"So: if nobody sees you, are you still there?"

Vivek Oji is dead. His lifeless naked body is found wrapped in beautiful bloodied fabrics, laying outside his parent's door. What has happened to this young man, their son? Is he everything that they believe him to be? We are presented Vivek's story superficially, almost as if only seeing him in a series of pictures placed haphazardly out of sequence in a photo album. We look at the pictures but don't know the whole story....left to try to decide "who was he?"

I tore through this story very quickly and am still not sure how I feel about it. At many points I felt voyeuristic, almost intruding in some intimate moments of his life, yet overall I felt like so much was withheld, and the reader was purposely left without details. Some of it was difficult to read. I understand Vivek's life was very troubled, but I too felt like his mother, maybe I didn't know him at all.

The writing was delicious, this author is a gifted storyteller. I often felt like I was in the room living these moments with these rich characters. I wanted to know them and be part of them. Be advised there is some borderline gratuitous sexual content peppered throughout, but overall very well done.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for extending the opportunity for me to read and give my unbiased review.

Akwaeke Emezi's THE DEATH OF VIVEK OJI is gorgeously composed; written with ache and sparseness, this economic novel manages so much despite its slimness. From the first sentence, we know that Vivek Oji has died, yet the mysterious circumstances surrounding the passing adds a subtle sense of urgency that drives the narrative forward. As the the details of Vivek's truth become clearer, themes of parenthood, friendship, grief, love, oppression and gender express themselves in most interesting ways.

I rarely wish a novel was longer, but Emezi sows such dynamic seeds in every character's arch, there is seemingly so much more to understand about this community. Late in the novel, Emezi briefly diverges from Vivek to expand Ebenezer, a vulcanizer and up to this point, a wholly insignificant force in the main narrative. This kind of departure is a devise that can feel stodgy or superfluous, yet Emezi quickly assures that the detour not only breathes life to the humanity encircling Vivek, but is somehow another clue to understand the context of the untimely death.

Queerness anchors this novel in such unexpected ways; it's complex and messy, especially as the novel is set in Nigeria entering the 21st century, There is generally so much danger in otherness, so as Emezi's characters learn how to express themselves, it's both celebratory and ominous. Vivek is, to an extent, protected by a group of formidable young women and cousin Osita, who represent unquestioning progressiveness. Through Vivek, they come to understand their own identities, which almost adds magic to their fated friendship. Somehow, as their hometown rages with fire and suffering, these societal misfits have found each other.

THE DEATH OF VIVEK OJI should be required reading for any parent, but especially parents of young LGBTQ+ people. Emezi urges their readers towards compassion. Parents are, of course, responsible for the care of the children, but they also need to let them fly their own course while they come to understand their identities. Vivek's parents, Kavita and Chika, are perfectly drawn; their progression is met with great resistance and pain, but ultimately show that they will try, despite their loss. There's much to learn from the way they come to pick up the pieces and reframe the way they loved their child.

Very, almost punishingly, harrowing, but as beautifully written and empathetic as Emezi's other work. More traditionally narrative than Freshwater, and ultimately slightly less successful for me, but I can see that varying wildly from reader to reader.

This book is one of the most beautiful books I read in 2020. It was short but it truly packed a punch for me. This is one of those books that I would qualify as a true work of art. I cried and felt every part of this book so deeply and that truly made it that much better of an experience. Vivek Oji was left on his parents doorstep wrapped in a colorful cloth after being beaten to death. This book was an amazing story of love, sexuality, self identity, loss of a loved one, frienship, and the effects of living in a place where being yourself is looked down upon and often times can cause you to be killed. This is one of those books that I would recommend to anyone, because I think it would truly open their eyes into peoples lives who live in persecution.

I don’t really have words to describe this book. Opening with Vivek Oji’s death, the story follows the arc of their life in Nigeria, and the impact on their family and friends. It is very character driven, as Vivek’s cousin and mother struggle to understand them throughout the story. With flashes of Vivek’s own voice throughout, it’s fascinating to see how things unravel, but are simultaneously coming together to tell the story of what happened to Vivek Oji.

