn as a society about acceptance. Being gay is still treated as a taboo, a disease or as being possessed.

Vivek's story shows that we often prefer to pretend that problem doesn't exist. Some of us are still following old traditions and believes. Seeing the changes in son's behavior, Vivek parents send him to church for a deliverance. They never try to find out what is the source of his mental breakdown.

Summarizing, it's a very important read and I hope it will get all the recognition it deserve. It's a true masterpiece.

An absolutely incredible book that gives immense empathy and compassion ti each character. A novel that weaves in many differing perspectives and approaches Vivek Oji’s death. One of the most exciting 2020 releases!

This review comes via #NetGalley, and contains some spoilers.

The Death of Vivek Oji is told by a three narrators: a third person narrator, Osita, Vivek's cousin, and by Vivek himself, from beyond the grave.

"If nobody sees you, are you still there?" Vivek asks in his first chapter.

Vivek is born into a middle class Nigerian family on the same day his grandmother Ahunna dies, something they keep secret from him. Vivek has a scar on his left foot's instep, a starfish-shaped scar exactly the same as his grandmother. His father attributes it to superstition, not least because the Nigerian Igbo beliefs around reincarnation decree that a person is reincarnated as the same gender.

The book explores societal constraints and taboos – from affairs, secrets, voyeurism, gender expectations right through to going way beyond kissing cousins. Vivek's female friends forget he's not a girl, pretty Vivek with the beautiful long wavy hair of his Indian mother, so beautiful to his cousin, Osita, that "he made the air around him dull, made Osita hard with desire." Vivek, whose delicacy made boys aggressive. "Some people can't see softness without wanting to hurt it." Vivek, who has blackouts and welcomes the break.

The writing is lush. Here's Osita exploring his first bisexual encounter: "I sank my fingers into the backs of his thighs and he tugged at my hair, groaning softly in the back of his throat as he slipped into the back of mine."

Here's Osita, describing his friend Elizabeth, says, "She was a runner, lean and longboned, with a swaying neck. I once tried to beat her at a footrace but it was useless, she moved like the ground was falling away beneath her feet, the future rushing toward her."

Religion is explored – Igbo and also Christianity, as explored through the fundamentalism of Osita's mother, Mary, who "felt like a hammer instead of a person." Mary, who made Vivek go to her church where they performed an exorcism on him, beating him to deliver him from a demon that was causing him to wear his hair long and his body to be so thin.

"I always thought that death would be the heaviest thing of all, but it wasn't, it really wasn't" Vivek says. "Life was like being dragged through concrete in circles, wet and setting concrete that dried with each rotation of my unwilling body."

In the end,Vivek's redemption comes after the grave, an acknowledgement finally of the greater space they had always occupied.

I give this a very solid 3.5 stars. While much of the writing is beautiful and the structure of multiple narrators is satisfying, the story itself felt a bit flat to me in the end. But I am in the minority. Maybe the flatness was partly due to not finding out how Vivek died till the end, and that suspensful setup not really delivering for me.

If, like me, you tried to read Freshwater by the same author and found the writing a little difficult to get into I would highly recommend starting with The Death of Vivek Oji as a route into Emezi's writing style. Many of the themes explored in Freshwater are revisited here such as sexuality, gender and connection with a spiritual/supernatural world, however I found the language more accessible. The added mystery of how Vivek's naked body comes to land on his mother's doorstep brings a sense of pace and I found myself pulled along by the story wanting to know what happened to Vivek, how they died and how their death impacted those who loved them even if they never truly knew Vivek as their full self while they were alive.
When you discover how Vivek dies it is shocking in its swift simplicity. The guilt felt by those left behind, left wondering if there was anything they could have done to prevent it is hard to read and makes you want to reach into the book and comfort them despite knowing that no amount of comfort will ever truly be enough. Grief is dealt with in a way that is impactful without being overbearing. We know these characters are broken and while the ways in which they break may differ there is no denying that they have all been forever changed by the death of Vivek.
I really loved this book and I think I will find myself thinking about it days, weeks, even months after finishing it. There's just something about Emezi's writing that really stays with me and I am definitely going to give Freshwater another try having thoroughly enjoyed this novel. 4.5*s

