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A review by epiphylium
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I finished reading this book last night and I'm still at a loss as to how I feel about it. I wish I had went in with more of an idea as to what this was about -- because I didn't -- and that may be why I'm feeling a bit unsettled.
There were a lot of parts of this book that I enjoyed. I liked the way the author played around with non-linear storytelling. We know from the get go that this novel is about Vivek and that they die, and going from present day POV writing to a retelling of past tense. I think if done correctly, this can create a sense of mystery and tension that is engaging to read and helps pushes the story line. I enjoyed the author's writing style, which was although simple, it was effective. The characters I enjoyed getting to know also.
I really struggled with the incest however. I found that it was completely unnecessary (as it didn't really aid in story or character development) and it would have had the same effect if they were friends without the discomfort of having to read cousins engaging in sexual activities. The only thing I could think of is that it was potentially to build up shame in the characters experiencing it, but it wasn't really ever discussed or focused on so I'm just. We really could've done without it.
The ending can be seen as anti-climatic, but I don't think that lessened my feelings around it. I think it was cool that it left the readers/and the characters guessing,thinking it could have been suicide, a hate crime, a murder, but it was actually just an accident. Sometimes life just happens like that and it was a pleasant surprise(?) to see it go down that route.
Either way, I feel like I would tentatively recommend this book to others but only if they asked about it, and I would be very clear about the content warnings before having them pick up the book.
I would say that The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel has a similar energy to this, although based in a fictional town in America and goes a bit more in depth on certain issues. It has a vastly different writing style however, written in prose, poetry, and metaphors, which whilst I personally love, I can see not everyone enjoys, so there's that!
There were a lot of parts of this book that I enjoyed. I liked the way the author played around with non-linear storytelling. We know from the get go that this novel is about Vivek and that they die, and going from present day POV writing to a retelling of past tense. I think if done correctly, this can create a sense of mystery and tension that is engaging to read and helps pushes the story line. I enjoyed the author's writing style, which was although simple, it was effective. The characters I enjoyed getting to know also.
I really struggled with the incest however. I found that it was completely unnecessary (as it didn't really aid in story or character development) and it would have had the same effect if they were friends without the discomfort of having to read cousins engaging in sexual activities. The only thing I could think of is that it was potentially to build up shame in the characters experiencing it, but it wasn't really ever discussed or focused on so I'm just. We really could've done without it.
The ending can be seen as anti-climatic, but I don't think that lessened my feelings around it. I think it was cool that it left the readers/and the characters guessing,
Either way, I feel like I would tentatively recommend this book to others but only if they asked about it, and I would be very clear about the content warnings before having them pick up the book.
I would say that The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel has a similar energy to this, although based in a fictional town in America and goes a bit more in depth on certain issues. It has a vastly different writing style however, written in prose, poetry, and metaphors, which whilst I personally love, I can see not everyone enjoys, so there's that!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Misogyny, Sexism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Sexual content