The Death of Vivek Oji

The Death of Vivek Oji

  • Downloads:7307
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-08-05 09:51:04
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Akwaeke Emezi
  • ISBN:0525541624
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Electrifying。 -- O: The Oprah Magazine

Named a Best Book of 2020 by The New York TimesThe Washington Post, NPRUSA TODAY, Vanity FairElle Harper's BazaarMarie Claire, Shondaland, Teen Vogue, Vulture, Lit Hub, Bustle, Electric Literature, and BookPage


What does it mean for a family to lose a child they never really knew?

One afternoon, in a town in southeastern Nigeria, a mother opens her front door to discover her son's body, wrapped in colorful fabric, at her feet。 What follows is the tumultuous, heart-wrenching story of one family's struggle to understand a child whose spirit is both gentle and mysterious。 Raised by a distant father and an understanding but overprotective mother, Vivek suffers disorienting blackouts, moments of disconnection between self and surroundings。 As adolescence gives way to adulthood, Vivek finds solace in friendships with the warm, boisterous daughters of the Nigerwives, foreign-born women married to Nigerian men。 But Vivek's closest bond is with Osita, the worldly, high-spirited cousin whose teasing confidence masks a guarded private life。 As their relationship deepens--and Osita struggles to understand Vivek's escalating crisis--the mystery gives way to a heart-stopping act of violence in a moment of exhilarating freedom。

Propulsively readable, teeming with unforgettable characters, The Death of Vivek Oji is a novel of family and friendship that challenges expectations--a dramatic story of loss and transcendence that will move every reader。

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Reviews

Bookish

Sometimes you just need to trust a book to take you wherever it’s taking you。 I couldn’t have predicted this stories outcome from the blurb。 It was indeed heart wrenching but there was a deeper story of finding, of accepting and of forgiving。 One of the things I loved most was that being a Nigerian based book, I appreciated that Nigerian/African culture wasn’t present as this entirely alien concept。 Important things were explained, like the NigerWives。 But the phrases, the food; everything isn’t Sometimes you just need to trust a book to take you wherever it’s taking you。 I couldn’t have predicted this stories outcome from the blurb。 It was indeed heart wrenching but there was a deeper story of finding, of accepting and of forgiving。 One of the things I loved most was that being a Nigerian based book, I appreciated that Nigerian/African culture wasn’t present as this entirely alien concept。 Important things were explained, like the NigerWives。 But the phrases, the food; everything isn’t explained away。 The reader isn’t handheld。 I believe this is a great way of not getting bogged down by unnecessary details in a book but also it helps foster a deeper interest in the culture。 I really enjoy this! 。。。more

Alvin Loong

Riveting。

Jaclyn

I found this captivating and Emezi's writing delicious。 I found this captivating and Emezi's writing delicious。 。。。more

Grace Liu Happ

3。5 stars。 A very very surprising, albeit somewhat anticlimactic, ending。 Also it’s always interesting to learn a bit about a society that I’m not familiar with (in this case, the Nigerwives)。

Julia Koster

I have no words to describe what I just read。 Absolutely beautiful and heart breaking。

Caitlin

Beautiful and devastating

Eric Songcayawon

*2。5⭐there's a few questionable and irrelevant narative that was included in this story。 First and the obvious, the incestual relationship。 Was that really vital to the storyline or are we pushing some agenda here? Secondly, there is a random chapter about random charater that was inserted out of nowhere that's totally irrelevant to the plot(I think his name is Ebinezer) lol what was that about? and thirdly, Viveks mysterious illness and sudden blackouts in the beginning that was totally swept u *2。5⭐there's a few questionable and irrelevant narative that was included in this story。 First and the obvious, the incestual relationship。 Was that really vital to the storyline or are we pushing some agenda here? Secondly, there is a random chapter about random charater that was inserted out of nowhere that's totally irrelevant to the plot(I think his name is Ebinezer) lol what was that about? and thirdly, Viveks mysterious illness and sudden blackouts in the beginning that was totally swept under the rug in remaining chapters。。 SMHThe mystery aspect was really the most underwhelming part of this book how it unraveled the "death of Vivek Oji"。 I'm like that's it? 。。。more

Caitlin Berray

this was written so beautifully。 some parts of it made me really uncomfortable though (i truly think the story would have hit harder if they had been childhood best friends or something… anything other than cousins)。still, it would feel wrong to put it as anything other than a five star read。

Allison Barton

This book is a beautifully written。 It is a heartbreaking and touching story about family, acceptance, and identity。 I would definitely recommend this book!

Robert Sheard

This is a Finalist for the 2021 BookTube Prize, so I can't review it now。 This is a Finalist for the 2021 BookTube Prize, so I can't review it now。 。。。more