I couldn’t put it down. It’s devastating and a bit confusing at times (but you’re supposed to be puzzling it out with the characters). Akwaeke Emezi is an extraordinary writer, and their books are becoming a must-read for me!

Some MAJOR content warnings:
Death (obviously), incest, transphobia and homophobia, sexual content

I had high hopes for this novel, having heard wonderful things about Akwaeke Emezi's writing. Set in southeast Nigeria and beginning when a woman finds the body of her dead son, the novel explores the somewhat controversial life of Vivek Oji.

The central characters were a highlight in this novel. Vivek Oji always felt different; never feeling seen by their distant, traditional parents and the community around them. Through various characters' stories and the narrative jumping around in the time, we are allowed to explore different aspects of Vivek's identity, surrounding themes of love, friendship, sexuality, family and gender identity, all through the lens of the tight-knit Nigerian community.

Akwaeke Emezi clearly has a lot of interesting things to say surrounding the aforementioned themes, and on the whole the way they said these things was effective. The narrative has a fresh and unflinching, and quite unique, feel to it. That being said, something stopped me from falling in love with the book. I didn't feel totally connected to or invested in the characters as a read, and was often left feeling a little distant from the story. I found myself to be more in interested in what the characters were representing - what they were vehicles for exploring - rather than being interested in them for themselves.

Overall, I found this to be an interesting and on the whole engaging novel. While I didn't feel completely connected to it throughout, I appreciated Akwaeke Emezi's writing and insight. I'm excited to see what they bring out in the future.

This book was fantastic and so heartbreaking!! I loved every page of it.
Vivek was a great character, actually ever character was incredibly fleshed out and had depth. I learned a lot about Nigeria and it's culture through this book. I cried my heart out to many of the pages. I loved how it talked about the connection between life, birth and death, between friendship, family and loneliness. I love how it had many secrets and mysteries and how Akwaeke jumped around in the timeline of the plot, without it being confusing. Such a talented writer!

This book was a unique and beautiful portrayal about the life of a boy who never truly fit in to his community. The writing sucked me in from the beginning - it was so beautiful. As with a lot of other people, this book definitely made me cry! It is a unique coming of age story that doesn't focus on the hetero-normative structure that so many of these stories take. I fully recommend this book, absolutely beautiful. And thank you net galley for giving me the opportunity to read it!

The Death of Vivek Oji was a beautiful and emotional read dealing with identity. The writing of this novel was wonderful and made the book come to life for me. The grief portrayed throughout the book was real and heartbreaking. There are a lot of characters and relationships throughout the book which made it difficult for me to follow at times. This was overall a beautiful and unforgettable read.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

I have really mixed feelings about this book - the writing was fantastic, the structure and much of the plot really well crafted, and I mostly enjoyed reading the death, and life, of Vivek, a troubled young Nigerian man.

However, the explicit sex scenes, and specifically the relationship between Vivek and his cousin were much for me. I understand what the writer’s agenda was, and some of the ideas they wanted to convey, but the incest was a stage too far. It, along with what seemed like a determination to have every character be either unfaithful, gay, gender-non conforming, or in some cases all 3 at once, marred my enjoyment of the book as it went on, and would make me very cautious about recommending it to others.

I didn't end up finishing this book. So many people loved it, but it just wasn't for me. The whole story was a bit of a slog, and I couldn't push myself to finish it.

I don't know how Emezi does it but they can do no wrong in my eyes. This is one of the most sensitive novels I've ever read. Granted, there are some plot holes I would have loved to see through but I understand why it ended where it did. I've recommended this book to all my friends. Even made a book club choice.

