“Some people can’t see softness without wanting to hurt it.”

Set in Nigeria, The Death of Vivek Oji focuses on a family mourning for their son. Vivek is found dead on his mother’s doorstep under mysterious circumstances, naked but wrapped in cloth. From there the story is told mostly through the perspectives of his loved ones as they remember his life, come to terms with their grief and try to unravel the events that led up to his death. Vivek’s and his cousin Osita form a close bond during childhood until one day Vivek’s unexplained blackouts lead to situation that Osita struggles to forgive. We already know how Vivek’s story ends, but we get to see his life and what he meant to the people around him.

There is a lot of story packed into these 250 pages but I don’t want to spoil too much of the story for anyone. After being blown away by Freshwater earlier in the month, I knew I had discovered a talented storyteller and needed to get my hands on more of their writing.

Once again Akwaeke Emezi has written a beautiful and immersive tale with characters that feel both vivid and real. As with Freshwater, this is a short novel that packs an emotional punch. Emezi presents topics of identity, belonging, sexuality and gender identity in a powerful way. Equal parts poetic, philosophical, and suspenseful, The Death of Vivek Oji is a beautiful story with an ending that left me reeling.

In short: I loved it! A poignant story of found family and acceptance that I will be recommending to everyone.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.