Cierra

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 Although it picked up after about the first 100 pages, the beginning of this book absolutely dragged。 It was so difficult to get through the pages of seemingly unimportant detail and plot points that never really connected to anything else。There were also multiple ideas from the story that felt like loose ends, things I wanted to know more about - like the fugues。 They were explained multiple times early on, but by time we get to figuring out Vivek’s death, they aren’t ever mentioned again。 Why Although it picked up after about the first 100 pages, the beginning of this book absolutely dragged。 It was so difficult to get through the pages of seemingly unimportant detail and plot points that never really connected to anything else。There were also multiple ideas from the story that felt like loose ends, things I wanted to know more about - like the fugues。 They were explained multiple times early on, but by time we get to figuring out Vivek’s death, they aren’t ever mentioned again。 Why were they important? What role do they play in Vivek’s life?The emotions in this book were one thing that was done very well。 The grief that Vivek’s mother feels, the guilt of Osita, the pain surrounding self-identity and hiding the truth that many of Vivek’s friends deal with - it’s all very real and very well-written。 That being said, I would’ve liked to have gotten to know Vivek more。 I don’t feel that I know much about him and his personal thoughts and feelings。 At first, this seemed like it might’ve been the point, that the story of Vivek was told only from the perspectives of those around him; we only get to meet Vivek as his mother and father and friends saw him, not as he himself saw him。 But near the end, there are multiple sections told from Vivek’s own perspective, which defeats the purpose of the external perspectives set at the beginning of the story and leaves the book feeling incomplete。 It leaves readers without a strong sense of connection to this main character。Overall, I liked the premise of the book and the way it touched on a difficult subject, especially as it connected to cultural views, but the execution of this story wasn’t my favorite。 。。。more

Dani

An oddly constructed book。 It starts with Vivek Oji dead on his parents stoop, and then unfolds as a series of flashbacks to tell the reader who Vivek was, what his life and friends and family were like, and how he ultimately died。

NoraDawn

This book was sad, beautiful, and touching。 It's one of those books that holds space in your heart after you're done。 A tender and well-written book。 This book was sad, beautiful, and touching。 It's one of those books that holds space in your heart after you're done。 A tender and well-written book。 。。。more

Katie Whitt

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 I devoured this book in less than 24 hours。 Once I got through the first few chapters I became engrossed in this story, which mixes some truly ugly aspects of humanity with some beautiful truths。 The whole cousins relationship was incredibly icky, but I still felt very moved by Osita burying the dress and Vivek's necklace。 The male characters, at least Chika, and some other male perspectives, come across as almost comically unlikeable。 This book was an incredibly moving and powerful story。 I devoured this book in less than 24 hours。 Once I got through the first few chapters I became engrossed in this story, which mixes some truly ugly aspects of humanity with some beautiful truths。 The whole cousins relationship was incredibly icky, but I still felt very moved by Osita burying the dress and Vivek's necklace。 The male characters, at least Chika, and some other male perspectives, come across as almost comically unlikeable。 This book was an incredibly moving and powerful story。 。。。more

Denise

Powerful, heartbreaking, and gorgeously written。 There's so much packed into this relatively short novel, so much emotion, so many relationships, so many delicately drawn multifaceted characters, so much life and beauty and tragedy。 A dazzling, compelling little gem of a book。 Powerful, heartbreaking, and gorgeously written。 There's so much packed into this relatively short novel, so much emotion, so many relationships, so many delicately drawn multifaceted characters, so much life and beauty and tragedy。 A dazzling, compelling little gem of a book。 。。。more

Simone

Compulsively readable。 Had to finish once i started。 Breathtakingly beautiful and tender。 Gorgeous writing and smart, creative structure。

Flora

Tore my heart from my chest and stomped on it a million times。 I am in painnn😭😭😭

Amanda

Beautiful and heartbreaking but with lots of moments of joy woven in。

Barbara

Very powerful book

David Newton

Once again a poor showing by this much feted author。 Dross。 Half a star。

Joanna Ward

it's a 3。5 but honestly just not a 4 。。。。。。。。 maybe it's just my corona brain but I thought this was like fine / not that great tbh which is weird because i thought freshwater was amazing it's a 3。5 but honestly just not a 4 。。。。。。。。 maybe it's just my corona brain but I thought this was like fine / not that great tbh which is weird because i thought freshwater was amazing 。。。more

Evi Toyne

So beautiful。 An excellent insight into the world of gender and sexuality in different cultures。 So incredibly written would recommend it to everyone!

Ms。 Mester

Beautifully sad and contemplative。 Very different and less structurally challenging than Freshwater but still complex and well written。

Zoë Tuinder

4。5

shion

wow。 i don't remember the last time i cried that much after finishing a book。 it's a really cathartic feeling but also i'm gonna wake up with the puffiest eyes tomorrow, so。 this book had me hooked from start to finish as i wanted to learn more and more about everything, you get to see so many varying perspectives and the truth unfold fifty hundred times over。 i can't say more than this is the best wow。 i don't remember the last time i cried that much after finishing a book。 it's a really cathartic feeling but also i'm gonna wake up with the puffiest eyes tomorrow, so。 this book had me hooked from start to finish as i wanted to learn more and more about everything, you get to see so many varying perspectives and the truth unfold fifty hundred times over。 i can't say more than this is the best 。。。more

Pamela

I may need months to recover from this heart-stopping work of art。

Lynn

Although it took me a while to get into this book, I really am glad I read it。 I look forward to discussing it with my book group。

Craig

In all honesty, after reading the first 40 pages of the book, I really thought it wasn’t going to be for me。 But things started to get interesting once Emezi addressed topics such as trans identity, incest and cultural war。 Although the story is sad, it’s powerful narrative made me reflect on my own opinions of love and relationships。

De Anna

Amazing I read this book in two days and it moved me beyond words。 A must read for everyone。 Amazing is an understatement。

Jessica

They are quickly becoming a beloved author of mine。 Their stories are so creative with such raw emotion。