“They burned down the market the day Vivek Oji died.” From the very first sentence, this lyrical, poetic novel draws in the reader and immerses them forever in the lives of Vivek’s family and friends. The narrative moves in time and viewpoint, revealing the impact of the central character’s sensitive, independent personality on those who love him, as he grows up, from the day of his birth and his grandmother’s death, to the days after his funeral.
It is a poignant study of grief, as Vivek’s mother seeks to find out how her son was killed and who laid him, wrapped in akwete cloth on their doorstep and his father sinks ever deeper into depressive inertia. It is also a moving exploration of young people developing their self-awareness and trying to live in a way that is true to themselves.
I loved this beautifully written and emotionally astute novel and I am delighted to have been introduced to the work of this talented writer of whom I was previously unaware. My library can't purchase it because my oldest readers are only 11, but I will be recommending it in all my book related discussions.

A very engaging and emotional read.
Very well written and an intriguing story of identity, belonging and grief that is quite complex and culturally rich.

The end however felt somewhat unsatisfactory because of all the suspense the rest of the story had created.
Also, depiction of a particular relationship felt very wrong to me as a reader.
Other than that this is a unique story.

Very moving, sad story of a young Nigerian man who identifies with another gender and is trying to navigate through life within his community and family. The story is told through different points of view from his closest friends and mother so it was interesting to learn about Vivek this way.
Honestly, the story broke my heart and the timing right now probably wasn’t the best. It was very well written and the second half of the book went very fast for me. I would read more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book

Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have really mixed feelings about this book that definitely need some time to unpack but I like that aspect of it! Emezi tells a thought-provoking story that is in no way sugarcoated for Western cultures (again, a plus for me) and has some thematically sound images throughout. The heartbreak in this story is tangible and the aspects of each dynamic explored were interesting. I did feel that although I enjoyed the short length of this book there were so many aspects that felt glossed over and I would have liked to see more of. Overall The Death of Vivek Oji was for sure a win for me but one that needs some time to ponder over and deliberate in my own time - narratively weak at times but poetically strong in its delving into sexual identities of all kinds. Content warnings apply for incest.

A short but beautiful book that will break your heart. It has everything to grab your interests: culture, the love of a parent, the difficulty of youth, LGBTQ issues, and so much more, I can't wait to read more from this author.

Akwaeke Emezi is the only person in recent memory who can accomplish this level of complicated narrative structure while also bending genres in whichever direction they want them to. Having read Pet and Freshwater as well, I knew what I was in for with The Death of Vivek Oji and I wasn't let down - the writing is very strong, but so are the very memorable characters and the themes that are discussed here. It always amazes me when writers manage to pack a lot into a relatively small number of pages and that's something Emezi excels at, in my opinion.

There's a very distinct atmosphere here and it doesn't necessarily comes from its cultural and intersectional setting, though those obviously play a big part, too. What I find mesmerizing about this novel is that even though the characters are very deeply anchored in the real world, their inner worlds are rich and run deep. Through their actions we see them as people who exist within themselves as well as outside, with one reflecting the other.

I've read a lot of books in the last couple of years where the "clever" narrative structure consists of various characters giving their feelings/experiences/statements about the key character it all revolves around, but it's hardly ever made an impact for me. Even excluding the occasional chapters written from Vivek's point of view, it completely works here - in every chapter, it is deeply personal or purposely not so.

There is a lot to think about with this novel and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

This book is very messed up.

You obviously realize, by the title, that the main character is going to die. There's something wrong with him, but you're not exactly sure what. Is it a physical problem? Is it a mental illness? Is there a magical or mystical element at play?

There are multiple narrators and the timeline is always shifting, which can be a little difficult to track. I was annoyed by the fact that the narrators were dropping seemingly useless bread crumbs while we struggle to understand what the hell is going on. They clearly know -- why are they torturing us?

I can't see myself considering any books from this author in the future.

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
Opening line: They burned down the market on the day Vivek Oji died.
Premise: From the first line we know Vivek Oji is dead, but his death is a mystery that gets pieced together as we learn about how he lived. Primarily the perspectives are of his cousin and mother, but we also get snippets from Vivek as he looks down on them. Such a great story about grief, love and identity.
I shy away from books that feel they’re going to be too dark. Vivek was more beautiful than dark, so I’m glad I gave it a chance. We hear about his life from those who loved him and understood him.
I want to read more books about non-binary gender identity in the new year. Especially where we get more of the primary person’s thoughts.