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

As you read the very first line in this book, you feel the dread creeping up your spine. And then there's rage. A slow trickle at first that builds into something that's nearly impossible to contain.
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'The Death of Vivek Oji' is a window to a world tainted by injustice, at the centre of which is a bubble, one that offers protection and love, created by friends who want the best for you. Held within its embrace is Vivek Oji, fiercely in terms with his sexuality despite the scorns of the society and the abandonment by the people he loves the most.
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Vivek, the only child to Kavita ('A half-caste') and Chika (a Nigerian), dies mysteriously. His body is found at their doorstep, stripped off his clothes. What follows is a hysterical mother looking for answers, anything that provides her the closure she seeks.
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Vivek grows up with Osita, his cousin and his closest confidante. Over the years he develops these dizzy spells, most likely because he is fighting his sexuality, one that could ruin his world if not handled cautiously and delicately. But the fragile ones are trampled in this world, subjected to violence and sometimes flogged mercilessly ('religious exorcism'), their right to live with their head held high taken away by people who think of themselves as the makers of the social diktats.
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Beyond a coming-out story, 'The Death of Vivek Oji' is an empathic and tender narration of a community where there are the natives and the 'Nigerwives' or the 'Half-caste', ones trying to belong. The clash between the Hausa and Igbo clan, the shifting and fragible family dynamics is another layer added to the story, through a nonlinear, accessible and evocative narration. Thus, what we readers are privy to, is the metamorphosis of a troublesome and curious child into a shy and mysterious adult.
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'The Death of Vivek Oji' chips your heart bit by bit, pieces that you won't mind leaving behind within these pages. It's raw and brutal, but compassionate and hopeful.

The best thing about this book is the stunning and compelling storytelling. It sucks you in from page one. At least for me, from the first page; the first word, I could not drop the book. I was just flipping the pages till I finished.

The Death of Vivek Orji tells the story of queer people's reality, their struggles, their hopes as well as society's roles, parental / family roles in shaping them into being who they want they to be and who they really are. This book highlights homophobia, gender identity, transphobia, grief, love, incest amongst other things and Emezi uses suspense to keep the reader on their toes. Knowing that Vivek Oji died from the beginning does not make the reader feel any better going through the chapters that build up to his death and consequently unravelled the hows and whys they might have.

I gave this book 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars because I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It blew my mind and took me through a journey of myriad of emotions I can't even describe. Reading this has given me the go-ahead to try Emezi's other books sometime and I hope I enjoy them as well.

This book was beautiful. I had read Freshwater last summer and really enjoyed it so I was looking forward to reading Akwaeke Emezi’s next novel. I was lucky enough to get an ARC of The Death of Vivek Oji and from the moment I opened it, I knew that it was going to be an amazing story. It is quite a short novel (around 250 pages) but there is so much packed into this book. The story follows Vivek Oji and the details surrounding Vivek’s short life and death and the person he believes himself to be.
I really enjoyed all the different perspectives in the novel (from the first person chapters of Vivek and Osita to the chapters with Juju, Kavita and Chika).
This book is about the many different types of love that a person can experience and also about how people have to hide who they truly are to keep some of they people they love.

I would highly recommend this novel.

Picture this: It’s 10 pm, you can tell it’s going to rain. You decide to make yourself a hot cup of chai, with extra ginger, and finally start that book you’ve seen all over bookstagram.

You meet Vivek Oji first as a dead body on his mother’s doorstep. He’s naked and swaddled in a piece of clothing. He’s surrounded in blood; the market across the town is on fire and there is a riot.

You then get to know Vivek as the son of a Nigerian man and an Indian woman, born on the day his grandmother dies. You see Vivek through his friends, his parents, his uncle and aunt, and his cousin Osita. But you don’t actually see him for a long time, not till he asks: “If nobody sees you, are you still there?”

Vivek is a complex character struggling with gender identity in a country where one is simply inviting trouble if they are anything but “normal”. Vivek likes jewellery, long hair, make up and dresses. He struggles with the reality that people see him one way but “the real me was invisible to them”.

Vivek is the kind of person who loves a book with the title “beautyful” because the book didn’t swallow the y and introduce an i to make a different word. It was kept full and whole – something that he wished he was.

You see Vivek develop friendships and you see the community of Nigerwives and their children. You see Vivek alone and hurting, and then you see him, miraculously, find love. A love that may not be “acceptable” by many standards but a wholesome love, nevertheless.

You see what Vivek’s death does – to his parents, to Osita, to his friends, and even to Vivek himself. You see how secrets fester and kill. You then see how Vivek really dies and your heart breaks and you can’t actually see anything for a few minutes because you need to wipe away the goddamn tears.

You see the words “love and guilt sometimes taste the same” and you wonder how some people have such a talent with words.

It’s now 4.30 am. Your cup of adrak-wali chai has gone cold, the rain has passed, the birds are chirping and the world smells blue and green, and tastes fresh. But your heart is heavy and a tiny piece of it will be with Vivek for a long time to come.

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Brutal. Heart-wrenching. Beautyful. Read this book. This is about the life and death of Vivek Oji, who struggles with gender fluidity and identity. It is a story of found families, forbidden love, sex and sexuality, guilt, prejudice, generational gaps, and most importantly, love and acceptance.

Akwaeke Emezi has been on my radar for a while now, but this is their first book I’ve read. I cannot wait to dive into their earlier works – Freshwater and PET. Their writing is lyrical (sample: “love and guilt sometimes taste the same”) and fresh, the prose is exceptional and Emezi has a great command over the narrative. I don’t often say this, but this is going to be one of those books I will remember for a long time. Considering my memory is shitty AF, that’s a big deal.

I really wanted to enjoy the complexities of this book, and it is well written for what it is. The language is incredible, and the sheer breadth of the poetic licence that was taken within was gorgeous. However, it falls down on one major flaw- it is simply not long enough. It's fantastic, but as soon as you settle into the story, it feels like it's done. There was simply not enough to get your teeth into, and this was absolutely devastating based on how well this had been done.

The themes within were huge and sweeping, and all the complexities of the social milieu are set out for everyone to see. There's a lot to see here, and I don't think that there would've been enough to pick up on every single theme in a single read. I think it's a fascinating exploration of so many facets, and there was so much to see. I think I'll have to backdate myself and go back to the author's first novel as I've heard it's something really special- and just a bit longer too.

The Death 0f Vivek Oji starts, as you would, expect, with the body of Vivek Oji turning up on his family doorstep wrapped in a colourful blanket. As his mother cradles Vivek’s body, and starts to question how her only child came to die, we are transported back over the years and months before Vivek died and what led to their death. We see how Vivek’s parents met and fell in love, we see his Aunt and Uncle have their own son and how he becomes Vivek’s best friend and partner in all things. We see the wider Nigerwives community and how they rely around Vivek’s mother in her grief amongst their own family struggles. And at the centre we start to unravel the realities of Vivek’s life, and their hidden true identity.

For a book that is just under 250 pages I found this to be incredible well written and the family characters are all very well developed and described. We get to know a lot of the intricacies of their lives and how they work around Vivek without really seeing them for who they truly are. The prose are wonderfully nuanced and loaded with intent, with descriptions of oppression and prejudice seen within a community that outwardly presents itself as accepting. Vivek is the centre of the story, around which everyone else revolves. They light up the narrative, and I felt a real connection with them as they start to discover who they want to be, and the struggles this then presents. I was also deeply mved by Vivek’s mother and her depiction of grief. I could understand her anger at other people grieving her son and how she believes they have no right to grieve – Vivek was her only son, her life. Grief isn’t always about sadness and reflection. It’s also heavily tied into negative emotions of hurt and anger. I’ve felt that myself, and I thought that was wonderfully depicted here. The conclusion to this also absolutely floored me, and was not what I was expecting. It was so powerful, yet also deeply bitter sweet.

A truly moving piece of literature, I would implore everyone to read to learn about self-acceptance, found families and above all learning to grieve an individual you might have not truly know in life.

I want to first thank NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for giving me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It is honestly hard to know where to begin in talking about this book other than to begin by saying it is a masterpiece. Emezi has the ability to convey so much with so little. There were several times where they conveyed the emotions of characters so deeply, not by describing how the characters felt, but by including a description of physical things and their interaction. And even though it feels like the title tells the reader the end of the story, there were countless moments in the book where Emezi leads the reader down an unexpected path. Even though there was a lot of sorrow and grief within the pages of the story, there were also moments of joy, moments to cherish, moments to celebrate.

Since I don't know a lot about Nigerian culture or language, there were some things in the book I didn't understand, but, none of those things were a barrier to me understanding the story itself. There were a few times as the narrative weaved back and forth in time that I became confused as to when and where the story was at a particular moment. But, those few instances were all in the first half of the novel.

While I cannot recommend this book highly enough, I do feel it's important that people realize that there are some very heavy topics covered within this book, so readers should be careful to chose to read it when they are emotionally and mentally in a place to handle such a heavy and power book.